Russia's state energy giant Gazprom on December 28 said it would cease gas deliveries to Moldova at the end of this year because of a dispute over debt with the small Balkan nation that is aligned with the West. Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean condemned Gazprom's decision, describing it as "an oppressive tactic" through which Russia "uses energy as a political weapon" and said he would pursue international legal means to fight it. The head of Moldovagaz said that, as early as December 2022, the entire volume of gas supplied by Gazprom was intended for the Moscow-backed separatist region, Transdniester , located on the left bank of the Dniester River. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service, click here . Drone attacks and fighting intensified in Ukraine and Russia on December 28, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Slovakia's prime minister of taking "orders" from the Kremlin to harm Kyiv and his own people as an energy feud heightened as well. "It appears that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin gave [Robert] Fico the orders to open the second energy front against Ukraine at the expense of the Slovak people's interests," Zelenskiy wrote on social media. "Fico's threats to cut off Ukraine's emergency power supply this winter while Russia attacks our power plants and energy grid can only be explained by this." The comments came after Fico on December 27 threatened to halt supplies of electricity to Ukraine if Kyiv blocks transit of Russian gas to Slovakia. Ukraine has announced it will not extend the transit contract of Russian state-owned company Gazprom after January 1 -- ceasing deliveries of gas to several European nations -- as the West looks to cut off the Kremlin's source of funding for the war. The transport deal was signed before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and most European nations have since begun developing alternative sources of gas, although Fico says finding alternatives would be too costly for Slovakia. Fico, along with Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, has angered the West by continuing to have close ties to Putin despite U.S. and EU sanctions. Fico visited Putin in Moscow earlier this week and has offered to host potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Zelenskiy said Slovakia accounts for nearly 20 percent of Ukraine's power imports. "Slovakia is part of the single European energy market and Fico must respect common European rules," Zelenskiy wrote. "Any arbitrary decisions in Bratislava or Moscow's orders to Fico regarding electricity cannot cut Ukraine's power supply, but they can certainly cut current Slovak authorities' ties to the European community," he added, suggesting the move would deprive Slovakia itself of some $200 million a year. Meanwhile, as Russia's full-scale invasion grinds on toward its fourth year, Ukraine and Russia exchanged accusations of drone attacks in several regions as battlefield clashes intensified along the front lines, with the "hottest" fighting reported around the embattled Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. Russian air defenses destroyed 56 drones overnight, the Defense Ministry said on December 28. It said 28 drones were shot down in the Rostov region, 17 in the Voronezh region, and 11 in the Belgorod region, where local officials reportedly said two residents of a village were injured by shrapnel from a blast. The Russian claims could not be independently verified. A Russian occupation official said on Telegram that four people were wounded in what he said was a Ukrainian drone attack that hit a car in the Russian-held city of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine’s Kherson region early in the morning. In Mykolayiv, the Ukrainian-held capital of a region adjacent to Kherson, the military said Ukrainian defenders had neutralized all 16 drones launched by Russia on December 28. "Of the 16 UAVs launched, 15 were shot down, another one was a simulator. All 15 were shot down in the Mykolaiv region," the Ukrainian Air Force said Earlier, a Russian drone attack in the city caused fires on the roof of a five-story residential building and on the grounds of a commercial enterprise, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegra. He said that nobody was hurt, and that the military had destroyed 12 drones over the region overnight . Russia and Ukraine have used drones regularly since Russia launched the full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. There are mounting suspicions that the crash of a Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet earlier this week near Aqtau, Kazakhstan, that killed 38 of the 67 people aboard was caused by Russian air-defense systems on alert for Ukrainian drone attacks on the Chechnya region, where the jet was due to land in Grozny before it was diverted across the Caspian Sea. Ukraine said its forces struck a "protected facility" of the Russian military in the Oryol region near the border with Ukraine. It said the target was a warehouse holding Iranian-made Shahed drones. Also on December 28, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed it had thwarted a plot to kill a high-level Russian military officer and an unnamed Russian “war blogger” who writes about the invasion. The FSB, whose claim could not be independently verified, said it had arrested a Russian man it said was acting under instructions from Ukrainian military intelligence. It said it had found a cache outside Moscow with an improvised explosive device camouflaged as a stereo speaker. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the FSB claim, which came 11 days after the general who headed Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces (RKhBZ) was killed, along with an assistant, by a bomb concealed in a scooter. A source at Ukraine's SBU security service told RFE/RL that the blast that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant was the result of a special operation by the Ukrainian agency. Germany's foreign minister described the suspected sabotage of a Baltic Sea power cable as a "wake-up call" for the West and urged the European Union to impose new sanctions targeting what is known as Russia's " shadow fleet ." Meanwhile, a media outlet focusing on shipping news and intelligence reported that the ship suspected of damaging the cable linking Finland and Estonia on December 25 was equipped with "special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity." The Eagle S "had transmitting and receiving devices installed that effectively allowed it to become a 'spy ship' for Russia," Lloyd's List reported on December 27, citing "a source familiar with the vessel who provided commercial maritime services to it as recently as seven months ago." Finland seized the Eagle S on December 26, citing suspicions that it caused an outage of the Estlink 2 undersea power cable and damaged four Internet lines. Finnish investigators said the ship may have caused the damage by dragging its anchor along the sea floor. Finnish and EU officials say the Eagle S is believed to belong to a "shadow fleet" of old, uninsured oil vessels used to bypass Western sanctions and maintain a source of revenue for Russia's economy and its war against Ukraine. The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. "The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment , while funding Russia's war budget," the European Commission said on December 26, suggesting the incident was part of a deliberate effort to damage "critical infrastructure" in Europe. "We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet." In comments on December 28, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged "new European sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet," which she said is "a major threat to our environment and security" that is used by Russia "to finance its war of aggression in Ukraine." "Almost every month, ships are damaging major undersea cables in the Baltic Sea," Baerbock said in a statement to the Funke media group. "Crews are leaving anchors in the water, dragging them for kilometers along the seafloor for no apparent reason, and then losing them when pulling them up.” "It's more than difficult to still believe in coincidences," she said. "This is an urgent wake-up call for all of us." TBILISI -- Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili joined thousands of pro-West demonstrators on the streets of Tbilisi to protest the Georgian Dream-led government's moves to delay closer integration with the European Union and its perceived tilt toward Russia. The December 28 rally came at a potentially explosive time in the South Caucasus nation as Zurabishvili has vowed not to step down at the end of her term on December 29, claiming her successor -- chosen by an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream -- was "illegitimate." Zurabishvili and demonstrators, waving Georgian and EU flags, marched along the Saarbruecken Bridge in the capital, joined by members of parliament from allied countries, including Poland and Lithuania, to form a "chain of unity." The rally marked one month since the start of the recent wave of anti-government protests, which have been met with violent police action, injuries, and mass arrests by Georgian authorities. Protesters accuse the government of the Georgian Dream party of moving the country away from the EU and closer to Moscow. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October parliamentary elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said was marred by instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The rallies intensified after a government decision last month to delay negotiations on Georgia joining the EU. On December 24, Human Rights Watch called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the "brutal police violence" against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for the demonstrations. On December 27, the United States said it had slapped fresh sanctions on Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and the founder of the Georgian Dream party, for undermining Georgia's democracy for the "benefit of the Russian Federation." "Under Ivanishvili's leadership, Georgian Dream has advanced the interests of the Kremlin by derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory -- in direct contradiction to what was envisioned by the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. The action prompted anger from the Georgian Dream party, while the Georgian opposition hailed the action and called on the EU to also move against Ivanishvili and other Georgian leaders. Zurabishvili -- who has spilt with the government and backed the protesters early in the wave of rallies -- on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. U.S. Republican House member Joe Wilson on December 27 wrote on X that he welcomed the new sanctions and added that he had invited Zurabishvili -- "as the only legitimate leader in Georgia" -- to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20. "I am in awe of her courage in the face of the assault by Ivanishvili and his friends" in China and Iran, Wilson added, without mentioning Russia. Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president. His inauguration is supposed to take place on December 29, though the 72-year-old Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she will not step down, setting up a potentially explosive showdown. "Next week at this time, I will be president," Zurabishvili restated on December 27. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012. Afghanistan's Taliban-led government said Taliban forces targeted what it claimed were "centers and hideouts for malicious elements" it said were involved in a recent attack in Afghanistan, as an upsurge of cross-border fighting continues. The statement from the Taliban's Defense Ministry followed reports of deadly early morning clashes on December 28 between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards. It came days after the government said Pakistani aircraft bombed targets in Afghanistan in an attack it said killed dozens of civilians. The ministry gave few details about the strikes, which it said were launched against targets in several districts behind the "hypothetical line" -- a reference to a portion of the border with Pakistan that Afghan authorities have long disputed. Local sources told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that three people in Paktia Province were killed and two wounded by gunfire from Pakistani border guards, and that clashes also took place in the Khost province. The reports could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani government. But the head of a community in the Kurram district told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that Taliban forces fired rockets at two security posts near the border at about 6 a.m., setting off fighting that continued for several hours. The Taliban's Defense Ministry suggested the strikes on Pakistan were retaliation for what the Taliban-led government said were Pakistani air strikes that killed 46 civilians in Paktika Province, which also borders Pakistan, on December 24. Pakistan says that militants from the Islamist group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are hiding across the border in Afghanistan, and Islamabad has repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban to take action against them. The Afghan Taliban say the TTP is in Pakistan. There has been a steady increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan. Authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka extended a wave of pardons ahead of a January presidential election in Belarus, ordering the release of 20 prisoners jailed on extremism charges his opponents and rights groups say were politically motivated. Lukashenka's press service suggested the pardons were issued on humanitarian grounds, saying 14 of those ordered released have chronic illnesses and 10 of them have children. It said 11 of the 20 are women. The press service claimed the prisoners had all sought pardons and expressed remorse, an assertion that could not be independently verified. It said that authorities would "monitor their behavior following their release." Since July, Lukashenka has pardoned more than 225 people whom activists consider political prisoners. Rights groups have recognized nearly 3,600 people as political prisoners since the state launched a massive crackdown when pro-democracy protests erupted after Lukashenka, in power since 1994, claimed a landslide victory in an August 2020 election that millions believe was stolen though fraud . Many of those have served out their sentences. Ahead of a January 26 election in which he is certain to be awarded a new term, Lukashenka may be seeking to signal to the West that he is easing off on the persistent clampdown that the state has imposed since the 2020 election. But the crackdown continues, with frequent arrests and trials on what activists say are politically motivated charges. At least 1,253 people whom rights groups consider political prisoners remain behind bars, and the real number is believed to be higher. Lukashenka has roped Belarus closely to Russia and has provided support for Russia's war on neighboring Ukraine, including by allowing Russian forces to invade from Belarusian territory, and he says Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus. But over 30 years in power, he has often tried to capitalize on Belarus’ position between Russia in the east and NATO and the European Union to the west and north. Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized over the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane this week, the Kremlin said, amid growing evidence that the jet was hit by a Russian air-defense missile in the Chechnya region before it went down in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. In a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Putin said Russian air defenses were repelling an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Chechnya’s capital, Grozny, when the plane was trying to land at the airport there, a Kremlin statement said. Putin "conveyed his apologies in connection with the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace," the statement said, indicating that Putin acknowledged the plane was damaged over Chechnya but stopped short of stating a Russian missile strike was the cause. "In the conversation, it was noted that...the aircraft tried more than once to approach the Grozny airport for landing," it said, adding that “at this time, Ukrainian combat drones were attacking Grozny [and the nearby cities of] Mozdok and Vladikavkaz, and Russian air-defense systems were repelling these attacks." Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into the possible violation of flight safety rules, the statement said. It said two Azerbaijani prosecutors were working with Russian law enforcement in Grozny and that Russian, Azerbaijani, and Kazakh authorities were working together at the crash site near Aqtau, Kazakhstan. The Kremlin statement is likely to further increase suspicions that a Russian missile damaged the Embraer-190 jet before it was diverted to Aktau, across the Caspian Sea from Chechnya, where it crashed near the shore after a steep descent and burst into flames. Evidence of a missile strike includes footage of damage inside the plane before the crash and images of the hole-pocked tail section after the crash, as well as comments from survivors who said they heard at least one explosion outside the plane over Chechnya. Azerbaijani lawmaker Hikmat Babaoghlu told RFE/RL on December 27 that there is a "very strong" possibility that the plane was damaged by a Russian air-defense missile. He said that the "observations and conclusions drawn so far support the idea that the plane being shot down is the closest to the truth." On the same day, White House spokesman John Kirby said U.S. experts "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air-defense systems." Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air-defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. The crash has disrupted air traffic in the Caucasus and beyond. An Azerbaijan Airlines flight bound for the Russian spa town of Mineranlye Vody, not far from Grozny, took off from Baku on December 27 but then abruptly headed back after receiving a flight information notice that Russian airspace it was due to fly through was closed. Azerbaijan Airlines later said it is suspending flights to several Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, and Makhachkala. Turkmenistan Airlines announced on December 28 that it was canceling all its flights between the capital, Ashgabat, and Moscow from December 30 to January 31, giving no reason for the decision. Turkmenistan borders Kazakhstan on the eastern shore of the Caspian. Also on December 28, Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that restrictions were briefly placed on the operation of the airport in the Tatarstan regional capital, Kazan, to ensure flight safety, and media reports said that all departures and arrivals had been suspended. Flights heading to Kazan from the Siberian cities of Tomsk, Surgut, and Kemerovo were redirected to an airfield in Nizhnekamsk, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing the airport's press service. No specific reason was given for the measures, which Rosaviatsia said had been lifted a few hours later. Russia has closed airports at times due to alleged drone attacks, and a drone attack hit high-rise buildings in Kazan on December 21. NATO has said it would bolster its presence in the Baltic Sea after undersea power lines and Internet cables were damaged by suspected sabotage believed to be carried out by vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called “ shadow fleet .” Estonia also announced on December 27 that it had begun a naval operation to guard a crucial electricity line in the Baltic Sea in coordination with allies as tensions mounted in the region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in a social media post following discussions with Finnish President Alexander Stubb that "NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea." Both Finland and Estonia have coastlines on the Baltic Sea. When asked for details about planned actions, NATO officials told AP that the alliance “remains vigilant and is working to provide further support, including by enhancing our military presence” in the region. "We have agreed with Estonia, and we have also communicated to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, that our wish is to have a stronger NATO presence," Stubb told a news conference. Stubb added that investigators did not want to jump to conclusions, but a day earlier he had said that "it is necessary to be able to prevent the risks posed by ships belonging to the Russian 'shadow fleet.'" The "shadow fleet" is a reference to old, uninsured oil vessels typically used to bypass Western sanctions on Russia and maintain a source of revenue. European government and the United States have accused Russia of intensifying "hybrid attacks" following reports of damage to Baltic Sea communications cables, although they have not yet directly tied Moscow to the damage. NATO stepped up monitoring critical infrastructure in the Baltic following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the destruction of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline seven months later. Chinese-linked ships have also been suspected of sabotaging undersea infrastructure over recent years. Sweden -- NATO's newest member, which also has a coastline on the Baltic Sea -- said its coast guard had stepped up surveillance of sea traffic and had deployed aircraft and vessels in concert with regional allies. The European Commission on December 26 said a cargo ship suspected of having deliberately damaged power and Internet cables in the Baltic Sea was part of Russia's "shadow fleet." The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. Finnish authorities on December 26 boarded and took command of the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker in the Baltic Sea as part of its investigation into the damages, saying it likely belong to the "shadow fleet." Investigators have said the damage could have been caused by the ship intentionally dragging its anchor. The Kremlin said it had no connection to the ship seized by Finland. It has regularly denied that it is involved in any of the many incidents involving Baltic Sea region infrastructure assets. The United States said it has slapped fresh sanctions on Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, for undermining Georgia's democracy for the "benefit of the Russian Federation." "Under Ivanishvili's leadership, Georgian Dream has advanced the interests of the Kremlin by derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory -- in direct contradiction to what was envisioned by the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on December 27. Blinken added that "Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream's actions have eroded democratic institutions, enabled human rights abuses, and curbed the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia." "We strongly condemn Georgian Dream's actions under Ivanishvili's leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures." The new measures will block transactions involving entities owned by Ivanishvili, the statement said. According to Bloomberg News, Ivanishvili's fortune is estimated at $7.5 billion, much of it coming through metals, banking, and telecom assets in Russia during the 1990s. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the U.S. action "blackmail" and said it was Ivanishvili's "reward" for protecting Georgia's national interest. However, opposition leader Giorgi Vashadze of the Unity National Movement hailed the U.S. decision, according to Georgia's Interpress news agency. "I welcome this step from the United States and believe that we are quickly moving toward victory and will celebrate Georgia without Ivanishvili, who is the bringer of chaos and misery to this country," he was quoted as saying. In a previous action, the United States on December 12 said it would "prohibit visa issuance to those who are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia." That move affected some 20 people, "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. Georgia, once a closer U.S. ally, has angered Washington and the European Union with its perceived tilt toward Russia and its violent crackdown on dissent in the Caucasus nation. The sanctions come at a crucial time, as Georgia's fate hangs in the balance -- whether it will intensify its tilt toward Moscow, return to the pro-Europe path, or remain in an environment of unrest and uncertainty. Police in Tbilisi have clashed with pro-West protesters over the past several weeks, detaining dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the government of the Georgian Dream party of moving the country away from the European Union and closer to Moscow. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October parliamentary elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said was marred by instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The rallies intensified after a government decision last month to delay negotiations on Georgia joining the EU. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on December 24 called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the “brutal police violence” against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for huge anti-government demonstrations. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili – who has spilt with the government and backed the protesters -- on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. "Next week at this time I will be president," Zurabishvili restated on December 27. U.S. Republican House member Joe Wilson wrote on X that he welcomed the new sanctions and added that he had invited Zurabishvili -- "as the only legitimate leader in Georgia" -- to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20 "I am in awe of her courage in the face of the assault by Ivanishvili and his friends" in China and Iran, Wilson added, without mentioning Russia. Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president. His inauguration is supposed to take place on December 29, though the 72-year-old Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she will not step down, setting up a potentially explosive showdown. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012. PODGORICA -- After a multinational back-and-forth legal battle, Montenegro on December 27 said it would extradite South Korean cryptocurrency entrepreneur Hyeong Do Kwon -- the so-called Crypto King -- to the United States. Do Kwon is sought by both the United States and South Korea and also faces possible legal action in Singapore. Montenegrin courts have previously issued at least eight often-contradictory decisions regarding Do Kwon's fate. In September, the Montenegrin Supreme Court ruled that Do Kwon could be sent to either the United States or South Korea and that the final decision on which country would be up to Justice Minister Bojan Bozovic. On December 24, Do Kwon lost his final appeal against extradition with Montenegro's Constitutional Court. In the latest ruling, the Justice Ministry said the U.S. request had met the threshold for removal and, as a result Bozovic "issued a decision approving the extradition." The ministry said the criteria included the gravity of the criminal acts, the order of submission of the extradition requests, and the citizenship of the person in question. The former CEO and co-founder of the cryptocurrency company Terraform Labs is wanted by U.S. and South Korean authorities for his alleged role in capital market and securities fraud involving assets worth some $40 billion. Do Kwon was arrested with business partner Chang Joon in March 2023 at Podgorica airport while attempting to fly to Dubai using on allegedly forged passports. They each received a four-month prison sentence on the forged-passport charge. Chang, who was wanted only by South Korea, was extradited to that country on February 5. After serving his sentence, Do Kwon was sent to a shelter for foreigners near Podgorica, where he awaited extradition. Do Kwon in October claimed that the South Korean charges were illegitimate and "politically motivated." Despite the legal struggle, Do Kwon's trial in absentia took place in the United States, where a New York jury on April 5 found him and Terraform labs liable on civil fraud charges, agreeing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that they had misled investors. Terraform Labs agreed to pay about $4.5 billion in a civil settlement with the SEC following the court's ruling. Do Kwon was ordered to pay $204 million. Following the verdict, a Terraform spokesperson said, "We continue to maintain that the SEC does not have the legal authority to bring this case at all" and that the company was weighing its options. Italy’s Foreign Ministry said journalist Cecilia Sala, who was in Iran to carry out "journalistic activities," has been detained by Tehran police authorities. The ministry said in a statement on December 27 that Sala, who has a podcast called Stories that covers life in places around the world, was detained on December 19. It gave no reason for the detention, but said in a statement that the ambassador from Italy's embassy in Tehran had paid a consular visit "to verify the conditions and state of detention of Sala." "The family was informed of the results of the consular visit. Previously, Sala had the opportunity to make two phone calls with her relatives," it said. Sala posted a podcast from Tehran on December 17 about patriarchy in the Iranian capital. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. Earlier this month, Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, was handed a 10-year sentence by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." 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. Iran is 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. An Azerbaijani lawmaker said there is a "very strong" possibility that the crash of a passenger jet earlier this week was caused by Russian air-defense systems on alert for Ukrainian drone attacks. Speculation has mounted that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was headed from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya region, may have been hit by an air-defense missile before crossing the Caspian Sea and crashing near Aqtau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 passengers and crew. Lawmaker Hikmat Babaoghlu told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service in an interview on December 27 that such an explanation is most likely "closest to the truth." "This is only a possibility, but a very strong one, and the observations and conclusions drawn so far support the idea that the plane being shot down is the closest to the truth," he said. "In this specific case, the incident involves Azerbaijan's airliner being damaged within the territory of the Russian Federation, with the event causing the crash occurring there. Therefore, there is no doubt that responsibility falls on the Russian Federation. If these assumptions are correct, accountability also undoubtedly rests with Russia," he added. Kazakh experts arrived on December 27 to examine the crash site and black box of the ill-fated passenger jet, as speculation -- and evidence -- mounted suggesting that a Russian air-defense missile may have inadvertently struck the craft. Even as the probe intensifies, countries with victims aboard the plane -- Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan -- continue to mourn their dead and treat the injured from the crash of the Embraer 190 aircraft. Since the crash, uncertainty has rocked the aviation industry throughout the Caucasus. An Azerbaijan Airlines flight bound for the Russian spa town of Mineranlye Vody took off from Baku on December 27 but then abruptly headed back after receiving a flight information notice that Russian airspace it was due to fly through was closed . Azerbaijan Airlines later said it is suspending flights to several Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, and Makhachkala. Speculation has swirled around the tragedy, with some experts pointing to holes seen in the plane's tail section as a possible sign that it could have come under fire from Russian air-defense systems engaged in thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on December 27 that the United States has seen signs suggesting that the jet could have been hit by Russian air defense systems. U.S. experts "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems," he said. Kirby added that Washington has “offered our assistance...should they need it" to the ongoing investigation being conducted by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Evidence, yet to be corroborated by authorities, includes footage from inside the plane before the crash, images of the hole-pocked tail section after the crash, a survivor's comments, and accounts indicating there was a suspected drone attack around the time the plane apparently tried to land in Grozny. Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air-defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. It was not immediately clear where the black box would be examined. The process can be highly technical, and not all countries have the resources to undertake such work. Gulag Aslanli, a leader of Azerbaijan's opposition Musavat party, told RFE/RL that an international commission was needed to investigate the incident. "Russia cannot be allowed there," he said. "If the black box is going to be taken to Russia and examined there, I will look at its outcome with suspicion." Officials said it typically takes about two weeks to fully assess a black box, although various conditions can alter that time frame. Commenting on unconfirmed reports that the plane may have been shot down by a missile, Kazakh Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbaev said it was "not possible" to say what may have damaged the aircraft until the investigation is finished. "Real experts are looking at all this, and they will make their conclusions. Neither Kazakhstan, Russia, nor Azerbaijan, of course, is interested in hiding information, so it will be brought to the public," Ashimbaev said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a similar comment, reiterating Moscow's previous stance on the deadly incident. "An investigation is under way, and until the conclusions of the investigation, we do not consider we have the right to make any comments and we will not do so," Peskov told reporters on December 27. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Russian officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience" with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev also told reporters the plane had been fully serviced in October and that there was no sign of technical malfunction. But he said it was too early to determine a cause: "The plane has been found with a black box. After detailed research, all aspects will be clear." The airline suspended flights along the route of the crash pending completion of the investigation. Azerbaijan's Prosecutor-General's Office said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." As the first seven survivors arrived back in the country on December 26, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning. Burials of four of those who lost their lives were conducted during the day, with additional funerals expected in the coming hours and days. Officials in Baku said the wounded arrived on a special flight arranged by Azerbaijan's Emergency Affairs Ministry and that the injured, many with severe burn wounds, were accompanied by medical professionals. Ayhan Solomon, Azerbaijan’s chief consul in Aqtau, told reporters that 26 of those killed were Azerbaijani citizens. He said 16 Azerbaijani citizens survived. “Of those, 10 to 12 are in good condition and others remain critically stable,” he added. Azerbaijan Airlines' supervisory board said on December 26 that the families of those killed will be compensated with 40,000 manats ($23,460), while those injured would receive 20,000 manats ($11,730). Along with the 42 Azerbaijani citizens, those aboard Flight J2-8243 were listed as 16 Russian nationals, six from Kazakhstan, and three Kyrgyz citizens, officials said. The survivors include nine Russian citizens, who were flown to Moscow on December 26 by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Three of the Russian survivors were in critical condition, according to Russian health authorities. KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said “several” North Korean soldiers – badly wounded in fighting alongside Russian forces – have died after being captured by Ukrainian troops on the battlefield and he accused Moscow of having little regard for their survival. Zelenskiy, echoing earlier remarks by U.S. officials, said soldiers sent to Russia by Pyongyang are suffering major losses in fighting in Russia's Kursk region. The Ukrainian leader accused Moscow and North Korean “enforcers” of leaving the soldiers unprotected in battle and even executing fighters to prevent them from being captured alive. He did not provide evidence to back up the claims and they could not independently be verified. The North Korean military has suffered “many losses. A great deal. And we can see that the Russian military and the North Korean enforcers have no interest in the survival of these Koreans at all,” he said in a video address on December 27. “Everything is arranged in a way that makes it impossible for us to capture the Koreans as prisoners – their own people are executing them. There are such cases. And the Russians send them into assaults with minimal protection.” He said Ukrainian soldiers had managed to take some prisoners. "But they were very seriously wounded and could not be saved.” The remarks came after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said that a North Korean fighter had died of wounds suffered before his capture by Ukrainian special operations troops in the Kursk region. "We have confirmed through an allied intelligence agency that a North Korean soldier who was captured on the 26th died a little while ago due to serious injuries," the news release said. On December 26, the Ukrainian news outlet Militarnyi said a soldier believed to be North Korean had been captured by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the Kursk region. A photo of a captured soldier, who is believed to have been injured, also was previously shared on Telegram. The photo has not been independently verified. Details about the soldier's condition and status are not known. Last month Pyongyang ratified a "comprehensive strategic partnership" agreement with Russia, cementing a deal that paved the way for its soldiers to fight on Russian soil against Ukraine. Western sources estimate that 12,000 North Korean troops are in the Kursk region, parts of which are occupied by Ukrainian forces amid ongoing pitched battles. U.S. Response White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on December 27 that North Korean forces are suffering heavy casualties on the front lines, adding that some 1,000 of their troops have been killed or wounded in the Kursk region over the past week. "It is clear that Russian and North Korean military leaders are treating these troops as expendable and ordering them on hopeless assaults against Ukrainian defenses," Kirby said. Kirby said also U.S. President Joe Biden would likely approve another package of military aid for Kyiv in the coming days as he bids to bolster Ukraine’s forces before leaving office on January 20. U.S. officials later told reporters that a new package of military assistance worth $1.25 billion is scheduled to be announced on December 30. North Korean Losses Zelenskiy on December 23 said more than 3,000 troops, or about a quarter of the North Korean special forces sent to Russia, had been killed or injured, though he couched his statement by saying the data was preliminary. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on a lower figure, saying on December 19 that about 1,100 North Korean special forces have been killed or injured in Russia since entering the fray against Ukraine. On December 15, Skhemy (Schemes), an investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, received photos from Ukrainian military sources purportedly showing the bodies of dead soldiers in Kursk, including what was said to be North Korean fighters. RFE/RL has not been able to independently verify the claims. Russia has not commented on the report. North Korean military support is coming at a critical time in the war. Russia is seeking to overpower an undermanned and under-resourced Ukrainian infantry and gain territory before its own manpower and resources become constrained. Russia has lost more than 600,000 soldiers in the nearly three-year war, the Pentagon said in early October. It has burned through so much war material that it is struggling to replace its artillery and missile needs amid sweeping Western sanctions. Now nearly two-thirds of the mortars and shells Russia launches at Ukraine come from North Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported , citing Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian Army officer. And every third ballistic missile was made in North Korea, Ukrainian officials said. The European Commission said a cargo ship suspected of having deliberately damaged power and Internet cables in the Baltic Sea is part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," prompting the EU to threaten new sanctions against Moscow. "We strongly condemn any deliberate destruction of Europe’s critical infrastructure," the commission said in a statement on December 26. "The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment, while funding Russia’s war budget. We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet," the statement added. The statement added that "in response to these incidents, we are strengthening efforts to protect undersea cables, including enhanced information exchange, new detection technologies, as well as in undersea repair capabilities, and international cooperation." The remarks come after two fiber-optic cables owned by Finnish operator Elisa linking Finland and Estonia were broken on December 25. A third link between the two countries -- owned by China's Citic -- was damaged, authorities said. An Internet cable running between Finland and Germany belonging to Finnish group Cinia was also believed to have been severed, according to officials. Investigators said the damage could have been caused by the ship intentionally dragging its anchor. Finnish authorities on December 26 boarded and took command of the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker in the Baltic Sea as part of the investigation. The Finnish customs service said the Eagle S is believed to belong to Russia's so-called “shadow fleet” of old, uninsured oil vessels used to bypass Western sanctions and maintain a source of revenue. The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. Finnish President Alexander Stubb also suggested the cargo has Russian links and that his country is closely monitoring the situation. "It is necessary to be able to prevent the risks posed by ships belonging to the Russian shadow fleet," Stubb wrote on X . EU foreign ministers on December 16 adopted a package of sanctions against Moscow targeting tankers transporting Russian oil as the bloc looked to curb the circumvention of previous measures aimed at hindering Kremlin's ability to wage war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte said on December 26 that the alliance is ready to help Finland and Estonia as they launch their probe into the possible "sabotage." "Spoke with [Estonian Prime Minister] Kristen Michal about reported possible sabotage of Baltic Sea cables,” he wrote on X. “NATO stands in solidarity with Allies and condemns any attacks on critical infrastructure. We are following investigations by Estonia and Finland, and we stand ready to provide further support." Russian President Vladimir Putin said on December 26 that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is ready to offer a “platform” for possible peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv to end the war in Ukraine. Putin told the media Fico said during a recent meeting that "if there are any negotiations, [the Slovaks] would be happy to provide their country as a platform." Most terms suggested so far by Putin have been deemed unacceptable to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Fico is one of the few European leaders Putin has stayed friendly with since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, prompting criticism of the Slovak leader by Zelenskiy and many Western leaders. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here . Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to Russia on January 17, state-controlled media in Iran and Russia reported on December 26. Quoting Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, Iran's Tasnim news agency said that “the president will visit Russia on January 17 and a cooperation agreement between the two countries will be signed during the visit." Russia and Iran both are under severe financial sanctions imposed by Western nations and have stepped up bilateral cooperation on many fronts in recent years. The West has accused Iran of providing weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. Tehran has denied the allegations despite evidence widespread use of Iranian-made drones in the war. SARAJEVO -- Bosnia-Herzegovina’s security minister has been arrested on charges of money-laundering, abuse of office, and accepting bribes, the Balkan nation’s prosecutor’s office said. The minister, Nenad Nesic, was among seven people arrested on similar charges, the office said on December 26. The charges stem from an investigation by the Bosnian state prosecutor and the Interior Ministry of Bosnia's ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, into suspected corruption at the Roads of RS (Putevi RS) public company, where Nesic was general manager from 2016 to 2020. The company's current general manager, Milan Dakic, was also among those arrested, prosecutors said. The company did not immediately comment. Nesic, 46, has been Bosnia’s security minister since 2022. When asked by reporters about the case as he was entering an East Sarajevo police station, Nesic said only that "I continue to fight for Republika Srpska," according to Reuters. Nesic is president of the Democratic People's Alliance (DNS), which is in a coalition with Milorad Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD). Dodik, who is president of Republika Srpska, claimed on social media that this was an "unacceptable procedure" and a "persecution of cadres" from the Bosnian government. The pro-Russia Dodik is under sanctions imposed by the United States and Britain for his efforts to undermine the Dayton agreements that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war. He is currently facing trial himself on charges he failed to comply with the decisions of international High Representative Christian Schmidt. Ethnic Serb lawmakers this week said Dodik's trial was political and based on illegal decisions by the high representative. They claimed that the court was unconstitutional because it was set up by Schmidt and not by the Dayton agreement. Since the Dayton peace accords were put into effect, the country has consisted of a Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government, where Nesic holds the security portfolio. Israel carried out large-scale air strikes on the main airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on December 26 as it steps up attacks on the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in what Tehran called a “violation” of peace and security. Huthi rebels said three people were killed and 14 were injured or missing following the Israeli attacks on the airport and other sites in Yemen, including port facilities. "Fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes on military targets belonging to the Huthi terrorist regime on the western coast and inland Yemen," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attacks followed recent rocket launches by the Huthi fighters against the Tel Aviv area, although little damage was reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes on Yemen, calling them "aggressions" that it claimed were "a clear violation of international peace and security." It said they represented "an undeniable crime against the heroic and noble people of Yemen," who had "not spared any effort to support the oppressed people of Palestine." The Israeli military has said air strikes in Yemen are targeting Huthi sites that have been used to receive Iranian weapons, which are then often transported to other Tehran-linked groups in the Mideast -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, while Hezbollah has also been deemed a terrorist group by Washington. The EU blacklists its military arm but not its political wing. The U.S. State Department designated the Huthis as a terrorist group at the start of this year. Hamas and Hezbollah have been severely weakened following massive Israeli military strikes on their respective sites in Gaza and Lebanon, and most of their leaders have been killed in Israel's military response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue against the Huthi rebels, who have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea, claiming they are in solidarity of Hamas fighters in Gaza. "We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil. We will continue until the job is done," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- head of the World Health Organization who was at the Sanaa airport during the Israeli attack -- said he was safe but that "one of our plane's crew members was injured.” A Pakistani military court has sentenced 60 people to prison terms ranging between two and 10 years over violent protests that erupted after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023, the army’s media wing said on December 26. The defendants, who included a relative of Khan as well as two retired military officers, were sentenced in connection with attacks on military facilities. Twenty-five other people were sentenced on the same charges on December 21. They have the right to appeal the sentences, the military’s media wing said in a statement. Protests erupted across Pakistan in May 2023 when Khan was arrested during his court appearance on corruption charges that he and his supporters deny. Thousands of Khan’s supporters ransacked military facilities and stormed government buildings. Several people were killed, and dozens were injured in the unrest. At least 1,400 protesters, including leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party were arrested following the riots. But only 105 of those detained faced military trials. PTI condemned the sentencing, and said the court had violated the defendants’ rights. The United States expressed deep concern about the sentences, while Britain said that trying civilians in military courts "lacks transparency, independent scrutiny, and undermines the right to a fair trial.” The European Union said the sentences are "inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” Kazakh experts are due to arrive on December 27 to examine the crash site and black box of the ill-fated Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet, as speculation – and evidence – mounted suggesting that a Russian air defense missile may have inadvertently struck the craft. Even as the probe intensifies, countries with victims aboard the plane – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan -- continue to mourn their dead and treat the injured among the 67 passengers and crew who were aboard when the Embraer 190 aircraft fell from the sky on December 25. The plane went down on a scheduled flight from the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region after it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing near the city of Aqtau in western Kazakhstan, killing 38 and injuring 29, many with severe burns suffered in the flaming crash. Speculation swirled around the tragedy, with some experts pointing to holes seen in the plane’s tail section as a possible sign that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems engaged in thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told news agencies that indications suggest a Russian antiaircraft system struck the airliner, although the official provided no details. Canada expressed concerns about reports that Russian air defenses may have caused the crash. "We call on Russia to allow for an open and transparent investigation into the incident and to accept its findings," the Canadian Global Affairs office said on X. Evidence, yet to be corroborated by authorities, includes footage from inside the plane before the crash, images of the planes hole-pocked tail section after the crash, a survivor’s comments, and accounts indicating that there was a suspected drone attack around the time the plane apparently tried to land in Grozny. Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. It was not immediately clear where the black box would be examined. The process can be highly technical, and not all countries have the resources to undertake such work. Gulag Aslanli, a leader of Azerbaijan's opposition Musavat movement, told RFE/RL that an international commission was needed to investigate the incident. "Russia cannot be allowed there," he said. "If the black box is going to be taken to Russia and examined there, I will look at its outcome with suspicion." Talgat Lastaev, Kazakhstan's vice minister of transport, told RFE/RL that experts are scheduled to arrive at the site on December 27 to assess the next steps regarding the black box. Officials said it typically takes about two weeks to fully assess a black box, although various conditions can alter that time frame. Commenting on unconfirmed reports that the plane may have been shot down by a missile, Kazakh Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbaev said it was “not possible” to say what may have damaged the aircraft until the investigation is finished. "Real experts are looking at all this and they will make their conclusions. Neither Kazakhstan, Russia, nor Azerbaijan, of course, is interested in hiding information, it will be brought to the public," Ashimbaev said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a similar comment, saying: "We need to await the end of the investigation.” It was “wrong” to speculate before the investigators gave their findings, Peskov added. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience," with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev also told reporters the plane had been fully serviced in October and that there was no sign of technical malfunction. But he said it was too early to determine a cause: "The plane has been found with a black box. After detailed research, all aspects will be clear." The airline suspended flights along the route of the crash pending completion of the investigation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also said it was too early to determine a cause but at one point had suggested bad weather could have contributed to the crash. The office of Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." As the first seven survivors arrived back in the country on December 26, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning. Burials of four of those who lost their lives were conducted during the day, with additional funerals expected in the coming hours and days. National flags were flown at half-mast across Azerbaijan, and signals were sounded from vehicles, ships, and trains as the nation observed a moment of silence at noon to honor the victims of the plane crash. Officials in Baku said the wounded arrived on a special flight arranged by Azerbaijan's Emergency Affairs Ministry and that the injured were accompanied by medical professionals. There was no immediate word on the condition of the injured, who were among 29 survivors from the crash, many of whom suffered severe burn wounds. Ayhan Solomon, Azerbaijan’s chief consul in Aqtau, told reporters that 26 of those killed were Azerbaijani citizens. He said initial reports indicate that 16 Azerbaijani citizens survived. “Of those, 10 to 12 are in good condition and others remain critically stable,” he added. Azerbaijan Airlines' supervisory board said on December 26 that the families of those killed will be compensated with 40,000 manats ($23,460), while those injured would receive 20,000 manats ($11,730). Along with the 42 Azerbaijani citizens, those aboard Flight J2-8243 were listed as 16 Russian nationals, six from Kazakhstan, and three Kyrgyz citizens, officials said. The survivors include nine Russian citizens, who were flown to Moscow on December 26 by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Three of the Russian survivors were in critical condition, according to Russian health authorities. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozymbaev -- who is in charge of a special government commission to investigate the incident -- said many of those who died in the crash were not immediately identifiable due to massive burns suffered. Bozymbaev said the 29 survivors had injuries ranging from moderate to severe, with many also suffering from major burns. According to Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry, the injured included at least two children and 11 people had been placed in intensive care. The United States and European Union on December 25 condemned plans by ethnic-Serb leaders in Bosnia-Herzegovina to block efforts for closer European integration for the Western Balkan nation. Lawmakers in the country’s ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, late on December 24 ordered Serb representatives in state institutions to block decision-making actions and law changes needed for the country's further integration into the EU. In response, the embassies of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, along with the EU delegation in Bosnia, in a joint statement condemned the Serb parliament's acts as "a serious threat to the country's constitutional order." "At a time when formal opening of EU accession negotiations has never been so close, a return to political blockades would have negative consequences for all citizens, a majority of whom support EU accession," the statement said. The Republika Srpska parliament announced the actions in response to the trial of regional leader Milorad Dodik, who is under U.S. and British sanctions for actions that Western governments allege are aimed at the eventual secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dodik is on trial in a long-delayed, ongoing process on charges he failed to comply with the decisions of the High Representative in Bosnia. He faces up to five years in prison and a ban on participating in politics if convicted. Ethnic Serb lawmakers said Dodik's trial was political and based on illegal decisions by international High Representative Christian Schmidt. They claimed that the court was unconstitutional because it was set up by Schmidt and not by the Dayton agreement. Since the Dayton peace accords that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War, the country has consisted of a Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government. Dodik, who is friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has often made somewhat contradictory comments about his entity's place in Bosnia. He has denied it has ever pursued a policy of secession or disputed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia under the Dayton agreement. He has said, however, that Republika Srpska "has the right to a political fight for its status” under the Dayton accords. He has also called for the “disassociation” of Republika Srpska from Bosnia -- which Washington called “secession by another name.” PRISTINA -- A special panel in Kosovo overturned a decision by the election commission that had barred the country's largest ethnic-Serbian party from participating in upcoming elections due to its strong links with Belgrade. "The Central Election Commission (CEC) is ordered to certify the political entity Serbian List and the candidates of this political entity...for the elections for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to be held on February 9, 2025," the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) said on December 25. The ruling stated that the party had fulfilled all obligations required regarding the political filings and was therefore entitled to be certified. On December 23, the CEC said when it announced its decision not to certify Serbian List that its main reason was the party's nationalistic stance and close ties to Serbia. Some commission members noted that Serbian List leader Zlatan Elek has never referred to Kosovo as independent and continues to call it Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo. The CEC also said that Serbian List has close ties with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other Serb leaders who also refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia has close ties to Russia and has refused to join international sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, although Vucic has attempted to balance relations with the West and has continued to press Belgrade's desires to join the European Union. Elek on December 24 said he planned to appeal the order and said he was confident it would be overturned. The Serbian List -- which described the CEC decision as an attempt "to eliminate" it from the electoral process -- welcomed the latest ruling. The party said the CEC is now obliged to act on the PZAP decision but added it remains to be seen whether the commission will "continue to violate its own law and regulations and act on direct political pressure from the authorities in Pristina." The February parliamentary elections are expected to be a key test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party came to power in 2021 in a landslide in the Western-backed Balkan nation. Prior to the ECAP ruling, political analyst Albert Krasniqi of the Demokraci+ NGO told RFE/RL that the CEC decision is part of the preelection campaign being conducted by Kurti’s Self-Determination party (Vetevendosje). He forecast that Serbian List would appeal the decision and predicted it would be successful in getting it reversed. “All this noise will last at most four days, and I am sure that the ECAP will reverse this decision of the CEC and will oblige the CEC to certify Serbian List,” Krasniqi said. Kosovo proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade still considers Kosovo a province of Serbia and has a major influence on the ethnic Serbian minority living there.
Page threatens to pause senior tax freeze in St. Louis County. Council scoffs.
CHATHAM, N.J. -- That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It's unclear if it's drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving, the saga of the drones reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights. This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter: Lawmakers are demanding (but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what's behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey's new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X. But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies — none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they're looking into what's happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else. Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on. In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group. The Facebook page, New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it , has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there. One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.) Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she's glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said. “I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said. She doesn't buy what the governor said, that the drones aren't a risk to public safety. Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” “How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.” Then there's the notion that people could misunderstand what they're seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots. Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they're looking at. Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories. “It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.” Federal officials echo Austin's view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy. That's not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects. For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions. “My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said. “Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added. ___ Golden reported form Seattle.
Odds are, you’ve seen — or maybe even worn — a pair of On running shoes lately. Since launching 14 years ago, the Swiss brand has gone from being a favourite for runners in the know, to an option for anyone looking for innovation and performance from their active wear. Cool fashion collaborations and celebrity support has undoubtedly helped spur this popularity. We caught up with Dan Schade, general manager of On Americas, to learn more about the buzzy brand. A: On is a premium global sportswear brand. We create products that are rooted in innovation and performance and inspire people to move, including footwear, apparel and accessories. Founded in 2010 in Switzerland, On was created with the goal to revolutionize the sensation of running and bring something entirely new to runners around the world. Since then, we have expanded our innovations to include performance footwear, apparel and accessories for running, outdoor, training, all-day activities and tennis. A: Our target customer is anyone who enjoys movement. Whether you are a professional athlete, just kicking off your running journey, or making your mark on the tennis court, On is built on a shared love of movement. A: Each partnership and collaboration at On is about more than just a project. For On, it’s about connecting with like-minded individuals who inspire movement in every sense of the word and also have an authentic connection and love for our brand. Whether it’s Zendaya or Roger Federer, On is inspired by the people and brands who align with our values. Zendaya was an organic fan of On and we had seen her wearing our sneakers over the past few years. We were inspired by how she stays true to her beliefs by advocating for physical and mental well-being along with her passion for connecting with communities, both things that are very core to On’s DNA. So when we saw an opportunity to collaborate with her, we jumped on it. We are excited to see what the future holds. Our partners are also more than just ambassadors or spokespeople, they play a crucial and active role in brand decisions. With our partnership with Roger Federer, for example, he brought in his unique experience to help take tennis product development, marketing and fan experiences to new levels. The partnership was built on a mutual love for On’s products and shared passion for innovation and design. We also partner with athletes all over the world to ensure their input is incorporated into every aspect of our products, from the design to the technical specifications. In a way, we do not design product; we design how an athlete feels. Hellen Obiri, for instance, was an integral part of our newest Cloudboom Strike LS, the first shoe to feature our LightSpray technology. Hellen was the first woman to win the Boston Marathon back-to-back in nearly two decades, and she wore our shoe in the Paris Olympics, where she took home bronze. A: Our most notable launch of the year is LightSpray , a high performance upper technology crafted by a revolutionary single-step manufacturing process. LightSpray ultralight uppers are sprayed — not built — by an automated robotic arm at our On Labs in Zurich. The process reduces CO2 emissions, paving the way for a circular future and faster, localized manufacturing. LightSpray is set to revolutionize performance uppers in the same way On CloudTec transformed midsoles, introducing a completely new design esthetic and feel. Not only that, but it has the potential to revolutionize all kinds of wearable products in the sportswear industry. The Cloudboom Strike LS is the first On shoe made with LightSprayT technology. The ultrathin LightSpray upper is precision-made for support, adaptable to the foot, seamless, and lace-free, resulting in an exceptionally lightweight, high-performance shoe weighing just 170g. A: To learn more about our story, products, technology and mission, visit On.com.LT Garett Bolles, Broncos agree to four-year contract extensionLPGA, USGA to require players to be assigned female at birth or transition before puberty
Bronx nonprofits struggle with late city payments, risking critical services and financial stabilityHow do you cut through government red tape? It’s not easy, as several Fort Worth startups can attest. Fort Worth-area entrepreneurs looking to do business or partner with the federal government made presentations to U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, on Nov. 25 at TechFW. They discussed the challenges they faced in working with and selling to the federal government. “I think it’s more important now that we talked with our entrepreneurs than ever before,” he said. “With Dickies leaving, I think it’s pretty clear that Fort Worth is going to be a town that is going to be very dependent on small businesses and entrepreneurs. We need to provide all the help we can to the people in that space to help power our economy and make sure we have a robust business culture here.” Jay Dixson, co-founder and CEO of RaidoHub, a startup that has developed a predictive software tool for airport managers to provide better customer service to travelers, has been working to connect with the Transportation Security Administration to help reduce passenger wait times at security checkpoints. RaidoHub has some contracts with airports such as JFK International Airport in New York and the Corpus Christi International Airport, but Dixson would like to work with the TSA to see how their technology could be used to improve a customer’s experience through security checkpoints. “That would be a great opportunity for us,” said Dixson. Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. Galaxy Unmanned Systems LLC, which provides unmanned air services for sports broadcasting and other applications, has had to pivot to military applications because of more restrictive regulations regarding unmanned systems. Jason White, co-founder and managing partner at Galaxy, said the company would like the government to do a better job of providing guidance for companies such as his as to what the rules are. The company has a big contract overseas where the rules are clearer for unmanned aircraft like Galaxy’s, White said. Veasey said he and representatives in Washington, D.C., can offer some help to Fort Worth entrepreneurs. “Sometimes we can point people in the right direction,” he said. “But sometimes, even for us, it can be difficult. We can help cut through some of the red tape and at least help get answers, even if they’re not favorable answers that people want.” Veasey encourages small businesses and entrepreneurs to stay in touch with members of Congress. “We all have case workers and legislative teams to help work on these types of issues,” he said. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get an immediate answer, he said. “Stay in touch. Build a relationship.” Other companies who gave presentations were: Articulate Labs, which provides technology that turns everyday movement into physical rehabilitation through movement-synchronous electrical muscle stimulation. Tremedics Medical Devices, a company that has developed stent technology to improve congenital heart disease in children. Ampcare, a company that provides treatment for swallowing disorders using electrical stimulation. Also making presentations to Veasey was Cowtown Angels, a group of approximately 45 area investors interested in early-stage companies, and the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program. The state-funded program offers free engineering and technology to small businesses and houses its North Texas site at TechFW, located off West Rosedale Street. Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . Your support makes TWICE the impact today. As November draws to a close , time is running out to double your impact. Thanks to the generosity of the Nicholas Martin Jr. Family Foundation, every dollar you give will be matched—up to $15,000. Will you give today to help trusted, local reporting thrive in Fort Worth and Tarrant County? Related Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism . Republish This Story Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). Do not copy stories straight from the front-end of our web-site. You are required to follow the guidelines and use the republication tool when you share our content. The republication tool generates the appropriate html code. You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you use our stories in any other medium — for example, newsletters or other email campaigns — you must make it clear that the stories are from the Fort Worth Report. In all emails, link directly to the story at fortworthreport.org and not to your website. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. You have to credit Fort Worth Report. Please use “Author Name, Fort Worth Report” in the byline. If you’re not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: “This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report” and include our website, fortworthreport.org . You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by Bob Francis, Fort Worth Report November 26, 2024
CHAPEL HILL — Students of Chapel Hill ISD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department showcased their skills and creativity Wednesday evening at the annual Shops on the Hill. The event is a shopping experience that demonstrates the 14 different pathways CTE has to offer to Chapel Hill ISD students. “Shops on the Hill is one of our larger showcases that allows us to show the community and our district what our students here at CTE have been working on,” said Josh Culpepper, Director of Career and Technical Education. “Each one of our students is in a pathway that is a career-aligned pathway and allows our students to get hands-on experience at the high school level and be prepared for post-high school.” The 14 Texas Education Agency-approved programs of study at Chapel Hill ISD’s CTC include Animal Science, Audio/Video Production, Business Management, Construction Technology, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Engineering, Graphic Design and Multimedia Arts, Health Science, Information Technology, Law Enforcement, Plant Science, Teaching and Training, and Welding. To organize these pathways more effectively, the district introduced The Academies of Chapel Hill, a model designed to group similar career pathways into three focused academies: Business and Industry, Public and Human Services, and Technology and Engineering. “Within those academies, there’s four to five pathways each and they all kind of align together,” Culpepper said. “A lot of our (agriculture)-type pathways and things that deal with produce and animals and culinary are in business and industry. We try and cluster them together... the objective is to find ways to have cross curricular interaction between those pathways.” Because CTC is a business model school, students get to practice real life interactions in a marketplace within the community. “It allows (the community) to come inside and kind of see what we’re all about while also giving them things that are practical for the season,” Culpepper said. At the event, attendees could purchase student-made items such as baked goods or drinks from the culinary department. To help people show off some holiday cheer or Bulldog pride, the graphic design department offered Christmas cards and custom-made spirit shirts. The welding program featured one-of-a-kind metal artwork, and plant science offered floral and wreath arrangements. “We have our Bulldog Blooms program where people can order flowers on a monthly subscription,” Culpepper said. “People can come to our cosmetology and receive services from cosmetology. We’re a very active campus and we have a lot going on not just during the school year, but even during the summer. We offer students chances to work within the district during the summer in a work-based learning program.” This year marked a milestone for the event as it bids farewell to its longtime location in the hallways of the old CTE building. With the newer, state-of-the-art facility under construction , Shops on the Hill will have an updated venue next year. “(The new building) is gonna have more of a mall shop design,” Culpepper said. “So people will be able to see into the shops and enter the shops as if they’re at a real mall.” In his first year as the CTE director, Culpepper emphasized the importance of engaging the community to support the growth of its students. “It’s really a relationship between the district, the community, the students and the teachers for the students,” Culpepper said. “It’s a chance to showcase what they’ve been working on and what they’ve learned and what skills they’ve gained. It’s a chance for our teachers to allow our students to have hands-on experience.” Senior Samantha Rivera has been getting hands-on experience with the construction pathway gaining valuable practice and knowledge about the fundamentals of construction. “I learned a lot about wood and how to use the tools and how to build,” she said. “It’s been interesting.” As one of the many students in the career pathways at Chapel Hill ISD’s CTE, Samantha said she is proud of what she and her peers have learned and accomplished. “It feels good that some of them are taking the path they want to take and know that they’re actually trying to do something with their future life as well,” she said. Culpepper said the community response toward the Shops on the Hill has been positive, allowing people to see what students have been working on. “It kind of opens their eyes to the scope of what we do here at CTE from the outside looking in,” he said. “There is cutting-edge technology being used on a daily basis in our shops. We are continuing to look for ways to get our students the best training and the best technology that will prepare them for the real workforce.” Having served as the assistant principal at Chapel Hill High School last year, Culpepper now reflects on his transition to the role of CTE director. “I was just a participant, so from the outside looking in, I got to experience what it was like, seeing all the production that comes from each one of these pathways,” he said. “So now being the CTE Director, seeing what they do on a day to day basis, I’m really proud of our teachers and our students because I know how hard they work and I know how much they care about what they do.” The career tech center is located at 13172 State Hwy 64 E. in Tyler in the Chapel Hill community. For more information, contact 903-566-2311.A 15-year-old girl’s courageous stand against child marriage recently has initiated reforms in her village in Rajasthan’s Karauli district. Tula Ram, the father of Shivika (name changed), burdened with debt and joblessness, had planned to marry off his four daughters, aged 17, 15, 14, and 13, on the same day. The four were in school and wanted to continue their education, but when their father expressed his helplessness due to poverty, they seemed to have no choice. Ram had found the “perfect match” for the eldest and was on a mission to fix the marriages of his three other daughters. Shivika, however, was not ready to accept this fate. Ram’s house would earlier ring with the infectious laughter of the four girls, who shared dreams and made their modest home feel alive. Their laughter disappeared with pressure building up for marriage. High prevalence For Ram, getting his daughters married on the same day would have meant saving a lot of money. He was planning four marriages in a single ceremony in the village of Karauli district, where the prevalence of child marriage is 33.5%, far exceeding the national average of 23.3%, as per the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), released in 2022. NFHS-5 showed that 28.3% of women in the 20-24 age group in rural areas of Rajasthan were married before 18 years; the figure in urban areas was 15.1%. Though child marriage in the State is a traditional custom that enjoys religious and cultural sanction, children often find such alliances mismatched when they grow up. Desperate for a solution, Shivika turned to her teachers, who, though unsure how to intervene directly, directed her to an NGO that had recently conducted an awareness session in their school. When Shivika called the group’s representatives, they promptly responded and asked her to visit their office. They sensed that she was extremely disturbed and needed help. Accompanied by a friend almost her age, Shivika visited the office of Gramrajya Vikas Evam Prashikshan Sansthan a week before the planned marriages. The office, lined with posters on child rights and against child marriage, felt like a sanctuary. Shivika clutched her friend’s hand, her voice barely above a whisper as she explained her plight. ‘Unexplainable relief’ “We assured Shivika that no one would know about her visit or that she had informed us about it. We also told her that we would take up the matter from here. The relief on her face was unexplainable when we said from here on stopping the marriages was our responsibility, not hers,” Sansthan director Chhail Bihari Sharma told The Hindu . Sansthan is a partner of the Just Rights for Children Alliance and has been working in various districts of the State to protect child rights. It was instrumental in getting a direction from the Rajasthan High Court recently, which stated that panchayats and village heads would be held responsible for any child marriages in their villages. The group’s members, accompanied by Child Line officials, met Shivika’s parents immediately. “When confronted, the parents denied the information. But the daughters mustered the courage to stand up to their father. They told the officials that the marriages were fixed and would take place in less than a week,” Sharma said. The team explained to Ram the legal and social consequences of child marriage. He conceded and signed an undertaking that he would not allow the marriages of his daughters before they turned 18. The girls are back in school now. Shivika wants to become a social worker and save other girls from unwanted marriages. Sansthan also helped Ram find a job so that he is not swayed by circumstances to marry off his daughters. Shivika’s fight is a reminder to the villagers that knowledge, courage, and community support can rewrite the future of girls. “Her dream to save her sisters is proof that even one voice can spark a revolution,” Sharma said. Holistic approach Just Rights for Children Alliance convener Ravi Kant said its partners are tirelessly working at the grassroots level in the State to combat child marriages. By collaborating closely with the State government and district authorities, they are also connecting vulnerable families with government schemes. According to Kant, this holistic approach will ensure immediate prevention and long-term safeguards against child marriage. Published - December 29, 2024 01:43 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit children / parent and child / marriage / social issue / poverty / family planning / family / right to education / higher education / RajasthanNone
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Article content The office of Quebec’s public security minister has condemned remarks made during a pro-Palestinian protest in Montreal after a masked demonstrator appeared to use Nazi terminology directed at pro-Israel counter-protesters. Recommended Videos The incident occurred Thursday afternoon outside Concordia University’s downtown campus during a student-led pro-Palestinian demonstration. Hundreds of protesters had marched from earlier rallies at Dawson College and McGill University, with some boycotting classes. The protest grew to include non-students, and led to tense confrontations with pro-Israel counter-demonstrators outside Concordia. One individual, who appeared to be a middle-age woman, was filmed saying to the pro-Israel protesters: “The final solution is coming your way, the final solution. You know what the final solution is?” The phrase, notorious for its association with Nazi Germany’s plan to exterminate Jews, drew immediate outrage on social media. In a statement on Friday, the minister’s office called the remarks “unacceptable” and urged swift action: “It’s important to make a complaint quickly to the authorities so that they can investigate and crack down on these people.” The minister’s office expressed confidence in law enforcement, adding: “The police can intervene on the spot or afterwards, depending on the level of risk associated with an intervention.” Montreal police reiterated Friday morning they had no information about the incident, while Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s office declined to comment. The incident comes amid a rise in hate crimes targeting Jewish communities across Montreal in the past year, with synagogues and community centres being damaged by firebombs and schools being shot at. In October, Jewish community leaders issued a public plea for Montrealers to unite against this surge of hate. Julien Corona of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs condemned the protester’s remarks on Thursday, labelling them a “death threat” and urged authorities to respond decisively. hnorth@postmedia.comMid-sized bank stocks tank in 2024 on asset quality, profitability concernsCHAPEL HILL — Students of Chapel Hill ISD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department showcased their skills and creativity Wednesday evening at the annual Shops on the Hill. The event is a shopping experience that demonstrates the 14 different pathways CTE has to offer to Chapel Hill ISD students. “Shops on the Hill is one of our larger showcases that allows us to show the community and our district what our students here at CTE have been working on,” said Josh Culpepper, Director of Career and Technical Education. “Each one of our students is in a pathway that is a career-aligned pathway and allows our students to get hands-on experience at the high school level and be prepared for post-high school.” The 14 Texas Education Agency-approved programs of study at Chapel Hill ISD’s CTC include Animal Science, Audio/Video Production, Business Management, Construction Technology, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Engineering, Graphic Design and Multimedia Arts, Health Science, Information Technology, Law Enforcement, Plant Science, Teaching and Training, and Welding. To organize these pathways more effectively, the district introduced The Academies of Chapel Hill, a model designed to group similar career pathways into three focused academies: Business and Industry, Public and Human Services, and Technology and Engineering. “Within those academies, there’s four to five pathways each and they all kind of align together,” Culpepper said. “A lot of our (agriculture)-type pathways and things that deal with produce and animals and culinary are in business and industry. We try and cluster them together... the objective is to find ways to have cross curricular interaction between those pathways.” Because CTC is a business model school, students get to practice real life interactions in a marketplace within the community. “It allows (the community) to come inside and kind of see what we’re all about while also giving them things that are practical for the season,” Culpepper said. At the event, attendees could purchase student-made items such as baked goods or drinks from the culinary department. To help people show off some holiday cheer or Bulldog pride, the graphic design department offered Christmas cards and custom-made spirit shirts. The welding program featured one-of-a-kind metal artwork, and plant science offered floral and wreath arrangements. “We have our Bulldog Blooms program where people can order flowers on a monthly subscription,” Culpepper said. “People can come to our cosmetology and receive services from cosmetology. We’re a very active campus and we have a lot going on not just during the school year, but even during the summer. We offer students chances to work within the district during the summer in a work-based learning program.” This year marked a milestone for the event as it bids farewell to its longtime location in the hallways of the old CTE building. With the newer, state-of-the-art facility under construction , Shops on the Hill will have an updated venue next year. “(The new building) is gonna have more of a mall shop design,” Culpepper said. “So people will be able to see into the shops and enter the shops as if they’re at a real mall.” In his first year as the CTE director, Culpepper emphasized the importance of engaging the community to support the growth of its students. “It’s really a relationship between the district, the community, the students and the teachers for the students,” Culpepper said. “It’s a chance to showcase what they’ve been working on and what they’ve learned and what skills they’ve gained. It’s a chance for our teachers to allow our students to have hands-on experience.” Senior Samantha Rivera has been getting hands-on experience with the construction pathway gaining valuable practice and knowledge about the fundamentals of construction. “I learned a lot about wood and how to use the tools and how to build,” she said. “It’s been interesting.” As one of the many students in the career pathways at Chapel Hill ISD’s CTE, Samantha said she is proud of what she and her peers have learned and accomplished. “It feels good that some of them are taking the path they want to take and know that they’re actually trying to do something with their future life as well,” she said. Culpepper said the community response toward the Shops on the Hill has been positive, allowing people to see what students have been working on. “It kind of opens their eyes to the scope of what we do here at CTE from the outside looking in,” he said. “There is cutting-edge technology being used on a daily basis in our shops. We are continuing to look for ways to get our students the best training and the best technology that will prepare them for the real workforce.” Having served as the assistant principal at Chapel Hill High School last year, Culpepper now reflects on his transition to the role of CTE director. “I was just a participant, so from the outside looking in, I got to experience what it was like, seeing all the production that comes from each one of these pathways,” he said. “So now being the CTE Director, seeing what they do on a day to day basis, I’m really proud of our teachers and our students because I know how hard they work and I know how much they care about what they do.” The career tech center is located at 13172 State Hwy 64 E. in Tyler in the Chapel Hill community. For more information, contact 903-566-2311.How NNPCR Is Revolutionising Wealth Redistribution
A handful of Mid-Penn Conference boys basketball teams were in action on Thursday. • Sign up for PennLive’s daily high school sports newsletter Here’s a sampling of the top stars from the action. This post will be updated as results come in. Don’t see a player? Make sure your coach/scorekeeper is submitting box scores to scores@pennlive.com . Owen Schlager, Trinity — Schlager scored 31 points in a 76-74 win over Susquehanna Township. Brandon Ascione, Boiling Springs — Ascione scored 26 points in a 67-64 loss to Steel-High. JJ Kelly, Chambersburg — Kelly scored 24 points in a 64-62 win over Cumberland Valley. Cashmere Mangus, Steel-High — Mangus scored 24 points in a 67-64 win over Boiling Springs. Nolan Buzalka, Cumberland Valley — Buzalka scored 21 points in a 64-62 loss to Chambersburg. Landon Buhrman, Chambersburg — Buhrman scored 20 in a 64-62 win over Cumberland Valley. Alfonso Burnett, Susquehanna Township — Burnett scored 19 points in a 76-74 loss to Trinity. Mekhi Slappy, Susquehanna Township — Slappy scored 19 points in a 76-74 loss to Trinity. Damir Arp, Bishop McDevitt — Arp scored 17 points in a 71-49 win over Camp Hill. Riley Lucido, Boiling Springs — Lucido scored 17 points in a 67-64 loss to Steel-High. Dre Steele, Trinity — Steele scored 17 points in a 76-74 win over Susquehanna Township. Tristan Crawford Jr., Steel-High — Crawford scored 15 points in a 67-64 win over Boiling Springs. Ethan Yenser, Boiling Springs — Yenser scored 15 points in a 67-64 loss to Steel-High. JJ Lebo, Cumberland Valley — Lebo scored 12 points in a 64-62 loss to Chambersburg. Anthony Ramos, Steel-High — Ramos scored 12 points in a 67-64 win over Boiling Springs. Jahkai Sloane-Marks, Susquehanna Township — Sloane-Marks scored 12 points in a 76-74 loss to Trinity. Travis Turner, Susquehanna Township — Turner scored 12 points in a 76-74 loss to Trinity. Pat Denisco, Bishop McDevitt — Denisco scored 11 points in a 71-49 win over Camp Hill. Reece Brown, Trinity — Brown scored 10 points in a 76-74 win over Susquehanna Township. Colton Cornwell, Chambersburg — Cornwell scored 10 points, including the game-winner, in a 64-62 win over Chambersburg. Aidan Diehl, Cumberland Valley — Diehl scored 10 points in a 64-62 loss to Chambersburg. Jared Dolimpio, Cumberland Valley — Dolimpio scored 10 points in a 64-62 loss to Chambersburg. Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Black Friday is almost upon us and just like every year companies are already getting ahead of the wave of incoming deals by slashes prices across their range of products early. Corsair is one of those companies, and according to its recent announcement, prices across a range of its All-In-One (AIO) CPU coolers will be severely reduced, with savings of up to $165 on select items. Corsair has really brought the savings here, with some discounts on products being as much as 50%, making it a great time to snag a good deal on a cooler for a current or future system. Kicking this off is the iCUE LINK H150i , a three-fan setup that comes 360mm radiator, three QX120 RGB fans capable of spinning up to 2,400 RPM, a customizable LCD screen that can display performance metrics such as CPU temperature, images, GIFs and more, and compatibility with the latest Intel 1700 & AMD AM5 sockets. Next up is the iCUE H100i RGB ELITE , a liquid CPU cooler with a 240mm radiator that comes equipped with two of Corsair's AF ELITE Series PWM fans, capable of spinning 1850 RPM. The H100i RGB ELITE also comes with integrated RGB customization and refined aesthetics for that nice, clean look. Corsair has also reduced the price of the iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX XT , which comes with a 360mm radiator, powerful Corsair AF RGB ELITE fans, bright RGB lighting with Corsair's Capellix LEDs, and three fans capable of pushing 2100 RPM. Massive savings of up to $155 on the iCUE H170i ELITE LCD XT , which comes with a 420mm radiator, three 140mm AF RGB Elite fans capable of hitting 1700 RPM, and an LCD screen for customization. The LCD screen can be customized to user preference, with support for GIFs, images, or even system information such as CPU temperature. Corsair has also slashed the price of the iCUE LINK H115i RGB , a powerful all-in-one CPU cooler that utilizes Corsair's ICUE LINK technology that enables for clean build of the CPU cooler overall. The iCUE LINK H115i RGB AIO comes with a 280mm radiator that's paired with QX140 RGB fans capable of spinning 2,000 RPM. Additionally, the copper cold plate is compatible with the latest Intel 1700 & AMD AM5 sockets.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett is rejoining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs signed the two-time Super Bowl champion on Saturday, while also announcing safety Jordan Whitehead was activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers. Barrett spent five seasons with Tampa Bay from 2019 to 2023. He led the NFL with a franchise-record 19 1-2 sacks in his first year with the Bucs, then helped the team win its second Super Bowl title the following season. In all, Barrett started 70 games with Tampa Bay, amassing 45 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. He was released last winter in a salary cap move, signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media before the start of training camp in July. Barrett, who also won a Super Bowl during a four-season stint with the Denver Broncos, decided to unretire last month. He signed with the Bucs after clearing waivers earlier in the week. Whitehead has missed the past four games with a pectoral injury. His return comes of the heels of the Bucs placing safety Christian Izien on IR with a pectoral injury. On Saturday, the Bucs also activated rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson from IR and elevated punter Jack Browning to the active roster from the practice squad. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
NoneFour brothers run JB workshop started by their father and use hand-me-down equipment SHAHIDAHYU Bakri did not expect that her bad reaction to coffee while pregnant about 11 years ago would turn out to be a blessing in disguise. She had been working at a coffee factory in Johor Baru for a few years before being pregnant with her first child. “I experienced bad reactions to the smell of coffee and had to quit my job as the dizzy spells and nausea were too much for me to handle. ALSO READ: Entrepreneur’s museum shares lore on gold ore “I had no choice but to look for work elsewhere to help my husband, as we were about to start a family. “That was when I saw an advertisement on job vacancy at a jewellery workshop and decided to give it a try despite having no prior experience in the field,” Shahidahyu told StarMetro. The job involved producing handmade gold jewellery, which required her to handle tools such as pliers, tweezers, chisels and files. Shahidahyu inspecting various tiny parts before assembling them into gold jewellery. “Besides rings, my boss, who is also my mentor, taught me how to make movable fish pendants. “The pendant consists of several different parts assembled together to make it move as if it was swimming. “I never expected that I would one day become a goldsmith. “I like the fact that I get to learn new skills,” she said. She added that through her job, she has learnt about Chinese culture including why dragons and fish are symbols of good fortune in the community. Some of the handcrafted pieces produced at the shop. In turn, she would also share about her own culture with her colleagues. Shahidahyu is one of the oldest-serving employees at the workshop, and she also guides and trains newcomers who join the company. The mother-of-two said she hoped to see more young people joining the industry as they could bring fresh ideas and innovations. The workshop where Shahidahyu works is run by four brothers who took over the business from their late father. All in the family Owner Yuin Foo Seng said the family business was passed down to him about three decades ago. He recalled that he, too, was working in a different field before joining the business. “In my teenage years, I worked at my maternal grandfather’s restaurant. “One day, my father asked me to help out at his jewellery workshop as he was short of workers. And so began my journey in the gold business. “I learned from my father and eventually became a full-fledged goldsmith,” said Foo Seng. (From left) Brothers Foo Seng, Fook Kuan, Fock Heng and Fook Yung at the second-generation goldsmith business. He added that his father first opened a gold jewellery workshop in Penang, relocating several times before settling down in Johor Baru. Foo Seng, who is the eldest sibling, said he first ran the business with one brother, before his two other siblings switched fields to join them. “My brothers Fook Kuan, Fock Heng, Fook Yung and I each take on a different role – from producing gold jewellery to managing our 13 employees and quality control,” Foo Seng said. He recalled the industry’s peak in the 1990s before the 1997 Asian financial crisis. “At that time, we were getting a lot of orders even during non-festive periods. “Our workers had to work overtime and on weekends to cater to the orders. Soh: There is still a market for traditional and handmade gold jewellery. “During Chinese New Year, buyers who are jewellery shop owners would come to our workshop to buy whatever stock we had left. “The demand for gold jewellery is still there but it is lower now. “We also cannot take as many orders, as we have fewer workers now compared to before.” The goldsmith said their products were for local and overseas markets such as Singapore and India. Pick of the bunch Foo Seng said the shop also produced toothpicks and earpicks, which come in a slim container, all made entirely of gold. “It was in great demand back then. Now, I believe we are the only gold workshop that still produces the item upon order. “We make mostly gold pendants with elements such as carp, arowana and dragons that symbolise auspiciousness and good luck in Chinese culture.” Youths, he revealed, were not interested in being goldsmiths as it was labour-intensive. “They are required to sit for long hours and use their hands and eyes. “A lot of skill is required to produce jewellery with intricate details. Cheng: Young people are influenced by luxury brands and will look for similar gold products. “Previously, we had workers who left after a week as they could not stand the long hours,” he said, adding that his own children had pursued other interests after completing their tertiary education. Foo Seng is grateful that his niece and nephew had joined the family business and learned to become goldsmiths. He admitted that he was concerned about the future of the industry as many jewellery makers had adopted mechanisation. At his workshop, they still use apparatus that used to belong to his father to mould gold into fine wire to produce jewellery. “Our father had always wanted to pass down the craft to his children. He worked until he was 86. “I took over the family business not to become rich but to keep our father’s legacy alive. “We aim to continue offering traditionally-made jewellery pieces as I believe there is still value in them,” said Foo Seng. Updated with tech South Johor Golden Ornaments Trade Association chairman Soh Lip Sim said traditional and handmade gold jewellery still had a market in the 21st century. “Most of the gold jewellery makers in the state are small and medium-sized enterprises, while the major producers are in the Klang Valley and Penang. “There are only about 200 traditional gold jewellery makers left in Johor, which is much fewer than before as many have closed down due to the lack of successors,” he added. Soh said traditional methods might be phased out in the years to come as more jewellery producers move towards mechanisation and modern technology. “With machines, gold jewellery pieces can be made in a shorter period, involve less manpower and offer a huge variety of designs that are lighter in weight. Fine work: Goldsmith Yuin Foo Seng's holding up an intricate handmade gold dragon pendant produced at his family's workshop in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star “This means consumers can purchase jewellery designs at cheaper price because of the weight and they will not be charged a high craftsmanship fee,” he said. Soh said current market trends were for lightweight jewellery pieces as well as trendy items such as the Labubu doll, with K-pop star Lisa’s social media post featuring it sparking mass interest across Asia. “Thanks to technology, gold jewellery such as pendants can weigh as light as 0.2g per piece, making them very affordable for the younger consumer. “People used to think that gold jewellery catered to the more mature market but these days, many young people prefer to buy gold probably because of the wide variety of designs,” said Soh. Sought-after items Cheng Ching Nian, who runs a 98-year-old gold jewellery shop in Pontian, said young customers could easily spend thousands during a visit to his shop. “I think they are influenced by luxury brands as they will usually come looking for similar designs for pendants and bracelet charms. “They spend between RM3,000 and RM5,000 on jewellery each time,” he said, adding that 3D designs featuring cartoon characters were also popular. With Chinese New Year coming at the end of January, Cheng said he was preparing to stock up on designs featuring Chinese zodiac signs. He added that his products were usually sourced from local jewellery makers but trendier designs would come from China and Hong Kong, where modern machines could produce intricate designs at an affordable price. Cheng, who is the shop’s third-generation owner, said it was tough for locals to compete with foreign gold jewellery producers in terms of cost.