Betting odds reveal Trump Cabinet pick facing most jeopardy in Senate confirmation hearings Senators gear up for confirmation battle over Donald Trump's Cabinet picks Sign up for the latest for DailyMail.com's U.S. politics newsletter By SARAH EWALL-WICE, SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN WASHINGTON, DC Published: 18:37, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 19:00, 24 November 2024 e-mail 5 View comments President-elect Donald Trump is looking to assemble a Cabinet straight out of central casting full of TV personalities, MAGA loyalists and firebrands, but some of his more controversial picks could face a brutal confirmation process. Republicans will control the Senate come January, but some have signaled they could be willing to cross the GOP president-elect and even block several of his Cabinet nominees. Trump's choice for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard , his pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) Robert Kennedy Jr. and Pete Hegseth, who is tapped to lead the Defense Department, have emerged as the nominees most likely to face intense scrutiny. When it comes to betting odds, Hegseth is seen as the nominee least likely to be confirmed in the Senate with only 56 percent placing bets in his favor, according to Polymarket. It comes after MAGA favorite Matt Gaetz withdrew his name as nominee for attorney general last week in a shock move. Some Republicans behind closed doors said they could not support him over allegations of sexual misconduct involving a minor. Trump instead named another close ally former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his nominee for top law enforcement officer to replace Gaetz. Many Republican senators have praised the picks while some Democrats have sounded the alarms. But Republicans have an only 53 seat majority in the Senate meaning if just four lawmakers take issue with any nominee, their confirmation could would be blocked. GOP senators including Susan Collins of Maine , Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , Mitch McConnell of Kentucky , James Lankford of Oklahoma and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota are some of those who pose challenges for Trump's nominations. Some of President-elect Donald Trump's nominees for Cabinet positions have faced pushback and outrage for controversial pasts and/or limited experience Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, is one of the names that has drawn some of the harshest criticism from Democrats and even Republicans have questions about her being picked as Trump's top intelligence official. Trump's former UN ambassador Nikki Haley last week called her a ' Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer' on her radio program. Asked about her nomination on Sunday on CNN, Lankford did not definitively come out in support or against her confirmation. 'We're going to go through hearings. We're going to get everything out. We're going to get facts and information and the entire story,' he said. Asked about concerns, Lankford said he has 'lots of questions.' He noted specifically her meeting with Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017. Gabbard's confirmation could get exceptionally ugly with senators blasting her over her past comments but also going after each other. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said she is concerned Gabbard is a Russian asset on Sunday. 'The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having a troubling relationships with America's foes, so my worry is that she couldn't pass a background check,' Duckworth said. 'I think she is someone who is wholly backed and supportive of [Russian President] Putin, and I worry that she will not have America's best interests at heart,' she argued. Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is Trump's pick for Director of National Intelligence Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) fired back at Duckworth's comments as 'ridiculous' and 'outright dangerous.' 'If she was compromised, if she wasn't able to pass a background check, if she wasn't able to do her job, she still wouldn't be in the Army,' he claimed. 'Tammy is absolutely dead wrong on this, and she should retract those words.' Another nominee who is headed toward a nasty confirmation fight is Hegseth, who is nominated for defense secretary. The TV personality and veteran was accused of sexual assault in California in 2017, but charges were not brought. DailyMail.com revealed exclusively on Sunday Hegseth also had a baby with his Fox News producer just weeks before the alleged assault. He also has faced fierce criticism for controversial comments that women should not serve in combat. Pete Hegseth spoke with reporters while he was on the hill to meet with senators on November 21 as he tries to lock in support for his confirmation as defense secretary. He has been accused of sexual assault but denies the allegation But close Trump ally Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) on Sunday defended Hegseth. ' Don't let these allegations distract us. What we need is real significant change. The Pentagon has been more focused on pronouns than they have lethality the past four years. We need to get back to business, and I think Pete is just the person to do it,' Hagerty said. Meanwhile, Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) argued the reason for the confirmation process is to get the full story. He said it would allow senators to ask questions and give Hegseth the ability to respond. He argued Hegseth was never charged, and even before the hearings he said he already plans to support the confirmation. 'I'm a yes on Pam Bondi, I'm a yes on Pete Hegseth, I'm a yes on Tulsi Gabbard, absolutely,' Schmitt told NBC's Meet the Press. I joined @meetthepress this morning with @kwelkernbc . We dove into how Trump’s cabinet selections will reform our government and how America moves back to being a country that puts our own interests first. Watch the full video here⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nsBkYHPn7I — Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) November 24, 2024 While Gaetz withdrew before he could end up in the hot seat before senators, Bondi is expected to face a grilling during her confirmation. But criticism is largely expected to come from Democrats who would not have the power to block her confirmation on their own. Bondi served as Florida's attorney general from 2011 to 2019. Democrats' main concerns are over her close ties to Trump and whether she would use the office to do his bidding. She argued in 2020 that Trump won Pennsylvania even though he did not. She also served as one of his lawyers in his 2020 impeachment trial. With her being named Trump's new pick to lead the Justice Department, her comments on Fox News where she declared 'the prosecutors will be prosecuted' have resurfaced. Some Democrats have even acknowledged Bondi is technically qualified for the job but zeroed in on her relationship with the president-elect. They previewed some of the questions she could face during confirmation will likely revolve around whether she still believes Trump won the 2020 election against President Biden and how she intends to use the office. But while Democrats gear up for a bruising confirmation battle over some of Trump's more controversial nominees, they have signaled there are those who could quickly sail through confirmation with bipartisan support. Senator-elect Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told NBC News Meet the Press on Sunday that Senator Marco Rubio is well qualified to become secretary of state. He did not come right out and say he would vote to confirm Rubio but was leaning toward it. But Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said he does plan to vote to confirm Rubio and is open to confirming other nominees. Democratic senators signal Senator Marco Rubio will be confirmed to as secretary of state with bipartisan support Fetterman clarified on Fox News Sunday he is not committed to supporting his one-time Senate rival Dr. Mehmet Oz, but he is open to it. Oz was tapped by Trump to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 'I’m open to a dialog here what he has to say about these things,' he said. 'I’m not sure why that’s controversial.' A more contentious pick from the president-elect is his choice of Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS for a series of reasons including his anti-vaccine stance. It remains to be seen whether Kennedy can garner enough support with Republicans. Among those who could play a key role as to whether he is confirmed is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), a polio survivor, who is stepping down as GOP leader but still wields great influence in his caucus. So far, McConnell has been mum on his own support for Trump's nominees, but he has said it is important that the Senate does its due diligence in vetting his picks. All eyes are ons several Republicans senators including Collins, Murkowski and McConnell over whether they will oppose any Trump Cabinet nominees But new polling shows Republicans overwhelming support Trump's nominees named so far, so Republicans at this early stage could tread lightly. The CBS News poll found 75 percent of Republicans said Rubio was a good choice while 71 percent support Trump naming Gabbard as a nominee. 80 percent of Republicans said Kennedy was a good choice. A lesser but still clear majority of 64 percent of Republicans claimed Hegseth was a good choice. But overall, Americans still want the Senate to hold confirmation hearings. 76 percent said there should be hearings. Just 24 percent said Trump should be able to appoint people without them. Even a majority of Republicans said there should be Senate hearings with 55 percents supporting to 45 percent who said Trump should be able to appoint people without. Politics Share or comment on this article: Betting odds reveal Trump Cabinet pick facing most jeopardy in Senate confirmation hearings e-mail Add commentThe Times view on Notre Dame’s reopening: Faithful Restoration
Iran will hold talks about its disputed nuclear program with three European countries on November 29, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on November 24, days after the UN atomic watchdog passed a resolution against Tehran. Iran reacted to the resolution -- proposed by Britain, France, Germany, and the United States -- with various measures reportedly such as activating numerous new and advanced centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium. Japan's Kyodo news agency, which first reported the meeting would take place in Geneva, said Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian's government was seeking a solution to the nuclear impasse ahead of the inauguration in January of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei later said the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the three European countries would take part in the talks, which he said would cover regional issues as well as the nuclear dossier. Iran has vowed to respond to a resolution adopted by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog that criticizes the Islamic republic for what it says is poor cooperation by installing a number of "new and advanced" centrifuges. The resolution, which comes shortly after the return of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi from a trip to Iran , reportedly says it is "essential and urgent" for Tehran to "act to fulfill its legal obligations." A joint statement by Iran's Foreign Ministry and Atomic Energy Organization said on November 22 that the country's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, "issued an order to take effective measures, including launching a significant series of new and advanced centrifuges of various types." The Iranian announcement came after the IAEA's board on November 21 issued a second resolution condemning Tehran's cooperation with the agency after a similar warning in June. Some analysts say the resolution may be a step toward making a political decision to trigger a "snapback" of UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Iran. The "snapback" mechanism is outlined in UNSC Resolution 2231, which enshrined a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. However, the option to reimpose the sanctions expires in October 2025. The IAEA resolution, put forward by France, Germany, and Britain and supported by the United States, comes at a critical time as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return at the White House in January. Trump during his first term embarked on a "maximum pressure" campaign of intensified sanctions on Iran and unilaterally withdrew the United States in 2018 from a landmark 2015 agreement that lifted some sanctions on Iran in exchange of curbs to its nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran claims its nuclear program is peaceful. The resolution passed on November 21 also urged Iran to cooperate with an investigation launched after uranium particles were found at two sites that Iranian authorities had not declared as nuclear locations. Nineteen of the 35 members of the IAEA board voted in favor of the resolution. Russia, China, and Burkina Faso opposed it, 12 members abstained, while one did not vote, diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity told the AP. It also calls on the IAEA to come up with a "comprehensive report" on Iran's nuclear activities by spring. During Grossi's visit, Iran agreed with an IAEA demand to limit its stock of uranium enriched at 60 percent purity, which is still under the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear weapon, but it is much higher than the 3.67 percent limit it agreed to in the 2015 deal. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who was Tehran's chief negotiator for the 2015 agreement, warned that Iran would not negotiate "under pressure." Tehran has responded to previous similar resolutions by moves such as removing IAEA cameras and monitoring equipment from several nuclear sites, and increasing uranium enrichment to 60 percent purity at a second site, the Fordow plant. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Muhammad Deif, a military commander in the Iran-backed group Hamas, alleging they committed crimes against humanity in the ongoing Gaza war. All three are accused of committing war crimes connected to the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, an EU- and U.S-designated terrorist organization that is part of Tehran's network of proxies in the Middle East, and Israel's subsequent military intervention in the Gaza Strip. Iran's backing of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Iran-supported militant group and political party that controls much of the southern part of Israel's neighbor, Lebanon, has sparked fears that the war in the Gaza Strip will engulf the Middle East. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. The court said the warrants had been classified as "secret" to protect witnesses and to safeguard the conduct of the investigations. Israel, which claims it killed Deif in July, blasted the move as "a dark moment for the ICC." Hamas, which has never officially acknowledged Deif's death, called the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant an "important step toward justice." The ICC said it had issued the arrest warrant for Deif as the prosecutor had not been able to determine whether he was dead. His warrant shows charges of mass killings during the October 7 attack on Israel that left some 1,200 dead, as well as charges of rape and the taking of around 240 hostages in the attack. "The Chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both [Israeli] individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity, from at least 8 October 2023 to 20 May 2024," the ICC said in a statement . "This finding is based on the role of Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant in impeding humanitarian aid in violation of international humanitarian law and their failure to facilitate relief by all means at its disposal," it said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar called the move against Netanyahu and Gallant "absurd" in a post on X, saying it was an attack of Israel's right to self-defense. "A dark moment for the ICC in The Hague, in which it lost all legitimacy for its existence and activity," Sa'ar said. Tehran has yet to comment publicly on the warrants. Neither the United States nor Israel have recognized the ICC's jurisdiction. A U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said Washington "fundamentally rejects" the issuance of the arrest warrants and "the troubling process errors that led to this decision. Meanwhile, the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a post on X that ICC decisions "are binding on all states party to the Rome Statute, which includes all EU Member States." The court said Israel's acceptance of the court's jurisdiction was not required. However, the court itself has no law enforcement levers to enforce warrants and relies on cooperation from its member states. Autocratic states have long used allegations of mental illness to discredit and imprison their critics. In Iran, the authorities are increasingly branding women who violate the country's hijab law -- a key pillar of the Islamic system -- as psychologically unstable . The move has coincided with unprecedented protests against Iran's clerical establishment and growing calls for greater social and political freedoms. Experts say the Iranian authorities are employing punitive psychiatry -- the misuse of psychiatric diagnoses, treatments, and institutions to punish, control, or repress individuals -- to go after government critics. "In countries like ours, being mentally ill is taboo, so the authorities use mental health allegations to raise public sympathy to justify their human rights violations," Medis Tavakoli, an Iranian psychotherapist and rights activists based in Europe, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. 'Labeling Healthy People As Sick' In July 2023, for the first time, judges diagnosed three prominent actresses sentenced for not wearing the hijab as "mentally ill." The unprecedented move was condemned by top Iranian psychologists who said the judiciary was abusing its authority. Now, the authorities have announced the creation of a rehabilitation center in Tehran for women who do not wear the mandatory head scarf. The Tehran Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice said on November 12 that the center will offer "scientific and psychological treatment" to women who refuse to follow the Islamic dress code. No other details were provided. In response, Iranian psychologists have raised the alarm about the consequences of "labeling healthy people as sick." Earlier this month, a young woman who took off her clothes outside a university in Tehran in apparent protest against harassment was committed to psychiatric care -- a move deemed "illegal" by rights activists. The political abuse of psychiatry is well-documented, and was prominently used in the Soviet Union against dissidents. In recent years, the authorities in countries like China, North Korea, and Russia have labeled their domestic critics as mentally ill . Iran has been increasingly using mental health allegations and other "hateful statements" against women who oppose the hijab since unprecedented protests in 2022, according to Amnesty International . Months of antiestablishment protests erupted across Iran in September 2022 after the death in custody of a young woman who was arrested for violating the hijab law. Women were at the forefront of the protests, which snowballed into one of the most sustained demonstrations against Iran's theocracy, with some protesters calling for an end to clerical rule. "Governments alone cannot get rid of all of their critics," Tavakoli said. "One method is to lob accusations and labels against critics. So, when they get rid of their critics, society thinks that bad actors were weeded out." 'Alternative' Punishment The authorities' decision to establish a rehabilitation center for violators of the hijab law has caused uproar in Iran. Mojgan Ilanlou, a documentary filmmaker and women's rights activist based in Tehran, said she felt "pity" for those who come up with "such brilliant ideas." "They themselves know better than anyone how much these things make people laugh," she told Radio Farda. In recent years, the authorities have taken several measures to enforce the hijab on women in a society that is increasingly shunning head scarves. The Hijab and Chastity law went into force last month, mandating fines and sentences of up to 10 years in prison for those who are deemed to be dressed "inappropriately" in public. Iranian authorities have said the "treatment" center in Tehran can serve as an "alternative" punishment. But Ilanlou said the opening of the clinic showed that the authorities "are losing the fight" to enforce the hijab. Iran-based political activist Pouran Nazemi said that "women have been putting up a fight." "I doubt [the authorities] can continue resisting what society wants," she told Radio Farda. Iranian authorities are using executions as "a tool of fear," particularly directed at ethnic minorities, dissidents, and foreign nationals, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on November 20. The rights watchdog highlighted a recent surge in capital punishment sentences against these groups, noting that the verdicts are handed down amid rampant violations of due process. According to Iran Human Rights group, in the first 10 months of this year, at least 651 people were executed in Iran -- 166 people in October alone. HRW noted the case of Kurdish political prisoner Varisheh Moradi, sentenced to death by Iran’s revolutionary court in Tehran on November 10 on the charge of “armed rebellion against the state." Moradi, a member of the Free Women’s Society of Eastern Kurdistan, was arrested in the city of Sanandaj in Kurdistan Province in August last year and kept for five months in solitary confinement in the infamous Evin prison where she was tortured. Her family has not been allowed to visit her since May, the group said. Moradi was not allowed to defend herself, and the judge did not permit her lawyers to present a defense, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network reported. “Iranian authorities use the death penalty as a tool of fear, particularly targeting ethnic minorities and political dissidents after unfair trials,” said HRW's Nahid Naghshbandi. “This brutal tactic aims to suppress any opposition to an autocratic government through intimidation,” she said. Five other Kurdish men were sentenced to death in recent weeks on charges of “espionage for Israel," HRW said. Four Arab prisoners from Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, are at risk of imminent execution, after being sentenced to death by a revolutionary court with two other individuals for their alleged involvement in the killings of two Basij members, a law enforcement officer, and a soldier. The four -- Ali Majdam, Moein Khonafri, Mohammadreza Moghadam, and Adnan Gheibshavi (Musavi) -- were arrested in 2017 and 2018, according to human rights groups. Afghan citizens in Iran have been targeted, in particular, by death sentences, HRW noted, adding that according to human rights groups, at least 49 Afghan nationals have been executed in Iran this year, 13 in the past month alone. “Iran’s revolutionary courts are a tool of systematic repression that violate citizens’ fundamental rights and hand out death sentences indiscriminately, leaving legal protections meaningless,” Naghshbandi said. “The international community should categorically condemn this alarming trend and pressure Iranian authorities to halt these executions,” she added. Mai Sato, the United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, has also voiced concern about the "alarming" increase in the number of executions. "In August 2024 alone, at least 93 people were executed, with nearly half in relation to drug offences," Sato said on November 1. No charges have been brought against the Iranian woman who disrobed in an apparent protest outside her Tehran university, a spokesman for the judiciary said, adding that she had been released from the hospital to her family. "Given that she has been sent to the hospital and it has been determined that she is sick , she has been handed over to the family and they are currently taking care of her," Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told a news conference on November 19. The spokesman added that "no judicial case has been filed against this student." It wasn't immediately clear if the comments meant that the case had been permanently closed. The woman was identified as Ahoo Bahari, a student from the science and research department of Tehran Azad University. She took off her clothes in public on November 3 in an apparent protest at the university and was arrested shortly afterward. The circumstances that led to her taking off her clothes remain unclear, but witnesses say she was harassed by the university's security officers over what she had been wearing. One video showed officers violently forcing the unidentified woman into a car. Reports in Iranian media later alleged she was suffering from mental illness and that she was taken to a psychiatric hospital. Video footage posted online raised concerns of the woman's safety from international rights groups, who condemned her treatment and demanded her immediate release. Amnesty International said it had previously published evidence of the government's crackdown on protesters under the pretext of "mental disorders" that needed to be "treated." Rights groups and Iranian activists have long assailed the government of the conservative Muslim nation for attacks on protesters, often targeting those who challenge strict laws governing women’s dress in public. New laws increase prison terms and fines for women and girls who breach the dress code in the wake of the mass Women, Life, Freedom protests that followed the death of a young woman while in police custody for an alleged head-scarf violation. Iranian rights activist Hossein Ronaghi was held for several hours after being detained following a sit-in protest in central Tehran, his family said on November 18. "Ronaghi was violently arrested by a large number of armed officers at 5 p.m. at Vali-e Asr Square" before being released at his front door at 9 p.m., his brother Hassan said on Telegram . Ronaghi had announced the protest on Telegram, saying it was to honor Kianoosh Sanjari, a journalist and political activist who jumped to his death from a Tehran building on November 13 to protest the numerous arrests and interrogations of himself and other political activists. The U.S.-based PEN America free-speech watchdog has asked the UN Human Rights Council to intervene in the case of imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who it said is in "urgent need of medical care ." In an open letter, PEN urged the UN “to call on the Iranian authorities to grant Mohammadi a medical furlough on humanitarian grounds so that she is able to receive comprehensive and essential care for a range of serious medical conditions." Mohammadi, 52, has been in and out of prison for the past 20 years. She is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Tehran's Evin prison for "spreading propaganda," allegations that she, her family, and supporters reject. The EU has widened its sanctions against Iran over the country's support of the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine, the European Commission said on November 18, targeting firms, ports, and individuals involved in the transfer of ballistic missiles and drones to Russia for use on the battlefield. Included in the new sanctions are the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) -- which will see its assets frozen -- and measures targeting the activities of Iranian ports on the Caspian Sea linked to listed entities and individuals. The EU said it decided to "widen the scope of the EU framework for restrictive measures in view of Iran's military support to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region." It said the new measures target "the use of vessels and ports for the transfer of Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles, and related technologies and components." The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have accused Iran of sending ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use against Ukraine, sparking consultations among European allies on the matter. Ali Safaei, chief of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, rejected the "European accusations," calling them "baseless," according to the state-run IRNA news agency. "It is regrettable that some delegations, including the U.S., have once again disseminated false and misleading information to advance their political agendas," Safaei said. The IRISL headlined the list of the newly sanctioned entities. "IRISL is Iran's national maritime carrier, and for years its ships have been involved in shipping drones on behalf of the EU-listed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy," the EU said. IRISL director Mohammad Reza Khiabani is also targeted in the sanctions. The measures include "access to facilities of the ports and locks, such as Amirabad and Anzali, and the provision of any services to vessels," it said, adding that exceptions will be made for vessels in need of assistance for safety for humanitarian purposes. The EU also listed three Russian shipping companies -- MG Flot, VTS Broker, and Arapax -- whose vessels are involved in transporting Iranian-made weapons and ammunition, including UAV components, across the Caspian Sea to resupply Russian troops fighting in Ukraine. The November 18 announcement is a continuing of a wide-ranging strategy by the West of targeting Iranian entities and individuals over rights abuses, aid to extremist allies and proxies in the region, and weapons transfer. EU foreign ministers on October 14 approved new sanctions against seven individuals and seven entities linked to Iran after Kyiv's Western allies accused Tehran of sending ballistic missiles to Russia to aid in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Those sanctions, first reported in an exclusive by Radio Farda, targeted companies and individuals accused of being involved in the transfer of the weapons to Russia, including the country's flagship carrier Iran Air, as well as airlines Saha Airlines and Mahan Air. Those targeted are subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the European Union. Additionally, the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, with those listed is prohibited. Iran Air has direct flights to several cities in Europe, including Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Paris, and Milan. Overall, the EU said sanctions have been imposed on 227 individuals and 42 entities in Iran in response to "human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation activities, and military support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on November 16 that there remains a "limited opportunity" for nuclear negotiations with the West, according to Iranian state media. Relations between Tehran and the United States have been especially tense since then-President Donald Trump withdrew unilaterally from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and global powers and reimposed tough U.S. sanctions on Iran. "There is still an opportunity for diplomacy, although this opportunity is not much. It is a limited opportunity," Araqchi was quoted as telling state television. Western concerns at Iranian actions have soared amid the yearlong war in the Gaza Strip after U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization Hamas carried out a brutal attack in Israel in October 2023, with Iranian allies including Huthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon attacking Israel in support of Hamas. With Trump poised to return to the White House in January following his election victory earlier this month, reports circulated of possible informal contacts, including claims that Trump ally Elon Musk met last week in New York with Iran's envoy to the United Nations. After days of silence, Tehran on November 16 " categorically denied " that any such meeting took place. This week, Rafael Grossi, head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), urged Iran and its global partners to achieve "concrete, tangible, and visible results" in talks over Tehran's nuclear program as the return of Trump could mean the window for diplomacy is closing. The 2015 deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had given Iran some limited relief from international sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program designed to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon. After Washington's withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran expanded its nuclear program and restricted IAEA inspections of its nuclear sites. U.S. President Joe Biden entered the White House in 2017 pledging to try to revive the deal but made no breakthroughs. Trump's announced pick for secretary of state, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, is generally regarded as an advocate of tough action to counter Iranian influence through a return to a "maximum pressure" policy. Tehran has "categorically denied" U.S. reports suggesting that billionaire Trump ally and adviser Elon Musk met with Iranian Ambassador to the UN Amir Saeed Iravani in New York last week, contradicting reporting by The New York Times and AP asserting that Tehran sought the meeting in an apparent effort to ease tensions with President-elect Donald Trump. Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei as saying those are "false reports." In his first term, Trump withdrew from a major nuclear accord with Tehran and global powers and reimposed tough sanctions that walloped Iran's currency and economy. Trump has pledged close if informal cooperation with Musk, who has boasted that he has "top-secret clearance" and said he looks forward to a role as "first buddy" to the next U.S. president. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here . Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, on November 15 asked Iran to help secure a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and whose military wing is blacklisted by the European Union. He also appeared to urge Iran to convince the militant group to agree to a deal that could require it to pull back from the Israel-Lebanon border. As a top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei visited Lebanon for talks, Lebanese officials said an American proposal for a cease-fire deal had been passed on to Hezbollah, aiming to end 13 months of exchanges of fire between Israel and the group. Iran is a main backer of Hezbollah and for decades has been funding and arming the Lebanese militant group. Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel the day after U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization Hamas’s surprise attack into Israel on October 7, 2023, ignited the war in Gaza. Iran backs any decision taken by Lebanon in talks to secure a cease-fire with Israel, a senior Iranian official said on November 15, signaling Tehran wants to see an end to a conflict that has dealt heavy blows to its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, which is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and whose military wing is blacklisted by the European Union. Israel launched air strikes in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, flattening buildings for a fourth consecutive day. Israel has stepped up its bombardment of the area this week, an escalation that has coincided with signs of movement in U.S.-led diplomacy toward a cease-fire. Senior Iranian official Ali Larijani, asked whether he had come to Beirut to undermine the U.S. truce plan, said: "We are not looking to sabotage anything. We are after a solution to the problems." Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has visited Iran’s key underground uranium enrichment sites at Fordow and Natanz, Iranian state media reported on November 15, without offering details. Iran has restricted inspection of its nuclear sites and barred several IAEA inspectors from visiting its enrichment facilities. Grossi is in Iran to push for diplomacy, warning that the “space for negotiation...is getting smaller” over Iran’s advancing nuclear program. Tehran insists its nuclear ambitions are peaceful. The visit comes ahead of an upcoming meeting of the IAEA's Board of Governors, where some nations are pushing for action against the Islamic republic. Iran and Saudi Arabia have been bitter rivals for decades, vying to lead competing branches of Islam and standing on opposing sides of conflicts in Syria and Yemen. But Tehran and Riyadh have taken major steps to de-escalate tensions and boost cooperation, a move that appeared unthinkable until recently. The rapprochement has coincided with growing fears of an all-out war in the Middle East, where U.S. ally Israel is engaged in wars against Iranian-backed groups in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. The detente process has intensified since Donald Trump's decisive victory in the U.S. presidential election earlier this month. The president-elect has pledged to bring peace to the region. "I don't view this as a warming of relations but rather as a cautious detente," said Talal Mohammad, associate fellow at the Britain-based Royal United Services Institute. Reassuring Iran The first signs of a thaw came in March 2023, when Iran and Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic relations after more than seven years following a surprise Chinese-brokered agreement. But it was Israel's invasion of Gaza in October 2023 -- soon after the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel -- that gave real impetus to Iran-Saudi rapprochement efforts. Since the war erupted, Iran and Israel have traded direct aerial attacks for the first time. The tit-for-tat assaults have brought the region to the brink of a full-blown conflict . Saudi Arabia is "concerned that these escalating tensions between Israel and Iran could spiral out of control and lead to a broader regional conflict that may impact their interests," said Hamidreza Azizi, fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Azizi adds that Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shi'a-dominated Iran are still "far from friends," despite the recent rapprochement, and they remain rivals vying for influence. Over the past year, Saudi Arabia has stopped conducting air strikes in neighboring Yemen against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Riyadh has also made attempts to negotiate an end to the 10-year conflict pitting the Huthis against the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The Huthis have also ceased cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia. In 2019, the rebels managed to shut down half of the kingdom's oil production. The Trump Factor Trump's victory in the November 5 presidential election has injected more urgency to the Iran-Saudi rapprochement, experts say. Saudi Arabia's top general, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, made a rare trip to Iran on November 10 to meet Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Baqeri in what Iranian media dubbed " defense diplomacy ." The following day, Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman accused Israel of committing "collective genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza and explicitly condemned Israel's attack last month on Iranian military sites. Azizi says there are fears in the region that Trump's electoral victory will embolden Israel to intensify its attacks on Iran and Tehran's interests. During Trump's first term in office from 2017 to 2021, his administration pursued a campaign of "maximum pressure" on Iran that included imposing crippling sanctions against Tehran. At the same time, Trump struck a close relationship with Riyadh. He helped facilitate normalization between several Arab states and Israel under the so-called Abraham Accords. Before Israel launched its devastating war in Gaza, Saudi Arabia was reportedly on the verge of a historic deal to normalize relations with Israel. Experts say that the Huthis' attacks in 2019 on Saudi oil facilities convinced Riyadh that Washington will not come to its aid if it is attacked. "Given Trump's tendency toward unpredictable shifts in policy, Saudi Arabia may seek to play an influential role by encouraging Trump to adopt a balanced approach that ensures regional stability without triggering escalation with Iran," Mohammad said. "By subtly guiding U.S. policy toward calibrated sanctions rather than aggressive pressure, Saudi Arabia could help maintain regional security while avoiding the risks of open confrontation," he added. Israeli Normalization Normalization talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel have been indefinitely postponed. Saudi officials have recently said that a deal was off until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Mohammad says Riyadh has significant strategic incentives to normalize relations with Israel, including security and economic cooperation as well as access to U.S. nuclear and defense technology. But analysts say Saudi Arabia will only resume talks when the Gaza war is over, given the current public sentiment in the Muslim world toward Israel. "Normalizing relations without achieving tangible rights for Palestinians could weaken Saudi Arabia's normative influence within the Islamic world -- a position they are keen to maintain," Azizi argued. The Saudis will also have to take into account Iran, which staunchly opposes Saudi normalization with Israel. "Riyadh may consult with Tehran and seek assurances that normalization with Israel would not heighten hostilities or undermine the balance achieved through recent diplomatic outreach to Iran," Mohammad said. Rafael Grossi, head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has urged Iran and its global partners to achieve "concrete, tangible, and visible results" in talks over Tehran's nuclear program as the return of Donald Trump to the White House may mean the window for diplomacy is closing. Speaking to journalists in the Iranian capital on November 14 after a meeting with Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, Grossi said pressure was building for movement toward a solution with Iran-backed proxies at war with Israel and Trump, known for his hard-line stance against Tehran, taking over the U.S. presidency in January. "We know that it is indispensable to get, at this point of time, to get some concrete, tangible, and visible results that will indicate that this joint work is improving (the) situation, is bringing clarification to things, and in a general sense it is moving us away from conflict and ultimately war," Grossi said. “The fact that international tensions and regional tensions do exist...shows that the space for negotiation and diplomacy is not getting bigger, it is getting smaller," he added. Grossi's visit takes place about two months ahead of the inauguration of Trump, who during his first term in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from a landmark 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers and reimposed biting sanctions on the Islamic republic. The 2015 deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had given Iran some limited relief from international sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program designed to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Grossi also met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran on November 14. Araqchi, Iran's chief negotiator during the negotiations to reach the JCPOA deal, which barred Tehran from enriching uranium above the level of 3.65 percent, said on X that the talks with Grossi were "important and straightforward." He vowed to continue Iran's cooperation with the IAEA on nuclear nonproliferation "with courage and good will" and reiterated Tehran's longstanding assertion that its nuclear program was "peaceful." Araqchi added, however, that Iran would not negotiate "under pressure." After Washington's withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran expanded its nuclear program and restricted IAEA inspections of its nuclear sites. The IAEA and the international community have voiced alarm at reports that Tehran has substantially increased its stocks of uranium enriched to 60 percent -- considerably closer to the 90 percent level needed for a nuclear weapon. Nuclear expert Eric Brewer told RFE/RL that the IAEA's lack of access to Iran's nuclear sites heightens the risk of it producing more enriched uranium. "I suspect that to get Iran to provide some information on that front is at the top of Director-General Grossi's list," Brewer said. He added that while the trip had been scheduled since before the U.S. election, Trump's re-election "will hang over the conversations." The IAEA chief is expected to hold talks with Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian later in the day. WASHINGTON -- President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Senator Marco Rubio to be his top diplomat as the incoming administration prepares to navigate an increasingly perilous world, with wars raging in Europe and the Middle East and competition heating up with China in the Asia-Pacific. In choosing Rubio -- a senator known for taking a tough line on many foreign policy issues -- the president-elect is seeking someone who largely shares his views on the most pressing international topics, says Behnam Ben Taleblu, an analyst at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "Rubio is someone who has ideological and political alignment with Trump on several key national-security issues like great-power competition, countering China, countering the Islamic [Republic of] Iran, and reinstating the maximum-pressure campaign," Taleblu told RFE/RL. In a wide-ranging interview last week with media before being tapped as secretary of state, Rubio said the decades-long period of unchallenged U.S. global dominance following the collapse of the Soviet Union had ended, replaced by a new Cold War-like era. He warned that the United States can't stretch itself too thin with global commitments, saying Washington must be "pragmatic" in its pursuits abroad. "We're the most powerful [country], but we too have limited resources...so we have to invest both our time and our money on things that serve our core national interest," Rubio said in a November 7 interview with EWTN, a U.S.-based cable network. Rubio, a Cuban-American, played an influential role in shaping Trump's policy on Venezuela during the latter's first term as president from 2017 to 2021. The New York Times described Rubio at the time as Trump's "virtual secretary of state for Latin America." The three-time Florida senator, who challenged Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, comes to the job with ample foreign policy experience, having served on both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. If ultimately confirmed by the Senate, Rubio, 53, would be the first Latino to serve as secretary of state . And while Latin America will certainly be an important focus for Rubio, it will take a back seat to more pressing U.S. foreign policy concerns, namely China's global rise, Iran's threat to the Middle East, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Priority No. 1: China When it comes to demands on U.S. military, political, and financial resources, Rubio wants the focus to be on China. "I think the future of the 21st century is going to largely be defined by what happens in the Indo-Pacific. And I think China would love for us to be bogged down in Europe in a conflict and not focused on what's happening in the Indo-Pacific," Rubio said on November 7. Rubio, who served as a co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China, has consistently advocated taking a hard line on China. He led efforts to arm Taiwan, the self-governing democracy claimed by Beijing. He called for direct shipments of U.S. munitions and advanced military technologies in hopes of deterring China from attacking the island. Rubio has also been vocal about Beijing's human rights record, pushed for a U.S. industrial policy to better compete with China, and backed tariffs on Chinese goods. He sought to ban imports of Chinese goods made with forced labor by Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in western China and prevent China from circumventing Trump-era tariffs by relocating production to Mexico. NATO And Ukraine Rubio has repeatedly supported Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in its defensive war against Russia and described Ukrainians as "incredibly brave and strong." In February 2022, immediately following Russia's full-scale invasion, he co-sponsored the NYET Act in the Senate, which aimed to "bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities" and impose sanctions on Russia. However, Rubio has also said Russia's war against Ukraine has reached a "stalemate" and "needs to be brought to a conclusion." He was among a minority of senators who, earlier this year, opposed a foreign-assistance bill that included $60 billion in aid for Ukraine. The bill eventually passed in April, bringing total U.S. aid to Ukraine since February 2022 to almost $175 billion -- about as much given by all of Europe combined. Rubio has highlighted that imbalance, emphasizing that Washington should push Europe to take a larger role in handling its own security issues in order to allow the United States to prioritize challenging China in the Indo-Pacific. In last week's interview with EWTN, Rubio said it was "unrealistic" to expect the United States to approve tens of billions of dollars for Ukraine every 10 months. He said European members of NATO need to step up their contributions to the alliance. "Every day in our own country, [we are] grappling with [the question of] how do we provide assistance to Americans, even as we have these defense requirements that we're spending a lot of money on, and these [European NATO] countries are not making that choice," he said. While Rubio sees Russia as a threat to U.S. security and backs Ukraine's sovereignty and independence, he said Kyiv will have to negotiate an end to the war. Rubio said Russia has just too many resources at its disposal, including weapons and men, to allow it to continue the fighting despite suffering extraordinary losses. Iran: 'No Appeasement' In the Middle East, Rubio has long taken a tough stand on Iran, describing its theocratic government as a "terrorist regime" for financing groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, both designated terrorist organizations by the United States. As a senator, he was a fierce critic of U.S. President Barack Obama's 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), which restricted Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from sanctions. Critics of the deal argued it empowered Iran, offering too much relief from sanctions without guarantees it wouldn't someday produce a nuclear bomb. In 2018, Trump, who was then president, pulled the United States out of the deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. More recently, Rubio co-authored three bills punishing Iran that were signed into law this year. The bills authorize placing sanctions on Iranian oil exports and top Iranian leaders for human rights abuses, as well as foreign entities and governments supporting Hamas. An Iranian client, Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, triggering a regional war that threatens to engulf more states. Rubio in September criticized the Biden administration for dragging its feet on enforcing the Iranian oil sanctions , which are aimed at crippling the government's finances. It has also failed to move forward on the human rights sanctions. Depending on what the incoming administration is faced with in Iran when it takes office, analyst Taleblu says -- noting the volatile situation in the Middle East -- he would expect a Rubio-led State Department to make good on enforcement of the sanction bills. A vocal supporter of Israel, Rubio has backed the country's right to defend itself from Iranian threats. Following Tehran's missile strikes on Israel on October 1, Rubio publicly backed an asymmetrical response. Afghanistan Rubio has also taken a hard line on the Taliban, arguing the militant Islamist group should be described as a "terrorist organization" by Washington. In March, the Florida senator introduced a bill in the Senate calling for an end to an end to U.S. aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, arguing that some of that money could end up with "terrorist groups." In remarks to the Senate, Rubio said, "A Taliban-controlled Afghanistan poses a direct threat to U.S. national-security interests and to our allies in the Middle East and Central Asia." Kianoosh Sanjari, a journalist and political activist, has committed suicide to protest numerous arrests and interrogations of himself and other political activists. A relative of Sanjari confirmed the news in an interview with RFE/RL on November 13. Friends of Sanjari also confirmed his death in posts on X. Since returning to Tehran in 2015 to care for his elderly mother, Sanjari was repeatedly summoned and arrested by the security and intelligence agencies of the Islamic republic. Hours before committing suicide, Sanjari announced his decision to end his life on X. After an ultimatum demanding the Iranian government release four activists and journalists by a specified time was not met, Sanjari tweeted again: "My life will end after this tweet but let's not forget that we die for the love of life, not death. I wish that one day Iranians will wake up and overcome slavery." To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here . The U.S. Justice Department has charged a man for allegedly leaking highly classified U.S. intelligence about Israel's plans for retaliation against Iran, according to U.S. media reports on November 13. The reports said that Asif W. Rahman was indicted earlier this month for willfully transmitting national defense information. He was arrested on November 12 in Cambodia by the FBI and was to appear in court in Guam. Court documents indicate that he was employed by the U.S. government. According to a person familiar with his employment, he was employed by the CIA. This employment gave him a top-secret security clearance and allowed him to access sensitive information. The New York Times, which first reported the story, said that Rahman was indicted on a charge related to the posting of the intelligence on Telegram in mid-October. The documents posted included Israeli plans for moving munitions and Israeli Air Force exercises involving air-to-surface missiles. Iran says it has measures in place to ensure it will continue producing and exporting oil even if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Tehran once he takes office in January. During his first term in office in 2017-21, Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions as part of his administration’s “maximum pressure” policy against Tehran. As a result, Iran’s oil production dropped from 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd) to 2.1 million bpd, while its exports plummeted to between 200,000 and 500,000 bpd from 2.5 million bpd. But both production and exports have picked up in recent years despite U.S. sanctions, with Iran’s oil output reaching around 3.2m bpd. Exports, meanwhile, have hit a multiyear high of 1.7 million bpd. Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad told reporters on November 13 that Iran has mechanisms in place “to continue selling our oil” regardless of who is in power in the United States. “We have tried-and-tested methods and don’t have serious concerns about [selling oil],” he said, according to Iranian state-aligned media. Without offering details, the oil minister said, “necessary measures have been taken by our colleagues in the oil sector in preparation for what is to come and there is no reason to worry.” Trump is expected to launch a new-look "maximum pressure" campaign against the Islamic republic once he takes office on January 20, 2025. Iran boosted its oil sales by circumventing sanctions through a variety of means, exporting mostly to China, which does not recognize U.S. measures against Iran. The tactic involves the ship-to-ship transfer of oil, middlemen, clandestine money transfers, and the rebranding of the oil to mask its Iranian origin. Iranian crude makes up about 13 percent of oil imports by China, the world's biggest purchaser of the commodity. Beijing says the purchases conform to international law. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says another attack on Israel would paralyze the Islamic republic's economy and cost billions of dollars that could be spent to the benefit of ordinary Iranians. In his second video addressed directly to Iranians in the last two months, which was released in English with Farsi subtitles on November 12, Netanyahu said that Iran's October 1 missile attack cost it $2.3 billion dollars, "valuable money that the Islamic republic wasted" as the "damage of that attack on Israel was insignificant." He added that the Iranian government is "obsessed" with the destruction of Israel but its theocracy fears its own people more than Israel. Neither the people of Israel nor ordinary Iranians want war, he said. Some analysts said the video could be a warning that if Iran were to attack again, Israel would hit back hard in an attempt to cause major damage to Iran's economy. There was no immediate reaction to the video from Iran. T o read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here . Iranian-American human rights activist Masih Alinejad says she derives joy from the failure of alleged plots by the Islamic republic to kidnap and assassinate her. The U.S. Justice Department on November 8 unsealed criminal charges that include details of a plot allegedly backed by Iran to kill Alinejad and President-elect Donald Trump before the November 5 election. Iran has rejected the allegation. "When the Islamic republic is defeated, disgraced, and embarrassed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], it has no choice but to deny," Alinejad, 48, said in comments to RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Alinejad, who has criticized Iran's laws requiring women to wear a hijab, or head scarf, was the target of a kidnapping plot in 2021. In 2022 a man was also arrested with a rifle outside her home. “The Islamic republic has been disgraced three times.... The humiliation of [Iranian authorities] is truly pleasing,” she said. The FBI informed Alinejad of the suspected Iranian plot to kill her shortly before the court documents were unsealed, she said, recalling that she was "shocked" to learn about the details. Two men arrested by the FBI were planning to target Alinejad at Fairfield University in Connecticut, where she was scheduled to appear. The Justice Department alleges the two men spent months surveilling Alinejad and earlier this year traveled to the university campus and took photos of the premises. "It is shocking how brazenly the Islamic republic can savagely plan to assassinate someone in another country," Alinejad said. Iran has long been accused of targeting dissidents abroad, either to kidnap them or kill them. Rights groups say exiled opposition activist Ruhollah Zam was abducted in 2019 before being executed in Iran a year later. In 2020, Tehran said it had arrested Iranian-German citizen Jamshid Sharmahd and later sentenced him to death. Sharmahd's family insists he was kidnapped while through the United Arab Emirates. Iranian authorities claim Sharmahd died in prison last month before being executed. Alinejad, who is visiting Germany and recently met with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said her message to Germany, the United States, and all Western countries is to "protect your borders and democracy instead of protecting me so that the Islamic republic's terrorists can't enter and plot assassinations on Western soil." She said symbolic gestures by the West in support of Iranian protesters and dissidents "is not enough" to dissuade Iranian authorities from targeting critics abroad. Instead, she argued, severing diplomatic ties and "extensive support" for protesters inside Iran would be more effective. The general chief of staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, met his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Baqeri, in Tehran during a rare visit on November 10. Iran's official IRNA news agency said they discussed the development of defense diplomacy and bilateral cooperation without offering any details. Iranian media said Baqeri had discussed regional developments and defense cooperation with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman al-Saud last year. Ruwaili is only the second high-profile Saudi official to travel to Tehran since Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore diplomatic relations after seven years following Chinese-brokered talks in March 2023. Previously, Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan visited Iran in June 2023. Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia severed ties with Shi'a-dominated Iran in 2016 after its diplomatic compounds in Tehran and Mashhad were attacked by protesters over Riyadh's execution of Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. The trip comes days after the election of Donald Trump, whose second term as U.S. president begins in January. He has pledged to bring peace to the Middle East, where U.S. ally Israel is engaged in wars against Iranian-backed groups in Gaza and Lebanon. Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said the timing of the trip was significant because it comes as various countries are preparing for a second Trump presidency. He said the Saudis' decision to send their top military official to Tehran "is a signal that they are committed" to the detente process that started last year and that "they don't want Trump's election to jeopardize the recently improving relations with Iran." Separately, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman on the phone and discussed expanding bilateral relations, according to Pezeshkian's office. Trump had good relations with Persian Gulf Arab states in his first tenure in office and worked on normalizing relations between Arab states and Iran's archfoe, Israel. Saudi Arabia has not normalized relations with Israel but Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is said to have discussed the possibility of normalization with Saudi Arabia since 2021. In another sign of warming relations, Saudi Arabia announced last month that it held military drills with Iran in the Sea of Oman. UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi will visit Iran on November 13 and start consultations with Iranian officials the following day, state media reported on November 10. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said last week that he might head to Iran in the coming days to discuss its disputed nuclear program and that he expected to work cooperatively with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Long-standing issues between Iran, the IAEA, and Western powers include Tehran barring several uranium-enrichment experts from IAEA inspection teams in the country and its failure for years to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites. Iran has also stepped up nuclear activity since 2019, after then-President Trump abandoned a 2015 deal Iran reached with world powers under which it curbed enrichment -- seen by the West as a disguised effort to develop nuclear weapons capability -- and restored tough U.S. sanctions on the Islamic republic.Pyxus Releases Fiscal Year 2024 Sustainability Report
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PARLIAMENT has reshuffled the chairpersons of various committees, with Murehwa West Member of Parliament Farai Jere and Clement Chiduwa being reassigned. Jere, who was serving on the Sports, Arts, and Recreation Committee, has replaced Chamu Chiwanza as its chairperson. The committee has been holding the Ministry of Sports, Arts, and Recreation accountable for the improvement of sports facilities in the country. Interestingly, Clement Chiduwa, who was previously chairing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance, has been reassigned to the Industry and Commerce Committee, and he has been succeeded by Energy Mutodi. Former Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Supa Mandiwanzira, has been appointed to chair the Primary and Secondary Education Committee, moving from the Local Government and Public Works Committee. Hon. Dr. T. Khupe – Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology. Hon. I. Ndudzo – Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Hon. J. Tshuma – Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing. Hon. D. Malinganiso – Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Hon. E. Mutodi – Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development. Hon. E. Maoneke – Committee on Defence, Home Affairs.Security Services and War Veterans. Hon. T. Karikoga – Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development. Hon. S. Mandiwanzira – Committee on Primary and Secondary Education Hon. F. Jere – Committee on Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture; Hon. C. Chiduwa – Committee on Industry and Commerce. Hon. J. Samkange – Parliamentary Legal Committee.
Just a few days after , Channel Seven has announced who will be replacing him as the new host of . While James Tobin, and Larry Emdur were reportedly in the running to take over the role, the network revealed on Thursday morning that David Woiwod will be joining on the couch. David recently returned to Australia from the US this week where he has been based for the past five years as ’ US Bureau Chief and was previously ’s resident Melbourne reporter for four years. He will be stepping into his new role as co-host of on Saturday. “Five years on the road as a foreign correspondent covering the world’s biggest events has prepared me for the major stories, early hours and bad coffee that 3am starts demand – I’m excited and ready,” he said in a statement. “In all seriousness, this is a thrilling full circle moment for me. I’m beyond excited to return to the family and to keep telling the stories that matter most to Australians. “Mon is the most talented, generous, hilarious and wickedly smart person to work with and I look forward to riding her coattails until the bosses notice. Aussies lead busy lives, so to be invited into their homes on precious weekend mornings is a privilege not lost on me.” David began his TV career as a political reporter for Channel 10 in 2011 before moving to London in 2015 and working for Associated Press and Sky. He then joined in 2016 as the show's resident Melbourne reporter and moved to Los Angeles in July 2020, becoming Seven’s US Bureau Chief in April 2023. Seven’s Director of Morning Television, Sarah Stinson, said in a statement that the network is “delighted” to welcome David back to the family. “David’s depth of experience, strong work ethic and authentic warmth make him the perfect choice for this role,” she said. “He’s a passionate storyteller, he delivers news with integrity, and he has an outrageous sense of humour. Viewers are in for an entertaining ride!” “But all of that is insignificant to the awe I felt witnessing his moves on the dance floor at a Christmas Party a few years ago. I even think he crowd-surfed at one point. Massive respect. I can’t wait to spend weekends with such a legend.” Fans have already taken to social media to express their excitement over the announcement and welcome David into the role, with one person writing: “This is the best!” “Great choice. Welcome David,” another added, while a third remarked, “Bit of eye candy for your weekends now”. “I love David. It’s like watching Clark Kent reporting the news,” someone else shared, followed by a different user who said, “Congratulations to David and welcome home! I have always liked him on , best reporter by far”. “Huge congratulations David welcome to the family. What a blast you and Mon will have together. I’m looking forward to seeing what you two get up to,” another replied. ’s roving reporter Katie Brown also commented: “Congratulations very excited for you!” Although he’s saying goodbye to breakfast TV, Matt will continue working at Channel Seven. He said during his on air farewell that he began working at the network in 2017 with a background in crime and documentaries, and he is “being pulled back in that direction again now”.VANCOUVER, BC and BREDA, NETHERLANDS / ACCESSWIRE / December 6, 2024 / Organto Foods Inc. (TSXV:OGO)(OTC PINK:OGOFF) ("Organto" or the "Company"), a provider of branded, private label and bulk distributed healthy and organic fruit and vegetable products today announced that Mr. Jeremy Kendall has resigned as a Director of the Company due to personal circumstances, effective immediately. "On behalf of the entire Company, I want to thank Jeremy for his dedication and commitment since his appointment in February 2021. Jeremy's passion for organic and healthy foods, combined with deep industry experience has been invaluable as we have built our business and navigated our repositioning over the past year. Personally, I want to thank Jeremy for his invaluable advice and support, and more importantly his friendship. It has been an honour to have Jeremy on the Board and while he will be missed, I know we look forward to keeping in touch and soliciting his sage advice when appropriate." commented Steve Bromley, Chair and CEO. With the resignation of Mr. Kendall, the Company's Board of Directors is now comprised of six directors, five of whom are independent and one of whom is not by virtue of being an officer of the Company. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY Steve Bromley Chair and CEO For more information contact: Investor Relations John Rathwell, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development 647 629 0018 info@organto.com ABOUT ORGANTO Organto is an integrated provider of branded, private label, and distributed organic and non-GMO fruit and vegetable products using a strategic asset-light business model to serve a growing socially responsible and health-conscious consumer around the globe. Organto's business model is rooted in its commitment to sustainable business practices focused on environmental responsibility and a commitment to the communities where it operates, its people, and its shareholders. SOURCE: Organto Foods Inc. View the original on accesswire.com
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MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As 2024 comes to a close, new reports from Zillow 1 and Houzz 2 indicate that Cottage Chic style will be a dominant design trend of 2025. But homeowners don’t need to wait until 2025 to get in on the trend, because The Tile Shop is ready to help you embrace Cottage Chic design right now with Wexbord and Coralie , the newest tiles in its exclusive collaboration with British brand Laura Ashley. “Cottage Chic design draws inspiration from the rustic charm and cozy style of the English countryside,” said Kirsty Froelich, director of design, The Tile Shop. “The Laura Ashley aesthetic was built on these elements, so it's a perfect fit for our new tiles.” Wexbord is based on a popular upholstery pattern launched in 1981, while Coralie is adapted from Laura Ashley’s beloved wallpaper of the same name. The patterns feature floral details found in nature and evoke an organic feeling of comfort and happiness. In translating these archival designs to tile, “We modified the scale, layout and colors of these heritage prints for our customers,” explained Froelich. “We made the lines feel more organic with curved touches and updated the color palettes, so they're fresh and on-trend. These tiles will work well in traditional, transitional, city cottage and modern farmhouse designs.” The updated colorways—midnight blue, fresh green and dove grey—are also inspired by the English countryside. “These colors are fresh and energizing, but also soothing, and embody that feeling of a cozy cottage and being in nature,” said Froelich. To get the look, Froelich suggests combining multiple colors and prints to give your space a cozy, vintage feel with lots of visual interest: “One of the hallmarks of Cottage Chic style is the mixing and layering of different elements. You can use these tiles with neutrals and let the beautiful Laura Ashley patterns be the focal point, or you can go for a more eclectic look and mix several patterns and colors.” Laura Ashley is one of several exclusive collaborations between The Tile Shop and its world-class design partners, among them Nikki Chu, Alison Victoria, and Morris & Co. All pieces in the Laura Ashley tile collection are available now at tileshop.com and all Tile Shop U.S. locations . Visit tileshop.com/collection/laura-ashley to explore the complete collection. ABOUT THE TILE SHOP Tile Shop Holdings, Inc. ( Nasdaq: TTSH ) is a leading specialty retailer of natural stone, man-made and luxury vinyl tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States. The Tile Shop offers a wide selection of high-quality products, exclusive designs, knowledgeable staff and exceptional customer service in an extensive showroom environment. The Tile Shop currently operates 142 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The Tile Shop is a proud member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), and the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA). Visit www.tileshop.com . Join The Tile Shop (#thetileshop) on Facebook , Instagram , Pinterest and YouTube . ABOUT LAURA ASHLEY Established in London in 1953, Laura Ashley is one of the world’s best-loved fashion and home furnishings brands. The company’s iconic floral prints and designs epitomize the essence of quintessential British style. Laura Ashley offers a complete range of lifestyle products, including home furnishings, women’s fashion and sleepwear, children's apparel, and hospitality experiences. In 2020, Gordon Brothers acquired the Laura Ashley brand, bringing their expertise to grow Laura Ashley's product offerings and leading licensees across the world. For additional information, visit www.lauraashleyusa.com . ABOUT GORDON BROTHERS Since 1903, Gordon Brothers ( www.gordonbrothers.com ) has helped lenders, management teams, advisors and investors move forward through change. The firm brings a powerful combination of expertise and capital to clients, developing customized solutions on an integrated or standalone basis across four services areas: valuations, dispositions, financing and investment. Whether to fuel growth or facilitate strategic consolidation, Gordon Brothers partners with companies in the retail, commercial and industrial sectors to provide maximum liquidity, put assets to their highest and best use and mitigate liabilities. The firm conducts more than $100 billion worth of dispositions and appraisals annually and provides both short- and long-term capital to clients undergoing transformation. Gordon Brothers lends against and invests in brands, real estate, inventory, receivables, machinery, equipment and other assets, both together and individually, to provide clients liquidity solutions beyond its market-leading disposition and appraisal services. The firm is headquartered in Boston, with over 30 offices across five continents. 1 New technology, old-world style: Zillow reveals 2025’s home trends 2 Houzz 2025 U.S. Home Design Predictions report Tile Shop Media Contact: mark.davis@tileshop.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/58c25097-83f5-4ce1-84b0-26b9c8813b21 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e1eae46d-9135-4a70-9520-f8e0124c2198 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2b776a1c-4b0d-4e1e-bade-8775b1799add https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9747d25e-0ab0-4263-8431-60bcebdef190Schuylkill County schools get security and mental health support grantsShares of AI-lending platform Upstart Holdings Inc (UPST) rose over 12% on Friday after Needham reportedly upgraded the stock to ‘Buy’ from ‘Hold’ while keeping a price target of $100. This implies a nearly 15% upside from the current trading levels. “Coming off the meetings, we believe that UPST has achieved a proper balance in funding, largely due to the increased appetite and partnerships with committed capital buyers,” Needham analysts wrote after meeting with the firm’s executives, according to a Barron's report. “We also expect the funding environment to steadily improve as the short-end of the yield curve continues to come down,” they said. The brokerage sees UPST as a good fit for growth investors, and anticipates that growth and margins will significantly improve in the coming quarters, according to the report. Following the upgrade, retail sentiment on Stocktwits climbed into the ‘extremely bullish’ territory (85/100) from ‘bearish’ a day ago. The move was accompanied by ‘extremely high’ message volume. Earlier this month, Redburn Atlantic analyst Simon Clinch reportedly upgraded Upstart to ‘Buy’ from ‘Neutral’ with a price target of $95, up from $37. The firm noted that Upstart has now delivered two quarters that exceeded expectations, with forward guidance an incremental positive. Redburn also noted the significant market opportunity for Upstart's business, a powerful blend of AI and a scalable technology platform, that could boost the share price to over $250 in the next five years. Notably, shares of Upstart have gained over 124% since the beginning of the year. For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<
Looking to burnish communications to the community, the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) is planning to move ahead with the creation of a dedicated smartphone app. “I think it’s a step in the right direction because now instead of relying on mailouts, we’re using the technology that’s already in our members’ hands and communicating with them that way,” said MCK chief Amy Beauvais. The app will be used by all MCK departments to deliver updates, job opportunities, and other information pertinent to band members, but it will not replace existing forms of communication, Beauvais said. “A large majority of our members have smartphones, but that isn’t to say we’re going to obliterate the other forms of communication,” she said. “We’re not trying to get rid of anything. We’re just trying to add and improve.” Beauvais presented the option to other Council chiefs after she was approached with the concept by technology company Communikit, which specializes in creating app solutions for First Nations. “I would say I was ecstatic when I found out,” said Beauvais, who has been looking for ways to boost Council’s outreach following her experience at the Indigenous-led First Nations Executive Education (FNEE) program at HEC Montreal. At the school, she worked on a project that envisioned a communications department at the MCK. It’s something she’s now working to put into action, she said, alongside the MCK’s new administrative consultant. Improving communications is a priority, she said, because community members have often complained they don’t know what Council is doing. Communikit’s technology is already being used by other First Nations, including Six Nations of the Grand River, which issues announcements and other information on the app. The suite of features even allows for forms to be filled out, although Six Nations doesn’t currently have any available. “I think to have a one-stop shop is great,” said Six Nations of the Grand River public relations coordinator Darryl Smart. “There are so many different platforms out there and so many ways to get the message out. If you can spread that message to as many people as possible, I think that’s the big one.” He said in his community, too, paper is not going anywhere. He remembers the department pounding the pavement this summer to deliver parking information ahead of homegrown Kanien’kehá:ka National Hockey League star Brandon Montour coming to town with the Stanley Cup. “Physical information will never go away because if you’re in communications, you also have to realize it’s nice to have the tools, but you also have to realize not everyone has these tools,” Smart said. Even social media cannot reach everyone, he noted, especially with the fragmentation of platforms. The communications app is not the only new technology coming soon to Kanesatake, with MCK chief Brant Etienne revealing to The Pines Reporter earlier this year that Council has contracted the services of OneFeather to provide an online voting option in the next MCK election. The Eastern Door Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In the months leading up to the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. intelligence community’s alarms were blaring. By late 2021, analysts were almost certain of Russia’s intent to dramatically escalate. A flurry of statements and de-classified intelligence attempted to mobilize action in the face of a potentially dire invasion. In the public sphere, organizations using open-sourced intelligence noticed conspicuous preparations, including blood drives and pontoon bridges . Despite overwhelming evidence presented by the intelligence community, media, and open-source researchers, Ukrainian leadership was skeptical . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy worried Western warnings would hurt the Ukrainian economy and cause social instability. It was not until just hours before Russian forces crossed the border that Zelenskyy acknowledged the risk and ordered earnest preparations to begin. While the tactical warning achieved by Ukraine was sufficient to prevent the complete destruction of its air fleet and air defense network, Ukraine would have fared far better had it heeded Washington’s warnings weeks before. An important lesson from this episode is the difficulty of communicating risk to societies already living under latent but perpetual fear of invasion and diagnosing intent in strategic warning. Nowhere in the world is this lesson more relevant than in the Taiwan-U.S. security relationship. China has been watching Ukraine closely, taking its own notes. There is little doubt Beijing has learned much not only from Russia’s failure to conceal its activity in the lead-up to the invasion – but also from how long Ukrainian society took to accept the reality of invasion and mobilize in response to it. Currently, the way that the United States and Taiwan have approached messaging about risk is wrong. Even if Washington had clear knowledge of a Chinese plan to invade, how would it communicate risk to Taiwan when the ceaseless, existential, “ five alarm fire ” has been anything but? The practice of talking down to the Taiwanese public must end. Despite extensive discourse about invasion threats, polling has consistently shown that Taiwanese citizens maintain different threat perceptions from those assessed by Washington. Instead of dismissing these views, U.S. policymakers need to understand why this disconnect exists. The true risk is that if the United States and Taiwan continue on this course and the time for true panic arises, Taipei, and more importantly, the people of Taiwan, aren’t likely to answer the phone. Essential to Washington’s complicated relationship with Taiwan is the messaging that occurs within the United States. There is no shortage of articles explaining why Taiwan matters , or even why it really, really matters . There are countless definitive remedies prescribing what Taiwan needs and how the United States should go about making it happen. However, much of this discussion is predicated on the ability to predict China’s movements, a flawed assumption that risks disastrous policy failure. The problem of communicating risk comes from both ends: like Washington, Taipei shares some of the blame. Continuous posting about Air Defense Identification Zone violations by China’s military as a metric to assess Beijing’s movements and predict action is full of confounders. We saw this after the hype over balloon overflights into Taiwanese airspace in late 2023 and early 2024 was shown to be little more than hot air . This pattern does nothing but reinforce the cycle of creating urgency over a potential threat and not following through with any action. Without interdictive action, Taiwan drawing attention to China’s intrusions creates its own problem. Like the little boy who cried wolf, ringing the alarm bell every time China commits a technical but ultimately quotidian violation sets Taiwan up to miss legitimate threats and erodes U.S. credibility in the region. The problem extends beyond Taiwan-U.S. relations: Risks of a communication failure spill over to regional alliances. South Korea, Japan , and the Philippines have their own security considerations, and there has been skepticism regarding involvement , something that will certainly accelerate should the United States fail to accurately diagnose intent Perhaps more important for Washington than accurately communicating risk to Taiwan is convincing itself. Policymakers in Washington must have confidence in the assessments of the United States’ own intelligence community. Preparations for an invasion, should the U.S. seek to intervene to defend Taiwan, would be considerable . Air defense would be surged to bases in the region, air wings and forces would have to be dispersed and re-organized, and the U.S. economy must be prepared for considerable shocks due to trade disruption. These preparations require time, and potentially more importantly, certainty. If, judging an invasion was imminent, the United States was to make rapid changes to its force posture, there is a danger it could reveal its hand in the face of what is actually a drill or feint by China. Should this occur, Washington could give substantial information to the Chinese government, information that would greatly facilitate Beijing’s war-planning and its ability to predict how the United States might react to a blockade or invasion. Perhaps more importantly, it would undermine the credibility of signaling, possibly de-railing attempts to build a coalition to defend Taiwan or send critical humanitarian aid. Understanding this dilemma, China will likely employ deception to greatly confuse the United States and Taiwan’s ability to predict intent. This could be accomplished by several means, including public disinformation campaigns, fake or distorted movements to confuse geospatial intelligence, or conducting several large-scale drills around the time of the intended action. Regional allies are crucial for any effective deterrence strategy, but current U.S. messaging often undermines these relationships. When Washington emphasizes the importance of protecting treaty allies against diagnosed threats without decisive action, it erodes credibility with regional partners. These relationships require development through consistent support on issues that matter to them – whether it’s North Korean provocations or South China Sea disputes. Building trust through reliable partnership on these issues will strengthen regional solidarity when it comes to Taiwan. Avoiding this trap requires a paradigm shift, one that understands the natural restraints of the United States and Taiwan’s ability to shape the behavior of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). It requires policymakers and academics alike to reject falling for media hype campaigns, and reject Beijing’s use of military maneuvers around the island to de-legitimize deterrence. Taiwan, the United States, and its allies in the region should adopt a healthy dose of skepticism in its assessments of PLA action around the island. The recent confusion stemming from Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense reports of large PLA Navy movements surrounding Taiwan are evidence of this. Building up these drills and exercises as provocations to be responded to only plays into the PLA’s hand by associating these actions as legitimate acts to “dominate” Taiwan. When everything the PLA does around Taiwan is articulated as a gray-zone tactic that seeks to undermine Taiwan’s ability to defend itself, nothing will ever be considered important enough to drive Taiwanese society into real action – until it’s too late. Preventing this means developing a framework that distinguishes between routine military activities, genuine provocations, and actual invasion preparations. Such clarity would allow for more measured responses and help preserve credibility when raising genuine security concerns. There are some that argue that because Taiwan isn’t doing enough , or isn’t serious , that Washington should continue its approach. But in emphasizing the need for immediate action and putting constant pressure on the Taiwanese populace creates political instability, which politicians attempt to alleviate with big ticket purchases such as aircraft and naval vessels that won’t survive the early hours of conflict. This strategy detracts from investment in domestic capacity and long-term military reform such as asymmetric defense. This creates a never-ending obsession with getting newer and flashier military technology rather than going to the roots of the problem of military modernization for Taiwan. These issues highlight a central problem in intelligence analysis: For fear of missing critical warnings and indications of attack, we often get duped by deliberate misinformation and feints. To mitigate the problem, the U.S. intelligence community should focus more on refining assessments than on collecting information. It is clear that there will be signs of a blockade or invasion, as it is simply impossible to hide all levels of preparation. What is less certain, however, is if intent can be parsed through a flood of incoming information and data. The challenge isn’t finding a needle in a haystack. Rather, it is about identifying the right needle in a warehouse of them. To alleviate some of these problems, the United States should cooperate more closely with Taiwan’s populace and intelligence community. Training pilots and soldiers helps Taiwan’s military but addressing early warning issues and risks upstream is far more effective than stopping the flood with sandbags in front yards. This, along with a shift away from the emphasis on trying to understand and predict gray-zone activity, can provide a more robust analytical capacity and avoid being drawn into Beijing’s misinformation campaigns surrounding intent and risk.
Russia says US using Taiwan to stir crisis in Asia MOSCOW: The United States is using Taiwan to provoke a serious crisis in Asia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told TASS news agency in remarks published on Sunday, reiterating Moscow’s backing of China’s stance on Taiwan. “We see that Washington, in violation of the ‘one China’ principle that it recognises, is strengthening military-political contacts with Taipei under the slogan of maintaining the ‘status quo’, and increasing arms supplies,” Rudenko told the state news agency. “The goal of such obvious US interference in the region’s affairs is to provoke the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and generate a crisis in Asia to suit its own selfish interests.” The report did not cite any specific contacts that Rudenko was referring to. The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition. The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rudenko’s remarks outside office hours. In September, President Joe Biden approved $567 million in military support for Taiwan. Russia responded that it was standing alongside China on Asian issues, including criticism of the US drive to extend its influence and “deliberate attempts” to inflame the situation around Taiwan.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Ardal O’Hanlon has shared a warning for new Death In Paradise star Don Gilet, describing the role as "gruelling" and difficult to sustain for more than a few years. O’Hanlon, who played DI Jack Mooney from 2017 to 2020, revealed he often worked 12-hour days, six days a week, during his time on the hit BBC drama. Reflecting on his experience while promoting his upcoming stand-up tour, Not Himself, Ardal admitted that the intense filming schedule in Guadeloupe took a toll, both physically and mentally, reports the Mirror. "God, that was tough. People don’t believe you when you tell them how challenging it is," he said. "I’m so grateful for the part—it was life-changing—but it’s not just about playing the lead in a popular show. It’s a complete lifestyle shift." He explained the demands of the role: "Coming from a place where I barely leave the house to living outdoors for six months a year was such a radical change for me. It was gruelling because of the sheer workload. You’re constantly preparing, with little downtime to enjoy the surroundings. I was so jealous of the guest actors—they’d come for a week or two, spend a few days filming, and the rest of the time they were by the pool with cocktails. Meanwhile, I was working my arse off!" Ardal revealed that producers had warned him about the challenging nature of the role before he started. "They told me, ‘You might last two or three years, but probably not four!’ The producer even painted a bleak picture before I flew out, saying, ‘You know, you can still back out of this.’ He warned about hurricanes, the isolating environment, and even the wildlife." Ultimately, the toll extended beyond work. "After four summers, it began to affect things at home. My family stopped visiting me in Guadeloupe, and that was the real decider for leaving." The actor and comedian, best known for his role in Father Ted, also spoke about his upcoming stand-up tour, which explores themes of identity. "Comedy has become such a diverse platform now, with people discussing their identities—whether it’s race, gender, class, or religion. For me, I was always focused on crafting jokes with a surreal twist. But recently, I’ve been inspired by other comedians to reflect more on who I am, my upbringing, and how technology shapes our identities." Ardal’s departure from Death In Paradise saw Ralf Little take over as DI Neville Parker, a role Little held for five years. Don Gilet is set to debut as the new lead, DI Mervin Wilson, in the upcoming Death In Paradise Christmas special. Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
MPs in renewed push to amend Constitution