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Analog dials used to be a pretty common way of displaying information on test equipment and in industrial applications. They fell out of favor as more advanced display technologies became cheaper. However, , it turns out you get something truly fantastic indeed. This build comes to us from [Arne]. The concept is simple—get an e-ink display, and draw a dial on it using whatever graphics and scale you choose. Then, put it behind a traditional coil-driven analog dial in place of the more traditional paper scale. Now, you have an analog dial that can display any quantity you desire. Just update the screen to display a different scale as needed. Meanwhile, if you don’t need to change the display, the e-ink display will draw zero power and still display the same thing. [Arne] explains how it all works in the writeup. It’s basically a LilyGo T5 ESP32 board with an e-ink screen attached, and it’s combined with a MF-110A multimeter. It’s super easy to buy that stuff and start tinkering with the concept yourself. [Arne] uses it with Home Assistant, which is as good an idea as any. You get all the benefits of a redrawable display, with the wonderful visual tactility of a real analog dial. It’s a build . It doesn’t heart that [Arne] chose a great retro font for the dial, either. Applause all around!
6,000 inmates escape from a high-security prison as post-election violence roils MozambiqueAP News Summary at 4:32 p.m. EST
Naheed Nenshi is still looking to find his feet — and a seat in the legislature — after six months on the job as leader of Alberta’s NDP. “I really am still getting my skis under me,” the former Calgary mayor said of his new gig in a recent year-end interview. Without a seat in the house, he’s been watching the cut and thrust of the provincial legislature from the sidelines, and he’s trying new things. The Opposition NDP has become more targeted in its media messaging and its approach to debates in the house, in part to avoid the trap of responding to the United Conservative Party government with daily outrage, he said. “It’s almost been useful for me to have the freedom to go talk to the nurses or the teachers or the parents or the cops, rather than be sitting in that room watching really, really bad acting and really terrible drama on the other side of the aisle,” he said. Still, the question of where and when Nenshi might get a seat in that hostile theatre is likely to continue to dog him in 2025. This year was bookended by former Rachel Notley announcing in January her resignation as party leader and recently that she would leave the legislature Dec. 30. In June, Nenshi took the helm. With Notley’s Edmonton-Strathcona seat soon to be vacant, Nenshi could look to get elected in the capital, where he now spends much of his time. He said he isn’t expecting Premier Danielle Smith to call a byelection before the six-month deadline to do so in June, after the house traditionally breaks for the summer. “The premier will delay the byelection to keep me out so that I can’t be part of the budget debates,” he said. In more ways than one, the NDP is still under construction. Hanging over Nenshi’s head is a steady stream of UCP attack ads accusing the provincial New Democrats of being under the thumb of Jagmeet Singh’s federal NDP. Provincial members automatically become part of the federal party, despite clear policy differences between the two, especially when it comes to the oil and gas industry. Nenshi has long said he wants to bring the federal membership issue to his party members to decide as soon as possible. The earliest NDP members could debate, and potentially change that sticking point in the party’s constitution, is in early May at the next NDP policy convention in Edmonton. There, members are also expected to steer the direction of what has largely remained a blank slate of a plan and platform. In the new year, Nenshi said the focus will continue to be on what he says has been missing from the UCP’s legislative agenda: affordability, jobs, health care, public safety and education. “These are not priorities for this government at all.” He has moved on one front by putting his former health critic, Luanne Metz, in charge of consulting on and fleshing out a health-care plan next year. “(The UCP is) making this up as they go along and we’re going to take the time to get it right,” Nenshi said. The NDP offered a few priorities in the fall. New Democrats pitched private member’s bills that aim to protect workers’ tips from being pocketed by employers, bring in cancer care delivery standards and take action on Indigenous reconciliation. A proposal to bring back school class size reporting was defeated. There are UCP policies Nenshi hopes to one day repeal, including what he calls the “cruel, hateful” legislation that restricts transgender health care and will bring in pronoun policy in schools. And, after the first full year of the government’s loosened ethics rules for political staff to accept gifts, Nenshi has another proposal. “Throw open the curtains so that we can see all of the grift and corruption that has happened under this government to make sure it’s not repeated ever,” he said.
SARAJEVO -- Bosnia-Herzegovina’s security minister has been arrested on charges of money-laundering, abuse of office, and accepting bribes, the Balkan nation’s prosecutor’s office said. The minister, Nenad Nesic, was among seven people arrested on similar charges, the office said on December 26. The charges stem from an investigation by the Bosnian state prosecutor and the Interior Ministry of Bosnia's ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, into suspected corruption at the Roads of RS (Putevi RS) public company, where Nesic was general manager from 2016 to 2020. The company's current general manager, Milan Dakic, was also among those arrested, prosecutors said. The company did not immediately comment. Nesic, 46, has been Bosnia’s security minister since 2022. When asked by reporters about the case as he was entering an East Sarajevo police station, Nesic said only that "I continue to fight for Republika Srpska," according to Reuters. Nesic is president of the Democratic People's Alliance (DNS), which is in a coalition with Milorad Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD). Dodik, who is president of Republika Srpska, claimed on social media that this was an "unacceptable procedure" and a "persecution of cadres" from the Bosnian government. The pro-Russia Dodik is under sanctions imposed by the United States and Britain for his efforts to undermine the Dayton agreements that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war. He is currently facing trial himself on charges he failed to comply with the decisions of international High Representative Christian Schmidt. Ethnic Serb lawmakers this week said Dodik's trial was political and based on illegal decisions by the high representative. They claimed that the court was unconstitutional because it was set up by Schmidt and not by the Dayton agreement. Since the Dayton peace accords were put into effect, the country has consisted of a Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government, where Nesic holds the security portfolio. Israel carried out large-scale air strikes on the main airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on December 26 as it steps up attacks on the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in what Tehran called a “violation” of peace and security. Huthi rebels said three people were killed and 14 were injured or missing following the Israeli attacks on the airport and other sites in Yemen, including port facilities. "Fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes on military targets belonging to the Huthi terrorist regime on the western coast and inland Yemen," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attacks followed recent rocket launches by the Huthi fighters against the Tel Aviv area, although little damage was reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes on Yemen, calling them "aggressions" that it claimed were "a clear violation of international peace and security." It said they represented "an undeniable crime against the heroic and noble people of Yemen," who had "not spared any effort to support the oppressed people of Palestine." The Israeli military has said air strikes in Yemen are targeting Huthi sites that have been used to receive Iranian weapons, which are then often transported to other Tehran-linked groups in the Mideast -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, while Hezbollah has also been deemed a terrorist group by Washington. The EU blacklists its military arm but not its political wing. The U.S. State Department designated the Huthis as a terrorist group at the start of this year. Hamas and Hezbollah have been severely weakened following massive Israeli military strikes on their respective sites in Gaza and Lebanon, and most of their leaders have been killed in Israel's military response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue against the Huthi rebels, who have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea, claiming they are in solidarity of Hamas fighters in Gaza. "We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil. We will continue until the job is done," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- head of the World Health Organization who was at the Sanaa airport during the Israeli attack -- said he was safe but that "one of our plane's crew members was injured.” A Pakistani military court has sentenced 60 people to prison terms ranging between two and 10 years over violent protests that erupted after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023, the army’s media wing said on December 26. The defendants, who included a relative of Khan as well as two retired military officers, were sentenced in connection with attacks on military facilities. Twenty-five other people were sentenced on the same charges on December 21. They have the right to appeal the sentences, the military’s media wing said in a statement. Protests erupted across Pakistan in May 2023 when Khan was arrested during his court appearance on corruption charges that he and his supporters deny. Thousands of Khan’s supporters ransacked military facilities and stormed government buildings. Several people were killed, and dozens were injured in the unrest. At least 1,400 protesters, including leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party were arrested following the riots. But only 105 of those detained faced military trials. PTI condemned the sentencing, and said the court had violated the defendants’ rights. The United States expressed deep concern about the sentences, while Britain said that trying civilians in military courts "lacks transparency, independent scrutiny, and undermines the right to a fair trial.” The European Union said the sentences are "inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” As the first seven survivors arrived back in the country on December 26, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning 24 hours after a passenger plane from the flag carrier, Azerbaijan Airlines, crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Speculation has swirled over why the Embraer 190 aircraft went down on a scheduled flight from the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region with 67 people onboard after it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing near the city of Aqtau in western Kazakhstan. Some experts pointed to holes seen in the plane’s tail section as a possible sign that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems engaged in thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told news agencies that indications suggest a Russian antiaircraft system struck the airliner, although the official provided no evidence. Azerbaijani and Kazakh authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident. Officials said the airliner's cockpit recorder had been recovered and urged caution over laying blame before the facts could be determined. Officials in Baku said the wounded arrived on a special flight arranged by Azerbaijan's Emergency Affairs Ministry and that the injured were accompanied by medical professionals. There was no immediate word on the condition of the injured, who were among 29 survivors from the crash, many of whom suffered severe burn wounds. Ayhan Solomon, Azerbaijan’s chief consul in Aqtau, told reporters that 26 of those killed were Azerbaijani citizens. He said initial reports indicate that 16 Azerbaijani citizens survived. “Of those, 10 to 12 are in good condition and others remain critically stable,” he added. Azerbaijan Airlines' supervisory board said on December 26 that the families of those killed will be compensated with 40,000 manats ($23,460), while those injured would receive 20,000 manats ($11,730). On December 26, national flags were flown at half-mast across Azerbaijan, and signals were sounded from vehicles, ships, and trains as the nation observed a moment of silence at noon to honor the victims of the plane crash. In Baku, officials and families were waiting for the remaining survivors, who were also due to be flown to Azerbaijan in the evening of December 26. Talgat Lastaev, Kazakhstan's vice minister of transport, told RFE/RL that experts are scheduled to arrive at the site on December 27 to assess the next steps regarding the black box. Officials said it typically takes about two weeks to fully assess a black box, although various conditions can alter that time frame. Commenting on unconfirmed reports that the plane may have been shot down by a missile, Kazakh Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbaev said it was “not possible” to say what may have damaged the aircraft until the investigation is finished. "Real experts are looking at all this and they will make their conclusions. Neither Kazakhstan, Russia, nor Azerbaijan, of course, is interested in hiding information, it will be brought to the public," Ashimbaev said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a similar comment, saying: "We need to await the end of the investigation.” It was “wrong” to speculate before the investigators give their findings, Peskov added. Along with the 42 Azerbaijani citizens, those aboard Flight J2-8243 were listed as 16 Russian nationals, six from Kazakhstan, and three Kyrgyz citizens, officials said. The survivors include nine Russian citizens, who were flown to Moscow on December 26 by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Three of the Russian survivors were in critical condition, according to Russian health authorities. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozymbaev -- who is in charge of a special government commission to investigate the incident -- said many of those who died in the crash were not immediately identifiable due to massive burns suffered. Bozymbaev said the 29 survivors had injuries ranging from moderate to severe, with many also suffering from major burns. According to Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry, the injured included at least two children and 11 people had been placed in intensive care. Azerbaijan Airlines said it was suspending all its flights from Baku to the Chechnya region, pending an investigation of the tragedy. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience," with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who cut short his visit for an informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Russia, said it was too early to determine a cause but suggested bad weather could have contributed to the crash. “The information provided to me is that the plane changed course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and detoured to the Aqtau airport [before] it crashed,” he said. The office of Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." The United States and European Union on December 25 condemned plans by ethnic-Serb leaders in Bosnia-Herzegovina to block efforts for closer European integration for the Western Balkan nation. Lawmakers in the country’s ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, late on December 24 ordered Serb representatives in state institutions to block decision-making actions and law changes needed for the country's further integration into the EU. In response, the embassies of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, along with the EU delegation in Bosnia, in a joint statement condemned the Serb parliament's acts as "a serious threat to the country's constitutional order." "At a time when formal opening of EU accession negotiations has never been so close, a return to political blockades would have negative consequences for all citizens, a majority of whom support EU accession," the statement said. The Republika Srpska parliament announced the actions in response to the trial of regional leader Milorad Dodik, who is under U.S. and British sanctions for actions that Western governments allege are aimed at the eventual secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dodik is on trial in a long-delayed, ongoing process on charges he failed to comply with the decisions of the High Representative in Bosnia. He faces up to five years in prison and a ban on participating in politics if convicted. Ethnic Serb lawmakers said Dodik's trial was political and based on illegal decisions by international High Representative Christian Schmidt. They claimed that the court was unconstitutional because it was set up by Schmidt and not by the Dayton agreement. Since the Dayton peace accords that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War, the country has consisted of a Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government. Dodik, who is friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has often made somewhat contradictory comments about his entity's place in Bosnia. He has denied it has ever pursued a policy of secession or disputed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia under the Dayton agreement. He has said, however, that Republika Srpska "has the right to a political fight for its status” under the Dayton accords. He has also called for the “disassociation” of Republika Srpska from Bosnia -- which Washington called “secession by another name.” PRISTINA -- A special panel in Kosovo overturned a decision by the election commission that had barred the country's largest ethnic-Serbian party from participating in upcoming elections due to its strong links with Belgrade. "The Central Election Commission (CEC) is ordered to certify the political entity Serbian List and the candidates of this political entity...for the elections for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to be held on February 9, 2025," the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) said on December 25. The ruling stated that the party had fulfilled all obligations required regarding the political filings and was therefore entitled to be certified. On December 23, the CEC said when it announced its decision not to certify Serbian List that its main reason was the party's nationalistic stance and close ties to Serbia. Some commission members noted that Serbian List leader Zlatan Elek has never referred to Kosovo as independent and continues to call it Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo. The CEC also said that Serbian List has close ties with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other Serb leaders who also refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia has close ties to Russia and has refused to join international sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, although Vucic has attempted to balance relations with the West and has continued to press Belgrade's desires to join the European Union. Elek on December 24 said he planned to appeal the order and said he was confident it would be overturned. The Serbian List -- which described the CEC decision as an attempt "to eliminate" it from the electoral process -- welcomed the latest ruling. The party said the CEC is now obliged to act on the PZAP decision but added it remains to be seen whether the commission will "continue to violate its own law and regulations and act on direct political pressure from the authorities in Pristina." The February parliamentary elections are expected to be a key test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party came to power in 2021 in a landslide in the Western-backed Balkan nation. Prior to the ECAP ruling, political analyst Albert Krasniqi of the Demokraci+ NGO told RFE/RL that the CEC decision is part of the preelection campaign being conducted by Kurti’s Self-Determination party (Vetevendosje). He forecast that Serbian List would appeal the decision and predicted it would be successful in getting it reversed. “All this noise will last at most four days, and I am sure that the ECAP will reverse this decision of the CEC and will oblige the CEC to certify Serbian List,” Krasniqi said. Kosovo proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade still considers Kosovo a province of Serbia and has a major influence on the ethnic Serbian minority living there. Authorities declared a region-wide state of emergency in Russia's Krasnodar region, warning that oil was still washing up on the coastline following a December 15 incident involving two Volgoneft tankers carrying thousands of tons of low-quality heavy fuel oil. "Initially, according to the calculations of scientists and specialists, the bulk of fuel oil should have remained at the bottom of the Black Sea, which would allow it to be collected in water. But the weather dictates its own conditions -- the air warms up and oil products rise to the top. As a result, they are brought to our beaches," regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on December 25. Dozens of kilometers of Black Sea coastline in the southern Russian region have been covered in heavy fuel after the two oil tankers were badly damaged during a storm in the Kerch Strait. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here . If North Korea’s elite troops were expecting an easy campaign against Ukrainian forces entrenched in Russia’s Kursk region, they faced a harsh reality on the ground. About 1,100 North Korean special forces have been killed or injured in Russia since entering the fray against Ukraine a few weeks ago, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on December 19. A general was reportedly among those killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on December 23 put the figure even higher, at more than 3,000, or about a quarter of the North Korean special forces sent to Russia, though he couched his statement by saying the data was preliminary. RFE/RL could not confirm either of the reported numbers. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though, doesn’t seem to be fazed by the rapid losses. The authoritarian leader is reportedly doubling down in his support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in exchange for critical supplies of oil, cash, and military technology. Zelenskiy said on December 23 that North Korea may send more troops and weapons to the front. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff seconded that forecast, saying Pyongyang is preparing to rotate or supply additional forces to Russia. North Korean military support is coming at a critical time in the war. Russia is seeking to overpower an undermanned and under-resourced Ukrainian infantry and gain territory before its own manpower and resources become constrained. Russia has lost more than 600,000 soldiers in the nearly three-year war, the Pentagon said in early October. It has burned through so much war material that it is struggling to replace its artillery and missile needs amid sweeping Western sanctions. Now nearly two-thirds of the mortars and shells Russia launches at Ukraine come from North Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported , citing Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian Army officer. And every third ballistic missile was made in North Korea, Ukrainian officials said. Pyongyang is ramping up arms production to meet Russia’s growing need, experts said. Trench Warfare Russian troops are now gaining ground in Ukraine’s east at the fastest pace since the start of the war. Kyiv carried out a surprise incursion into the Kursk region in August, seizing a swath of Russian territory in the hope of drawing enemy forces away from eastern Ukraine. That hasn’t materialized, thanks in part to the supply of North Korean troops. The arrival of the North Korean troops in Russia in October was initially seen as an act of desperation on the part of Putin, who has had to significantly bump up salaries to attract new recruits. However, The New York Times reported on December 23, citing U.S. officials, that it was North Korea who approached Russia with the offer of troops and Putin accepted. It is unclear when Kim made the offer. Putin traveled to Pyongyang to meet Kim in June. During the summit, the two leaders agreed on a strategic treaty that includes a mutual defense provision. Putin signed the treaty into law in November. The supply of troops to Russia can help Kim evade sweeping sanctions on technology and materials for military use. North Korea was hit with international sanctions after conducting its first nuclear test in 2006. Pyongyang hasn’t been engaged in a hot war in decades. Thus, its miliary brass and troops – which number more than 1 million -- have no combat experience. The deployment in Russia's war with Ukraine is a way for Kim and his military to acquire some. However, Kim’s troops are ill-prepared for the type of trench warfare with widespread use of drones and missiles they are facing in Kursk, experts say. Hyunseung Lee, a North Korean who spent 3 1/2 years with an artillery and reconnaissance battalion in the early 2000s before defecting, told RFE/RL last month that Kim’s troops "don't really train with that equipment." He said they cannot master drones and the high-tech equipment in such a short period of time. Videos circulating on social media show Ukrainian kamikaze drones striking and killing North Korean soldiers in Kursk’s snow-covered fields. Commenting on the videos in a December 19 tweet , Lee called it a “sad predictable outcome.” Modern warfare technology is not the only issue leading to large-scale deaths of North Koreans, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Washington-based research firm said North Korean soldiers were struggling to communicate and coordinate with Russian forces due to language barriers. Perhaps more importantly, North Koreans are now conducting the initial attack in open territory on Ukrainian positions, ISW said. Some military experts cynically call such fighting tactics “meat assaults” because they result in a large loss of life among the attackers. Yevhen Yerin, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence service, told the AFP news agency on December 24 that Russia’s use of North Korean troops has not had a major impact on the battlefield. “It is not such a significant number of personnel," he said, adding that they use tactics that are "primitive, linked, frankly speaking, more to the times of the Second World War." The cockpit recorder has been recovered intact as authorities stepped up their investigation following the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet in Kazakhstan that killed at least 38 of the 67 people aboard on December 25. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozymbaev said many of the 38 people who died aboard the Azerbaijan Airlines scheduled flight from Baku to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region were not immediately identifiable due to massive burns suffered. He added the 29 survivors had injuries ranging from moderate to severe, many also suffering from major burns in the crash. Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry said the injured included at least two children and that 11 people had been placed in intensive care. Some discrepancies remained over casualty figures provided by various authorities. The cause of the crash was not immediately known amid unconfirmed reports of heavy fog or a possible bird strike. Azerbaijani and Kazakh authorities have launched an investigation, and officials said the airliner's cockpit recorder had been recovered. Bozymbaev and Kazakh law-enforcement authorities would conduct the probe of the crash, although he did not suggest any foul play at this time. In Baku, the prosecutor's office said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." Azerbaijan Airlines said it was suspending all its flights from Baku to the Chechnya region, pending an investigation of the tragedy. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience," with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who cut short his visit for an informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Russia, said it was too early to determine a cause but suggested bad weather could have contributed to the crash. “The information provided to me is that the plane changed course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and detoured to the Aqtau airport [before] it crashed,” he said. Video showed the plane crashing along the coast of the Caspian Sea short of the airport. In a dramatic account of the incident, Elmira, a witness on the ground, told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service that she was on a company bus near Aqtau with other work colleagues when they saw a plane break up above them and that several people attempted to aid victims following the crash. "We rushed toward the scene, pulling people out from the tail section, which had separated," she said. "The nose of the plane was on fire. We rescued those alive from the back -- they were severely injured and crying." She said a young girl cried out, "Save my mom! My mom is there!" Others also pleaded for help, she added. "Ambulances arrived soon after, and we handed the injured over... I am in shock now and cannot get these scenes out of my mind." At the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, the families of the passengers of Flight J2-8243 gathered in a designated area, anxiously waiting for news about the fate of their loved ones. Vugar Ismayilov, whose friend Habib Ismayilov, was on board the plane, told RFE/RL that he hadn’t yet received any news about Habib. Ismayilov said that Habib, a 25-year-old native of the Aghdash region in central Azerbaijan, had been reluctant to go on this trip, which would take him to Daghestan via Grozny. “I dropped my friend off at the airport this morning. He was going to Daghestan for work, and it was his first time traveling to Daghestan,” Ismayilov said. “He didn’t really want to go on this trip. He went there because of work.” Nezaket Bayramova, whose sister Jamila Bisloyeva was among the passengers of the ill-fated aircraft, told the Turan Information Agency that she had no information about her sibling’s situation. "We called the hotline that was set up [for the relatives], they took our information and said they would inform us. But there is still no news," Bayramova said. "I don't know anything. From what I heard, a bird hit the plane. I don't know anything else,” she said. There was a heavy police presence at the Baku airport, where ambulances and emergency crews could also be seen in the vicinity. Kazakhstan's Emergencies Ministry said in a statement that rescue teams were at the location of the crash and that fire services had put out a blaze at the site. Videos from the scene of the crash showed the aircraft lying upside down on the ground with part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the plane. Azerbaijan Airlines said the Embraer 190 aircraft, with flight number J2-8243, had been flying from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, but was forced to make an emergency landing approximately three kilometers from Aqtau. The airline said it would keep members of the public updated and changed its social media banners to solid black. A spokesperson for Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said that preliminary information showed that the pilot had decided to divert to Aqtau after a bird strike on the plane led to “an emergency situation on board.” Media reports said earlier that the plane had been rerouted due to fog in Grozny. Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has set up a special commission -- led by Deputy Prime Minister Bozymbaev -- to investigate the incident. Toqaev also instructed authorities to send a group of medics from the capital, Astana, to Aqtau to help treat the survivors. At Aliyev’s instruction, representatives of the Azerbaijani government left for Aqtau, the Azerbaijani Press Agency reported. The delegation includes the ministers for digital aviation, transport and emergency situations, the deputy health minister, the deputy prosecutor-general, and the deputy director of the State Civil Aviation Agency among others, the news agency added. Officials said crew members were all Azerbaijani citizens. Including the crew, there were 42 citizens of Azerbaijan aboard, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan, and 16 Russian nationals, officials said. Pakistani air strikes killed 46 civilians in eastern Afghanistan, the Taliban-led government in Kabul said on December 25, while Islamabad claimed it targeted suspected militant hideouts in border areas. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told RFE/RL that there were many women and children among the victims of the December 24 strikes, which hit four locations in the Barmal district of Paktika Province. There was no immediate comment from Pakistani authorities on the strike inside Afghanistan. However, the Pakistani Army said security forces killed 13 insurgents in an overnight intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan, a Pakistani district that borders Paktika. RFE/RL cannot independently verify the claims. The strikes are likely to further spike tensions between the two neighbors. Pakistan says that militants from the Islamist group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are hiding across the border in Afghanistan, and Islamabad has repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban to take action against them. But the Afghan Taliban say the TTP are in Pakistan. The latest Pakistani air strikes come just days after TTP militants carried out a raid near the northwestern border with Afghanistan that killed 16 security officers and wounded eight others. The attack occurred when militants opened fire at a security checkpoint in South Waziristan in the early hours of December 21. The TTP, which seeks to impose Shari'a law in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack and said it killed 35 Pakistani security officers. RFE/RL could not independently confirm the number of dead. Neither side said how many militants were killed during the attack. There has been a steady increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021. KYIV -- "Massive" Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure showed no letup as night fell on Christmas Day following what President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called an “inhumane” assault by the Kremlin’s forces – leaving hundreds of thousands in the bitter cold without heating and causing blackouts in the capital, Kyiv. "Today, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack,” Zelenskiy said on December 25, adding that Moscow continues to “fight for a blackout” throughout the country. “What could be more inhumane? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than a hundred attack drones." The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, claimed its forces had conducted a "massive strike" on critical energy sites that were supporting Ukraine’s "military-industrial complex." "The aim of the strike was achieved. All facilities have been hit," the ministry said in a statement. In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden, who will leave office on January 20, offered new support and further aid for Ukraine in the face of the Christmas Day attacks. “In the early hours of Christmas, Russia launched waves of missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and critical energy infrastructure," Biden said in a statement . "The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardize the safety of its grid." He added that "the United States and the international community must continue to stand with Ukraine until it triumphs over Russia’s aggression." "I have directed the Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in its defense against Russian forces," he said. Regional governors reported that six people were injured in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and one person was killed in the Dnipropetrovsk area, as residents struggled to recover amid the freezing cold. Governor Oleh Syniehubov also reported "damages to civilian nonresidential infrastructure” in the regional capital of Kharkiv . Kharkiv came “under a massive missile attack,” Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on the Telegram social media platform. “A series of explosions was heard in the city and there are still ballistic missiles heading toward the city," Terekhov wrote early on December 25. Ukrainian authorities reported that there was no letup in drone attacks into the evening of December 25, with areas around Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Chernihiv being targeted. In Ukraine, where a majority of Christians identify as Orthodox Christians, this was the second Christmas that was officially designated by the government to be observed not on January 7, but on December 25, in line with Roman Catholic and many Western Christian traditions. In Russia, home to the largest number of Orthodox Christians, believers still celebrate Christmas on January 7. From outside the country, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned what he called an "ongoing assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure." "I pay tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian people, and the leadership of President Zelenskiy, in the face of further drone and missile attacks from Putin's bloody and brutal war machine with no respite even at Christmas," Starmer said in a statement. Pope Francis, in his Christmas address, made an urgent plea for "all people, all peoples, and nations [to] silence the weapons and overcome divisions." "Let there be silence of the weapons in martyred Ukraine," Francis said while calling for negotiations to "achieve a just and lasting peace" in the war-torn country. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said that Russia was “again massively attacking the energy sector” on December 25. "The transmission system operator is taking the necessary measures to limit consumption to minimize the negative consequences for the energy system,” Halushchenko wrote on Telegram. Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak reported that the province had been under a “major attack since the morning,” with Russian forces “trying to destroy the region's power system.” Air raid sirens rang out across Ukraine in the early morning, while the country’s air force reported that Russian Kalibr cruise missiles had been launched from the Black Sea. Since the start of the war in February 2022, Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine’s energy sector, severely damaging the country’s power grid and causing frequent outages. In a similar attack on December 13, more than 90 missiles and more than 200 drones were used -- but 81 of the missiles were shot down, according to Zelenskiy. Inside Russia, authorities said the Ukrainian military attacked the city of Lgov in the Kursk region , hitting a residential building and killing four people. It wasn't immediately clear if the damage was caused by drones or shelling. Russian officials also reported Ukrainian drone attacks in the Belgorod region and Voronezh regions. The reports could not immediately be verified. The president of the largest ethnic-Serbian party in Kosovo on December 24 said that he will file an appeal with the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) over a decision by the Central Election Commission (CEC) barring the party’s from the February 9 elections due to its strong links with Belgrade. Zlatan Elek told a news conference that he expects the decision of the CEC against Serbian List (Srpska Lista) to be annulled. Elek used harsh words against Prime Minister Albin Kurti, saying he wanted to "eliminate" Serbian List from the race. "This is institutional and legal violence against the Serbian people, against the Srpska List, because Kurti does not want to see Srpska List MPs in the Kosovo Parliament, but wants obedient Serbs in that parliament," said Elek. The CEC said on December 23 when it announced its decision not to certify Serbian List that its main reason was its nationalist stance and close ties to Serbia. Some commission members noted that Elek has never referred to Kosovo as independent and continues to call it Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo. The CEC also said that Serbian List has close ties with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other Serb leaders who also refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. Kurti, speaking his own news conference on December 24, accused Serbian List of being under the command of Belgrade. "The Serbian List is unfortunately representing the wide scope and high degree of Serbia's interference in Kosovo's internal affairs," Kurti said. Kurti has previously criticized Serbian List regarding its relationship with Vucic and fugitive former Kosovar Serb politician Milan Radoicic. Kosovar officials have accused Radoicic of being the ringleader of an ambush near the Serbian Orthodox Banjska Monastery complex in September 2023 that killed a policeman and injured another. Radoicic, who has taken responsibility for the armed attack, remains in Serbia, which refuses to extradite him. Kosovo has characterized the assault on the monastery as a terrorist attack and accused of being responsible for it. Belgrade has denied involvement and has said the attack was not terrorism. Kurti underlined that the Serbian List has never distanced itself from the attack nor condemned it. "Radoicic continues to be the de-facto head of Srpska Lista," Kurti said. "In my view, the Serb List is not an expression of the political organization of Serbs in Kosovo, but rather Belgrade's dictate to the Serbs of Kosovo by placing Radoicic as the leader of that party." Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani also said that the Serbian List is engaged in terrorist acts, acts of aggression, and violations of the constitutional order, according to her office in responses to RFE/RL’s inquiries. "Every decision made by the CEC must be respected, as part of the commitment to the rule of law and preserving institutional integrity," Osmani said, according to her office. Petar Petkovic, head of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian government, said that Osmani's "shameful" statement only confirms that the CEC's decision was political and made on Kurti's orders. “[Osmani] and Kurti know neither about democracy nor the rule of law. With this stance, Pristina is showing that the Serbian List and the unity of Serbs are a thorn in its side. Therefore, the Serbian List must win," Petkovic stated on X. Meanwhile, the international community has warned against the process of certifying political entities becoming politically motivated. The U.S. Embassy in Pristina assessed that "it is necessary for voters, not political bodies, to decide who represents them." German Ambassador to Kosovo Joern Rohde said that equal application of the law for all is necessary and the certification process should not be politicized. Similar reactions have been expressed by the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Kosovo Democratic Institute said the CEC's decision was "contrary to the law and other applicable regulations." Eugen Cakolli of the institute said if the Serbian List appeals to the ECAP, it will be certified and the CEC's decision will be annulled. Pakistani military jets on December 24 conducted air strikes inside Afghanistan, targeting suspected hideouts of the Islamist militant group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP positions targeted were in the Murgha area of the Bermal district in Afghanistan's Paktika Province, according to sources. The area borders the Angoor Adda town in Pakistan's volatile South Waziristan tribal district. Pakistani jets carried out strikes against one target in the Murgha area and two more areas of the Bermal district. There has been no official comment from Pakistan, but some accounts on X believed to be related to Pakistani intelligence confirmed the strikes and claimed casualties among the TTP militants. An Afghan Taliban leader, speaking to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity, confirmed the strikes but added that it is too early to report on casualties. The Afghan Taliban leader said an Afghan government official confirmed to him that there were strikes in three places in Paktika Province but it was not yet known who was targeted. Pakistani security sources say the hideouts of the TTP were hit and dozens of militants were killed. But a TTP official who spoke with RFE/RL said a camp of Pakistani displaced persons was bombed and civilians killed. Pakistan says that TTP militants are hiding across the border in Afghanistan, and Islamabad has repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban to take action against them. But the Afghan Taliban say the TTP are in Pakistan. The air strikes on December 24 come just days after TTP militants carried out a raid near the northwestern border with Afghanistan that killed 16 security officers. The attack occurred when militants opened fire at a security checkpoint in South Waziristan in the early hours of December 21. Laddha Police Deputy Superintendent Hidayat Ullah told RFE/RL that, in addition to the 16 killed, eight officers were wounded. The TTP, which seeks to impose Shari'a law in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack and said it killed 35 Pakistani security officers. RFE/RL could not independently confirm the number of dead. Neither side said how many militants were killed during the attack. The year already had been one of the deadliest for the region. There has been a steady increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in August 2021. The Pakistan Center for Conflict and Security Studies said in its most recent report that more than 240 people were killed in "terrorist incidents" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November. The death toll included 68 security officers, the highest in a single month this year. Meanwhile, the Army Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) claims to have killed dozens of suspected militants in operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this month. The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan say they are committed to wiping out the TTP. Iran’s council on safeguarding the Internet has voted to lift bans on the WhatsApp messenger and the Google Play apps, state media reported. The Supreme Cyberspace Council voted unanimously in favor of lifting restrictions on some foreign-owned applications, including WhatsApp and Google Play, during a meeting on December 24, state news agency IRNA said. "Today, we took the first step toward lifting Internet restrictions with unanimity and consensus," Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi said on X. It was not immediately clear when the decision would come into force. The Supreme Cyberspace Council holds its meetings behind closed doors and its members' votes are not made public. IRNA reported that the members of the council voted to lift restrictions while at the same time " emphasizing the importance of rule-of-law governance in cyberspace." The two apps were restricted in 2022 following the Woman, Life, Freedom protests that were severely suppressed. The Supreme Cyberspace Council, which was established by order of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has also emphasized "supporting domestic platforms." On the eve of the council’s meeting, Mehr News Agency published a document indicating that, based on a Supreme Cyberspace Council plan, an "advertising support package" is to be allocated to domestic messaging services. The document states that the “first phase” of the council’s plan will include “building infrastructure” for domestic content platforms. While the bans on WhatsApp and Google Play were lifted by the council, other popular social media platforms including Facebook, X, Telegram, and YouTube remain blocked in Iran. Critics of the restrictions have argued that the controls have been costly for the country. "The restrictions have achieved nothing but anger and added costs to people's lives," social and political activist Ali Rabiei said on X on December 24. Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif added that President Masud Pezeshkian believes in removing restrictions and does not consider the bans to be in the interest of the people and the country. “All experts also believe that this issue is not beneficial to the country's security," Zarif said on December 24. Others, however, warned against lifting the restrictions. The reformist Shargh daily reported on December 24 that 136 lawmakers in Iran's 290-member parliament sent a letter to the council saying the move would be a "gift” to Iran's enemies. The lawmakers called for allowing access to restricted online platforms only "if they are committed to the values of Islamic society and comply with the laws of" Iran. A Russian cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea, leaving two members of its crew missing, Russian and Spanish authorities said on December 24. Fourteen members of the crew were rescued from a lifeboat and taken to Spain, the country’s maritime rescue agency said. The Russian Defense Ministry said the ship began sinking after an explosion in the engine room, but Spanish authorities did not confirm that an explosion had occurred. The vessel is owned by a subsidiary of Oboronlogistika, a shipping and logistics company established under the Russian Defense Ministry that has been designated for sanctions by the United States and the European Union for its ties to Russia's military. Spanish authorities said they received an alert around 1 p.m. local time on December 23 when the vessel, the Ursa Major, was roughly 100 kilometers from the coast of southeastern Spain. A ship nearby reported poor weather conditions and said the Ursa Major was listing. Authorities said a Russian warship arrived later to oversee rescue operations and that the 142-meter-long vessel sank around midnight. On board the vessel were empty containers and two cranes, Spanish authorities said. The Russian Embassy in Spain told state news agency RIA Novosti that it was investigating and that it was in contact with local authorities. The Ursa Major left St. Petersburg on December 11 and its final destination was Vladivostok, where it was scheduled to arrive on January 22, according to open-source data. Some news outlets, including Mediazone, cited open-source information in reporting that the sunken dry cargo ship was actually heading to Syria, where the Kremlin-loyal regime of Bashar al-Assad was overthrown earlier this month, to help evacuate a Russian military base. Tracking data indicate that Russia also sent the dry cargo ship Sparta and three large landing ships to the Mediterranean amid reports that Russia was evacuating military personnel and equipment in the wake of the fall of the Assad regime. But an open-source analyst cited by RFE/RL studied the data on the cargo that was on board the Ursa Major and concluded that it was indeed heading to Vladivostok. A photo and video show that there were two port cranes on board the sunken ship as well as 45-ton hatch covers for the construction of nuclear icebreakers. According to analyst Alexander Oliver, the loss of the cargo will be a big blow to the port of Vladivostok and the icebreaker construction program. Oboronlogistika vessels have been repeatedly used to supply Russian military bases in Syria. The United States in May 2022 imposed sanctions against Oboronlogistika and several other Russian companies involved in maritime transportation for the Russian Defense Ministry. YouTube traffic in Russia has plummeted to just 20 percent of its “normal levels” in recent days, a leading Russian expert said, describing the situation as a “de facto” blocking of the video-sharing platform in the country. Mikhail Klimarev, director of the nonprofit organization Society for the Protection of the Internet, said in a Telegram post on December 23 that YouTube traffic in Russia has dropped to one-fifth of the levels recorded before the authorities reportedly began to deliberately slow down the service in July. “Google’s monitoring service currently shows 8.5 traffic points from Russia. Before the “slowdown,” it was 40 points. This means it’s now at roughly 20 percent of normal levels,” Klimarev wrote on his Telegram channel, ZaTelecom, adding: “YouTube is de facto blocked in Russia.” Speaking on condition of anonymity, a resident of the Russian city of Surgut told RFE/RL on December 24 that YouTube has become “inaccessible for some time.” “I first noticed YouTube becoming frustratingly slow in the summer, now it is simply impossible to open,” she said. “We have three smartphones in our family and get the Internet from two different [service providers.] We tried [opening YouTube] in all of them. I can say for sure that we can’t open YouTube anymore,” the Surgut resident added. YouTube, which is owned by Google, has tens of millions of users in Russia. Russian YouTube users have been experiencing mass outages and slowdown in the service since July. Russian authorities said the problems were caused by Google's failure to upgrade equipment used to ensure access to Google services in Russia. Critics, however, accuse the authoritarian government in Moscow of deliberately disrupting the service to prevent Russians from viewing content there that is critical of the Kremlin’s policies. In July, Russian outlet, Gazeta.ru quoted two sources close to the president’s administration as saying that Moscow was planning to begin blocking YouTube in September. The EU-based news website Meduza at the time quoted a source in Russia’s telecommunications sphere who claimed the government started slowing YouTube speeds on July 11. YouTube said in August that it was aware that some people in Russia were not able to access the platform, but it insisted that the problem was not caused by any action or technical issues on YouTube’s part. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s position, claiming that the YouTube service disruption was caused by Google’s failure to upgrade equipment. During his annual news conference and call-in show on December 19, Putin also demanded that Google and YouTube observe Russia’s laws and not use the Internet as a tool to “achieve [the U.S.] government’s political goals.” There was no immediate response by Google. Russia has blocked major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Six people died in a fire at a migrant workers’ temporary residence in the Russian republic of Tatarstan, highlighting the increasingly difficult conditions faced by those coming to Russia seeking work. The regional Investigative Committee said a criminal investigation into the blaze on December 24 has been opened. It added that the wooden building on a farm housed more than three dozen Uzbek migrant workers. Migrants , especially from Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, have long provided desperately needed workers across Russia even though the conditions they live in can be poor. In October, the Russian government approved a measure that cuts the quota for residence permits for foreigners in 2025 by almost half even as the number of workers entering the country has fallen to a 10-year low, exacerbating an acute labor shortage. The move came as public sentiment toward migrants grows increasingly negative , with some 80 percent of Russians surveyed expressing concerns about the high number of migrants, particularly from Central Asia and the Caucasus. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from those areas legally reside in Russia on working visas allowing them to stay and work in the country for a limited period, while residence permits allow stays in Russia for years. But many Russians turned against migrants from Central Asia after a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall entertainment center near Moscow in March that claimed 140 lives. Several Tajik citizens were arrested over their alleged involvement in the attack. The men appeared in court bearing clear signs of beating and torture . Suspicions of migrants from Central Asia were further stoked last week when Russian authorities said they had arrested a man from Uzbekistan over the assassination of a senior general in Moscow on December 17. The arrest of the 29-year-old, who Moscow claimed killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov on Ukraine's orders has triggered fear among Central Asian migrants in Russia. Kirillov was the highest-ranking Russian military officer to be assassinated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Authorities in Tatarstan have not tied the fire to the backlash. In addition to the investigation, the republic’s president, Rustam Minnikhanov, has ordered a check of housing for workers at farms in Tatarstan and pledged assistance for the victims of the fire. Alisher Ilkhamov, an Uzbek analyst and the director of the U.K.-based research entity Central Asia Due Diligence, said Uzbeks will be portrayed "to some extent as the villains” in the assassination. "Anti-migrant rhetoric has been very popular with Russian politicians recently," Ilkhamov said. "Now that will be reinforced.” A Russian court has sentenced U.S. citizen Eugene Spector to 15 years in a penal colony for "espionage" amid accusations by several Western governments that Moscow is convicting foreign nationals to use as bargaining chips in prisoner swaps. Spector was sentenced on December 24 by the Moscow City Court after a trial that was held behind closed doors. Little is known about the charges the former pharmaceuticals executive faced as the court claimed classified materials during the trial warranted it being closed to the public. The case comes against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington, which are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War. Moscow has also been accused of targeting U.S. citizens by detaining them on trumped-up charges to later use as bargaining chips in talks to bring back Russians convicted of crimes in the United States and other Western nations. At least 10 U.S. citizens remain behind bars in Russia even after a prisoner swap on August 1 involving 16 people that Moscow agreed to free in exchange for eight Russians convicted of crimes and serving prison terms in the United States and Europe. “Although the prisoner exchange can rightly be considered a victory for diplomacy, we should not hastily declare that justice has prevailed,” Yulia Mineeva , an associate at Chatham House, said after the prisoners were swapped. “The Russian side held hostages to free their hitmen, spies, and hackers , while the West made a tough decision in favor of the freedom and lives of innocent people, not only their citizens but Russian nationals as well.” The state TASS news agency said Spector was born in 1972 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and moved to the United States, where he became a citizen. His Russian name is Yevgeny Mironovich, TASS added. Spector was the chairman of the board of Medpolymerprom Group, a company known for its focus on developing cancer-curing drugs. He was sentenced in 2021 to four years in prison on alleged bribery charges. His sentence was reduced by six months after a retrial. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the “brutal police violence” against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for anti-government demonstrations. Police have clashed with protesters for over two weeks, detaining dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the government of the ruling Georgian Dream party -- founded by Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili -- of moving the country away from the EU and closer to Moscow. “In widespread and apparently punitive acts, security forces have chased down, violently detained, and beat protesters. Police also tortured and otherwise ill-treated them in police vans and police stations,” HRW said in a report on December 24. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said was marred by instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The rallies intensified after a government decision last month to delay negotiations on Georgia joining the European Union. The authorities have responded violently to the demonstrations, arresting hundreds of people in recent weeks and closely watching participants with Chinese-made surveillance cameras with facial-recognition capabilities. Dozens of protesters – as well as journalists covering the rallies – have been beaten and detained by police were wearing riot gear or full-face black masks, with no identifiable insignia. “The level of the authorities’ violence against largely peaceful protesters is shocking, blatantly retaliatory, and violates Georgia’s domestic laws and international norms,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The scale of the police ill-treatment of protesters and the failure of Georgian authorities to hold them accountable for it indicates they either authorized or condoned the violence.” Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. Zurabishvili has been locked in a standoff with the party since the October parliamentary elections, which the opposition has refused to recognize. Georgian Dream has denied any election wrongdoing and has refused to consider new elections despite the almost daily protests. Georgia received EU candidate status in December last year but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has ruled since 2012. Critics say the legislation threatens media outlets and civil society groups and mirrors a similar Russian law used by the Kremlin to stifle political opponents and civil society. While initially endorsed by Georgian Dream for her successful presidential run in 2018, Zurabishvili has been a thorn in the ruling party's side. Although officially a nonpartisan president limited to a ceremonial role, Zurabishvili has criticized Georgian Dream for its increasingly authoritarian stance. Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president. His inauguration is supposed to take place on December 29, though the 72-year-old Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she isn't going anywhere. The 'foreign agent' law, which mandates that organizations receiving significant foreign funding register as foreign agents, took effect on August 1, sparking significant backlash from international and domestic actors. The government last week pledged to amend the law, though it did not give details of the changes it would enact. CHISINAU -- Moldova's pro-Western president, Maia Sandu, was sworn in for a second term in what analysts call a critical milestone for the integration of one of Europe's poorest countries into the European Union. Sandu defeated her Russian-friendly opponent, Alexandr Stoianoglo, in the second-round of a hard fought election last month. The Harvard University educated, former World Bank official's victory -- coming just one week after another former Soviet republic, Georgia, suffered a setback on its EU path when elections were won by Moscow-friendly incumbents -- came as a relief for Moldova's Western partners, who hailed it as proof that democracy can win over Russian meddling. Sandu said in her inauguration speech that she hopes her second and final four-year mandate will tie her legacy to "Moldova being in the European Union." During Sandu's first term, Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks earlier this year after firmly aligning itself with its neighbor, Ukraine, after Russia's unprovoked invasion in 2022, and joining the EU sanctions regime against Russia. "European integration is our path to security and prosperity, but let's not think of it as a business-class ticket to paradise," Sandu said in her inauguration speech. "It's not a miracle cure to all our problems. The French won't come here to run our judiciary. The Danes won't come in to clean up our garbage. The Germans won't come in to manage our border crossings. Only we are responsible for our lives, for our country." Last week the European Union applauded Moldova for the successful conduct of the presidential elections and of the referendum on enshrining EU accession in the constitution," while blasting the " hybrid attempts to undermine the country's democratic institutions." Moldovan officials had warned for months of threats from Russia that included disinformation and facilitating millions in illicit payments for an informal network of anti-EU organizers. At the same time, they also fended off cyberattacks and deepfakes, and publicly confronted what they regarded as false narratives aimed at influencing the outcome of the vote. Sandu, 52, became Moldova's first female president with a landslide victory in 2020, running on a strong pro-EU message and vowing to fight corruption. Stoianoglo, 57, from Gagauzia -- a Turkic-speaking autonomous region of Moldova with pro-Russian sentiment -- campaigned on a law-and-order theme, although critics slammed him for what they say was a failure to address high-level corruption during his time as Moldova's prosecutor-general. One person was killed and 11 were wounded by a ballistic missile strike on an apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kryviy Rih, local officials said on December 24 as clashes were reported along much of the front line in eastern Ukraine amid gains by Russian forces and speculation over the Kremlin’s strategy . Ukrainian officials condemned the attack on the building in Kryviy Rih, calling it a direct hit on a four-story residential block with 32 apartments. Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said 11 people had been wounded and seven of them had been hospitalized. He described three of the wounded as two women, ages 69 and 72, and a 78-year-old man, and said all were in moderate condition. He said later that one man who had been pulled from the rubble could not be revived despite doctors doing everything possible to resuscitate him. Lysak added that there may still be people buried in the rubble. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman reacted angrily, noting that the strike occurred on Christmas Eve. "While other countries of the world are celebrating Christmas, Ukrainians are continuing to suffer from endless Russian attacks," Dmytro Lubinets said on Telegram. Kryviy Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has regularly been the target of Russian missile attacks throughout the war. Russia says it does not deliberately target civilians despite widespread evidence to the contrary and thousands of deaths among the civilian population. Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said earlier on December 24 that by mid-morning some 235 clashes had been recorded at the front since the start of the previous day, with intense fighting in the direction of Kharkhiv, Donetsk, and Kupyansk. It added that Russia lost over 1,600 soldiers and 30 armored vehicles during the period, though the claim could not be independently verified. Moscow rarely comments on its losses in the war. The Institute for the Study of War ( ISW ) said in a report on December 24 that Russia’s priorities in the current fighting remain unclear as troops make incremental advances south and southwest of the key city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. “It remains unclear if Russian forces will be able to exploit these gains to envelop the town or if they intend to advance to the administrative boundary of Donetsk region,” the ISW said. Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow is nearing its primary goal in the war , though he didn’t elaborate. Ever since Ukraine's counteroffensive to drive out invading Russian forces culminated with little success in October 2023, Russian troops have slowly pushed westward, capturing the Donetsk city of Avdiyivka and then the town of Vuhledar. Russia currently controls about 60 percent of Donetsk. Russian troops reportedly are just a few kilometers from the edge of Pokrovsk and could be on the verge of taking it. Pokrovsk is strategically significant because it serves as a major transportation hub, is close to the front lines, and serves as a supply hub for military operations in the Donbas region. Fighting between Russia and Ukraine has ratcheted up in recent weeks, with Moscow launching waves of drones and missiles across Ukrainian territory, mainly aimed at civilian and energy infrastructure. Kyiv has countered with attacks on Russian oil and energy targets just inside Russian territory and over the weekend struck high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan. A delegation from Kazan on December 24 traveled to Belgorod to study best practices in organizing civil defenses during drone attacks, according to Kazan media citing a statement by city's mayor, Ilsur Metshin. Metshin said that Kazan must establish a clear plan so that residents know how to respond in emergencies and where to find shelters. "Everyone should have this in mind. We will bring the best practice in the country by the end of the week," the mayor said. He said he understands that in Belgorod all residents can evacuate to shelters within minutes. Last week Putin dangled the prospect of Russian concessions, saying more than once during his annual question-and-answer conference that Moscow was ready for a compromise. But he attached numerous conditions to the idea of compromise, suggesting Moscow’s goal of subjugating Ukraine and winning major security guarantees from NATO and the West remain in place, as well as saying he does not consider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a legitimate leader. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump -- whose inauguration is set for January 20 -- has said he would move to end the war quickly and during his remarks at Turning Point’s America Fest convention on December 22, said, "We have to end that war. That war is horrible, horrible." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine is interested in stabilizing the situation in Syria and believes it is essential for the country's security to remove any Russian presence from the country. “We are grateful to every country and every leader who is now ready to help Syrian society restore normal life and build effective state institutions,” Zelenskiy said on X on December 23, pledging to "support Syria in ensuring food security." "We are ready to work with representatives of the Syrian people to correct the mistakes of the Assad regime, in particular, regarding Ukraine and all of Europe,” he said. Russia granted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family asylum earlier this month after rebels took control of Damascus. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on December 23 that said it was in contact with Syria's new administration at both a diplomatic and military level. Moscow is concern in particular about the fate of a naval facility and an air base it operates in Syria. Zelenskiy in his message on X also renewed his warnings about Russia's cooperation with North Korea. Russia earlier this month began deploying North Korean troops to reinforce its military, including to the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian forces seized territory earlier this year. Kyiv continues to press allies for a tougher response to the development, which it says is a global threat because it involves a transfer of Russian warfare experience and military technologies to Pyongyang. "For the world, the cost of restoring stability is always much higher than the cost of effectively pressuring those who destabilize the situation and destroy lives," Zelenskiy said. He warned of "risks of North Korea sending additional troops and military equipment” and said Kyiv will have a “tangible responses to this." He added that according to preliminary data supplied by General Oleksandr Syrskiy, Ukraine's top commander, the number of North Korean soldiers killed and wounded in the Kursk region has exceeded 3,000. Syrskiy said last week that Russian forces backed by North Korean troops had intensified their offensive against Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region. South Korea's assessed the number of killed and wounded troops was closer to 1,000. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on December 23 that based on "various sources of information and intelligence," the North Korea has suffered around 1,100 casualties since joining combat operations against Ukraine. The JCS agreed that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" to aid Russia's war effort. JCS added that it has detected signs of Pyongyang planning to produce suicide drones to be shipped to Russia in addition to the 240mm multiple rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled howitzers it already is supplying. The Kremlin has neither denied nor directly confirmed the presence of North Korean troops on its soil. NATO, however, confirmed in October that North Korean troops had been deployed in the Kursk region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the deployment marked a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "growing desperation." Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has decided not to certify the main ethnic Serbian party, effectively barring it from competing in the February 9 parliamentary elections. The CEC said its main reason for declining to certify Serbian List was its nationalist stance and close ties to Serbia. Some commission members noted that Serbian List leader Zlatan Elek has never referred to Kosovo as independent and continues to call it Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo. The CEC also said that Serbian List has close ties with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and other Serb leaders who also refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence. There was no immediate reaction from Serbian List. The move may further aggravate the already tense ties between Kosovo and Serbia despite international efforts to normalize them. The parliamentary elections on February 9, 2025, are expected to be a key test for Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose party came to power in 2021 in a landslide. Vucic claimed on December 23 that Kurti is trying to "eliminate the only opponent" in the elections. He also accused Kurti and his allies of attempting to expel the Serbian people from the southern areas of Kosovo. Vucic said that he had also spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about what he considered to be violations of international law by Pristina. Only the chairman of the CEC, Kreshnik Radoniqi, voted for the certification of Serbian List. Two members of the ruling Self-Determination party voted against, while the others abstained. Political analyst Albert Krasniqi of the Demokraci+ NGO told RFE/RL that the decision is part of the preelection campaign being conducted by Kurti’s Self-Determination party. He said Serbian List will appeal the decision to the Electoral Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) and predicted that it will reverse the decision. “All this noise will last at most four days, and I am sure that the ECAP will reverse this decision of the CEC and will oblige the CEC to certify Serbian List,” Krasniqi said. Eugen Cakolli of the Democratic Institute of Kosovo told RFE/RL that the CEC has once again become “part of [the] political rhetoric, making a decision in violation of the law and other regulations in force.” He also said Serbian List will appeal and the ECAP will overturn the decision. Kosovo proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade still considers Kosovo a province of Serbia and has a major influence on the ethnic Serbian minority living there. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico of wanting to "help" President Vladimir Putin earn money to fund Russia’s war in Ukraine after Fico paid a visit to Putin in Moscow. Zelenskiy said on X on December 23 that EU leaders had previously observed that Fico opposes reducing energy dependence on Russia, "implying that he wants to help Putin earn money to fund the war and weaken Europe." Ukraine is “losing people as a result of the war that Putin started, and we believe that such assistance to Putin is immoral,” Zelenskiy said . Fico said his trip to Moscow and meeting with Putin on December 22 was in response to Zelenskiy opposing any "transit of gas through Ukraine to our territory." Ukraine has said it will not renew a contract for gas transit through pipelines in Ukraine that expires on December 31. Slovakia has raised concerns about the prospect of losing supplies of natural gas as a result. The flow of gas through the pipeline accounts for around half of Russia's total exports to Europe, and Slovakia, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic are set to be most affected if it ends. The European Commission has said it is ready for the current contract to expire, and all countries receiving Russian fuel via the Ukraine route have access to alternative supplies. Fico is one of the few European leaders Putin has stayed friendly with since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, but Zelenskiy questioned his motivation. "Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is being paid to him, and what does he pay with?" Zelenskiy asked rhetorically. The visit by Fico, whose country is a NATO and European Union member, had not been previously announced, but Fico said he had informed EU leaders about it ahead of time. Fico said on Facebook after his meeting with Putin that the Russian president had confirmed Russia's “readiness to continue supplying gas to the West and to Slovakia in view of the Ukrainian president's stance after January 1, 2025." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on December 23 said he could not give more details about the talks between Putin and Fico but said the situation regarding the flow of gas is “very difficult” and “requires increased attention." Fico’s visit with Putin drew strong reactions from other European leaders. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky denounced it, saying on X that the Czech government “has been working to achieve independence from Russian energy supplies so that we don't have to grovel to a mass murderer." Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda reacted sarcastically, saying that any dealings with Russia involve a price. “How cheap is your love,” he said on X . “There are those who come to Russia with love and feel gassed to meet a war criminal. This is not Lithuania's way. We choose energy independence and real market prices -- with no political strings attached!
NEW YORK , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The global cryptocurrency market size is estimated to grow by USD 34.5 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 16.64% during the forecast period. Rising investment in digital assets is driving market growth, with a trend towards acceptance of cryptocurrency by retailers. However, volatility in value of cryptocurrency poses a challenge. Key market players include AlphaPoint Corp., Binance Holdings Ltd., Bitcoinforme S.L., Bitfury Group Ltd., CEX.IO Ltd, Coinbase Global Inc., Dogecoin , FMR LLC, Gemini Trust Co. LLC, KuCoin, Ledger SAS, Marathon Digital Holdings Inc, Pantera Capital, Pintu Kemana Saja, Riot Platforms Inc., Ripple Labs Inc., Shiba Inu, WazirX, Xapo Bank Ltd., Cardano , and Valora. Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF Cryptocurrency Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 16.64% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 34.5 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 15.02 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 45% Key countries US, China, UK, Germany, and Switzerland Key companies profiled AlphaPoint Corp., Binance Holdings Ltd., Bitcoinforme S.L., Bitfury Group Ltd., CEX.IO Ltd, Coinbase Global Inc., Dogecoin, FMR LLC, Gemini Trust Co. LLC, KuCoin, Ledger SAS, Marathon Digital Holdings Inc, Pantera Capital, Pintu Kemana Saja, Riot Platforms Inc., Ripple Labs Inc., Shiba Inu, WazirX, Xapo Bank Ltd., Cardano, and Valora Market Driver The adoption of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether has gained traction among the public, retailers, and merchants for everyday transactions. In 2022, major retailers, including Starbucks, accepting cryptocurrencies improved public perception and their use for financial transactions. Starbucks currently partners with third-party exchanges for cryptocurrency -to-cash conversions. In April 2022 , Starbucks introduced NFTs and cryptocurrencies for payments. Companies such as Tesla, PayPal, Microsoft, and AT&T accept cryptocurrencies for various transactions. Microsoft accepts Bitcoin for digital products and services. AT&T uses the BitPay processor for Bitcoin bill payments. EGifter is a platform for purchasing gift cards with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies . Cryptocurrencies , such as Bitcoin , have a faster growth rate than inflation, providing businesses with a valuable savings option. For small businesses and retailers, accepting cryptocurrency as an alternative payment method is crucial for unexpected circumstances and market growth. Cryptocurrencies , like Bitcoin and Ethereum , are digital currencies based on decentralized technology called Blockchain. This technology allows secure, transparent transactions without the need for intermediaries. Global adoption of cryptocurrencies is on the rise, but price volatility remains a concern. Cybersecurity and theft risk are significant challenges, with regulatory outlooks varying worldwide. Energy consumption and environmental effects are topics of debate. Skilled developers are in high demand for financial services in this digital revolution. Consumer protection and financial stability are crucial. Digital assets offer investment opportunities, but beware of scams and fraudulent investments. Renewable energy and blockchain talent are keys to a sustainable future. Cryptography and decentralized systems ensure secure transactions on public ledgers. Altcoins, mining, digital wallets, encryption, trading, brokers, and cryptocurrency exchanges are essential components of this market. Fiat currency payment methods include ACH transfers and wire transfers. Hot wallets and cold wallets offer different levels of security. Be cautious of crypto scams, fraud , and romance scams. Bitcoin trusts and mutual funds are investment vehicles. Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution! The cryptocurrency market is characterized by extreme volatility due to the significant control held by a limited number of investors who trade high volumes on platforms and exchanges. In June 2022 , Bitcoin experienced a 10% one-day value drop from its November 2021 peak of USD69,000 per token. Other digital currencies, such as Shiba Inu and Dogecoin , also saw declines of over 15%. The absence of regulations and fees on trading platforms contributes to this volatility, allowing those holding large shares to manipulate value for profit. Major investors, including Accel, Ribbit Capital, and Insight Partners, have chosen not to include cryptocurrency in their portfolios due to these risks, potentially hindering the market's growth. The recent regulatory announcement in a certain country further exacerbated the market instability, causing significant drops in value for various cryptocurrencies . Cryptocurrencies , digital assets, offer financial innovation but bring challenges. Financial stability is a concern due to price volatility. Scams and fraudulent investments pose risks. Renewable energy and blockchain talent are keys to growth. Cryptography and decentralized systems ensure secure transactions on the public ledger. Altcoins, mining, and digital wallets expand the market. Encryption and trading require brokers and cryptocurrency exchanges. Fiat currency transactions via ACH and wire transfers are common payment methods. Hot wallets offer ease, cold wallets ensure security. Crypto scams, fraud , and romance scams threaten investors. Bitcoin trusts, mutual funds, and blockchain stocks offer investment vehicles. E-commerce, luxury goods, insurance payments, and cryptocurrency debit cards broaden use. Security is crucial, with encryption and decentralization providing solutions. Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now! This cryptocurrency market report extensively covers market segmentation by Type 1.1 Bitcoin 1.2 Ethereum 1.3 Avalanche and others Component 2.1 Hardware 2.2 Software Geography 3.1 North America 3.2 Europe 3.3 APAC 3.4 South America 3.5 Middle East and Africa 1.1 Bitcoin - Bitcoin , the leading cryptocurrency with a market capitalization exceeding USD470 billion , is a digital currency that operates without central authorities. Its peer-to-peer (P2P) transfer system has gained global popularity, with 95% of interested parties aware of its existence. Bitcoin 's market dominance is substantial, surpassing Ethereum 's market cap by more than double. Tether , USD Coin, Binance USD, and DAI, pegged to the US dollar, are among the top cryptocurrencies in the top-20. In the US, approximately 8% of the population engages in cryptocurrency trading. Bitcoin 's decentralized system, the blockchain, records all transactions on a public ledger, ensuring transparency and security. This widespread adoption and unique features contribute significantly to the expansion of the global cryptocurrency market. Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics The cryptocurrency market is a dynamic and evolving landscape shaped by the adoption of decentralized currencies built on blockchain technology. This digital revolution offers a decentralized system for financial transactions, enabling peer-to-peer exchanges without intermediaries. Ethereum , Bitcoin , Litecoin , Ripple, and a multitude of altcoins are leading the charge. However, the market faces challenges such as price volatility, cybersecurity threats, and theft risks. Regulatory outlooks vary globally, impacting financial services and consumer protection. Energy consumption and environmental effects are also concerns, while the need for skilled developers and blockchain talent continues to grow. Renewable energy solutions and cryptography offer potential solutions to these challenges. Amidst this digital revolution, financial stability and consumer protection remain key priorities. Despite scams and fraudulent investments, the potential for innovation and disruption is immense. Cryptocurrencies , decentralized digital currencies built on blockchain technology, have revolutionized the financial landscape. Ethereum , the second-largest cryptocurrency , leads the charge in global adoption. However, price volatility remains a significant challenge. Cybersecurity and theft risk are concerns, with regulatory outlooks varying globally. Energy consumption and environmental effects are debated. Skilled developers are in high demand to build and secure the decentralized system. Financial services embrace cryptocurrencies , offering digital wallets, trading platforms, and investment vehicles like Bitcoin trusts and mutual funds. Consumer protection and financial stability are crucial. Renewable energy sources are being explored to reduce cryptocurrency 's carbon footprint. Blockchain talent, cryptography, and decentralized transactions form the backbone of this digital revolution. Transactions are recorded on a public ledger, with altcoins, mining, and cryptocurrency exchanges playing key roles. Digital wallets, encryption, and trading brokers facilitate transactions. Fiat currency payment methods like ACH transfers and wire transfers can be used for cryptocurrency purchases. Hot and cold wallets offer different levels of security. Cryptocurrency scams and fraudulent investments are risks to be aware of. Cryptocurrency debit cards and insurance payments are emerging use cases. 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Type Bitcoin Ethereum Avalanche And Others Component Hardware Software Geography North America Europe APAC South America Middle East And Africa 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cryptocurrency-market-to-grow-by-usd-34-5-billion-2024-2028-driven-by-rising-digital-asset-investments-with-market-evolution-powered-by-ai---technavio-302324233.html SOURCE Technavio © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday ruled out negotiations with US President-elect Donald Trump over control of the Panama Canal, denying that China was interfering in its operation. Mulino also rejected the possibility of reducing tolls for US vessels in response to Trump's threat to demand control of the vital waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans be returned to Washington. "There's nothing to talk about," Mulino told a press conference. "The canal is Panamanian and belongs to Panamanians. There's no possibility of opening any kind of conversation around this reality, which has cost the country blood, sweat and tears," he added. The canal, inaugurated in 1914, was built by the United States but handed to Panama on December 31, 1999, under treaties signed some two decades earlier by then-US president Jimmy Carter and Panamanian nationalist leader Omar Torrijos. Trump on Saturday slammed what he called "ridiculous" fees for US ships passing through the canal and hinted at China's growing influence. "It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. "We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!" If Panama could not ensure "the secure, efficient and reliable operation" of the channel, "then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question," he said. An estimated five percent of global maritime traffic passes through the Panama Canal, which allows ships traveling between Asia and the US East Coast to avoid the long, hazardous route around the southern tip of South America. The United States is its main user, accounting for 74 percent of cargo, followed by China with 21 percent. Mulino said the canal's usage fees were "not set at the whim of the president or the administrator" of the interoceanic waterway, but under a long-established "public and open process." "There is absolutely no Chinese interference or participation in anything to do with the Panama Canal," Mulino said. On Wednesday, Trump wrote on Truth Social alleged, without evidence, that Chinese soldiers were "lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal." Mulino denied that allegation, too. "There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal, for the love of God," he added. Panama established diplomatic relations with China in 2017, after breaking off ties with Taiwan -- a decision criticized by Trump's first administration. On Tuesday, dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy in Panama City chanting "Trump, animal, leave the canal alone" and burning an image of the incoming US president. jjr/fj/dr/aha
THE Kansas City Chiefs made a huge announcement concerning star tight end Travis Kelce after his historic game on Wednesday. Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Week 17 Christmas Day game. During the first half of the victory, Kelce surpassed 1,000 career receptions. The 35-year-old finished the game with eight receptions for 84 yards and one touchdown. After totaling 1,000 career receptions, the Chiefs' X account posted a message for the three-time Super Bowl champion Kelce. "One thousand more reasons to love Travis Kelce ," the Chiefs posted. "Congratulations, Travis!" Read More on KC Chiefs The post has over one million views, and fans sent their messages to the nine-time Pro Bowler Kelce. "Certified 1st ballot Hall of Famer," one wrote. "Best tight end in the last 10 years," a second commented. "The beast himself, greet skills, great plays and what a machine!" Most read in American Football Kelce wasn't done making history in the second-to-last game of the season. During the first half, he recorded his 90th reception of the season which moved him into a rare NFL club. That catch marked his seventh career season with over 90 or more receptions, putting him second all-time for such campaigns , trailing only NFL icon Larry Fitzgerald, who has the record, with eight. Kelce is the only tight end to accomplish this feat in the history of the NFL. And after scoring in the second half of the matchup, he officially surpassed Tony Gonzalez for the most receiving touchdowns in Chiefs franchise history, with 77 career scores. For the season, Kelce has 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns. It's unlikely he will play in the Week 18 season-finale matchup against the Denver Broncos. Kelce will look to help the Chiefs win its third straight Super Bowl title. Andy Reid 's squad would become the first organization in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls . Read More on The US Sun The AFC will have to go through the Chiefs, who secured the No. 1 seed with Wednesday's win. They will have a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.Understanding Telescope Mounts: Alt-Azimuth vs. Equatorial
Surveillance video shows the suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a bicycle near West 85th Street in Manhattan after the killing. (Credit: Orwell Management) The speculation regarding the shooting of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson continues to run rampant. While this can be interesting, the truth is that the on-the-ground investigation will be far more prosaic than glamorous. For today’s detectives, serious crime investigation marries grinding "shoe leather" work to data-driven digital forensics. It can be a daunting amount of information. As such, let’s look at some hard data points that are likely jumping-off points for investigators who have to play the percentages (and some that are not): 1. ‘Hitmen for hire,’ in the commonly perceived sense, don’t really exist The idea that someone off the street can walk into a social club or call-a-guy-who-knows-a-guy who kills for a living is essentially a myth – I cannot recall one in my experience. That said, murders-for-hire do exist (i.e, an associate who is not a "professional" is willing to hire on). UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO ASSASSIN LEFT MESSAGE BEHIND TO 'MAKE A STATEMENT' OR 'THROW OFF POLICE': DETECTIVES But the speculation as to whether the shooter was a "professional" or not is beside the point – the police don’t care. What they care about now are hard data points that can identify the shooter. The professional status of the killer is, at best, a flourish if the case reaches trial. Surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows the alleged suspect wanted for the shooting death of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. (NYPD) 2. The timeline is key Currently – and this is unsurprising – the tip line regarding the case is blowing up. But what detectives are most focused on are the indicators they can depend on, like: How did the shooter know that Thompson would show up for an 8:00 a.m. conference at 6:40 a.m.? Did the shooter have some access to Thompson’s schedule or movements? Recall that the shooter apparently "posted up" near the shooting location just minutes before the shooting. Was there an accomplice surveilling Thompson as he left his nearby hotel? Is that who the shooter was on the phone with, in the still photo NYPD released? And further to that question... 3. How did the shooter so instantly recognize Thompson? The shooter was along the building line across the street when Thompson came up the block. Video shows the shooter apparently recognizing Thompson from what must be at least 60 feet, in twilight, early-morning conditions. Again: How did he know Thompson was coming? Thompson was of a fairly commonplace build and appearance. How was he so sure this was his intended target? Particularly since he approaches Thompson from behind? It doesn’t seem likely that this could be done from a reference photo. One thing we can conclude: Thompson was the target – the messages on the shell casings left at the scene, whether a false flag or not, confirm this. 4. Digital data will be key The police reportedly recovered a phone in the alleyway "cut-through" that the shooter fled through from West 54th to West 55th Street. Was the shooter really that careless? If he was – and he did indeed make the phone call indicated by the still photo – this is crucial information. Legal processes will allow for search warrants to obtain the digital information to indicate who that call was to and the number it originated from (even if it was a disposable phone). While that may not lead to the shooter’s name, it could lead to all his activity on the burner phone – and to associates of the shooter who will almost certainly reveal his identity, either through interviews or simple context. A screenshot from surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows an alleged person of interest wanted in connection of the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. (NYPD Crime Stoppers ) Additionally, the shooter reportedly took an Uber at least once during his 10-day stay in the city. Uber accounts link to credit cards. Did he use his actual card? Even if he used a stolen card, if he took other Uber trips, his pattern can be ascertained. And as the shooter appears to have his flight path well-planned out, there is also the likelihood that he had previously walked that route. Is there video of him doing that before the shooting? Was his phone on during those walks? 5. Facial recognition is indeed important At this writing, with good face images of the shooter out there, many observers express frustration that he (if indeed the shooter is male) has not been at least identified. But: he may well have been, and the police have made the determination that they are more likely to apprehend him without revealing that they know his identity and/or likely whereabouts. This is especially true if they believe he has accomplices. The use of facial recognition software has likely already been important, as clear facial photos such as those reportedly obtained from the youth hostel may well have led to the discovery of the Greyhound bus to get to New York City. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION There are thousands of cameras that police facial recognition technology has access to, and there are many in-and-around midtown’s Port Authority (the location where buses to New York generally arrive to and depart from). Use of facial recognition technology could well lead to software matching the shooter to a public-facing social media or government account. 6. Traditional forensics are important – but perhaps less important just now While fingerprints are great evidence, if the shooter is not already in the system, they will only function here as confirmation (as in, for example, the Jose Ibarra conviction re: Laken Riley). The same goes for DNA. While great evidence at-trial, if the killer’s profile is not already in the CODIS system (the Combined DNA Index System), collected DNA may not help. But recall that in the Idaho case, familial DNA reportedly led to a lead to a family member of the suspect, Bryan Kohberger. If the shooter has a relative in one of the commercial DNA databases, this could lead to him. But it will take time. And as the shooter appears to have his flight path well-planned out, there is also the likelihood that he had previously walked that route. Is there video of him doing that before the shooting? Was his phone on during those walks? There are, of course, many other avenues the police are pursuing – reported threats to Thompson, those protesting against UnitedHealthCare, the unusual gun, the litigation Thompson was reportedly involved in, etc. But in the end, hard-and-fixed jumping off points are the "leads" most important to investigators now. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP And what those of us who opine on this crime should always recall: whatever the outcome, we are discussing the loss of a man’s life – a man with a family – to a cold-blooded murderer. That’s the most important fact underlying the entire case. The good news: it is almost impossible to get away with this sort of thing now, especially in midtown Manhattan. The NYPD will get this perpetrator – a simple matter of time. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM PAUL MAURO Paul Mauro is a contributor for FOX News Media providing legal and criminal justice analysis across FOX News Channel and FOX Business Network programming. He joined the network in 2024.MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Taylor Cagnacci moved from California to Tennessee with hopes of starting a new chapter in a state that touts a low cost of living and natural beauty. But she’s infuriated by Tennessee’s meager social services, which leave her and many other moms struggling in a state where abortion is banned with limited exceptions. “I was going to have my child no matter what, but for other women, that’s kind of a crappy situation that they put you in,” said Cagnacci, a 29-year-old Kingsport mom who relies on Medicaid and a federally funded nutrition program. “You have to have your child. But where’s the assistance afterward?” Tennessee has a porous safety net for mothers and young children, recent research and an analysis by The Associated Press found. It’s unknown how many women in the state have given birth because they didn’t have access to abortion, but it is clear that from the time a Tennessee woman gets pregnant, she faces greater obstacles to a healthy pregnancy, a healthy child and a financially stable family than the average American mom. Like other states with strict abortion bans, Tennesseans of childbearing age are more likely to live in maternal care deserts and face overall doctor shortages. Women, infants and children are less likely to be enrolled in a government nutrition program known as WIC. And Tennessee is one of only 10 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid to a greater share of low-income families. “It’s survival, every day,” said Janie Busbee, founder of Mother to Mother, a Nashville-based nonprofit providing baby supplies for low-income moms. “If we took some of that stress off of them, then maybe they’d have time to dream.” GOP state leaders in Tennessee and other states that banned abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 argue that they are bolstering services for families. Tennessee boosted its Medicaid coverage for mothers in 2022 from 60 days postpartum to a year, which allowed an additional 3,000 moms to use the program each year. The state also raised the Medicaid income limit for parents to the poverty level — nearly $26,000 for a family of three — and offers recipients 100 free diapers a month for babies under two. According to the governor’s office, these changes have resulted in thousands of new parents accessing government services. “Pro-life is much more than defending the lives of the unborn,” Republican Gov. Bill Lee said in his 2023 annual address to lawmakers and echoed more recently on social media. “This is not a matter of politics. This is about human dignity.” Yet, nonprofit leaders and mothers told the AP there are still significant gaps in the safety net. Anika Chillis, a 39-year-old single mom in Memphis, has Medicaid, WIC and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps). While she’s deeply grateful for the help, she said it also can disappear — like when she temporarily lost WIC. “It’s hard,” she said, sitting on a park bench as her 2-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter played nearby. “Groceries are constantly going up.” And being a single mom “makes it doubly hard on you.” Tennessee fared poorly at WIC enrollment, Medicaid, having enough maternal care and requirements for paid family and medical leave, an October study found. Other states with similarly restrictive abortion laws — such as Idaho, Alabama, Missouri, Georgia and Mississippi — ranked poorly on numerous measures, too. Researchers said restrictive states had a slightly higher average birth rate and a much lower average abortion rate than the least restrictive states. “In general, these states that restrict abortion are the more fiscally conservative, the more socially conservative states,” said Dr. Nigel Madden, lead author of the study published in the American Journal of Public Health. The Republican supermajority in the Tennessee legislature has long rebuffed efforts to expand Medicaid to people earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level — about $35,600 for a family of three. And TennCare faces criticism already, with a federal judge ruling earlier this year that the state unlawfully terminated coverage for thousands of families and had a “lethargic” response to nearly 250,000 children losing coverage because of paperwork problems caused by the state. DiJuana Davis, 44, was among the plaintiffs. In 2019, the Nashville resident was supposed to have surgery to prevent pregnancy and ease her chronic anemia. Days before the procedure, she was informed her Medicaid coverage had been cut off and the hospital was canceling. She later found out her renewal paperwork went to the wrong address, an error that left her uninsured for two months — during which she became pregnant and developed preeclampsia. Doctors induced labor to save her life, and her son was born prematurely. “The system is broken,” she said, “and it needs to be fixed.” More than 3% of the 83,000 babies born in Tennessee in 2023 had mothers who didn’t receive prenatal care. Only seven states had a higher share, according to an AP analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After birth, doctor shortages impede ongoing care. Around a third of Tennesseans live in a primary care shortage area — a greater share than in all but 10 other states — according to an AP analysis of data from the Census Bureau and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Moms described several aid programs as frustrating to navigate. Chillis was on WIC for several months after her son was born, but then went without because of mistake during the renewal process — eventually getting it restored with help from the nonprofit Tennessee Justice Center. Chillis credits a nonprofit preschool provider with linking her to aid programs in the first place: “I don’t see a lot of advertisements about, you know, how you can join this program or go get this” service, she said. “People just don’t have the knowledge.” Cagnacci, who is pregnant and has a 1-year-old, said she was on SNAP for a while but missed an appointment and was unclear about the steps after that. The process to get recertified was “such a headache” that she’s going without it. “I just felt like it was purposely being made difficult so that I would just give up,” she said. Women with young children in states where abortion is banned or limited to early weeks of pregnancy said it can be tough to get social services there, according to a survey by the health policy research organization KFF. Nearly half said it’s difficult for women in their state to get food stamps, for example, compared with 3 in 10 in states where abortion is generally available. “People who claim to be pro-life, who advocated for these abortion bans, often suggest that these policies are designed to protect children, women and families,” said Madden, the researcher. But the weakness of the safety net shows “the hypocrisy of that argument.” Tennessee’s new diaper program shows the deep political divisions surrounding aid programs. The Republican governor described it as an effort to strengthen families while Democratic state Sen. London Lamar said GOP leaders are “trying to put a little bow on an abortion ban.” And GOP state Sen. Mark Pody recently told the right-leaning news website Tennessee Conservative that “it is not the state’s responsibility to have a diaper for every single baby” and floated the possibility of cutting the program. Of Tennessee’s 2.8 million households, 30% earn above the poverty level but not enough to afford the basic cost of living in their counties, according to a recent report . Often, they don’t qualify for government help. “Some are working three jobs and still can’t survive,” said Busbee, of Mother to Mother. A fragmented patchwork of charities can help, but they don’t cover the entire state. The Nashville Diaper Connection, for example, serves 30 counties, working with partners to provide 50 diapers a month, mostly to working families who make a bit too much for Medicaid. Other nonprofits are hindered in helping by government agencies’ income rules. And most charities are constrained by the ebb and flow of donations. Nonprofit leaders fear their job may get harder with a new administration in Washington and a GOP-controlled Congress. Republicans could seek significant changes to federal assistance programs they’ve long criticized, like Medicaid and food stamps. “We’ve been through four years of a Trump administration, and the goal under the Trump administration was to cut social services,” said Signe Anderson, the justice center’s senior director of nutrition advocacy. “I’m concerned ... for families in Tennessee and across the country.”
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalitionREEDSVILLE, W.Va. (WV News) — Valley District Lions Club Members devote their time to raise money for the Valley District Food Pantry throughout the Christmas season. For many years, members of the the Valley District Lions Club have coordinated seasonal bell ringing fundraisers to raise funds for those in need during the holidays, officials said. Club President Judy Harder said volunteers participate in bell ringing at the Shop and Save in Reedsville. The bell ringing has been a longstanding tradition for the Valley District Lions Club, she said. Members always try to make it fun, dressing up in crazy Christmas sweaters and wearing funny hats as well, she said. Additionally, they lend a hand at the store by pushing carts and helping with small chores to show appreciation for their permission to use the space, she said. Overall, the Lions are always flabbergasted at the amount of community generosity they receive from the event, she said. “We are so appreciative to all the members of the communities that shop there and give,” she said. Preston county residents really do try to help their own, she said. While Christmas certainly invokes the spirit of giving, there is something more to the charity of Prestonians during the winter season, she said. “It’s about being there for the people that they know need the help. It’s like looking out for your neighbor and that’s what they do in smaller communities,” she said. In November, the Lions Club made a notable donation to the food pantry as well, she said. Pantry Treasurer Marvin Stuck said the donation was desperately needed. The Valley District Food Pantry served 108 families this year for Thanksgiving, officials said. While there is always a great need during the holiday season, the local food pantry constantly needs more every-day necessities like toiletries and hygiene products, officials said. Club Marketing Chair Judy Pratt said the Lions have always played an important role in their community. It was their constant effort to support those in need that inspired her to step up and become a new member herself, she said. “To much given, much is required,” she said. In the past she and her husband had volunteered for the bell ringing, she said. “Right now, a lot of people are hurting in our community and I think we can make a contribution — or I can as a Lions Club Member,” she said. Sometimes the holiday and winter season generates a little more need within the community but “the lions are built to serve,” she said. Their whole goal is to host various fundraisers, community events and programs to tackle the hardships in the area, she said. The bell ringing is just one of the many efforts they have to help those in need, she said. The Lions Club will keep ringing the bells hoping to stock the shelves for those in need, Harder said. One may find a lion ringing the bells until Dec. 23rd this year, she said. Additionally, for anyone interested in helping those in need this Christmas season the Valley District Lions Club is always accepting new members, she said. Those interested in joining can find more info by emailing the valleylionsclub@gmail.com or by calling 304-698-9387.