An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron.

Naira appreciates massively against dollar ahead Christmas holidaysMEXICO CITY , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FIBRA Prologis (BMV: FIBRAPL 14), a leading owner and operator of Class A industrial real estate in Mexico , announces that the settlement of its tender offer and reciprocal subscription for up to 100% of the outstanding Terrafina CBFIs that are not already owned by FIBRA Prologis (the " Offer "), has been completed successfully. The settlement consisted of (i) the acquisition by Fibra Prologis of 100,289,570 Terrafina CBFIs, which together with the CBFIs already owned by Fibra Prologis prior to the Offer, represent 89.88% of the total outstanding Terrafina CBFIs; and (ii) the issuance by Fibra Prologis of 58,167,950 Exchange CBFIs in exchange for the tendered Terrafina CBFIs. The FIBRA Prologis CBFIs offered in the tender offer have not been, nor will be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. PROFILE OF FIBRA PROLOGIS FIBRA Prologis is a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico . As of September 30, 2024 , FIBRA Prologis was comprised of 514 logistics and manufacturing facilities in six industrial markets in Mexico totaling 89.5 million square feet (8.3 million square meters) of gross leasable area along with 165 buildings totaling 24.0 million square feet (2.2 million square meters) of non-strategic assets. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which FIBRA Prologis operates, management's beliefs and assumptions made by management. Such statements involve uncertainties that could significantly impact FIBRA Prologis financial results. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to the Offer, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained and therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that may affect outcomes and results include, but are not limited to: (i) national, international, regional and local economic climates, (ii) changes in financial markets, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, (iii) increased or unanticipated competition for our properties, (iv) risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions and development of properties, (v) maintenance of real estate investment trust (" FIBRA ") status and tax structuring, (vi) availability of financing and capital, the levels of debt that we maintain and our credit ratings, (vii) risks related to our investments (viii) environmental uncertainties, including risks of natural disasters, and (ix) those additional factors discussed in reports filed with the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission ( Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores , the " CNBV ") and the Mexican Stock Exchange by FIBRA Prologis under the heading "Risk Factors." FIBRA Prologis undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this release. Neither the CNBV nor any other authority has approved or disapproved the content of the information of this release, or the accuracy, adequacy or truthfulness of the information contained herein. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fibra-prologis-announces-successful-settlement-of-its-tender-offer-for-terrafina-terra-13-302316991.html SOURCE FIBRA Prologis

COVINGTON, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 20, 2024-- Globalstar, Inc. (NYSE American: GSAT) (“Globalstar” or the “Company”), a next-generation telecommunications infrastructure and technology provider, held an investor day on Thursday, December 12, 2024. The Company’s executive leadership team outlined Globalstar’s strategic priorities and vision for the future by optimizing value for its core assets and providing updates to its short and long-term financial outlook. Additionally, the Company hosted several customer panels during the event, which are available for replay on Globalstar’s investor relations website under “Events and Presentations”. A summary of the event is detailed below: Terrestrial Wireless XCOM RAN Band n53 Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) Retail Consumer Commercial IoT: Government & Wholesale Consumer: Financial Performance & Outlook: About Globalstar, Inc. Globalstar empowers its customers to connect, transmit, and communicate in smarter ways – easily, quickly, securely, and affordably – offering reliable satellite and terrestrial connectivity services as an international telecom infrastructure provider. The Company’s LEO satellite constellation ensures secure data transmission for connecting and protecting assets, transmitting critical operational data, and saving lives for consumers, businesses, and government agencies across the globe. Globalstar’s terrestrial spectrum, Band 53, and its 5G variant, n53, offers carriers, cable companies, and system integrators a versatile, fully licensed channel for private networks with a growing ecosystem to improve customer wireless connectivity, while Globalstar’s XCOM RAN product offers significant capacity gains in dense wireless deployments. In addition to SPOT GPS messengers, Globalstar offers next-generation IoT hardware and software products for efficiently tracking and monitoring assets, processing smart data at the edge, and managing analytics with cloud-based telematics solutions to drive safety, productivity, and profitability. For more information, visit www.globalstar.com . Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release other than purely historical information, including, but not limited to, expectations regarding future revenue, financial performance, financial condition, liquidity, projections, estimates and guidance, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, our anticipated financial resources, our ability to integrate the licensed technology into our current line of business, our expectations with respect to the pursuit of terrestrial spectrum authorities globally, the success of current and potential future applications for our terrestrial spectrum, our ability to meet our obligations and attain the attempted benefits under the updated services agreements, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause or contribute to such differences include, without limitation, those described under Item 1A. Risk Factors of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to reflect actual results, future events or circumstances or changes in our assumptions, business plans or other changes. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220677087/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact Information: investorrelations@globalstar.com KEYWORD: LOUISIANA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MOBILE/WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS 5G SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS INTERNET IOT (INTERNET OF THINGS) SOURCE: Globalstar, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/20/2024 04:03 PM/DISC: 12/20/2024 04:03 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220677087/en

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals took care of business and won three straight games for the first time this season. Cincinnati is playing its best football, but it might be too late to sneak into the playoffs, with five teams battling for the two remaining AFC postseason spots. At 7-8, the Bengals are on the bubble along with two other teams that have the same record, the Colts and Dolphins. To have a chance, the Bengals will need to beat the visiting Denver Broncos (9-6) on Saturday, then try to take down the Steelers (10-5) at Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale. They'll need some help from other teams, too. The rub for the Bengals is that they have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. Now with some momentum for the first time, the Bengals will have to clear that hurdle. “It’s just what it’s supposed to feel like for us. This is our expectation," coach Zac Taylor said after the Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns 24-6 on Sunday. “We just put ourselves in a position to now play some real meaningful games. ... We found a way to get the win and now we can turn our focus to a short week and the Denver Broncos.” What's working Joe Burrow became the first player in NFL history to throw for at least 250 yards and three or more touchdowns in seven consecutive games. One of his TD passes, to Tee Higgins, came as he was falling down. He finished 23 for 30 for 252 yards. ... Ja'Marr Chase continues to build his resume as he strives to win the receiving “triple crown.” He had six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown against the Browns and leads the league in receptions, yards and TDs. ... K Cade York tied a franchise record with a 59-yard field goal. “The guys have responded this way all season,” Taylor said. “We lost some heartbreakers to be quite frank, and games that just came down to the end. It doesn’t mean that we’ve had a bad football team and we weren’t in it. We’ve been in this, and now — I don’t want to say getting our confidence back, because we’ve had confidence — but we’re just making the plays necessary at the critical points of the game to take control of these games. That’s really what’s happened the last three weeks, and we’ve got to continue that.” What needs help Burrow has fumbled 10 times this season. Against the Browns, he lost a fumble on a strip-sack with the Bengals on the Cleveland 2-yard-line. Stock up Last week, S Jordan Battle scooped a fumble and ran it all the way back, only to fumble as he crossed the goal line, leading to a touchback. Against the Browns, he intercepted a second-half pass from Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the end zone. The Bengals' defense has nine takeaways in the past two games. Stock down Cincinnati's depleted offensive line allowed four sacks. Injuries The offensive line took a hit when tackle Amarius Mims went out with an ankle injury and didn't return. Key number 5.1 — Yards per carry by RB Chase Brown, who seems to get better every week. He had 18 carries for 91 yards. Next steps The Bengals continue their improbable effort to slip into the playoffs when they host the Broncos in their home finale on Saturday. They finish the season the following week at Pittsburgh. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLUS stock indices pushed to fresh records Tuesday, shrugging off tariff threats from President-elect Donald Trump while European equities retreated. Trump, who doesn't take office until January 20, made his threat in social media posts Monday night, announcing huge import tariffs against neighbors Canada and Mexico and also rival China if they do not stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Both the Dow and S&P 500 notched all-time highs, with investors regarding the incoming president's words as a bargaining chip. "In theory, higher tariffs should not be good news for stocks. But, you know, I think the market's chosen to think of (it) as a negotiating tactic," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers. "You have bullish sentiment," said LBBW's Karl Haeling. "People are tending to look at things as positively as possible." But General Motors, which imports autos from Mexico to the United States, slumped 9.0 percent, while rival Ford dropped 2.6 percent. Overseas bourses were also buffeted by the news. European stocks followed losses in Asia, despite Trump excluding Europe as an immediate target for tariffs. "These are his first direct comments on tariffs and tariff levels since becoming president-elect, and they have roiled markets," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB trading group, ahead of the Wall Street open. "It is early days, and there are plenty of opportunities for Trump to direct his attention to Europe down the line," Brooks added. The US dollar rallied against its Canadian equivalent, China's yuan and Mexico's peso, which hit its lowest level since August 2022. In other economic news, the Conference Board's consumer confidence index rose to 111.7 this month, up from 109.6 in October, boosted by greater optimism surrounding the labor market. "November's increase was mainly driven by more positive consumer assessments of the present situation, particularly regarding the labor market," said Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board. Pantheon Macroeconomics chief US economist Samuel Tombs added in a note that the increase in consumer confidence overall "likely was driven by euphoria among Republicans." "The index also jumped in late 2016, when Mr. Trump was elected for the first time," he said. Federal Reserve meeting minutes showed policy makers expect inflation to keep cooling, signaling a gradual approach to interest rate cuts if price increases ease further and the job market remains strong. New York - Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 44,860.31 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,021.63 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.6 percent at 19,174.30 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 8,258.61 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.9 percent at 7,194.51 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.6 percent at 19,295.98 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.9 percent at 38,442.00 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 19,159.20 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,259.76 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0482 from $1.0495 on Monday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2567 from $1.2568 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 153.06 yen from 154.23 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.41 pence from 83.51 pence Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.3 percent at $72.81 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.3 percent at $68.77 per barrel bur-jmb/st

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in its final report on the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia that numerous issues “negatively impacted" the elections and eroded public trust. The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) issued the final report on December 20. The OSCE said shortly after the October 26 elections that it had recorded instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The final report reiterates the organization's concerns and offers recommendations to improve elections in Georgia. “Numerous issues noted in our final report negatively impacted the integrity of these elections and eroded public trust in the process,” said Eoghan Murphy, who headed the ODIHR’s 2024 election observation mission to Georgia. Murphy urged authorities in Georgia to urgently address all concerns about the elections, which gave the ruling Georgian Dream party more than 54 percent of the vote, enough to maintain control of the government. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze acknowledged that the final report contains "critical remarks," including on the suppression of votes. "In 76 percent of the polling stations where it observed, OSCE/ODIHR did not identify any irregularities at all," he said at a briefing, adding that in other cases there were "isolated irregularities" that were identified. "These were related to incorrect ballot entry, improper arrangement of the polling station, so-called leaks, video recording, etc." According to Kobakhidze, the Georgian Dream government is ready to cooperate with the OSCE to implement its recommendations. The report refers to the passage of a "foreign agents" law modeled on a similar Russian law, earlier in the year, saying the election took place amid “serious concerns about the impact of recently adopted legislation on fundamental freedoms and civil society.” The 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 final report also cites pressure on voters and election day practices that “compromised the ability of some voters to cast their vote without fear of retribution.” In addition, there was an overall lack of response to complaints in the post-election period, the report said, saying the ODIHR “found that cases were not considered sufficiently, limiting legal remedies.” The report reiterates the negative impact of the “polarized and instrumentalized media” and limited campaign finance oversight. It notes that candidates were generally able to campaign freely, and candidates across 18 party lists competed, but a "significant imbalance in financial resources contributed to the uneven playing field.” Demonstrators began gathering in central Tbilisi soon after the elections as criticism mounted over voting irregularities. The protests intensified after Kobakhidze announced that Tbilisi was suspending until 2028 talks with Brussels on Georgia's bid to join the European Union. The ODIHR notes that some protests were violently dispersed, resulting in numerous arrests and allegations of brutality toward protesters and journalists. The ODIHR said that the suppression of protests by force and numerous arrests “caused grave concerns about compliance with international commitments to freedom of peaceful assembly.” Poland has summoned Hungary's ambassador over Budapest's decision to grant political asylum to a Polish opposition politician who is wanted for alleged corruption during his tenure in Poland's previous government. Warsaw was outraged by Hungary's decision to grant political asylum to Marcin Romanowski. The decision, announced the Hungarian prime minister's office on December 19, accused the Polish government of persecuting its political opponents. Poland called the move a "hostile act" that runs counter to the principle of loyal cooperation among members of the European Union. "In response to this action, the Hungarian ambassador to Poland will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, where he will receive an official protest note," the ministry said on December 20. The ministry also said that if Hungary fails to comply with its EU obligations, Poland will ask the European Commission to respond. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government says it has opened the door for prosecutors to investigate suspected wrongdoings committed during the tenure of the nationalist Law and Justice party, which ruled the country for eight years until 2023 and which have been covered up. Tusk said he was dismayed by Hungary's decision to shelter a man being sought on suspicions of defrauding the state of millions of zlotys. “I did not expect corrupt politicians escaping justice would be able to choose between [Belarusian authoritarian leader Alyaksandr] Lukashenka and [Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor] Orban,” Tusk said on December 20. His reference to Lukashenka was apparently linked to the case of a Polish judge who fled to Belarus. Romanowski was detained during the investigation but released in July. He denies the charges against him. Through his lawyer he has argued that he is the victim of political retribution by Tusk's government. Gergely Gulyas, head of Orban's office, said the decision of the Hungarian authorities was in line with both domestic and European Union legislation. He said Romanowski's arrest raised serious concerns about fair treatment and political bias in Polish judicial proceedings. Polish opposition lawmakers, including Romanowski, accused Tusk's government of conducting a politically motivated witch-hunt against them. Romanowski told Polish broadcaster TV Republika that he thinks the fact that Hungary has granted him asylum confirms that "we are dealing with political persecution in Poland." Prosecutors and judges in Poland are politically controlled, he said. A spokesman for the European Commission declined to comment on the specific case but emphasized that EU member states are obligated to enforce European arrest warrants. Stefan de Keersmaecker said at a briefing in Brussels on December 20 that the obligation means that Hungary should send Romanowski back to Poland to face justice. The spokesman added that all EU member states maintain a high level of protection for fundamental rights and freedoms, making them all safe countries for asylum seekers. But an asylum application from a national of another EU member state can only be accepted under exceptional circumstances. The Georgian government has pledged to amend its controversial "foreign agents" law following discussions with the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset. Berset announced at a press briefing in Tbilisi on December 20, wrapping up a three-day visit, that a working group including Georgian representatives, the Council of Europe, and the Venice Commission will be formed to draft necessary changes to the legislation. "The government of Georgia promised to modify the content of the 'Foreign Influence Transparency' law. This working group will determine the specific changes required. I hope similar collaborative processes can extend to other areas, such as equality, anti-discrimination, electoral reform, and reforms in penitentiary and probation systems," Berset said. The law, modeled on a similar Russian law, mandates that organizations receiving significant foreign funding register as "foreign agents." Passed by the Georgian parliament in May despite a presidential veto, it came into force on August 1, sparking significant backlash from international and domestic actors. Georgian NGOs began appearing on the "foreign agent" registry in October, raising concerns about their ability to operate freely. Critics, including the European Union, have warned that the law could derail Georgia's aspirations for EU membership. While Moscow praised the Georgian government for adopting the law, Western countries, including the United States and Britain, condemned it as a tool for undermining democracy. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, however, reiterated Georgia's openness to discussions about the law. "If anyone proves there's something harmful in this legislation, we're ready to address it and work with relevant structures of the Council of Europe," Kobakhidze said. Berset's visit comes amid heightened political tensions in Georgia, marked by public polarization, high-level violence, and allegations of electoral misconduct. Addressing the situation, Berset emphasized: "Georgia is at a critical juncture. The country is filled with political tension, polarized public debate, and high levels of violence," adding that the country "deserves stability and democracy." "I am not here to legitimize elections; that is the responsibility of other competent institutions," Berset said, stressing that his primary goal was "to support Georgia and its people." He also said that resolving the political crisis depends on "upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law." During his visit, Berset held multiple meetings with government officials, including Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, and opposition representatives. His visit is seen as an effort to mediate amid deep divisions within Georgian society. On December 19, the United States imposed sanctions on Georgia's Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and Special Tasks Department Deputy Director Mirza Kezevadze under the Global Magnitsky Act. Hours earlier, Britain had sanctioned Gomelauri and four other senior officials. These sanctions reflect growing Western dissatisfaction with Georgia's political trajectory. Despite this, Kobakhidze assured that the government would "compensate any losses" incurred by sanctioned individuals and announced plans to award honors to the Interior Ministry's leadership following the presidential poll in February 2025 and inauguration of Georgia's next president, whose legitimacy is contested by the opposition and the current President Salome Zurabishvili. Georgia's "foreign agents" law has become a focal point in the country's strained relations with the West. The government's decision last month to delay European Union accession talks until 2028 also sparked protests in the country and criticism in the West. Moreover, economic hardship and the threat of backsliding from the Euro-Atlantic course have created a sense of urgency and fertile ground for unrest. International partners are apprehensive that Georgia's adoption of tactics similar to those used by Moscow could undermine its democratic progress and EU aspirations. Russia's top Islamic body has approved a religious edict that allows Muslim men to practice polygamy, which contradicts Russian law that prohibits individuals from entering multiple registered marriages simultaneously. The Council of Islamic Clerics of Russia's Spiritual Administration of Muslims (DUM), issued a fatwa on December 18 that allows a Muslim male to enter up to four marriages at the same time as long as certain conditions are met. Russia's Family Code explicitly prohibits a person from entering a registered marriage with someone who is already married. But it comes as the Russian authorities are grappling with a dire demographic situation amid a population decline exacerbated by emigration, low birthrates, and high mortality. While the full text of the fatwa has yet to be published, reports from Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti revealed key provisions in it that allow Muslim men to enter into multiple religious marriages. The fatwa stipulates that a man can engage in polygamy only if he ensures equitable treatment for all wives. This includes equal material provision, separate housing for each wife, and spending equal time with them according to an agreed schedule. If a man cannot meet these requirements, he is prohibited from entering multiple religious marriages unless a bride "voluntarily waives" her rights to them. Other circumstances under which polygamy is permitted by the DUM include cases where the first wife cannot conceive due to health issues, lack of desire, or age; in situations of "sexual incompatibility" between spouses; or when a man wishes to provide social and financial support to a single woman and her children. The DUM has acknowledged that women in purely religious marriages lack legal protections, which critics argue may leave women in polygamous religious marriages vulnerable. The conditions for such a marriage, they say, place a significant burden of proof on religious institutions or individuals to ensure compliance. How these provisions align with Russia's secular legal framework and broader societal norms is yet to be determined. Russian officials have yet to comment on the fatwah. The government, however, has been looking for ways to spur Russians to have more children as the declining population ages, a problem worsened by the Kremlin's war in Ukraine, which experts say has seen hundreds of thousands of Russian men die. The Russian government has actively promoted policies to encourage women to have more children, with financial incentives for larger families and efforts to discourage abortions. The Russian Orthodox Church has been assisting the government to promote such policies. Ukraine launched a deadly missile attack on the Russian region of Kursk on December 20, just hours after Russia carried out a massive air assault on Kyiv during rush hour that killed one person and damaged a historic cathedral and other buildings in the capital, including six embassies. Russia's Investigative Committee said an unspecified number of people were killed in the attack on Kursk involving U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets on the town of Rylsk. According to Mash Telegram channel , at least five people have been killed, and 26 others injured. The attack has destroyed several critical pieces of social infrastructure, including a pedagogical college, a cultural center, and a school. The attack came shortly after Russian launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Kyiv and several other regions around Ukraine. The whole of Ukraine was under a general air-raid alert for several hours as Russia launched eight missiles -- including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and Iskander/KN-23 ballistic missiles -- on Kyiv alone, Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, reported . Ukrainian cities and infrastructure continue to sustain regular Russian drone and missile strikes while outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces are facing difficulties in staving off Russia's increasingly rapid advance in the east. One person was killed by a strike in Kyiv's Holosiyiv district, while eyewitnesses reported several blasts in the city. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko separately reported that falling debris from downed Russian drones fell on four of the capital's districts -- Holosiyiv, Solomyansk, Shevchenkivsk, and Dniprovsk -- wounding at least two people. Kyiv restaurateur Nadir Ahundov voiced his outrage at the Russian strike that completely destroyed his restaurant. "These subhuman [Russians], to drop such bombs on residential buildings," Ahundov told RFE/RL. "I put my heart, my soul into [creating] this," he said, pointing to the trees outside the restaurnat. "These trees were small when I planted them. Look at them now -- those monsters knocked them down." In Kherson, a 60-year-old man was killed in a Russian strike and two others, including an 86-year-old man, were wounded, regional Governor Roman Mrochko reported on Telegram. Late on December 19, a Russian missile struck and badly damaged a two-story apartment building in the southeastern city of Kryviy Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hometown, wounding five people, including two pulled alive from under the rubble, officials said. The attack also crippled the power supply in parts of the city of 600,000 and damaged a hospital, regional Governor Serhiy Lysak said. In a statement on Telegram, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that the strikes on December 20 were "in response" to Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets using Western-supplied weapons. The latest wave of attacks from both sides came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested at his highly choreographed annual press conference a "high-tech duel" over Kyiv to prove that Russia's new hypersonic ballistic missile, dubbed Oreshnik, cannot be shot down by Western-supplied air defenses. "It would be interesting for us.... Let's conduct this experiment, this technological duel, and see the results. I think it would be useful for both us and the Americans," Putin said. In reaction, Zelenskiy posted a message on X calling Putin a "dumbass." "People are dying, and he thinks it’s 'interesting'... Dumbass," Zelenskiy wrote. The United States and the United Kingdom have announced sanctions on Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and other senior officials in the ministry in response to their alleged role in a violent crackdown on journalists, opposition figures, and anti-government protesters. The United States also imposed sanctions on Mirza Kezevadze, deputy head of the special forces department in the Georgian Interior Ministry, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on December 19. The Treasury Department said it was taking the action in coordination with Britain, which on December 19 imposed sanctions on Gomelauri and four other officials of the Interior Ministry for alleged human rights violations. A U.S. Treasury Department official said the reasons cited by the two governments for imposing the sanctions were similar. “In the wake of Georgia’s election, key officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs engaged in a severe and vicious crackdown against their own people, including the intentional targeting of journalists and use of violence,” Acting Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith said in the statement. Any assets owned by Gomelauri and Kezevadze in U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, making their business operations more difficult, the Treasury Department statement said. In addition to Gomelauri, Britain imposed sanctions on deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Sulkhan Tamazashvili, Zviad Kharazishvili, and Mileri Lagazauri, according to a U.K. government statement. Thousands demonstrated in Tbilisi again on the night of December 19. It was the 22nd consecutive day of protests against the government's decision to effectively halt the country's EU accession talks. The protesters have questioned the legitimacy of the victory of the Georgian Dream party in the election that took place at the end of October. The demonstrations intensified after Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Tbilisi was suspending until 2028 talks with Brussels on Georgia's bid to join the European Union. “Security forces from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Special Task Department responded to protests with disproportionate violence to suppress dissent and discourage protesters,” the U.S. Treasury Department’s statement said. Georgia's pro-Europe president, Salome Zurabishvili, has said the October 26 election was rigged with the help of Moscow and has vowed not to leave office even when her successor -- selected by what protesters say is an illegitimate parliament -- is scheduled to be sworn in on December 29. Zurabishvili has condemned the "brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media," comparing the crackdown to "Russian-style repression." Demonstrations have repeatedly been violently broken up, activists have been detained, and opposition politicians and media representatives attacked. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, and according to surveys, a majority of Georgians support EU membership. Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened to punish political opponents, whom he accuses of being behind violence that has occurred at the protests. Georgia’s relations with Brussels soured with the adoption of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law that critics say threatens media and civil society groups by accusing them of "serving" outside powers. One lawmaker was killed and another injured in a shooting at the de facto parliament in Georgia's Abkhazia, a breakaway region supported by Russia. According to local media reports, Adgur Kharazia and Kan Kvarchia, lawmakers operating under the self-proclaimed government, were meeting on December 19 over a proposal to ban the mining of cryptocurrency when a disagreement boiled over. Kharazia, a former mayor of the region's capital, Sukhumi, has a history of violent incidents and reportedly pulled out a firearm and began shooting. Vakhtang Golandzia, a fellow lawmaker who was trying to intervene, was fatally shot. Kvarchia was shot in the arm and taken to hospital. The Health Ministry confirmed the incident while acting Interior Minister Robert Kiut said in a statement that "Kharazia managed to flee the scene and police are searching for him. A special investigative group has been sent to detain him." The shooting comes weeks after Abkhazia's parliament rejected a controversial investment deal with Russia on December 3. The shooting also underlines the region's instability, with presidential elections scheduled for February 2025. The agreement, signed in Moscow on October 30, was widely criticized as 'exploitative' by opposition figures and civil society groups who felt it would grant undue economic advantages to Russian investors while undermining Abkhazia's sovereignty. The political aftermath of the deal also provoked mass protests, forcing the de facto leader, Aslan Bzhania, to resign on November 19. He was replaced by acting leader Badra Gunba, yet the region remains in a state of political instability. The December 19 shooting further indicated the deep division within Abkhazia's leadership and the uncertainty within its political climate. Kvarchia, the injured legislator, has actively opposed the now-shelved Russian investment agreement. In the parliamentary session on December 3, he said the deal was "enslaving for Abkhazia." He accused the executive branch of trying to push the agreement through despite a public outcry. His opposition to the current administration's move has made him one of the key figures in the opposition movement that successfully rallied public dissent against the current administration's policies. Kharazia has a controversial history. In 2020, he was detained for allegedly causing grievous bodily harm and illegally possessing firearms after reportedly injuring an administrative official. His involvement in the December 19 shooting has once again raised questions about accountability within Abkhazia's separatist leadership and broader security mechanisms. The incident has piled on the pressure on acting leader Badra Gunba, who held an emergency meeting following the shooting. Gunba has already been under pressure from opposition groups demanding accountability for the mishandling of the Russian investment deal. The protests that led to Bzhania's resignation underlined deep-seated discontent with Abkhazia's governance and fragile dependence on Russia. The political crisis in Abkhazia reflects a struggle in the region to balance its reliance on Moscow for economic and military support with growing public unease about over-dependence on Moscow. While Russia recognized Abkhazia's independence after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, most international community still views the region as part of Georgia. A court in Romania has accepted an appeal filed by controversial Internet influencer Andrew Tate and his brother and sent his case on human trafficking and other charges back to prosecutors. The Bucharest Court of Appeals said on on December 19 that it found "irregularities" in the indictment issued by the Prosecutor-General's Office. The prosecutors can now bring forth new evidence to back up their charges or amend the existing ones. The ruling is a blow to Romania's anti-organized crime prosecuting unit DIICOT, which filed charges against Tate, his brother Tristan Tate, and two Romanian women after they were arrested in December 2022 on suspicion of human trafficking. They were formally indicted last year, and the Bucharest Tribunal ruled earlier this year that a trial could start but did not set a date. All four deny the charges. Andrew Tate, 38, and Tristen Tate, 36, are dual British-U.S. citizens and former kickboxers. Andrew Tate has amassed more than 10 million followers on the social media platform X but has been kicked off other platforms, including Facebook and TikTok over accusations of posting hate speech and misogynistic comments. Eugen Vidineac, one of the Tate brothers’ lawyers, said the decision was “a significant legal victory” that “rightly determined that there is insufficient basis to proceed with the case.” Mateea Petrescu, a spokeswoman for Andrew Tate, said the court's review "revealed significant procedural flaws and raised serious concerns about the integrity of the investigative process, further undermining the credibility of the prosecution’s case.” Andrew Tate complained bitterly about the case in a statement issued after the ruling. "They’ve had years to build their case -- years to tear apart my life, target everyone I know, and even subpoena the mother of my child," Tate said. "And yet, they have nothing." DIICOT has not commented on the ruling. The Bucharest Court of Appeal judges said in their decision that they had identified problems in "the manner of presenting the factual situation and describing the constitutive elements in the case" against the two female suspects. The judges also said Andrew Tate's right to a defense was violated in the way he was informed of the accusation of human trafficking regarding one of the alleged victims. Andrew Tate in August was placed under house arrest and Tristan Tate under judicial control for 30 days after they were interrogated by Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors as part of an investigation into new allegations against them. During the criminal investigation, prosecutors said they identified seven women who were sexually exploited "forcibly, in order to obtain significant financial benefits" for the defendants from people who accessed content on social media. Prosecutors accused the Tate brothers of recruiting their victims using the so-called "lover boy" method, seducing them and claiming to want a relationship or marriage. The victims were then taken to properties outside Bucharest, where they were sexually exploited through physical violence and psychological intimidation as they were forced to produce pornographic content, the prosecutors said. Romanian investigators carried out the interrogations and fresh searches at the brothers’ residences as part of the investigation into the new charges. DIICOT said at the time that the new accusations included charges of forming an organized crime group, trafficking of minors, a sexual act with a minor, influencing statements, and money laundering. The brothers said through a spokesperson that the fresh accusations were “not fully clarified." They have been barred from leaving Romania as the proceedings against them continue but are set to be extradited to Britain once their case in Romania concludes. They face further allegations of rape and human trafficking in Britain, where a court ruled on December 18 that police can seize more than 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) to cover years of unpaid taxes. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring of the Westminster Magistrates’ Court said what appeared to be a “complex financial matrix” was actually a “straightforward cheat of the revenue.” Andrew Tate said in a statement that the ruling “is not justice” and claimed it was a “coordinated attack on anyone who dares to challenge the system.” The Tate brothers have stated that they do not want to be extradited from Romania, which they said they consider their home. A court in Moscow charged Uzbek citizen Ahmat Qurbanov on December 19 with terrorism and other charges in the high-profile killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces. In addition to terrorism, Qurbanov has been charged with murder and the illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. Qurbanov, born in 1995, has been accused of detonating a self-made explosive device concealed in a scooter parked near a residential building in Moscow on December 17. The blast killed Kirillov and his assistant. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Qurbanov shortly after the attack in cooperation with the Interior Ministry and the Investigative Committee. Investigators claimed Qurbanov was recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services. The Russian authorities released a video in which a man speaking poor Russian introduced himself as Ahmad Qurbanov from Uzbekistan and "confessed" to having committed the attack. The circumstances in which the video was recorded remain unknown. During the court hearing on December 19, Qurbanov requested a translator due to his limited command of the Russian language. The Uzbek Embassy in Moscow has been actively involved in the case. It commented on Qurbanov's arrest on Telegram, saying that it was in contact with Russian law enforcement agencies. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev discussed cooperation in the fight against terrorism in a phone call on December 19, the Kremlin said. Mirziyoev expressed his condolences for the death of Kirillov and his assistant, according to the Kremlin. The FSB said in a statement on December 18 that the suspect had been recruited and trained by Ukraine's special services and promised money to carry out the attack. While there has been no formal claim of responsibility for the killing, a source at Ukraine's SBU security service told RFE/RL that the blast was the result of a special operation by the Ukrainian agency. Ukraine had accused Kirillov of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops. Moscow has denied the accusation. Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev has praised the Czech Republic after it adopted a resolution recognizing the deportation of Crimean Tatars by Soviet authorities in 1944 as genocide. In a December 18 vote, 70 of 74 senators supported the resolution, making the Czech Republic the seventh country to recognize the genocide, joining Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. "This decision morally supports Crimean Tatars and Ukraine and encourages other countries to follow suit," Mustafa Dzhemilev, the national leader of the Crimean Tatar people and a member of Ukraine's parliament, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in an interview after the vote. Eighty years ago, over three days from May 18 to May 20, 1944, Soviet security forces rounded up at least 200,000 Tatars on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and brutally sent them into exile in Central Asia. Tens of thousands died during the deportation and under the harsh conditions of their first years in exile. Soviet demographers in 1949 estimated there had been nearly 45,000 “excess deaths” among Crimean Tatars in the previous five years, while Crimean Tatar sources put the losses far higher. Dzhemilev said the recognition means even more than usual for Crimean Tatars since it comes while Russia occupies Crimea -- it illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014 -- and continues its ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched almost three years ago. "This is a really important event, especially for the Crimean Tatars, who are currently under occupation. This is moral support for them. And at the same time, this is moral support for Ukraine, which is currently in a state of war with our not very good neighbor," Dzhemilev said. Dzhemilev noted the Czech government's readiness to use its influence to urge other countries to pass similar resolutions, especially those in Russia's traditional sphere of influence. The deportation of the Crimean Tatars -- like those of several other Soviet ethnic populations around the same time -- was ordered by dictator Josef Stalin and overseen by notorious secret police head Lavrenty Beria. It was followed by a campaign of de-Tatarization in Crimea, during which the culture of the Turkic, Muslim people was virtually wiped out on the peninsula. Although most of the persecuted ethnic groups were allowed to return to their homelands after Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev condemned the population transfers in 1956, Crimean Tatars were not. Only in the late 1980s, after more than four decades of exile, did the Soviet government condemn the deportation as a crime and lift the ban on their return. With Crimea occupied again, Dzhemilev said he understands Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's recent statement that Kyiv currently lacks the military strength to retake Crimea by force. Still, he hopes European countries such as Germany and France will convince the United States, which will see an administration change in January when President-elect Donald Trump moves into the White House, to continue its support for Ukraine in repelling Russian forces, including from Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is nearing its primary goal in the war against Ukraine and challenged the United States to a missile "duel" involving Russia's new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile. Speaking at an annual news conference used in large part to show his control over almost every aspect of Russia's political and economic spheres, Putin boasted about the country's economy, glossing over the impact of severe sanctions imposed by the West for the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine . The tightly controlled question-and-answer session on December 19, a live broadcast on state TV that lasted almost 4 1/2 hours, focused on domestic issues at the start before turning to foreign policy, namely the war in Ukraine. Putin, in power for almost a quarter of a century, said Russian forces were advancing along the front line of Ukraine and were moving toward achieving their primary goals . He didn't specify what he meant, but previously he has said peace will be possible after the "denazification, demilitarization, and a neutral status" of Ukraine. Russia has falsely claimed Ukraine is run by "radical nationalist" and neo-Nazi groups. Later in the broadcast, Putin said he was ready for "negotiations and compromises" in possible peace talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and that he had no conditions for starting such talks. Putin has previously ruled out making any major territorial concessions to end the war, while it has also insisted Kyiv abandon its ambitions to join the NATO military alliance. "Soon, those Ukrainians who want to fight will run out, in my opinion. Soon there will be no one left who wants to fight," he said. "We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations and compromises." However, Putin also admitted he could not say when Russia would regain full control of the western region of Kursk, where Ukraine launched a shock offensive in August and still occupies territory. "We will absolutely kick them out. Absolutely. It can't be any other way. But the question of a specific date, I'm sorry, I cannot say right now," Putin said. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on December 19 that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had spoken by phone the day before with his Swiss counterpart, Ignazio Cassis, about the conflict in Ukraine. The ministry said Lavrov "explained in detail the Russian position on the settlement of the situation" and outlined Putin's conditions. Well-known military analyst Michael Kofman at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said on a podcast earlier this month that he was skeptical that Russia would agree to an early cease-fire and suspected that Moscow could try to tie up the United States in "envoy diplomacy" for months. "I'm sure they'll be happy to schedule a summit in Geneva or perhaps some other place in Europe, all the while intending to make gains on the battlefield. And they've done this before," said Kofman. Kofman added that if Ukraine can maintain its front lines and prevent a breakthrough over the next several months, Russia's negotiating hand will weaken as military resources and economic problems become more acute. Russia has been trending toward authoritarianism since the beginning of Putin's tenure. But since an election in 2018, that trend has been more firmly entrenched than ever. The already marginalized opposition has been crushed. Earlier this year, Aleksei Navalny, Putin's most prominent critic, died while in a Siberian prison. A raft of constitutional amendments imposed in 2020 enabled Putin to seek two additional six-year terms, the first of which he secured with a landslide victory in March in balloting the international community called a "sham" and not "free and fair." The 72-year-old Putin, who is set to surpass Soviet dictator Josef Stalin’s nearly 30-year reign by the end of his new term to become the longest-serving Russian leader in more than two centuries, could conceivably hold power until 2036. Putin struck a defiant tone when the subject of weaponry came up during the broadcast. In an apparent trolling of Washington, he suggested a "21th-century high-tech duel." "Let them determine some target for destruction, say in Kyiv: Concentrate all their air defense and missile defense forces there, and we will strike there with Oreshniks and see what happens," he said. "We are ready for such an experiment, but is the other side ready?" Russia launched the so-called Oreshnik ballistic missile against Ukraine on November 21 in a strike targeting the city of Dnipro. Putin said at the time it was part of Moscow's response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil with U.S.-supplied ATACMS and British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Analysts have voiced skepticism about the Oreshnik, saying the launching of the new intermediate-range missile was as much about political messaging as it was about military might. Putin has been raising the specter of a nuclear strike since long before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and analysts said the Russian leader chose the Oreshnik to send a different signal to Washington. "It's the kind of signaling you engage in when you can't, in fact, escalate in the way you've been threatening," Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, wrote on X of the November 21 missile strike. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that only transatlantic unity could eventually stop the war in Ukraine and lead to peace amid a change of administrations in the United States. Zelenskiy met on December 19 with EU leaders in Brussels to seek fresh support amid concerns that President-elect Donald Trump could pull U.S. support for Kyiv after he returns to the White House next month. Addressing the EU leaders, Zelenskiy welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to deploy troops to Ukraine following an eventual cease-fire. "We support France’s initiative for a military contingent in Ukraine as part of these guarantees and call on other partners to join this effort, it will help bring the war to an end," he told the closed-door meeting, according to a text posted on his website. It is "crucial for Europe to make a significant contribution to security guarantees," he said. "We all understand that in January, President Trump will intensify efforts to end the war. It’s up to us whether Europe supports him with a strong, united voice," he told the EU leaders, according to the text. Zelenskiy said Ukraine would ultimately need more protection through membership in the NATO military alliance. NATO has said Ukraine will join its ranks one day but it has not set a date or formally invited Ukraine to join. "It is impossible to discuss this only with European leaders, because for us, the real guarantees in any case - today or in the future - are NATO," he told reporters. "On the way to NATO, we want security guarantees while we are not in NATO. And we can discuss such guarantees separately with both the U.S. and Europe," he said. The meeting came as Ukrainian cities and infrastructure continue to sustain regular Russian drone and missile strikes while outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces are facing increasing difficulties in staving off Russia's increasingly rapid advance in the east. The EU leaders and Zelenskiy are to reaffirm their "unwavering commitment" to supporting Ukraine "for as long as it takes," according to draft conclusions seen by Reuters. "Russia must not prevail," the EU draft conclusions say. The bloc's leaders also stress that no decision must be made on Ukraine's fate without Kyiv's involvement. Zelenskiy on December 18 met in Brussels with NATO chief Mark Rutte and a group of European leaders who seek to develop their own plans if Trump, who has pledged to bring a swift end to the conflict, pulls support or forces Kyiv to make concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a cease-fire. Organized by Rutte, the meeting involves officials from Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the European Union's main institutions. The key topic of Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte was security guarantees, Zelenskiy's office said. "It is very important to use these two days in Brussels to meet with all our partners and have the same, and very importantly, not divided -- the same -- common European position on how to secure Ukraine, how to strengthen our people and, of course, make our army stronger," Zelenskiy said, according to a statement released by his office. Strengthening Ukrainian air defense especially ahead of the winter was a key topic during Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte, according to the statement from Zelenskiy's office. Rutte said Kyiv's allies should focus on ramping up arms supplies to ensure that Ukraine is in a position of strength. Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukrainian regions with 85 drones early on December 19, the Ukrainian Air Force said, adding that 45 drones were shot down while the other 40 were derailed by Ukrainian electronic warfare systems that jammed their navigation systems. The air force said the attack targeted 10 Ukrainian regions -- Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Khmelnytskiy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolayiv. Russia also launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and an Kh-59/69 guided missile during the attack, the air force said. The missile strikes damaged private homes and apartment buildings in the Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions, with no casualties or injuries reported. In the Kharkiv region, three people were killed in the village of Shevchenkove, said Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov. Two women, aged 67 and 65, and a 33-year-old man, were killed, Synyehubov said. One woman was injured and hospitalized as a result of the Russian shelling of Dvorichnaya, he added. The Ukrainian General Staff separately said that it struck an oil refinery in Russia's Rostov region. "Damage was inflicted to the infrastructure and production facilities of Novoshakhtinsk Oil Products Plant located in the Rostov Region of the Russian Federation," the General Staff said in a statement, adding that the refinery supplied Russia's military. Rostov's acting governor Yury Slyusar said that the region "suffered a massive attack" using 30 drones and three missiles. Russia's Rostov region has repeatedly been targeted by Ukraine. Separately, Russian officials said Ukraine struck Russia with at least 13 missiles and 84 drones. In recent months, Ukraine has increased the number of drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and fuel depots that work for Moscow's military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met in Brussels on December 18 with NATO chief Mark Rutte and several European leaders to discuss war strategy amid concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could pull U.S. support for Kyiv after he returns to the White House next month. The meeting came as European leaders seek to develop their own plans if Trump, who has pledged to bring a swift end to the conflict, pulls support or forces Kyiv to make concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a cease-fire. The key topic of Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte was security guarantees, Zelenskiy's office said . "It is very important to use these two days in Brussels to meet with all our partners and have the same, and very importantly, not divided -- the same -- common European position on how to secure Ukraine, how to strengthen our people and, of course, make our army stronger," Zelenskiy said, according to a statement released by his office. Zelenskiy said earlier on X that he and French President Emmanuel Macron had a "detailed one-on-one discussion" that focused on priorities to further strengthen Ukraine’s position. "We continued working on President Macron’s initiative regarding the presence of forces in Ukraine that could contribute to stabilizing the path to peace," Zelenskiy said in an apparent reference to a discussion of boots on the ground raised recently during a meeting between Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters ahead of the meeting that the priority of the meeting was to secure the "sovereignty of Ukraine and that it will not be forced to submit to a dictated peace." He said any discussion of boots on the ground would be premature. Rutte said Kyiv's allies should focus on ramping up arms supplies to ensure that Ukraine is in a position of strength. Strengthening Ukrainian air defense especially ahead of the winter was a key topic during Zelenskiy's meeting with Rutte, according to the statement from Zelenskiy's office. "We have to do everything we can now to make sure that when it comes to air defense, when it comes to other weapons systems, we are doing everything we can to provide everything we can," Rutte said. Zelenskiy was expected to again plead for more air-defense systems to try to help stave off Russian barrages against Ukraine's power grid. Organized by Rutte, the meeting involves officials from Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the European Union's main institutions. Among the potential topics are possible security guarantees offered to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire and how a cease-fire could be monitored, with one option being an international peacekeeping force. NATO members have rebuffed Kyiv's calls for an invitation to join the alliance right away, sparking speculation that sending peacekeepers could be an alternative. Rutte also said he wants to discuss military aid, especially air defense, with Zelenskiy, saying Ukraine needs 19 extra air-defense systems to protect the country's energy infrastructure from Russian bombardment. Earlier on December 18, Rutte announced that a new NATO command in the German city of Wiesbaden has taken up its work to coordinate Western military aid for Ukraine. "The NATO command in Wiesbaden for security assistance and training for Ukraine is now up and running," Rutte told reporters at NATO's headquarters in Brussels. Dubbed NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), the command takes over coordination of the aid from the United States in a move widely seen as aiming to safeguard the support mechanism against Trump. NSATU is set to have around 700 personnel, including troops stationed at NATO's military headquarters in Belgium and at logistics hubs in Poland and Romania. Russia has condemned increases in Western military aid to Ukraine as risking a wider war. The U.K. and U.S. governments on December 18 said the comments of Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev following the assassination of a high-ranking Russian general by Ukrainian security services were irresponsible and yet another sign of Moscow's desperation. Medvedev, reacting to an editorial in the London-based Times newspaper that called the December 17 killing of a high-ranking Russian officer "a legitimate act of defense by a threatened nation," said Moscow should apply the same logic. Medvedev accused NATO and officials from countries allied with Ukraine in its battle to repel invading Russian troops of being participants in the conflict, making them "legitimate military targets." The U.S. State Department told RFE/RL that Medvedev's comments amounted to more irresponsible rhetoric from the Kremlin and reiterated that the United States and NATO do not seek a military conflict with Russia. "The Kremlin's aggression against Ukraine is the most significant and direct threat to Europe's security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. It is the Kremlin that started this war, and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin could end it today," the State Department's press office said in a statement e-mailed to RFE/RL. U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a briefing on December 17 that Washington had no connection to the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces (RKhBZ), or any prior knowledge of it. The U.K. Foreign Office said the comments were "just another example of Putin’s propaganda machine," while a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was quoted as saying Medvedev's comments were "simply the latest in a stream of desperate rhetoric" to come out of Putin's government. "Unlike in Russia, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and we take any threats made by Russia incredibly seriously," the spokesman added, according to The Times. "Our newspapers represent the best of British values: freedom, democracy and independent thinking," he said. "I stand with The Times." In its article, The Times said the assassination was "a discriminate strike against an aggressor" and that it underlines the need for Western governments to give Ukraine "all support it needs to fight a just war of self-defense." "All officials of NATO countries involved in decisions about military assistance to...Ukraine are participating in hybrid or conventional warfare against Russia.... And all these individuals can and should be considered legitimate military targets for the Russian state. And for all Russian patriots." Medvedev wrote in response. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told RFE/RL on December 18 that "Russia is always threatening. And it is meant to scare us, so what we see is the threats we have heard before." Speaking in Brussels before a meeting of EU leaders to discuss the war, she said: "I think the only response we can have is not to be afraid." The man nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia also weighed in on the killing, telling Fox News that it was "not a good idea" in his opinion. "There are rules of warfare and there are certain things you don't do," said Retired Lieutenant-General Keith Kellogg. "When you are killing [officers] in their hometown it's kind of like you kind of extended it and I don't think it's really smart to do." Kirillov and his assistant were killed by a bomb concealed in a scooter outside the entrance of a Moscow building early on December 17. Kirillov is one of a number of Russian officers and pro-war figures to be killed in Russia and in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. His death came a week after a senior official from a Russian company that develops cruise missiles used by Moscow in the war was reportedly shot dead just outside the capital. Medvedev's rhetoric draws from the Kremlin's long-term narrative of blaming Western "forces" for anti-Russian actions worldwide and acts of sabotage and "terrorism" on Russian territory. Russian investigators termed the killing a "terrorist" attack and immediately attributed it to Ukrainian intelligence. On December 18, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had detained a suspect -- a 29-year-old unnamed Uzbek national -- in the case. Medvedev also threatened retribution against journalists from The Times, ominously warning that the newspaper could be included in those "legitimate military targets," adding that "in London, many things happen...be careful." That warning appears to be a thinly veiled reference to the radiation poisoning of former FSB officer and Kremlin critic Aleksandr Litvinenko in London in 2006, and the attempted assassination of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in the British city of Salisbury with a deadly nerve agent in 2018. Russia accused Kyiv of "terrorism" after authorities said they had detained an Uzbek citizen who confessed to planting an explosive device that killed a high-ranking Russian officer on the instruction of Ukrainian intelligence. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces (RKhBZ), and his assistant were killed by a bomb concealed in a scooter outside the entrance of a Moscow building early on December 17. The speed of the arrest of the unnamed suspect led some analysts to question whether the 29-year-old Central Asian was a scapegoat, while unconfirmed reports swirled that police were ratcheting up raids on migrants. "The special services have a clear interest in showing their superiors the result of their work, that a successful investigation has taken place, and so on. It's not the first time we've seen this. It's hard to judge right now how accurate this [arrest] is," political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin told Current Time. While no individual or group officially claimed responsibility for the killing, a source at Ukraine's SBU security service told RFE/RL that the blast was the result of a special operation by the SBU. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement on December 18 that the unnamed suspect had been recruited and trained by Ukraine's special services and promised money to carry out the attack. The FSB said the suspect, on instructions from Ukraine, "arrived in Moscow, received a high-power homemade explosive device, and placed it on an electric scooter, which he parked near the entrance to the house of Kirillov." The Kremlin has not commented on the FSB statement, which said the suspect activated the bomb when Kirillov and his assistant were coming out of the building. The accused man had been given $100,000 for the murder as well as residency in a European country, the statement said, adding that the suspect faces life in prison for his alleged crime. "The Ukrainian special services officers involved in organizing the terrorist attack will be found and will receive the punishment they deserve," the FSB said. The FSB did not present any evidence along with its statement, and some analysts questioned the speed of the response. One woman from Kyrgyzstan told RFE/RL in Moscow that she expects a backlash for migrants from Central Asia. "The situation is difficult," the woman said. "I think the position of Central Asian migrants will only worsen after this event. Street inspections will likely intensify." The woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was afraid to reveal her identity, recalled that events after the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in March there were many raids and deportations of Central Asians from Russia and it's possible this could happen again, she said. Russian investigators said the assault in which 144 people were killed was carried out by four men, all Tajik nationals. The Kyrgyz woman who spoke with RFE/RL said that she believes Uzbeks in Russia will continue to have a difficult time. "Migration laws in Russia are already being tightened. Things will get worse for them regardless," she said, noting that new laws will come into effect on January 1 and "everything will become even harder." Kirillov, 54, is the highest-level Russian military officer to be killed in an apparent assassination since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His death came a day after the SBU reported that Ukrainian prosecutors had filed a charge against him, accusing him of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops during the war started by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The SBU has said Russian forces have used chemical weapons almost 5,000 times during the war in Ukraine under Kirillov's leadership. The claim could not be independently verified. The RKhBZ are special forces who operate under conditions of radioactive, chemical, and biological contamination. Kirillov is one of a number of Russian officers and pro-war figures to be killed in Russia and in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. His death came a week after a senior official from a Russian company that develops cruise missiles used by Moscow in the war was reportedly shot dead just outside the capital. Viktor Yahun, the former deputy head of the SBU, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in an interview that with some 20 million people in Russia having Ukrainian origins, "you can find a percentage who are ready to sincerely work for Ukraine. That's why there are so many agents over there." Kirillov was seen in footage that was central to an RFE/RL Russian Service investigation that revealed details about a restricted facility outside Moscow. The site is linked to a U.S. assertion that Russia maintains an offensive biological weapons program in violation of the UN Biological Weapons Convention. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now a senior Russian security official, told a meeting shown on state TV that NATO and Ukraine's Western allies were behind the attack because of their support for Kyiv throughout Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor. "These individuals can and should be considered a legitimate military target," he said. NATO officials have not commented publicly on Medvedev's remarks, but Kaja Kallas, the top EU diplomat, told reporters in Brussels that "Russia is always threatening." "And it is meant to scare us, so what we see is the threats we have heard before, so I think the only response we can have is not to be afraid,” she added. Security analyst Yuri Fedorov told Current Time he expects that Russia "will certainly try to retaliate, so it is very possible that there will be attempts by the Russian agents to kill high Ukrainian military and/or security services officers." "The attacks on Russian generals could have a political and psychological effect, but they cannot seriously impede Russia’s military effort: people like General Kirillov are not the irreplaceable figures who cannot be substituted." Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili challenged the European Union to do more to support pro-EU protesters and press the ruling Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party to hold new elections following its unilateral decision to postpone negotiations with the 27-member bloc. Protesters , who have seen their street protests met with heavy handed police tactics, have also called for fresh elections in almost daily rallies following allegations of electoral fraud during the October parliamentary poll whose results the opposition has refused to recognize amid accusations that Georgian Dream rigged the vote to cling to power. In power since 2012, Georgian Dream was founded by Russia-friendly billionaire and ex-Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. Pro-European Zurabishvili, who has sided with the protesters, told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg on December 18, that the elections must be repeated since they were marred by fraud, violence, and Russian influence. “Europe needs to find the leverage to act. If Europe cannot exert leverage on a country of 3.7 million, how can it expect to compete with the giants of the 21st century?” she said, while also accusing Georgian Dream of spending the equivalent of some $214 million in what she called "black money" to sway the election in its favor. "Intimidation, the use of administrative resources, Russian-style propaganda...In addition, 'black money' was used in large quantities. There were no police during the elections. I personally witnessed violence in various districts and tried to contact the minister of internal affairs, but I could not get through," Zurabishvili added. 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. 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. After the ruling Georgian Dream party declared victory in an election on October 26, protests restarted and intensified after the government said it was suspending talks with Brussels on Tbilisi's bid to join the EU, Georgia’s biggest donor, biggest economic market, and home to the South Caucasus country’s biggest diaspora until 2028. EU foreign ministers on December 16 agreed to slap visa restrictions on some Georgian officials, but Moscow-friendly Hungary and Slovakia blocked a proposed package of sanctions against leading Georgian officials for the violent crackdown on protesters. “If we are honest, Europe so far has not fully lived (up) to the moment. Europe has, so far, met the challenge halfway,” she said. “Where Georgians have been fighting day and night, Europeans have been slow to wake up and slow to react.” Zurabishvili is due to be replaced by a Georgian Dream-friendly ex-soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili, who was appointed as Georgia’s new president by parliament last week. Meanwhile, Council of Europe chief Alain Berset arrived in Georgia on a four-day visit on December 18. Berset said in a statement that his visit aims to verify whether the conditions for continued cooperation between the continental human rights watchdog and the Georgian government are still being met after riot police used excessive violence against peaceful protesters. Security forces have cracked down on demonstrators for more than three weeks, detaining dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the government of moving Georgia away from the EU and closer to Russia. "As a member state of the Council of Europe since 1999, Georgia is bound to respect its fundamental commitments: democracy, the protection of human rights, and the rule of law," Berset said in a statement released ahead of the visit. "In the current tense and worrying context, the Council of Europe calls on all parties to avoid any escalation of tensions. It urges the authorities to refrain from the disproportionate use of force and to respect fundamental freedoms, in particular freedom of expression and assembly," Berset said, adding, "These principles are essential to guarantee the country's stability and to meet the expectations of the Georgian people." During his visit to Georgia, Berset is set to meet with representatives of the government, the opposition, and civil society organizations. Russia's Rosatom is selling its stakes in uranium deposits in Kazakhstan to Chinese-owned companies as the Central Asian nation looks to avoid any international sanctions against Russian-linked assets and a sign of China's growing influence in the region. Kazatomprom, the world's largest producer of uranium, said Uranium One Group -- a unit of Rosatom -- had sold its 49.98 percent stake in the Zarechnoye mine in the Turkistan region to Astana Mining Company, which is owned by China's State Nuclear Uranium Resources Development Company. Kazatomprom maintains its 49.99 percent stake in the venture. Kazatomprom chief Meirzhan Yussupov told The Financial Times in September that sanctions imposed on Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine made it difficult to sell uranium to Western buyers. The U.S. State Department condemned the 10-year sentence handed down by Iranian authorities against Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "We strongly condemn this sentencing and call for his immediate release and the release of all political prisoners in Iran," a spokesperson told Radio Farda on December 17. "The Iranian government has repeatedly suppressed press freedom through threats, intimidation, detentions, forced confessions, and the use of violence against journalists in Iran," the spokesperson added. According to court documents sent to the journalist's lawyer on December 10 and subsequently reviewed by RFE/RL, Valizadeh was sentenced by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." In addition to the prison term, Valizadeh was banned for two years from living in Tehran and adjacent provinces, from leaving the country, and from joining political or social organizations following the completion of his sentence. Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22. His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. The State Department earlier condemned Valizadeh's detention, calling it "unjust" and inconsistent with international legal standards. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, urged Iranian authorities to release Valizadeh immediately. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus also called for Valizadeh to be released, saying the charges against him, his conviction, and sentence were unjust. "Time and again, the Iranian regime has attempted to spread its malign influence around the world, trampling on human rights at every opportunity," Capus said in a statement. "Clearly, this regime feels threatened by the forces of freedom, including independent journalism." Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. In September 2023, Iran released five Americans jailed in Iran in a prisoner swap. Valizadeh is the first U.S. citizen known to have been arrested since that deal. Iran is also among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said it disrupted what it described as the "biggest network" of Russian spies operating within the country who were allegedly collecting intelligence on ally-donated F-16 fighter jets, among other military targets. The December 17 announcement underlines what Ukraine describes as Russia's constant spying efforts as it continues to repel Russia's ongoing invasion launched in February 2022. The SBU claimed its military counterintelligence division neutralized the alleged spy network working for Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) across five Ukrainian regions. In a coordinated operation, the SBU identified 12 Russian agents and informants, including former Ukrainian soldiers who deserted their positions and were later allegedly recruited by Russian intelligence while on the run from law enforcement. The group operated across Ukraine's key regions -- Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolayiv, and Odesa -- under the leadership of a GRU-appointed handler based in the Dnipropetrovsk region, the SBU said. The group's leader allegedly used forged documents, including fake credentials, to conceal his identity. According to the SBU, the agents were tasked with high-value intelligence missions crucial to the Russian military strategy. These included pinpointing the locations of Ukrainian air-defense systems and secret military airfields where F-16 fighter jets might be stationed and locating Ukrainian companies involved in the production of electronic warfare systems used to counter Russian drones. The SBU reported that the network's operators often used personal contacts, including Ukrainian soldiers in the frontline area, to unwittingly extract sensitive information from them. The focus on F-16 fighter jets underscores Russia's strategic concerns, the agency noted, as Ukraine's acquisition of these Western-supplied jets represents a potential major impact in the nearly 3-year-old conflict. The advanced aircraft bolster Ukraine's air capabilities, posing a significant threat to Russian operations. For Moscow, gaining intelligence on their potential deployment locations is critical to preemptively countering their use. The SBU has officially indicted the prominent members of the spy network with state treason and the unauthorized disclosure of military information about the movement and location of Ukrainian forces. Other participants in the operation may face further charges from law enforcement officials. The suspects face prison terms of up to eight years if convicted. Russian lawmakers have approved a bill that restricts how so-called foreign agents can access their income inside the country as the government continues to clamp down on political opponents amid the war in Ukraine. The State Duma, Russia's lower chamber of parliament, approved in its second and third readings a bill targeting "foreign agents," a controversial designation that stigmatizes those who receive it with a Soviet-era connotation and restricts their ability to exercise free speech. The bill limits a so-called foreign agent's access to various forms of income sourced domestically, including proceeds from property sales, royalties for creative work, or investment returns by requiring all proceeds be placed in special blocked bank accounts. Such funds would become available only in the event of the individual's foreign agent status being officially lifted -- a development critics say is all but impossible. Human rights groups and international observers have denounced the legislation as another move in Russia's authoritarian squeeze. Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma, justified the move, however, describing it as a way to defend national interests. "Those who betray our country will not enrich themselves at the expense of its citizens. Funds earned in Russia must not be used against it," Volodin stated on Telegram. The law passed unanimously in the State Duma and now goes to the Federation Council, parliament's upper house, before going to President Vladimir Putin for a signature -- both of which are seen as a formality. The designation of foreign agent carries Soviet-era overtones of espionage and betrayal and has become the hallmark of the Kremlin's efforts to muzzle dissent. First introduced in 2012, the term has been applied to NGOs, independent journalists, opposition politicians, activists, and cultural figures accused of receiving foreign funding or engaging in activities perceived as politically hostile. The number of so-called foreign agents has increased to about 500 and includes prominent cultural and creative figures, most of whom had to flee Russia and are currently staying abroad. The new law significantly enhances controls from which the already highly restricted designees have to suffer, including among other demands such requirements as compulsory disclaimers on everything they say or write publicly and even file activity and detailed financial reports regularly. Later, other amendments banned advertisement collaborations with alleged foreign agents and significantly stiffened penalties, sending some to trials for noncompliance with the law. The new legislation represents a new phase in the campaign by the Kremlin to choke off the voices of its opponents. Royalties and earnings from intellectual property became an essential lifeline for musicians, authors, and artists whom the government placed on the list. Critics say the new measures will economically paralyze people whose work or public statements challenge government narratives. The move could also exacerbate the cultural brain drain in Russia since the beginning of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. KYIV -- Moscow's forces, bolstered by North Korean troops , have intensified their offensive against Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region, as Kyiv's outnumbered soldiers attempted to resist the onslaught there and elsewhere on December 17. "For the third day, the enemy has been conducting intensive offensive operations on the territory of the Kursk region, actively using units of the North Korean Army," said General Oleksandr Syrskiy, Ukraine's top military commander, in an address broadcast online. Pyongyang’s decision to send troops to Russia appears to have come at a high cost so far. Ukrainian and U.S. officials on December 16 said North Korean troops have been fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk and that some have been killed or injured. On December 17, a senior U.S. military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told news agencies that North Korean forces have suffered "several hundred" casualties in the Kursk fighting -- from lower-level troops to those "very near to the top." "These are not battle-hardened troops. They haven't been in combat before," the official added. RFE/RL has not been able to independently verify the claims. Russia has not commented on the reports. Syrskiy said the situation all along the front line "remains difficult" after Russian troops had seized "the strategic initiative" in recent weeks. He said Russian forces were continuing their drive to capture the strategic Donetsk city of Pokrovsk , which appears to be mostly deserted by civilians. Local military commanders in the region said defense forces were "holding back the onslaught," although the overall situation in the Donetsk city -- with a prewar population of about 65,000 -- appeared perilous, according to many Ukrainian officials. Over recent months, Russia has pressed its manpower advantage to push back against Ukraine's shock incursion into its Kursk region in August and to gain territory in eastern Ukraine, prompting Ukrainian officials to increase pleas to Western partners for additional military aid. Elsewhere, Ukraine's SBU security service said it had uncovered a "large-scale network" of agents working for Russian military intelligence that had attempted to collect information on Ukraine's supply of Western-supplied F-16 warplanes, which are based at secret sites throughout the country. "As a result of the special operation, 12 Russian agents and their informants were exposed. Some of them are deserters who voluntarily left the units of the armed forces of Ukraine, and when they were hiding from justice, they were recruited by the Russian special service," the security office said. On the political front, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Lviv, vowing his support for Ukraine's NATO membership hopes, while Zelenskiy urged Western allies to "urgently strengthen Ukraine" with additional aid. On December 16, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump told a news conference that Zelenskiy and Russia's Vladimir Putin must be prepared to "make a deal" to end the "horrible" war in Ukraine. "He should be prepared to make a deal, that’s all," Trump said of Zelenskiy during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Putin must also "make a deal," Trump then added. "Got to be a deal. Too many people being killed," he said. Trump, who takes office on January 20, said he would speak with Zelenskiy and Putin on ways to end the war, but he did not answer directly when asked if Ukraine would be forced to cede territory to Russia. President Joe Biden's administration has attempted to speed deliveries of aid to Kyiv ahead of the return to the White House of Trump, who has criticized the amount of assistance Biden has provided to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Meanwhile, in Tallinn, Estonia, leaders of the 10-nation Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) on December 17 vowed continued support for Ukraine. "We reiterate that Ukraine’s victory is vital to all our security and the preservation of rules-based international order," a joint statement read . "We call on all third countries, including [North Korea], Belarus, Iran, and China, which are directly or indirectly enabling Russia’s aggression, to cease offering the support Moscow requires to prolong the war and the suffering of the Ukrainian people." The statement is signed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The European Union has launched an investigation into the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok over accusations that it was used by Russia to influence the result of Romania's first round of presidential elections won by a far-right Moscow-friendly candidate. Largely unknown independent Calin Georgescu scored a shock victory in the first round of balloting in a November 24 election with some 23 percent of the vote. He had been due to face pro-European center-right Elena Lasconi in a December 8 runoff. However, following Romania's National Security Council's declassification of documents allegedly pointing to a "state actor" that wasn't named but appeared to be Russia, the EU and NATO member's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of the vote and ordered a complete rerun that would take place in the next few months. Incumbent Klaus Iohannis's term has been extended accordingly, although his second five-year term expired in mid-December. "Following serious indications that foreign actors interfered in the Romanian presidential elections by using TikTok, we are now thoroughly investigating whether TikTok has violated the Digital Services Act by failing to tackle such risks," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on December 17. "This decision to open an investigation takes into account information received from declassified intelligence reports by the Romanian authorities, as well as third-party reports," she added. The statement said the commission will continue to gather evidence, "for example by sending additional requests for information, conducting monitoring actions, interviews, inspections, and requesting access to algorithms." Von der Leyen's announcement comes after the EU, issued a retention order to TikTok on December 5, ordering the platform to freeze and preserve data related to "actual or foreseeable systemic risks" concerning national elections in the 27-member bloc from November 24 to March next year. TikTok will now have to provide data and documents retained under the December 5 order, von der Leyen said. The EU move comes after a group of senior U.S. senators issued a statement condemning alleged Russian influence in the Romanian elections. “Vladimir Putin’s assault on Romania’s elections is yet another example of the hybrid war he is waging on our European allies and partners,” U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (Republican-Nevada), Ben Cardin (Democrat-Maryland), Jim Risch (Republican-Idaho), and Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat-New Hampshire) said in a statement . “As a strong NATO ally, we support Romania as it fights for the integrity of its elections. We condemn Putin’s manipulation of Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-controlled TikTok to undermine Romania’s democratic process," the senators said. "The United States stands in support of Romania as it urgently moves to hold certifiably free and fair presidential elections," the statement said.The 26-year-old South African has pedigree, finishing the 2017 World Under-20s Championship as the top try-scorer before claiming Player of the Year honours that same season. With the Saints, he has been their anchor since 2021 and capped it with that League title. A devastating yet athletic ball-carrier at the back of the scrum, it is easy to see why Ulster wanted him so badly and he is an outstanding signing. At the same time, it’s also not incorrect to question why Ulster wanted him so badly. While Augustus may be a top-quality player, head coach Richie Murphy already has three top options at his disposal in the back-row in the shape of recent Ireland debutant Cormac Izuchukwu, long-time Ireland squad member Nick Timoney and their current Player of the Season David McCann. For Augustus to come in, one of them has to go out. While Izuchukwu could move into the second-row, the consensus is that he is better utilised on the blindside flank, meaning four into three doesn’t go and making Augustus a somewhat confusing acquisition. But Murphy has clarified that not only did they want Augustus to join them in the 2025/26 season on a three-year deal, they specifically went looking for a player that fitted his exact mould. “We consciously went looking for that type of player. That type of player was what we wanted to bring into the squad. A focal point, a big ball-carrying back-row with high involvements that gets you on the front foot and allows other players to play off the back of him,” explains the head coach. “If you look at the game, the game is about power and speed, and he has both of those things, which will allow other big, powerful speed players like Nick, like Izzy to come into the game more as well. “It gives us another string to our bow that, when you’re playing at the very top end of Europe, you need players of that calibre. “It’s a statement of where we want to get to. He’s a top-class player, he’s 26-years-old, he’s in his prime. He’s been a very effective ball-carrier in the Premiership the last few seasons, so we’re really delighted to get him here.” What that means for Ulster’s back-row stocks moving forward is yet to be seen, but it certainly is a statement of intent from the province and a welcome boost coming into a busy month of December that will be pivotal in Ulster’s fortunes for the rest of the 2024/25 season. Inter-provincial rivals and perennial pacesetters Leinster are first up on Friday night at Ravenhill on their return to United Rugby Championship action, and things don’t get any easier from there, with back-to-back games against Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles in the Champions Cup to follow. A brutal loss to Cardiff in their final game before the international break, where Ulster blew a 19-0 lead in Wales to lose 21-19, will have stung during their four weeks off, but there’s no time for feeling sorry for themselves with the schedule ahead of them. “We gave the guys eight days off and encouraged them to go away and take a break. Since they’ve come back in, they’ve worked hard for that period to prepare for what’s coming in the next couple of weeks. We’ve worked on tidying up the areas of our game that we feel have been letting us down a little bit,” adds Murphy. “The guys are chomping at the bit to get back out there, but we’re also going into a block of games which are not only incredibly difficult, but the way the fixtures fall makes it even tougher. “Nine days to Toulouse, six days to Bordeaux and six days to Munster, it’s a pretty tough schedule, and it’s a schedule that’s going to need as many bodies on deck as possible. “That has an impact on our squad and the freshness of our players, not only because they have to play more but, in order to get the work done during the week, we have to train more. It puts more pressure on the squad.” Still, despite what is to come, Murphy insists they are excited by what they have managed to achieve during the break and what could lie ahead in this second block of the season. “Back end of the second-half of that Cardiff match, we probably let our standard drop and couldn’t regain control, which was disappointing on our behalf given how we played in the first-half. We know there will be ups and downs this season, we just didn’t expect them in the same game,” he laments. “But it hasn’t changed what we were going into this training window about, we’ve still gone after the same things that we would have before that. Trying to finish off those games and see them out is something that we’re going to be tested on in the next few weeks. “We’re very excited, we’ve worked hard over the last few weeks. We feel that areas of our game that we’ve focused on have improved, so no better test than Leinster to test that out.” There were also a couple of positives in Ireland’s clash with Fiji, not just seeing Izuchukwu make his Ireland debut but also seeing tighthead prop Tom O’Toole make his first appearance at loosehead for the side. While not ruling out the potential of the prop doing likewise in provincial colours, though, Murphy poured cold water on a permanent switch for the Ireland star. “Tom is our tighthead at the moment. At this time, we see him as a tighthead,” he maintains. “Am I saying you won’t see him at loosehead? No, I’m not, depending on what happens with the squad. But where he sits in our thinking at this moment in time is on the tighthead side.”The is working to “waterproof, stabilise, and save the Barracks and Upper Ordnance buildings.” A spokesperson said, “Major progress has been made by the National Museum of Bermuda to waterproof, stabilise, and save the Casemates Barracks and Upper Ordnance buildings. This is thanks to funds raised by the Museum’s The Future of History Campaign, which raised $10M for education, operational stability, and expansion. “Allocations include supporting the first phase of expansion at Casemates to preserve the historic buildings for future, innovative museum and education uses. “Originally built in the 1830s as a barracks for the men manning the Royal Naval Dockyard fortifications and ammunition store houses, the Casemates complex has played a significant role in 200+ years of local and global history. The buildings and tunnels that comprise the site are exceptional records of 19th century architecture and military technology. “The thick limestone walls of the buildings are bomb-proof, and the casemated roofs were false targets for incoming attacks. The buildings once housed the Scottish Black Watch, British military officers, Canadian Navy, and incarcerated men when it served as Bermuda’s maximum security prison from 1961 to 1994. “Left abandoned in 1994, natural forces – wind, rain and invasive vegetation – have wreaked havoc on the buildings. Since 2006, the museum has carried out pre-restoration work on the property, including clearing invasive vegetation and debris and cleaning up the property, thanks to teams of community and corporate volunteers; documenting the buildings using a 3-D laser scanner and archaeologically recording secret tunnels, historic features and old roadways; and photographing and documenting the artwork on the walls of the buildings from the prison era. “In 2013, the Government of Bermuda transferred Casemates and its adjacent fortifications to the then Bermuda Maritime Museum, creating the National Museum of Bermuda.” Elena Strong, NMB Executive Director, said, “It is the museum’s mandate to save, preserve and repurpose the historic buildings under its care for future use and future generations. We are committed to historic preservation and reimaging derelict buildings as public resources. Restoring the Casemates complex is a major undertaking. “I’d like to thank all the volunteers who have put in thousands of hours of dedicated pre-restoration work, and to our recent partners and donors to the Future of History Campaign for funding the capital investments necessary for saving and stabilising these historic buildings.” The spokesperson said, “With an injection of philanthropic support, the National Museum was able to start major restoration work in Januaryearly this year 2024. The first task on hand was preventing further water ingress into the barracks building which was caused by a failing roof. Significant progress has been made: an asbestos asphalt layer covering the entire 10,000 square foot roof was carefully removed revealing the original large, 1.5-inch-thick Welsh slate slabs that covered it. “These slabs and the roof have been photographed and documented by Museum staff to record the historic construction techniques. To waterproof the roof, an impermeable membrane and six inches of concrete were laid with expansion joints and venting. In addition to the work on the Barracks, major roof work was also carried out on the Upper Ordnance Yard buildings. The roofs are now free from invasive plants, watertight and gleaming white. “The Casemates work is being overseen by Bermuda Project Management Limited, with work carried out by Island Construction, Crisson Construction, and Gray & Co. The Government of Bermuda assisted with the cost of the disposal of the asbestos. “In the new year, more restoration work will continue, including pointing of the roof parapet; fixing damaged chimneys; adding roof access doors; removing invasive plants from the face of the building; adding new water overflows and drainage systems; fixing damaged historic walls on the property; and eventually sealing up the building to allow drying out. “The museum has also engaged KPMG to conduct a feasibility study and create a business plan to ensure the viability of the long-term plan to repurpose Casemates into a research institute. The vision is to create an international hub for Atlantic World Studies and create partnerships with universities and institutions to engage in scholarly research and education programming, providing higher education learning opportunities for local and international students. “The museum has saved prison-era furniture: a bunk bed, door, desk, toilet and other small artifacts that will be preserved in their collection.” Ms. Strong said, “As we work to restore and repurpose these historic structures, we will not forget the many past lives of Casemates. It is important to us to ensure that all histories – distant and nearer past – are preserved and shared. “Our team aims to record oral histories from those who had relationships with Casemates as a prison in the coming years to add to the historic record.” NMB Advancement Director Katie Bennett said, “Have you worked on the Casemates project? Please email me at advancement@nmb.bm so we can ensure your contributions are recognised. We are also looking for submissions to our , so if you have photos or stories of Casemates work, we encourage you to submit them.” The spokesperson said, “The museum encourages those interested to follow their progress on .” : , ,

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NoneORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Another NFL season is entering the home stretch with Week 13 of the 2024 season getting underway on Thanksgiving. Though the regular season may be approaching its end, Bills fans have something playoff-wise to potentially look forward to this week. Buffalo has the chance to earn one of the first playoff-clinching scenarios of the season during their game Sunday night against the San Francisco 49ers. If the Bills win on 'Sunday Night Football,' and the Miami Dolphins lose to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, Buffalo will clinch the AFC East for the fifth consecutive year in a row. This is the only clinching scenario for the Bills during Week 13. The only other team that can clinch a spot in the playoffs this week is their AFC rival Kansas City Chiefs, who also need a Miami loss on Thursday, along with a win on Black Friday vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. Another scenario that would clinch a playoff ticket for the Chiefs would be a win plus a Denver Broncos loss to the Cleveland Browns on Monday night. Kickoff between the Bills and 49ers is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. right here on WGRZ. Join us before the game as we will have a special edition of 'Sports Talk Live' beginning at 6:30 p.m. And don't forget, following the end of 'Sunday Night Football,' we will have postgame coverage on 'Channel 2 News Tonight,' right here on Channel 2. We've got some playoff-clinching scenarios to look out for in Week 13 👀 The @Chiefs can clinch a playoff berth with: - win on Black Friday vs. LV + MIA loss on Thanksgiving - OR with a win + DEN loss on MNF The @BuffaloBills can clinch the AFC East with: - win on Sunday vs. SF... pic.twitter.com/TZgRv0eQIA

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Onfolio Holdings Inc. Announces Quarterly Preferred Stock Cash Dividend of $0.75 Per ShareOdisha's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is set to undertake a comprehensive probe into the alleged attack on BJP-backed Independent MLA Himansu Sahoo. This follows an order given on Sunday by state authorities amid rising political tensions. According to Sahoo, he was assaulted by supporters of the opposing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) during an agitation while en route to an official meeting in Jajpur on November 20. The investigation will be led by a special team under the leadership of CID Deputy Superintendent of Police Saroj Kanta Mohanta. BJD leader and opposition Chief Whip Pramila Malilk, however, has criticized the Odisha Police for what she claims is a biased approach to the case, accusing them of harassing BJD leaders. To date, 19 people have been arrested in connection with the ongoing case as police enhance security in Jajpur town. (With inputs from agencies.)