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Why Miami’s Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance is important even after missing College Football PlayoffALISTAIR JOHNSTON’S crazy career background is like a story straight out of Hollywood . . . or Dollywood, to be more precise. The Celtic right-back was a bag of nerves when he was sent to Nashville SC in the 2020 MLS draft. Advertisement 6 Alistair Johnston admitted the MLS draft was a nerve-wracking experience Credit: Kenny Ramsay 6 He ended up in Nashville - home of country music and legendary star Dolly Parton Credit: Getty 6 But it worked out well and he eventually arrived at Celtic - and hasn't looked back Credit: Kenny Ramsay But Johnston reckons his move to the home of Dolly Parton and country music changed the course of his career. The 26-year-old Canadian opened up on the bizarre experience of that MLS draft, after penning a new five-year deal with the Hoops yesterday. AJ said: “It’s crazy to think that a lottery of a night with the draft changed everything. “Maybe if a different team had picked me, I wouldn’t have had the chance to break through. Advertisement Read More Celtic stories ROD RAGE Celtic fan slams Rod Stewart as he says 'I've invested more and I'm a pensioner' HIDDEN TALENTS Celtic star reveals he wears a heavy DISGUISE when he goes out in Glasgow “Before you know it, I’m bouncing around the MLS without ever finding a home. “You then don’t get to a place like Celtic , so I got lucky in a way with Nashville. “The draft was honestly one of the craziest experiences. “They set up a camera crew at my house and were filming it. Advertisement Most read in Football LEAVE IT OUT Rangers boss Clement shuts down reporter who quizzed him on his future JIM DELAHUNT Our man's tips on Gers v United, Hearts v Hoops & all the weekend action Breaking 'LONGER-TERM' Rangers boss Philippe Clement provides grim Neraysho Kasanwirjo update UNHAPPY BHOY Furious Celtic fan calls out fellow Hoops supporters who 'discredit our brand' “There was a producer who had a 20-second head start on what was going on. “I could see that he had every single team’s scarf lined up, waiting for the signal. Celtic star Alistair Johnston and Wag teach their dog to swim “Before I even knew who’d made the pick, he’d take that team’s scarf away. “So I’d look over at him and say, ‘OK, the Orlando scarf got pulled, so I’m not going there’. Advertisement “Likewise, I knew that if he picked one up and held it, I knew I’d be going there. “But he’d then be moving all the scarves around after a trade had happened, and I’m like, ‘This is insane’. “North America is so big, meaning you could be sent to Vancouver, where I was born, away on the west-coast. “But then the next pick is Miami , and you’re away down south-east with a totally different lifestyle . Advertisement “You’re constantly thinking, ‘What would my life be like there, there or there?’. “Everything being so out of your control is really odd. I've started saying 'Aye' all the time - multiple family members have brought it up “I was eventually told it was Nashville, but leading up to that, you have no clue. “It’s such an emotionally taxing experience. I was just happy I went 11th in the draft — I’m not sure I could have lasted if I went below 20th. It was crazy.” Advertisement Johnston embraced Nashville life, and after a stint at CF Montreal, he then joined the Hoops in 2022. Two years on, he had no hesitation in putting down roots in Glasgow , and admits he loves Scotland , despite being cool on one of our national drinks. Johnston added: “My fiancee Peyton is from North Carolina so she had already taught me the Southern ways. Advertisement “Nashville is just west so I was open to the idea of embracing the Southern charm . “It took me a while to embrace country music, but after a while I got hooked! “But I also really love Glasgow and Scotland . “I’ve started saying ‘Aye’ all the time and multiple family members have brought it up. Advertisement “I’ve tried Irn Bru , which was OK, but the colour of it, you think that should be getting poured into an engine! “I like a Scotch and my dad loves it, so I always have to have a nice bottle for him when he comes over. " Golf is another one and we’ve got a good group here who like to play. I’ve played some courses that are way better than my skill level. 6 Moving to Nashville was close to fiancee Peyton's home Advertisement 6 The couple have put down roots in Glasgow - and Johnston is now staying for longer Credit: Kenny Ramsay 6 He loves life in Scotland - but isn't so sure about the national drink Credit: Alamy “I hacked it around Troon and Turnberry was a disaster , I lost 30 balls on the back nine! “A lot has happened to me since I moved to Scotland. Advertisement “We got engaged at Turnberry and we got a dog, which is like starting a family in some ways. “So we’ve set up quite a few roots here now and we’ve really enjoyed our time. “That’s something that wasn’t lost on myself or my fiancee in terms of making this decision. “It’s a place where we feel really comfortable and it wasn’t difficult to sign. Advertisement “The club wanted a new contract as a priority, and they made it clear they value me. “You want to be part of something that feels important, and that’s what Celtic gives you. Glasgow grannies and dog-walks in disguise By DAVID OLIVER ALISTAIR JOHNSTON says a 'heavy disguise' is part of his make-up every day in Glasgow. But he stood tall when handed the Celtic captain's armband for a 3-0 win against Motherwell last month. The defender grabbed his 50th cap for Canada in the international break - another honour to add to his growing collection. And the Premier Sports Cup could be next with the Hoops in the final against rivals Rangers in December. It's one Johnston is looking forward to against his club's big rivals - one that takes a daily toll on his everyday life in Glasgow , even to the point of affecting how he walks his DOG. He told the Canadian Press when he goes out "it's normally under pretty heavy disguise" during the day time. The right-back added: "In Nashville and Montreal I could walk through the streets and not get any abuse. Over here, every single person knows who you are and they either love you or they hate you, "I've had my fair share of pep talks and scoldings from grandmothers on the street. "The passion for the sport, it's second to none. "It's something I've learned, that I'm not going to be there for ever so cherish it while you are there because it's not normal — and it's not normal to a lot of cities in the world and it's not normal to a lot of players, no matter what club you play for. "It's definitely a unique experience but I've enjoyed it." “I have been lucky enough to be part of many in the last two years, and hopefully there are more to come.” Still only 26, Johnston revealed he would never rule out ending his career at the champions. Advertisement He said: “I am not that far-sighted, but if you could stand the test of time and the demands at Celtic, that would be just unbelievably special. “Only really a handful of guys can go out and do that. Callum McGregor and James Forrest are among the most decorated and legendary players here. “It’s not often that happens but we will see. “I have five more years, and hopefully I can do well enough that I can think of an extension down the line again.” Advertisement Celts boss Brendan Rodgers hailed Johnston’s personality, and insists the new deal is smart business for all parties. He said: “The club is really good at getting players committed to long-term contracts. “It doesn’t always mean that they will be there for that length of time, but at least it protects the asset. Advertisement “Ali loves being at Celtic, and he has the voice and personality to be a success here. “I’ve really enjoyed my time working with him. Read more on the Scottish Sun COMIC'S CASTLE Still Game star takes £150,000 hit to offload luxury £4m Scots castle HITTING THE HIGH NOTES Much-loved pub named best music bar in Scotland “I can see his development and I can see him growing. “He’s got so many attributes on and off the pitch that really help this team and this club.” Advertisement Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow , a Russian diplomat said, as rebels took control of the capital, Damascus, bringing to an end the brutal, half-century rule of the Assad family. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador in Vienna, said in a social media post late on December 8 that "Assad and his family are in Moscow" after going through what he characterized as a "difficult situation." According to Russian media reports, Assad and his family have been granted asylum by Moscow. The Biden administration could not confirm the information but said it had no reason to doubt it. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Assad "decided to resign" after "negotiations" with a "number of participants in the armed conflict" and left office "giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power." "Russia did not participate in these negotiations," the ministry added. Russia has been a longstanding ally of Syria, providing significant military and political support to Assad's regime, especially during the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement came as the rebels said in a statement aired on state TV that Damascus is "now free of Assad," whose family ruled the country with an iron fist since 1971. Syrians across the country took to the streets to celebrate Assad's ouster, pulling down statues and ransacking government buildings. Social media footage showed crowds of men entering the presidential place in Damascus, with reports of looting. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said in a video that the government is "ready to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the people." "We believe that Syria is for all Syrians and that it is the country of all its sons and that this country can be a normal state that builds good relations with its neighbors and the world without entering into any regional alliances and blocs," Jalali said. He was later seen leaving his home on December 8, escorted by armed men, reportedly to meet the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Sunni rebel group that led the current offensive against the Assad regime. HTS is a U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization. In recent years, the Islamist militant group severed ties with Al-Qaeda and sought to remake itself as a pragmatic alternative to the Syrian government. But concerns remain over its alleged rights abuses and ties to terrorist groups. Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the HTS, has sought to reassure Shi'ite Alawites and other Syrian minorities, including Christians, that he will not discriminate against minorities. U.S. Strikes Against IS In Washington, President Joe Biden said the United States "will engage with all Syrian groups" as the country transitions to a post-Assad government. He cautioned that some of the rebel groups that helped overthrow Assad "have their own grim record" of human rights abuses even though they have been "saying the right things" in recent days. "As they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words but their actions," Biden said in a televised address from the White House on December 8. He said the United States will be closely watching the activities of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, which could seek to use the power vacuum to again establish rule in Syria. Biden said the United States conducted precision strikes on IS positions in Syria earlier in the day. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the Assad regime’s refusal since 2011 to engage "in a credible political process and its reliance on the brutal support of Russia and Iran led inevitably to its own collapse." "After 14 years of conflict, the Syrian people finally have reason for hope," he added. A senior Biden administration official told reporters on background it was a "significant" strike on 75 IS targets in eastern Syria using B-52s and F-15s. "These guys want to reconstitute...and we are going to make sure that if they think they can seize advantage in this situation, that they can't," the senior official said. Setback For Russia Experts have said the fall of the Assad regime represents a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin, which, along with Tehran, has supported the Syrian government through many years of civil war. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Russia and Iran did not appear to bolster the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), which was rapidly collapsing, by rushing in additional forces. Biden said Russia has been weakened by the nearly three-year war in Ukraine while Iran's proxies in the region have been crushed by Israel. Russia has an estimated 7,500 troops and multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim and strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin's actions in North and Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the Russian RIA Novosti news agency, the leaders of the armed Syrian opposition "have guaranteed security to the Russian military bases and diplomatic establishments in Syria." RFE/RL can not confirm those reports. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying he "wasn't in the business of guessing." The senior Biden administration official expressed some doubt about Russia's ability to maintain the bases. "The Russians have now announced that they have taken Assad to Moscow. So we'll see what the Syrians who have worked for decades to overthrow the yoke of the Assad regime think about that when it comes to the Russian facilities," he said. Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament, said on December 8 that Syrians will have to cope with a full-scale war alone, but he suggested Moscow was ready to support the Syrian people in certain circumstances. The ISW said Moscow had not yet begun to evacuate the naval base, "but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep its vessels at the port as Syrian rebels continue to advance swiftly across regime-held territory." Ruslan Suleymanov, a Russian expert on the Middle East, told RFE/RL that Moscow would "cooperate with the rebels" if they take power in Damascus and that HTS too has "claimed previously that it was ready to negotiate" with the Kremlin. "Putin wants to save his military presence in the region. In any case, to do that, he has to make concessions -- both to jihadists and to [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan who supports [the rebels]," Suleymanov said. The surprise offensive began on November 27 during which a coalition of rebel groups led by HTS captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's second largest. Since then, they moved on to take other major cities with Assad's forces providing little resistance. Besides HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive, though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad, as well as his Russian and Iranian allies. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. Neighbors, World Powers React The developments in Damascus prompted Syria's neighbors to take urgent measures, with Lebanon announcing it was closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria, too. Israel said on December 8 it has deployed forces in a demilitarized buffer zone along its northern border with Syria and sent troops "other places necessary for its defense." The Israeli military said the deployment was meant to provide security for residents of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The United States said it will maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State (IS) in the region. The United States has about 900 soldiers in Syria. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro said Washington is "aware that the chaotic and dynamic circumstances on the ground in Syria could give [IS] space to find the ability to become active, to plan external operations." Speaking at a security conference in Bahrain on December 8, Shapiro said the United States is determined to work with its partners to "continue to degrade [IS] capabilities." "[We're determined] to ensure [IS's] enduring defeat, to ensure the secure detention of IS fighters and the repatriation of displaced persons," Shapiro added. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen described the latest developments as a "watershed moment in Syria's history" and urged all armed actors in the country to maintain law and order and preserve pubic institutions. Speaking in Doha on December 8, Pedersen also said he has no information on Assad's whereabouts. Tom Fletcher, head of the UN humanitarian aid agency, warned about the plight of the millions of Syrians displaced by nearly 14 years of the country’s civil war. Now many more are in danger, Fletcher said. “We will respond wherever, whenever, however we can, to support people in need, including reception centers -- food, water, fuel, tents, blankets,” he said. British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner called for a "political solution" while the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was time in Syria for unity, a peaceful political transition, and for fighting to end. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow, Russian state media reported, as rebels have taken control of the Syrian capital, Damascus, bringing to an end the brutal, half-century rule of the Assad family. According to Russian media reports, Assad and his family have been granted asylum by Moscow. The Biden administration could not confirm the information but said it had no reason to doubt it. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Assad "decided to resign" after "negotiations" with a "number of participants in the armed conflict" and left office "giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power." "Russia did not participate in these negotiations," the ministry added. Russia has been a longstanding ally of Syria, providing significant military and political support to Assad's regime, especially during the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement came as the rebels said in a statement aired on state TV that Damascus is "now free of Assad," whose family ruled the country with an iron fist since 1971. Syrians across the country took to the streets to celebrate Assad's ouster, pulling down statues and ransacking government buildings. Social media footage showed crowds of men entering the presidential place in Damascus, with reports of looting. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said in a video that the government is "ready to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the people." "We believe that Syria is for all Syrians and that it is the country of all its sons and that this country can be a normal state that builds good relations with its neighbors and the world without entering into any regional alliances and blocs," Jalali said. He was later seen leaving his home on December 8, escorted by armed men, reportedly to meet the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Sunni rebel group that led the current offensive against the Assad regime. HTS is a U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization. In recent years, the Islamist militant group severed ties with Al-Qaeda and sought to remake itself as a pragmatic alternative to the Syrian government. But concerns remain over its alleged rights abuses and ties to terrorist groups. Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the HTS, has sought to reassure Shi'ite Alawites and other Syrian minorities, including Christians, that he will not discriminate against minorities. U.S. Strikes Against IS In Washington, President Joe Biden said the United States "will engage with all Syrian groups" as the country transitions to a post-Assad government. He cautioned that some of the rebel groups that helped overthrow Assad "have their own grim record" of human rights abuses even though they have been "saying the right things" in recent days. "As they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words but their actions," Biden said in a televised address from the White House on December 8. He said the United States will be closely watching the activities of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, which could seek to use the power vacuum to again establish rule in Syria. Biden said the United States conducted precision strikes on IS positions in Syria earlier in the day. A senior Biden administration official told reporters on background it was a "significant" strike on 75 IS targets in eastern Syria using B-52s and F-15s. "These guys want to reconstitute...and we are going to make sure that if they think they can seize advantage in this situation, that they can't," the senior official said. Setback For Russia Experts have said the fall of the Assad regime represents a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin, which, along with Tehran, has supported the Syrian government through many years of civil war. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that Russia and Iran did not appear to bolster the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), which was rapidly collapsing, by rushing in additional forces. Biden said Russia has been weakened by the nearly three-year war in Ukraine while Iran's proxies in the region have been crushed by Israel. Russia has an estimated 7,500 troops and multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim and strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin's actions in North and Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the Russian RIA Novosti news agency, the leaders of the armed Syrian opposition "have guaranteed security to the Russian military bases and diplomatic establishments in Syria." RFE/RL can not confirm those reports. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying he "wasn't in the business of guessing." The senior Biden administration official expressed some doubt about Russia's ability to maintain the bases. "The Russians have now announced that they have taken Assad to Moscow. So we'll see what the Syrians who have worked for decades to overthrow the yoke of the Assad regime think about that when it comes to the Russian facilities," he said. Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament, said on December 8 that Syrians will have to cope with a full-scale war alone, but he suggested Moscow was ready to support the Syrian people in certain circumstances. The ISW said Moscow had not yet begun to evacuate the naval base, "but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep its vessels at the port as Syrian rebels continue to advance swiftly across regime-held territory." Ruslan Suleymanov, a Russian expert on the Middle East, told RFE/RL that Moscow would "cooperate with the rebels" if they take power in Damascus and that HTS too has "claimed previously that it was ready to negotiate" with the Kremlin. "Putin wants to save his military presence in the region. In any case, to do that, he has to make concessions -- both to jihadists and to [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan who supports [the rebels]," Suleymanov said. The surprise offensive began on November 27 during which a coalition of rebel groups led by HTS captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's second largest. Since then, they moved on to take other major cities with Assad's forces providing little resistance. Besides HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive, though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad, as well as his Russian and Iranian allies. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. Neighbors, World Powers React The developments in Damascus prompted Syria's neighbors to take urgent measures, with Lebanon announcing it was closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria, too. Israel said on December 8 it has deployed forces in a demilitarized buffer zone along its northern border with Syria and sent troops "other places necessary for its defense." The Israeli military said the deployment was meant to provide security for residents of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The United States said it will maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State (IS) in the region. The United States has about 900 soldiers in Syria. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Daniel Shapiro said Washington is "aware that the chaotic and dynamic circumstances on the ground in Syria could give [IS] space to find the ability to become active, to plan external operations." Speaking at a security conference in Bahrain on December 8, Shapiro said the United States is determined to work with its partners to "continue to degrade [IS] capabilities." "[We're determined] to ensure [IS's] enduring defeat, to ensure the secure detention of IS fighters and the repatriation of displaced persons," Shapiro added. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen described the latest developments as a "watershed moment in Syria's history" and urged all armed actors in the country to maintain law and order and preserve pubic institutions. Speaking in Doha on December 8, Pedersen also said he has no information on Assad's whereabouts. Tom Fletcher, head of the UN humanitarian aid agency, warned about the plight of the millions of Syrians displaced by nearly 14 years of the country’s civil war. Now many more are in danger, Fletcher said. “We will respond wherever, whenever, however we can, to support people in need, including reception centers -- food, water, fuel, tents, blankets,” he said. British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner called for a "political solution" while the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was time in Syria for unity, a peaceful political transition, and for fighting to end. President-elect Donald Trump said Russia and Iran are in a "weakened state" and called on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine. Trump made the comments in a post on Truth Social on December 8 as Syrian rebels captured Damascus , ending the half-century rule of the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad family. The incoming U.S. president said Russia and Iran couldn't come to the support of Syrian dictator Assad because they were in a "weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success." Russia has lost about 600,000 soldiers since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Trump said, adding that Ukraine has lost about 400,000 defending its territory. "There should be an immediate cease-fire and negotiations should begin," Trump said. "I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The world is waiting!" The Kremlin did not immediately respond to Trump's comment. Paris Meeting Trump said in the post that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy "would like to make a deal." Trump held talks with Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on December 7 to discuss the war. Zelenskiy called the trilateral talks "good and productive" and said the leaders discussed the potential for "a just peace." Trump and Zelenskiy were among world leaders who gathered in Paris on December 7 to mark the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. "We talked about our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a just peace for Ukraine. We all want to end this war as quickly and fairly as possible," Zelenskiy said in a December 7 post on Telegram . "President Trump, as always, is determined. We are thankful for that," he added. Macron said , "Let us continue joint efforts for peace, security." Trump , who will take office on January 20, has criticized the tens of billions of dollars the United States has poured into Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. He has claimed he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. Experts say it will be difficult to hammer out a peace deal quickly because there are so many aspects, including security guarantees for Ukraine and sanctions relief for Russia. In the meantime, the outgoing Biden administration has been accelerating weapons shipments to Ukraine ahead of the transfer of power to Trump to bolster its defenses. Washington said on December 7 that it is preparing a $988 million package of arms and equipment to Ukraine, funds taken from the remaining $2.21 billion available in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The funds will be used to buy precision missiles for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and for drones, the Pentagon said. European countries are also stepping up aid in case the Trump administration ends U.S. support for Kyiv. Zelenskiy announced on December 7 that Ukraine had received a second shipment of sophisticated F-16 fighter jets from Denmark. Copenhagen announced last year it would deliver a total of 19 aircraft to Ukraine. "The second batch of F-16s for Ukraine from Denmark is already in Ukraine. This is the leadership in protecting life that distinguishes Denmark," he wrote on Telegram . Police in Romania have detained several people as they headed toward Bucharest carrying guns, machetes, and knives to allegedly "disrupt public order and peace," authorities said on December 8. At least 13 people were being questioned by law enforcement agencies after their vehicles were stopped overnight in the Ilfov county, police sources told RFE/RL. Authorities did not release the names of those in custody but according to sources at the judiciary, among them is Horatiu Potra , leader of the contingent of Romanian private military contractors fighting in the African nation of Congo. Ilfov police said a criminal probe has been launched into the issue. According to Romanian media, Potra was sentenced to two years in prison with a suspended sentence in 2011 after being found guilty of founding a paramilitary group. State news agency Agerpres published a photo of Potra being escorted by several armed officers as he was being taken for questioning, according to the agency. The arrests came as dozens of supporters of Romania’s far-right, pro-Russian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu were preparing to stage a protest in Bucharest after a runoff vote -- scheduled for December 8 -- was scrapped by the country's Constitutional Court. The rally took place without incident with Georgescu in attendance. "I came only with flowers and prayer," he told those gathered in Mogosoaia, just outside Bucharest. "I am not calling on anyone to do anything, it is a moment of silence," he added. Romania’s far-right, pro-Russian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu and dozens of his supporters staged a protest at a shuttered polling station in Bucharest after an election runoff was scrapped by the country's Constitutional Court. More than 100 people gathered outside a polling station in the capital on December 8 -- the originally scheduled date of the runoff vote -- chanting "Down with dictatorship," "We want to vote," and "Thieves.” Georgescu, whose pro-Russian comments have prompted protests by thousands of mostly young Romanians in recent days, said the authorities canceled the elections because they were afraid he would win. "I'm here in the name of democracy and always will be," Georgescu told reporters outside the station in the European Union and NATO member country. Georgescu, who ran as an independent, won the first round of the election on November 24 ahead of reformist Elena Lasconi of the center-right Save Romania Union party, setting up the second-round runoff. However, the Constitutional Court on December 6 annuled the entire presidential election, throwing the process into upheaval even as diaspora voting in the second round had already begun at sites outside the country. The court in its published ruling cited the illegal use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, as well as the use of "undeclared sources of funding." Georgescu had blasted the court's ruling as an "officialized coup" and an attack on democracy, while Lasconi also assailed the decision. Georgescu on December 7 urged voters to turn up at polling stations and "to wait for democracy to win through their power," according to a statement by his team. "Mr. Calin Georgescu believes that voting is an earned right. That is why he believes that Romanians have the right to be in front of the polling stations tomorrow," the statement said. The runoff had been seen as a referendum on the NATO and EU member's future course amid accusations of Russian meddling that brought thousands of Romanians onto the streets in support of the country's place in the Euro-Atlantic community. The Constitutional Court’s unprecedented decision came just two days after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence that alleged Russia had organized thousands of social media accounts to promote Georgescu -- the shock first-round winner -- across platforms such as TikTok and Telegram. Georgescu had appeared as a favorite to win the runoff, but was passed by Lasconi in the latest opinion poll after the intelligence documents were released. The court, without naming Georgescu, said that one of the 13 candidates in the November 24 first round had improperly received “preferential treatment” on social media, distorting the outcome of the vote. Iohannis said he would remain in office until a new presidential election could be conducted again from the start. He is expected to appoint a prime minister to begin forming a government from the parliament that was elected on December 1. That administration will choose the date of the new election. TBILISI -- Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Georgian capital on December 7 following a violent crackdown the night before by riot police against demonstrators angered by the government’s decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union. Violence broke out again late in the night, as witnesses said journalists and others were beaten by groups of men in street clothes while nearby security personnel did not attempt to intervene. Many of the protesters were calling for the release of fellow demonstrators arrested in previous rallies. Georgian police reported that 48 people had been detained the night before. In the previous night's demonstration – which started late on December 6 -- riot police began dispersing protesters gathered on Rustaveli Avenue in front of the parliament building at about 12:30 a.m. on December 7. Special forces detained several people at Republic Square by 1:30 a.m. local time on December 7. They had mobilized earlier on Rustaveli Avenue about 600 meters away from the main center of the demonstration on Republic Square. Among those detained is Tsotne Koberidze, a member of the Tbilisi City Council from the opposition party Girchi (More Freedom), RFE/RL reported. A young woman who had been standing in front of the cordon for several minutes was also detained. Warning messages urging protesters to disperse continued as the riot police attempted to break up the protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Demonstrators moved away from the avenue but did not disperse. Tensions have been running high in Georgia since the ruling Georgian Dream party won an election on October 26 that the pro-Western opposition and Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili say was rigged with the help of Moscow. Earlier on December 6, Zurabishvili called on Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to step down as pressure mounts on the government amid a violent crackdown on unrest. Zurabishvili made the call in an interview with Georgia's Channel One media group as the Prosecutor-General's Office announced that it had filed its first criminal charges against protesters who have taken to the streets to rally against the move. "The prime minister who has failed to settle the crisis...must be replaced," Zurabishvili said. "This is the compromise, depolarization, a way out for Georgia, stability, peace and the future, which will be unshakable, free and democratic," she added. Zurabishvili traveled to Paris on December 7 for ceremonies marking the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral, which had been restored following a devastating 2019 fire. She said on social media that she had an "in-depth discussion" there with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and French leader Emmanuel Macron, posting a video of the talks on X. Zurabishvili also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and thanked him for his support for the Caucasus nation. The announcement last week by Georgian Dream to halt talks on joining the EU until 2028 further fueled dissension, with thousands of Georgians flooding the streets around parliament in protest. The largely peaceful protesters have been met with a sometimes-brutal crackdown by security forces, leaving dozens -- including opposition members and journalists covering the events -- in need of medical attention. The Prosecutor-General's Office, however, said it charged nine individuals with organizing and participating in group violence during the protests on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. "This is a choice between autocracy and democracy -- there is no other way," Tere Heland, an adviser to the European Neighborhood Council, which provides information on current events in Georgia, told RFE/RL in an interview on December 6. Opposition leaders have also rejected accusations by Georgian Dream that the violence was the product of a conspiracy -- aided by foreign actors -- to provoke chaos. Levan Tsutskiridze, leader of the Freedom Square movement and one of the most influential members of the Strong Georgia political coalition, said the actions of government forces against peaceful protesters were "tragic." He accused the police of "mass terror, with physical violence, intimidation, and torture." The opposition has also called for fresh elections, saying that without a new vote, the restoration of democratic legitimacy is impossible. Georgia's Interior Ministry told RFE/RL on December 6 that a total of 338 individuals had been detained for administrative violations during the protests, which security forces have tried to put down with water cannons, vast amounts of tear gas, and harsh beatings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called his trilateral talks with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump “good and productive” and said the leaders discussed the situation on the ground in Ukraine and the potential for “a just peace.” “We talked about our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a just peace for Ukraine. We all want to end this war as quickly and fairly as possible,” Zelenskiy said on Telegram from Paris on December 7 as world leaders gathered to mark the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral. "President Trump, as always, is determined. We are thankful for that," he added. Macron said , "Let us continue joint efforts for peace, security." It was not immediately known if Trump would make public comments following the talks. Zelenskiy, looking to bolster support for his nation’s fight against the full-scale Russian invasion that began in February 2022, arrived in the French capital at midday as more than three dozen global dignitaries gathered for the ceremonies, many of whom applauded the Ukrainian leader at the Notre Dame event. Zelenskiy arrived at the Elysee Palace for the three-way talks at 5:30 p.m. Paris time. The three men posed for photos at but made no public comments before the talks began. Zelenskiy is expected to leave Paris immediately following the ceremonies at Notre Dame, which was restored following a devastating 2019 fire, aided by some $1 billion in donations from around the globe. Trump , who will take office on January 20, has criticized the billions of dollars the United States has poured into Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion. Trump has also said he could end the war within 24 hours of retaking the White House, a statement that has been interpreted as meaning that Ukraine would have to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. The two also have a long history, mainly through an infamous phone call. During that July 2019 call, Trump asked Zelenskiy to look into the activities in Ukraine of Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. The elder Biden went on to defeat Trump in the 2020 presidential election. The call led to accusations that Trump had conditioned the release of nearly $400 million in military aid on an investigation into the Bidens, and Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate acquitted Trump on both charges in February 2020. "We expect a good decision from today's meeting with Macron," a source within the Ukrainian delegation told the AFP news agency before the announcement of the three-way talks. AFP also reported that Elon Musk, the world's richest man and one of Trump's closest allies, is expected to attend the ceremonies. On social media, Zelenskiy earlier said that Ukraine had received a second shipment of sophisticated F-16 fighter jets from Denmark. "The second batch of F-16s for Ukraine from Denmark is already in Ukraine. This is the leadership in protecting life that distinguishes Denmark," he wrote on Telegram . "The planes provided by the Danes from the first batch are already shooting down Russian missiles and saving our people, our infrastructure. Now our air shield is additionally strengthened. If all partners were so determined, it would be possible to prevent Russian terror," he said. In November , Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that Denmark would transfer two more batches of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Six had already been transferred, with a total of 19 aircraft earmarked for delivery by Copenhagen. Separately, Washington said it is preparing a $988 million package of arms and equipment to Ukraine, funds taken from the remaining $2.21 billion available in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The funds will be used to buy ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and for drones, the Pentagon said, as the administration of President Joe Biden attempts to bolster Kyiv before he leaves office. BUCHAREST -- Romania’s far-right, pro-Russian presidential candidate defiantly told voters to turn up at polling stations for a December 8 election runoff that has been scrapped by the Constitutional Court. While Calin Georgescu attempts to fill the streets with backers, however, his actual level of support remains uncertain. Georgescu told supporters "to wait to be welcomed, to wait for democracy to win through their power," according to a statement on December 7 by his team. "Mr. Calin Georgescu believes that voting is an earned right. That is why he believes that Romanians have the right to be in front of the polling stations tomorrow," the statement said, adding that Georgescu would go to a polling station near the capital, Bucharest, early in the morning. Over recent days, thousands of mostly young Romanians have taken to the streets to protest against his pro-Russia comments. Georgescu, who ran as an independent, had won the first round of the presidential election on November 24, ahead of reformist Elena Lasconi of the center-right Save Romania Union party, setting up a runoff originally set for December 8. However, Romania's Constitutional Court on December 6 annulled the entire presidential election, throwing the process into upheaval even as diaspora voting had already begun at sites throughout the globe. Georgescu had blasted the court’s ruling as an “officialized coup” and an attack on democracy, while Lasconi also assailed the decision. The Constitutional Court in its published ruling cited the illegal use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, as well as the use of “undeclared sources of funding.” The runoff had been seen as a referendum on the NATO and EU member's future course amid accusations of Russian meddling that brought thousands of Romanians onto the streets in support of the country's place in the Euro-Atlantic community. The Constitutional Court’s unprecedented decision came just two days after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence that alleged Russia had organized thousands of social media accounts to promote Georgescu -- the shock first-round winner -- across platforms such as TikTok and Telegram. Georgescu had appeared as a favorite to win the runoff, but was passed by Lasconi in the latest opinion poll after the intelligence documents were released. The court, without naming Georgescu, said that one of the 13 candidates in the November 24 first round had improperly received “preferential treatment” on social media, distorting the outcome of the vote. Georgescu and Lasconi were supposed to meet in a runoff this weekend. Voting abroad had already started when the court shelved the entire election and instructed the government to set a new one. Iohannis said he would remain in office until a new presidential election could be conducted again from the start. He is expected to appoint a prime minister to begin forming a government from the parliament that was elected on December 1. That administration will choose the date of the new election. Meanwhile, Romania authorities conducted searches at three homes as part of the probe into the election irregularities. 'In the central city of Brasov, police searched three homes early on December 7 as part of a probe "in connection with the crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, and computer forgery," the local prosecutor’s office said in a statement. It added that the police action had targeted a person involved in the "illegal financing of the electoral campaign of a candidate for the presidency of Romania, through the use of sums of money," without naming Georgescu. The statement also said the investigation involved alleged violations of Romanian law prohibiting organizations and symbols of a fascist, racist or xenophobic character. In Washington, the U.S. State Department said Romanians must have confidence their elections are free of harmful external influences. "The United States reaffirms our confidence in Romania’s democratic institutions and processes, including investigations into foreign malign influence," the department said in a statement issued late on December 6. Syrian rebels led by Islamist militants have entered the central city of Homs as they close in on Damascus while the country’s main allies -- Russia and Iran -- scrambled to protect the regime of authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad and their own assets in the country. Abu Mohammad al-Golani, a leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, said late on December 7 that the insurgent fighters were "in the final moments of liberating" Homs, a city of 775,000 people. HTS is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Britain, Canada, and the European Union. Experts said the future of the Assad regime was hanging in the balance -- and that, if it fell, it would also represent a major geopolitical setback for the Kremlin which, along with Tehran, has supported the Syrian government through many years of civil war. Media reports said many residents of Damascus were stocking up on supplies as thousands were attempting to leave the country through the border with Lebanon -- itself a war-torn nation in the increasingly chaotic Middle East. As fighting on the ground and rebel gains intensified, the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey held emergency talks in Doha, Qatar, on December 7 calling for an end to hostilities in the most serious challenge to Assad’s rule in years. The U.S. State Department told RFE/RL that Washington was closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Syria. A spokesperson said the United States and its partners and allies urged that civilians, including members of minority groups, be protected. The spokesperson said it was time to negotiate an end to the Syrian conflict consistent with principals established in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. The spokesperson added that the refusal of the Assad regime to engage in the process has directly led to the current situation. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War ( ISW ) said that “Assad regime forces have collapsed and Assad’s backers do not appear willing to bolster the Syrian Arab Army by rapidly deploying additional forces.” Russia has multiple military sites in Syria, including an air base at Hmeimim and strategic naval facilities at Tartus, which are also used to support the Kremlin’s actions in Africa. The ISW said that Moscow had not yet begun to evacuate the base, “but it remains unclear whether Russia will keep its vessels at the port as Syrian rebels continue to advance swiftly across regime-held territory.” The American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats blog said the Assad regime “faces an existential threat given the widespread collapse of regime forces and lack of sufficient external backing to bolster these forces.” It added that “Russia will face logistic challenges that will undermine its Africa operations if it loses its footprint in Syria.” Mark Katz, a professor emeritus at George Mason University who focuses on Russia and the Middle East, told RFE/RL that the Kremlin risks losing its air assets in Syria if it can’t agree with Turkey on the use of its airspace. “In one sense, the Turkish government might be happy to grant permission as the more the Russian Air Force is out of Syria, the happier Ankara will be,” he said. "Russia would also face difficulties relocating its warships because they would need Turkey's permission to get into the Black Sea. They would have to go through NATO waters," he added. Meanwhile, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the United States “should have nothing to do” with the war in Syria, where a small contingent of U.S. forces remain deployed in some areas. "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT,” he wrote on the Truth Social platform. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Fast-moving developments on the ground were difficult to confirm, but media outlets quoted witnesses as well as rebel and Syrian army sources as saying militant fighters were continuing to make large gains on December 7 in their effort to topple Assad. Some reported signs of panic in Damascus, with shortages of critical supplies, although the government said Assad was at work as usual in the capital. Government forces and their Russian allies appear to have failed in their attempt to halt the rebel push toward Homs, which stands at an important intersection between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus. Homs is 140 kilometers from the capital. Witnesses and army sources told Reuters and other news agencies that rebels had entered Homs amid reports that government forces had pulled out. Celebrations were reported in some areas of the city. Homs Province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan. The city is also home to one of Syria’s two state-run oil refineries. The AFP news agency quoted security sources as saying hundreds of Syrian government troops, some injured, had fled across the border into Iraq. The surprising offensive was launched last week by a coalition of rebel groups led by the Islamist HTS faction. Besides HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive, though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said civilians were fleeing from Homs toward the Mediterranean coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the government and the site of the Russian air and naval bases. Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment on the fate of the Russian bases, saying he “wasn’t in the business of guessing.” The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and inflict losses on Assad, as well as his Russian and Iranian allies. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. Following the foreign ministers' meeting in Doha, Lavrov said -- referring to HTS rebels -- that it was "inadmissible to allow terrorist groups" to take control of Syrian territory and that Russia would oppose them with all means possible. Since the rebels seized control of Aleppo a week ago, they have moved on to capture other major cities with Assad’s forces providing little resistance. Besides capturing Aleppo in the north, Hama in the center, and Deir al-Zor in the east, rebels rose up in southern Suweida and Deraa, saying on December 6 they had taken control of the two cities and posting videos showing insurgent celebrations there. Taking Deraa and Suweida in the south could allow a concerted assault on the capital, Damascus, the seat of Assad's power, military sources said. Video posted online showed protesters in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana chanting and tearing down a statue of Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria from 1971 until his death in 2000, when his son took power. Golani, the HTS leader, told CNN in an exclusive interview on December 5 from Syria that Assad’s government was bound to fall, propped up only by Russia and Iran. “The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it,” he said. “But the truth remains, this regime is dead.” Prosecutors with a special international court in The Hague confirmed on December 6 that a new indictment has been filed against former Kosovar President Hashim Thaci and four other people for allegedly attempting to influence witness testimony in a war crimes trials. Thaci has been charged with three counts of obstruction, four counts of violating the secrecy of proceedings, and four counts of contempt of court, a statement released by prosecutors said. He was in the detention facilities of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers when served with an arrest warrant on the charges, the statement said. A separate statement issued by the Kosovo Specialists Chambers in The Hague said "the indictment charges the accused with offences related to alleged unlawful efforts to influence witness testimonies in the Thaci et al war crimes trial." The four others charged are former Justice Minister Hajredin Kuci, former Kosovar Intelligence Agency chief Bashkim Smakaj, former Malisheva Mayor Isni Kilaj, and Fadil Fazliu. Smakaj, Fazliu, and Kilaj were arrested on December 5 in Kosovo and transported to the Specialist Chambers’ detention facility in The Hague, the court said. They have been charged with attempted obstruction of official persons in carrying out official duties and of disobeying the court and are expected to make their first court appearance on the charges in the next few days, the statement said. Thaci is being tried by the court in a separate case against former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is accused of coordinating "three separate groups" along with Smakaj, Kilajn, Kuci, and Fazliu to influence the testimony of prosecution witnesses in the case against him and others for war crimes. The indictment says that Thaci gave Smakaj, Kilaj, Fazliu, and Kuci confidential information about witnesses, instructions to influence their testimony, and details on how they should do so during nonprivileged visits to the detention facility that took place between April 12, 2023, and November 2, 2023. The new indictment comes a day after the Specialist Prosecutor's Office announced that it was conducting ongoing operations in Kosovo in connection with its investigations. The Specialist Chamber was established in 2015 by the Kosovo Assembly to prosecute mainly former KLA fighters for war crimes and is part of Kosovo's judicial system, but it operates with international staff and is based in The Hague. Fear of witness intimidation was one of the reasons why the court is located there. Thaci, a former KLA commander, became president of Kosovo after it declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but resigned in late 2020 to face war crimes and crimes against humanity charges. He has pleaded not guilty. Thaci is widely seen as a guerilla hero in Kosovo, but prosecutors said he openly oversaw a brutal reign of violence as the ethnic Albanian KLA tried to tighten its grip on power during and after the war. The Kosovo war, which claimed some 13,000 lives, ended after a NATO bombing campaign forced Serb forces to withdraw. An attack by Russian troops on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya on the evening of December 6 killed 10 people, according to regional Governor Ivan Fedorov as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy slammed Russia for carrying out the attack. Fedorov said that another 20 people were injured, including three children. One of the injured adults, a 23-year-old man, is in extremely serious condition, he added. The impact destroyed a service station and damaged nearby houses and shops, Fedorov said on Telegram. His post included a video of smoke rising from a building and debris strewn across the street. The state emergency service said that attack caused the fire, which engulfed six cars, a garage, and the service station. The fire has been put out, the service said. A separate attack on Kryviy Rih in the southern region of Dnipropetrovsk killed two people. A three-story building was destroyed in the attack, and residential buildings and cars were damaged, the emergency service said on Telegram. Zelenskiy said the attacks showed Russia has no interest in striking a deal to end the full-scale invasion it launched in February 2022. "Thousands of such strikes carried out by Russia during this war make it absolutely clear that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin does not need real peace," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. "Only by force can we resist this. And only through force can real peace be established," he added. Zelenskiy is set to travel to Paris for a ceremony on December 7 to mark the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral after a restoration following a devastating fire in 2019, according to news reports quoting unidentified sources. A source in the Ukrainian government was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying that Zelenskiy will attend the celebrations marking the restoration of the cathedral and will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. He also hopes to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who is expected to attend the ceremony. It would be their first meeting since Trump was elected president for a second non-consecutive term on November 5. Trump has repeatedly criticized U.S. military aid to Kyiv and said he would end the war within 24 hours of returning to the White House but has yet to provide details. There are fears in Kyiv that Trump could try to force Ukraine to the negotiating table and accept peace terms favorable to Russia. Trump has named Keith Kellogg, a retired general who has called on Kyiv to make concessions to end the war, as his Ukraine envoy. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden's outgoing administration is seeking to bolster Kyiv before leaving office on January 20. The administration announced on December 2 that it will send $725 million worth of missiles, ammunition, anti-personnel mines, and other weapons to Ukraine. Iran is poised to significantly increase the production rate of highly enriched uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned in a confidential report. The IAEA report said the effect of the change "would be to significantly increase the rate of production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent," according to news agencies quoting the report on December 6. This means the rate of production will jump to more than 34 kilograms of highly enriched uranium per month at its Fordow facility alone, compared to 4.7 kilograms previously, the report to the IAEA's board of governors says. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, who spoke to reporters about the report on the sidelines of an international conference in Bahrain, said the increase would represent “seven or eight times or even more," calling the development very concerning. “They were preparing, and they have all of these facilities sort of in abeyance and now they are activating that. So we are going to see,” he said, adding that it would be a “huge jump” if Iran begins increasing its enrichment. The report also said Iran must implement tougher safeguard measures such as inspections to ensure Fordow is not being "misused to produce uranium of an enrichment level higher than that declared by Iran, and that there is no diversion of declared nuclear material." Iran's decision to accelerate production of enriched uranium is in response to recent censure by the IAEA, Grossi told the AFP news agency. "This is a message. This is a clear message that they are responding to what they feel is pressure," the UN nuclear watchdog's head said. Tehran was angered by a resolution last month put forward by Britain, Germany, and France, known as the E3, and the United States that faulted Iran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. Britain, Germany, and France have adopted a tougher stance on Iran in recent months, in particular since Tehran ramped up its military support to Russia. In addition, there was little progress last week when European and Iranian officials met to determine whether they could enter serious talks on the nuclear program before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers and is now appointing hawks on Iran to his planned administration. While Iran maintains its program is peaceful, Iranian officials increasingly threaten to potentially seek a nuclear bomb and an intercontinental ballistic missile. But experts war that the enrichment of uranium at 60 percent is just a short step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent, and they say there is no justification for enriching uranium to such a high level under any civilian program. The news of Iran's decision to increase uranium enrichment came just hours after Tehran claimed it had conducted a successful space launch with its heaviest payload ever. Official media reported that the launch of the Simorgh rocket took place at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in Semnan Province located about 220 kilometers east of Tehran. Western governments have expressed concern that the Tehran’s ballistic missile program is coming closer to having the ability to launch a weapon against distant foes like the United States. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system” and two research systems to a 400-kilometer orbit above the Earth. It also carried the Fakhr-1 satellite for Iran’s military, the first time Iran’s civilian program is known to have carried a military payload. Iran has said its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes. Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Oreshnik missile systems, recently combat-tested in a strike on Ukraine, will be deployed in Belarus simultaneously with their introduction into the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN). Speaking on December 6 after a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Russia-Belarus Union State in Minsk, Putin said that the Oreshnik systems could be stationed in Belarus as soon as the second half of 2025. The statement opens a new phase in the military strategy and development of relations between Russia and Belarus. The decision underscores a further deepening of military integration between the two countries and underlines Russia's increasing military footprint in Eastern Europe. Russia launched an 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 Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS, and British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Putin said the Oreshnik system would have highly accurate, long-range missiles that could pierce advanced missile defense systems. The specific technical details of the Oreshnik remain classified, but it is reportedly designed to increase the survivability and effectiveness of Russia's nuclear arsenal, particularly in the context of evolving global security challenges. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has been part of a broader geopolitical and military partnership, formally enshrined through the Union State agreement signed in the 1990s. Over the years, this alliance has been deepening, especially after 2014, following the annexation of Crimea and the subsequent deterioration of relations between Russia and the West, especially over Moscow's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which started in February 2022. For Russia, the placement of advanced missile systems in Belarus indicates its willingness to develop military capabilities close to NATO's eastern flank. Belarus's proximity to NATO member states, particularly Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, makes it a very strategic location for Russia's missile deployments. Aside from missile deployments, Russia and Belarus are performing joint military exercises and integrating their air defense systems and defense coordination strategies. In general, the coordination shows a continuously intensifying comprehensive military integration, which many analysts suggest would take the relationship one step further to a fully political-military union in the framework of the Union State. To Belarus, the alliance with Russia is an influential factor in its security strategy, particularly when tensions have risen between Belarus and the West. Belarus's authoritarian ruler, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, has long relied on Russian support, both political and military, as a guarantor of his regime's stability. Five Azerbaijani journalists who are reportedly affiliated with Meydan TV, a media outlet known for harshly criticizing government policy, have been detained in Baku, their relatives said on December 6. The relatives said the journalists -- Aynur Elgunas, Aytac Tapdiq, Natiq Cavadli, Xayala Agayeva, and Ramin Cabrayilzada, known by his pen name Deko -- were taken to the Baku City Main Police Directorate. Interior Ministry officials said Cabrayilzada was detained after police obtained information about the alleged smuggling of foreign currency into the country. The Interior Ministry told the Turan news agency that further investigations are under way and that other people have been detained on suspicion of involvement in the case. "Additional information will be provided," they said. The detainees have denied the charges, saying they are politically motivated and connected with their professional activity. The development comes amid a broader crackdown on media freedom in Azerbaijan. More than 20 journalists and civil society activists, including members of AbzasMedia and Toplum TV, have been arrested within the past year on suspicion of foreign currency smuggling. The timing of the detentions is symbolic ahead of International Human Rights Day on December 10. The embassies of the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland in Baku issued a joint call earlier this week to immediately release those imprisoned in connection with exercising their fundamental freedoms. They were most concerned about the continued persecution of those advocating for human rights and freedom of expression. U.S. Ambassador Mark Libby called on Baku to release "people fighting for human rights in their beautiful homeland." The detainees, according to Libby, include economist and journalist Farid Mehralizada, who was recently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. He emphasized that Azerbaijan must fulfill its international commitments to human rights by releasing those arbitrarily detained. In response, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry rejected the statements of the foreign diplomats and assertions that their arrests were related to their professional activities. The ministry went on to say that this was an attempt to devalue the independence of the Azerbaijani judiciary. Many international observers are deeply concerned about freedom of speech and respect for human rights in the country with regard to the continued targeting of journalists and activists. Russian forces bombed a key bridge and highway to try and slow a lightning advance by rebels toward the Syrian city of Homs as thousands fled the area. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said civilians were fleeing from Homs towards the Mediterranean coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, strongholds of the government and the site of Russian air and naval bases. The United Nations said on December 6 that almost 300,000 people in Syria had already been displaced since late November by the fighting, and that up to 1.5 million could be forced to flee as the rebels advance and deal losses to the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, as well as his allies in Russia and Iran. Assad has relied on Iran and Russia to remain in power since the conflict erupted in 2011. A Syrian Army officer was quoted by Reuters as saying that Russian bombing overnight had destroyed the Rastan bridge along the key M5 highway linking Homs to Hama, another city the rebels captured a day earlier. The rebels, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have made major advances over the past several days, including the capture of Aleppo, the country's largest city, as well as 14 central villages and towns, and gotten as close as 35 kilometers from the Russian-operated Khmeimim air base. HTS is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Britain, Canada, and the European Union. Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city, is key to the defense of Damascus and the gateway to the coastal cities of Tartus and Latakia, the former being home to a strategic Russian naval base. In his first media interview in several years, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the group's leader, told CNN the goal "remains to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad regime, and it is our right to use all available means to achieve this goal." Besides HTS, the rebels also include an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. The foreign ministers of Iraq, Syria, and Iran were to meet on December 6 to discuss the situation, while Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the top diplomats from Moscow, Tehran, and Ankara will meet in Qatar on December 7. The state news agency TASS reported on December 6 that Russia's embassy in Syria had urged Russian nationals to leave the country due to the situation. Riot police in Georgia used water cannons late on the night of December 6 to disperse protesters gathered in Tbilisi for the ninth consecutive night to voice their opposition to the government’s decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union. The riot police began dispersing protesters gathered on Rustaveli Avenue in front of the parliament building at about 12:30 a.m. on December 7. Special forces detained several people at Republic Square by 1:30 a.m. local time on December 7. They had mobilized earlier on Rustaveli Avenue about 600 meters away from the main center of the demonstration on Republic Square. Among those detained is Tsotne Koberidze, a member of the Tbilisi City Council from the opposition party Girchi (More Freedom), RFE/RL reported. A young woman who had been standing in front of the cordon for several minutes was also detained. Warning messages urging protesters to disperse continued as the riot police attempted to break up the protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Demonstrators moved away from the avenue but did not disperse. Tensions have been running high in Georgia since the ruling Georgian Dream party won an election on October 26 that the pro-Western opposition and Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili say was rigged with the help of Moscow. Earlier on December 6, Zurabishvili called on Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to step down as pressure mounts on the government amid a violent crackdown on unrest. Zurabishvili made the call in an interview with Georgia's Channel One media group as the Prosecutor-General's Office announced that it had filed its first criminal charges against protesters who have taken to the streets to rally against the move. "The prime minister who has failed to settle the crisis...must be replaced," Zurabishvili said. "This is the compromise, depolarization, a way out for Georgia, stability, peace and the future, which will be unshakable, free and democratic," she added. The announcement last week by Georgian Dream to halt talks on joining the EU until 2028 further fueled dissension, with thousands of Georgians flooding the streets around parliament in protest. The largely peaceful protesters have been met with a sometimes brutal crackdown by security forces, leaving dozens -- including opposition members and journalists covering the events -- in need of medical attention. The Prosecutor-General's Office, however, said it charged nine individuals with organizing and participating in group violence during the protests on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. "This is a choice between autocracy and democracy -- there is no other way," Tere Heland, an adviser to the European Neighborhood Council, which provides information on current events in Georgia, told RFE/RL in an interview on December 6. Opposition leaders have also rejected accusations by Georgian Dream that the violence was the product of a conspiracy -- aided by foreign actors -- to provoke chaos. Levan Tsutskiridze, leader of the Freedom Square movement and one of the most influential members of the Strong Georgia political coalition, said the actions of government forces against peaceful protesters were "tragic." He accused the police of "mass terror, with physical violence, intimidation, and torture." The opposition has also called for fresh elections, saying that without a new vote, the restoration of democratic legitimacy is impossible. Georgia's Interior Ministry told RFE/RL on December 6 that in all, 338 individuals had been detained for administrative violations during the protests, which security forces have tried to put down with water cannons, vast amounts of tear gas, and harsh beatings. Further demonstrations are planned for December 6 and through the week, protest leaders said. The EU has said it is following the events very closely, with some officials warning that continued unrest - and allegations of police brutality - could have profound implications for Georgia's relations with the bloc. Some Western diplomats have warned of the possible suspension of visa liberalization because the government has violated the shared values underpinning Georgia's partnership with Europe. "We are all watching the deteriorating political situation with concern," Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said during a session on December 5. "It is important to clearly state that there is a bipartisan consensus in the Senate and Congress on this issue regarding Georgia, and we are not going to tolerate the gross violations of human rights that are taking place in the country without action. I hope that the prime minister and the ruling party will understand this message." Explosions were reported early on December 6 in the Crimean city of Kerch, and the bridge connecting the Moscow-occupied peninsula with Russia was closed, local Telegram channels reported. According to the channel Krymskiy Veter, explosions were heard in the area of the Zaliv shipyard. The first blasts were reported around 7 a.m. local time, witnesses told RFE/RL. The Russian Defense Ministry said the Kerch region was being attacked by Ukrainian aerial and seaborne surface drones. It said that Russian forces downed one aerial drone and sank two naval drones. Ukraine has not commented. Attacks on Crimea occur regularly, particularly near the bridge. A powerful explosion in October 2022 on the bridge caused the collapse of a road section and a major fire on the railway section of the bridge. According to Russian data, three people were killed in that incident. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here . Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the entire presidential election -- even as a runoff vote was under way -- throwing the process into upheaval after a Moscow-friendly, far-right candidate won the first round. The court ruling on December 6 was followed by an announcement from Romanian prosecutors that a probe into alleged computer-related crimes has been launched amid allegations of Russian influence that Romanian intelligence services said sparked the shock first-round victory of Calin Georgescu. Experts said is was unclear after the court decision if all the candidates are going to be allowed to re-register for the new vote, or if Georgescu could be disqualified following revelations of Moscow's support for him. Catalin Pop, a lawyer specializing in the Constitutional Court, told RFE/RL that the ruling was "definitive and binding," and that the court the court's reasoning will most likely "be similar" to what was used in the case of Diana Sosoaca, meaning Georgescu could be ruled out of the new election. Sosoaca was ruled out by the court in October prior to the first round of voting for promoting extremist and anti-Semitic views, while also pushing ideas against the democratic values and EU membership that are at the root of Romania's constitution. In its ruling, the Constitutional Court said the electoral process for the election "will be resumed in its entirety, with the government to establish a new date for the election of the president of Romania, as well as a new calendar program for carrying out the necessary actions." President Klaus Iohannis, whose term was scheduled to end on December 21, said he would stay in his post until a successor can be elected. "When the new president takes the oath, I will leave here," Iohannis said in a statement on December 6. Iohannis is expected to appoint a prime minister to begin forming a government from the parliament that was elected on December 1. The new government will choose the date of the new election, he said. Georgescu's victory sent shock waves across the West after Romania's Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) declassified documents said to prove a massive, Moscow-orchestrated cybercampaign in his favor on TikTok that largely went under the radar of Romanian authorities. Georgescu was to face off in a runoff vote on December 8 against pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi. At the time of the court's announcement, voting had already begun in the large Romanian diaspora around the world, with around 33,000 said to have cast their ballots. In a statement to Romanian television station Realitatea, Georgescu called the court ruling an "official coup," evidence of what he said was a corrupt system showing its face. The runoff has been seen as a referendum on the NATO and EU member's future course amid accusations of Russian meddling that brought thousands of Romanians to the streets in support of the country's place in the Euro-Atlantic community. Georgescu had appeared as a favorite to win the runoff, but was passed by Lasconi in the latest opinion poll after CSAT on December 4 declassified documents revealing the country was the target of an "aggressive hybrid Russian action" that led to the far-right candidate's shock victory in the first round. Lasconi, a former TV presenter and the incumbent mayor of the small city of Campulung, had a 2 percentage-point lead over Georgescu in the AtlasIntel poll published on December 5 which is credited with an error margin of about 1 percent. Lasconi condemned the court's ruling annulling the election. "The constitutional court's decision is illegal, amoral and crushes the very essence of democracy, voting," she said. Georgescu's first-round shock victory saw the candidate favored by early opinion polls to win the vote -- Social Democratic (PSD) Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu -- come third in the race and prompted him to resign as PSD leader. Ciolacu said on December 6 that the surprise announcement by the court "was the only correct solution." However, the unexpected move is likely to trigger a wave of criticism both by the pro-Western parties who support Lasconi and the far-right groups such as the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) that had thrown their support behind Georgescu. Critics have said that the Constitutional Court, which is dominated by judges appointed by the PSD, had tried to smooth Ciolacu's path to the second round -- an accusation that may resurface following the December 6 annulment. Over the past several days, Georgescu's first-place finish sparked fears and triggered protests, especially among younger Romanians, over the future of democracy in the country. On December 5, some 3,000 people marched in Bucharest 5 demanding Romania maintain its pro-European path before gathering in the capital's University Square chanting "Freedom" and "Europe." In a gesture of support, Moldovan President Maia Sandu traveled to Romania on December 5 to meet with Lasconi. Moldova was part of Romania until World War II and the two countries share a common language, culture, and history. The pro-Western Sandu won reelection on November 3, defeating Moscow-friendly candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo despite allegations of a widespread campaign in his favor orchestrated and funded by Russia. "We, Moldovans, have always looked toward Romania with admiration. For us, Romania has always been a model to follow...that's why we also want to be part of the European Union, but we need your help," Sandu told Lasconi. Moldova opened accession talks with the European Union earlier this year. About 3,000 people marched in Bucharest on December 5 demanding Romania maintain its pro-European path ahead of a runoff that will decide whether a far-right pro-Russian candidate will become the country’s next president. With the country braced for a December 8 second round vote pitting pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi against Calin Georgescu , who won the first round amid allegations of election influence orchestrated by Russia, Romanians gathered in University Square chanting "Freedom" and "Europe." Georgescu's first-place finish sparked fears and triggered protests, especially among younger Romanians, over the future of democracy in the country. The country was rocked further when Romania's Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) on December 4 declassified documents revealing the country was the target of an "aggressive hybrid Russian action" that led to Georgescu's shock first-round victory. Activists, including poet Ana Blandiana, prominent actors and other Romanians spoke at the rally, which was sponsored by the group Romania Hope. Blandiana said the vote represents more than just a simple election. The balloting is a true referendum: "'Yes' - for Europe or 'no' for the past that I came out of 35 years ago," she told the crowd. Serban Pavlu, an actor known for playing in feature films and television series, echoed Blandiana's comments, urging voters to choose the pro-European candidate. "We cannot, 30 years after the revolution, fear that the Russians will come after us," Pavlu said. Both speakers referred to the events of December 1989 when civil unrest spread through the country and resulted in the Christmas day execution of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena. Actress Oana Pellea told the gathering that there is only one path for Romanians: the one toward freedom "so that we don't end up spending our holidays [in Russia] in St. Petersburg." After each speaker, the people gathered in the square shout "Freedom! Freedom!" as they were urged to vote for Lasconi, a small town mayor and former journalist. History professor Marcel Bartic opened the rally by telling people they were using their voices to speak out against fascism, which he said Romania doesn't want. "We are here to remind our compatriots that Romania says no to extremists, to fascism. We want Europe, European values and we are not afraid to say it," Bartic said. The group's announcement on Facebook said Romania is at a decisive moment after the revolution opened the country's path to freedom and democracy. The organization said the country had been on a “difficult road...with many disappointments” since 1989 but had still achieved the right to travel, settle, study, and work in the countries of Europe and membership in NATO. “Human dignity, fundamental freedoms, equality between persons, solidarity, citizens' rights, and justice are the values that can unite us all,” the organization said, adding that it represents a “common cry for the protection and strengthening of these fundamental values.” Britain’s counterterrorism police say they are awaiting the extradition of two Romanian men who are suspects in the stabbing in March of a journalist working for a Persian-language media organization in London. Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on December 5 that Nandito Badea, 19, and George Stana, 23, had been arrested in Romania and charged in the attack on Pouria Zeraati, a London-based TV host for the Iran International news network. Badea and Stana appeared in a Romanian court after their arrest on December 4 for the start of extradition proceedings," a CPS spokesperson was quoted by Reuters as saying. "We continue to work closely with Romanian authorities, to ensure that our extradition request is progressed through the courts." British authorities have authorized charges against both of "wounding and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm," according to a statement issued by the London Metropolitan Police. Zeraati, a British-Iranian journalist, suffered injuries after being stabbed near his home on March 29 in southwestern London. Counterterrorism police have led the investigation into the attack over concerns he had been targeted because of his job at Iran International, which is critical of Iran's government. “We now await the extradition process to progress so that the men can face prosecution here in the U.K.,” Acting Commander Helen Flanagan of the Counter Terrorism Command said in the statement. Flanagan said the command planned no further comments on the investigation and urged others not to speculate about the case, given criminal proceedings are now pending. Officials had previously said that the Romanians were suspected of being associates of an Eastern European crime network hired to carry out an attack directed by Iran’s security services. The suspects were likely hired to carry out the attack and had arrived in Britain shortly before the incident, according to British police sources quoted by The Guardian newspaper. British police, security officials, and politicians have issued a number of warnings about what they say is Iran's growing use of criminal proxies to carry out attacks abroad. The U.S. Justice Department last month unsealed criminal charges that included details of a plot allegedly backed by Iran to kill President-elect Donald Trump before the November 5 election. FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the time that the charges exposed Iran's “continued brazen attempts to target U.S. citizens” and dissidents who criticize the Iranian regime, which has rejected accusations that it is involved. One of the targets of the alleged plot was dissident journalist Masih Alinejad, who said on X that she was shocked to have learned of the conspiracy from the FBI. Alinejad, who has criticized Iran's laws requiring women to wear a hijab, was the target of a kidnapping plot in 2021 according to U.S. prosecutors, and in 2022 a man was arrested with a rifle outside her home. Britain and the United States have imposed sanctions on Iranian officials who they say have been involved in threats to kill journalists on their soil. Iran International said the network is pleased that the police investigation has made progress. “It is reassuring for our journalists, as for others in organizations under similar threat," said Adam Baillie, a spokesman for the network, according to Reuters. Authorities initially believed three suspects were involved in the attack on Zeraati. The three men abandoned their vehicle shortly after the incident and left the country by air within hours, police said. A third person was detained in Romania on December 4, but was later released, according to individuals familiar with the case quoted by The Washington Post. The London Metropolitan Police statement did not mention the third person or specifically accuse those arrested of acting on behalf of Tehran. Zeraati did not comment directly on the developments but posted links on his X account to news stories about the arrests made in Romania. Georgian law enforcement officers conducted searches of homes owned by former Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili following a decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to uphold a ruling that he had embezzled over 5 million euros ($5.3 million) during his tenure as defense minister more than a decade ago. It was not clear what was being sought during the December 5 investigative actions. Details will be announced once the searches are complete, Kezerashvili's lawyer said. The searches took place amid large anti-government protests in the country over the ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to suspend talks on Georgia joining the European Union and a crackdown that has drawn international condemnation and sanctions. One of the leaders of the opposition United National Movement (ENM), Dimitri Chikovani, currently lives in one of the homes searched. Chikovani reacted to the search on social media, saying it was an attempt to intimidate by “the Russian regime” and vowing that it would not succeed. “They want to form a dictatorship in the country, and they are wrong if they think they can do it,” Chikovani said. “Home invasions, illegal arrests, and pressure on individuals will not stop anyone. The Georgian people will soon force the Russian dictator and his regime out of Georgia forever and ever.” Kezerashvili, who fled Georgia in 2012 for France, reacted to the searches by taunting the Georgian authorities in a post on social media. "The so-called authorities have been so overwhelmed by the ECHR's decision that they are entering my house at the moment. Come on boys, keep it up. We still got this!!" Earlier on December 5, Georgian Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili told a news conference in Tbilisi that the embezzled funds had been designated in the state budget for the Georgian armed forces shortly before the August 2008 war with Russia. Okhanashvili described Kezerashvili’s actions as a “blatant act of corruption,” and added that the former minister had signed a fictitious agreement with an offshore company for army training, bypassing the General Staff of the Defense Forces. The justice minister said the Strasbourg-based ECHR ruling showed thatthere had been no political prosecution against Kezerashvili and the judgment of the Supreme Court of Georgia on Kezerashvili's guilty plea was also substantiated and the presumption of innocence against him was not violated. “The court unequivocally found no violation of the presumption of innocence and affirmed that the Supreme Court of Georgia’s verdict was well-founded,” he said. "I congratulate our state, the Georgian Army, and our community on this worthy victory in the European Court," Okhanashvili added. However, ECHR decision indicated that an article of the Convention on Human Rights on the right to a fair trial was violated in Kezerashvili’s case. The court held that the presence of former Prosecutor-General Shalva Tadumadze on the three-judge panel that convicted him was sufficient to question the objectivity of the Supreme Court during the hearing of the appeal. But the court did not believe that the Supreme Court's decision was unsubstantiated and would result in a denial of the fairness of the proceedings as a whole. Kezerashvili filed the case with the ECHR in February 2022. The decision was made by the Grand Chamber of the ECHR with the consent of seven judges. The Syrian Army said it was redeploying troops "to preserve civilians lives and prevent urban combat" after Islamist-led rebels entered the key city of Hama, another loss for the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, as well as his allies in Russia and Iran. "Over the past few hours, with the intensification of confrontations between our soldiers and terrorist groups...these groups were able to breach a number of axes in the city and entered it," a Syrian Army statement said on December 5. Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city, is key to the defense of Damascus and the gateway to the coastal cities of Tartus and Latakia, the former being home to a strategic Russian naval base. Syrian and Russian forces had shelled the rebels a day earlier and used air strikes to try and stop their advance. "With that (advance in Hama), Assad's in real trouble. Homs is next & its countryside is FAR more amenable to facilitating an opposition advance," Charles Lister, a senior fellow and the director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs at the Middle East Institute, wrote on X. The rebels, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have made major advances over the past several days, including the capture of Aleppo, the country's largest city, as well as 14 central villages and towns, and gotten as close as 35 kilometers from the Russian-operated Khmeimim air base. Syria turned over the air base to Russia in 2015 as Moscow moved in to help Damascus turn the tide of a four-year civil war in its favor. Besides HTS, the rebels also include an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. The United Nations has said tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fighting. The European Union has ordered TikTok to freeze all its data amid reports that the Chinese-owned social platform had been instrumental in implementing a Moscow-orchestrated campaign to influence Romania's presidential and parliamentary elections. Romania's Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) on December 4 declassified documents revealing the country was the target of an "aggressive hybrid Russian action" that led to last month's surprise victory of pro-Russian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu in the first round of presidential elections. CSAT said the document showed EU and NATO member Romania was the target of various coordinated actions, most likely orchestrated by a "state actor," leading up to the November 24 election won by Georgescu, who ran as an independent. The European Commission -- the bloc's executive arm -- on December 5 issued a "retention order" to TikTok under its Digital Services Act (DSA) that would preserve evidence "related to actual or foreseeable systemic risks its service could pose on electoral processes and civic discourse in the EU," the commission said in a statement . It added the move was necessary in case of a further probe of TikTok's "compliance with its obligations under the DSA." According to the declassified documents, Romania's intelligence services believe Georgescu was massively promoted on TikTok with backing from Russia through multiple methods, including coordinated accounts, algorithms to boost his presence on the platform, and paid promotion. The documents purported to explain how Georgescu's popularity increased from 1 percent shortly before the race to 22 percent through a vast operation of manipulation that involved influencers and ensnared Romanian institutions as well as ordinary voters. A parliamentary election a week later resulted in a surge for three pro-Russia far right parties that garnered about a third of the vote, although the pro-European parties appear to have enough votes to form a coalition government. On December 8, voters will decide the winner of the presidential election in a runoff that pits Georgescu against pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denied Russia was interfering in the election. "The campaign for the Romanian presidential election...is accompanied by an unprecedented outburst of anti-Russian hysteria," Zakharova said. "More and more absurd accusations are being made by local politicians, officials and media representatives," she added. "We firmly reject all hostile attacks, which we consider absolutely groundless." Ahead of the vote, the United States called for a thorough investigation into Moscow's alleged actions. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that while the United States does not interfere with the Romanian people's choice or the election process, Washington is "concerned by the CSAT's report of Russian involvement in malign cyberactivity designed to influence the integrity of the Romanian electoral process." Miller said Romania is a strong NATO ally and the United States values its contributions to the alliance's security and the country's hard-earned position in the transatlantic community cannot be reversed "by foreign actors seeking to shift Romania's foreign policy away from its Western alliances." Such a change in policy would have "serious negative impacts on U.S. security cooperation with Romania," Miller said. The declassified documents say influencers on TikTok were recruited to promote Georgescu directly by publicly supporting him and indirectly through neutral messages that contained labels associated with him. Dozens of TikTok accounts were found that falsely used the intelligence service's logo and the title Anti-Terrorist Brigade, each displaying thousands of followers and over 100,000 likes. Romania's intelligence services hinted that large sums of money would have been spent in the operation. Georgescu has told Romanian electoral authorities that he spent nothing on his campaign. Romanian intelligence linked the operation to Russia by noting that access data for official Romanian election websites was published on Russian cybercrime platforms. The access data was probably procured by targeting legitimate users or exploiting the legitimate training server, the intelligence services said. The State Department statement said Washington has been "closely following the elections in Romania" and that it "will continue to work together [with Romanian authorities] "to preserve the security of our nations and the prosperity and well-being of our citizens." On December 5, three Romanian institutions, including the country's top political sciences school, and a former presidential candidate asked the Constitutional Court to annul the first round of presidential elections and repeat them. It was not known immediately if the Court would consider the requests just hours ahead the start of the runoff abroad. TBILISI -- A Georgian opposition leader who was beaten unconscious during his arrest is recovering and expecting a court hearing, his lawyer said on December 5, as the United States firmly condemned the ruling Georgian Dream party's use of violence against demonstrators protesting the party's move to halt accession talks with the European Union. Nika Gvaramia, leader of the Akhali party under the Coalition for Change umbrella, was detained on December 4 by police during searches by authorities at opposition parties' headquarters in Tbilisi and was repeatedly hit in the stomach until he lost consciousness before being dragged motionless into a police vehicle. Gvaramia's lawyer, Dito Sadzaglishvili, said on December 5 that the opposition leader's health is "satisfactory." Sadzaglishvili said Gvaramia was arrested for "petty hooliganism and failing to comply with police orders" and a court hearing in his case should take place within 48 hours from his arrest. Another prominent member of the Coalition for Change, activist Gela Khasaia, was also taken into custody during the police operation. The wave of repression unleashed by the Georgian Dream government against protesters drew international condemnation as well as sanctions. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a stern warning to the Georgian Dream government, urging it "to cease its repressive tactics, including its use of arbitrary detention and physical violence" as Tbilisi was roiled by a sixth day of mass protests that were met with excessive force by riot police. "The United States strongly condemns the Georgian Dream party's brutal and unjustified violence against Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, and opposition figures," Blinken said in a statement. Blinken reaffirmed the United States' "solidarity with the Georgian people and their democratic aspirations," warning those attempting to suppress the Georgians' right to freedom "will be held to account," including through additional sanctions. Washington in July suspended $95 million in assistance to Georgia after the Georgian Dream-controlled parliament adopted legislation related to foreign agents that critics say was inspired by a similar Russian law used by the Kremlin to crack down on political dissent and that sparked weeks of mass protests. Blinken's statement came after the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi on December 4 urged authorities to treat protesters with dignity as law enforcement authorities conducted raids on the offices of several Georgian opposition parties and protest leaders. On December 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Kyiv was imposing sanctions on 19 Georgian individuals. Zelenskiy's move came after the three Baltic states on December 2 announced joint sanctions against 11 Georgians, including Ivanishvili and Gomelauri. The list included Georgian Dream founder and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, State Security Service chief Grigol Liluashvili, Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, Tbilisi City Mayor Kakha Kaladze, and a number of judges and lawmakers. Despite the growing protests, 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 ombudsman accused police of torturing pro-EU protesters. Levan Ioseliani, whose role is to defend citizens' rights, said he and his officials had met people subjected to "the harshest treatment" by police. Protesters have described to RFE/RL the brutality employed by security forces against them. "They were hitting us in the head," protester Salome Zandukeli said, describing how she and a friend had been chased on the night of December 2 by some 25 riot police into a building in downtown Tbilisi before taking refuge in a cafe. Activist Gia Jvarsheishvili told RFE/RL that he was thrown to the ground by charging officers and beaten before being shoved into a police van where police pushed detainees to the floor and began stomping on them. "Suddenly, I was in unbearable pain and I realized that I had been injured. I didn't know it then, but I had a broken rib," Jvarsheishvili said. Georgia's pro-European president, Salome Zurabishvili, who has sided with the demonstrators, said on X that many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces. Some people were subjected to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities, she added. Georgia has been thrown into the latest wave of turmoil since parliamentary elections in October in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote. The opposition and Western governments argued that the poll was marred by violations and Russian influence. Kobakhidze has blamed the unrest on foreign "instructors" and tried to explain the decision to halt EU accession talks through 2028 by saying Georgia is ready for the talks, "but only with dignity and justice and without blackmail." Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens media outlets and civil society groups. accusing them of "serving" outside powers. A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.
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President Joe Biden spoke Sunday on the collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad, calling the moment a "fundamental act of justice" after more than two decades of oppression. "After 13 years of civil war in Syria and more than half a century of brutal authoritarian rule by Bashar Assad and his father before him, rebel forces have forced Assad to resign his office and flee the country," Biden said. "We're not sure where he is but there's word that he's in Moscow. At long last the Assad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice. It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria." RELATED STORY | The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty President Biden, speaking from the White House just hours after rebels overthrew the Syrian government and Assad fled the country, said while the news is positive for the Middle East, warned that it marks "a moment of risk and uncertainty." "As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risks," he said. "You know, for years, the main backers of Assad have been Iran, Hezbollah and Russia. But over the last week their support collapsed — all three of them. Because all three of them are far weaker today than they were when I took office." RELATED STORY | Family of kidnapped American reporter still believes he is alive in Syria Meanwhile, President Biden also spoke on Austin Tice, a former U.S. Marine and freelance journalist who disappeared in August 2012 while covering the Syrian civil war. Tice's family believes he is still alive in Syria, and President Biden said his administration will continue to work to locate him and bring him home. "We believe he's alive. We think we can get him back. But we have no direct evidence of that yet and Assad should be held accountable," he said. "... We want to get him out."49ers' Brock Purdy Exits Practice Early Due to Significant InjuryThe Guardian view on benefit reforms: ministers should enable work – not force it | Editorial
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GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Javan Buchanan's 28 points off of the bench led Boise State to an 83-82 victory against South Dakota State on Monday. Buchanan went 11 of 17 from the field (4 for 8 from 3-point range) for the Broncos (5-1). Alvaro Cardenas Torre added 16 points while going 6 of 13 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) while they also had seven assists. Julian Bowie went 4 of 4 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
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