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NoneNFL fans demand Lions star is suspended for 'dirty' hit on Packers rival READ MORE: NFL legend Randy Moss to step away from ESPN for health reasons By JAKE NISSE Published: 22:02 GMT, 6 December 2024 | Updated: 22:04 GMT, 6 December 2024 e-mail View comments NFL fans were left outraged on Thursday night when Lions safety Kerby Joseph dove low towards the Packers' Tucker Kraft and nearly hit him in the knee. Kraft was running with the ball after a catch in the third quarter when Joseph launched himself helmet-first towards the tight end. The Green Bay player managed to hop out of the way before being tackled by a pair of Joseph's teammates, but fans were quick to criticize the 'dirty' defensive back - who has delivered some controversial low hits before. 'Kerby Joseph continues to do this crap. Head down, targeting the knees. He belongs out of the league,' one fan wrote on X under a video of the incident . 'This hit lands, it possibly puts Kraft out for the year, and maybe longer. Wake up @NFL this dude hunts knees,' another said. 'That dirty f*** dove head first into bros knees,' a third fan added. Kerby Joseph launched himself head-first towards Tucker Kraft's knee on Thursday night Fans called for defensive back Joseph to be punished for his 'dirty' attempted hit on Kraft Kraft realized Kerby Joseph has a tendency to hunt knees and punked him. Also nailed the landing pic.twitter.com/d3EtbMPrvr — Thomas Sullivan (@Yfz84) December 6, 2024 And a fourth said, '[Kerby] Joseph knows he can't tackle fairly, so his only move is to try and ruin good players' careers.' Just last season, Joseph delivered two season-ending hits, as low tackles to the knees of T.J. Hockenson and Tyler Higbee caused both tight ends to tear their ACLs. Kraft referenced those tackles earlier this week, before the Packers' eventual 34-31 loss on Thursday. 'He's a good DB,' Kraft said, via Green Bay Packers On SI . 'I might not agree with some of the places he likes to lay contact. He's taken some of my brothers out of the game and I think about that, too. I get my chance to get my hands on him playing football.' And the pair had an altercation before the game , as both teams headed back into the locker room following pregame warmups. Footage from Amazon Prime Video shows the pair trading some words, while Kraft said after the game that Joseph had instigated the incident. Kerby Joseph and Tucker Kraft could be seen trading words before the game on Thursday Read More Detroit Lions player caught in disgusting act during Dan Campbell's locker room speech 'He was waiting for me to walk into the tunnel and he had some words for me,' Kraft said. 'So, I just let him know he's not going to do anything to me. I don't think he did. Yeah. I talked that s*** early in the week and I stood on it. I didn't mean for it to go the distance it went but when it did, I stood on that.' Joseph, meanwhile deflected a question about Kraft and pretended to not know who he was. 'You talking about the mac and cheese Kraft? I don't know who that boy is,' Joseph said.' Despite the loss, Kraft racked up 41 yards and a touchdown - bringing him to 521 yards and seven scores on the season. Green Bay Packers Share or comment on this article: NFL fans demand Lions star is suspended for 'dirty' hit on Packers rival e-mail Add comment
Stock market today: Wall Street slips as technology stocks drag on the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.3% Friday and the the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 418 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq composite is down 1.8%. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market. The S&P 500 is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. Energy was the best-performing sector as oil prices rose more than 1%. In Asia, stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger. So says a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that about 8 in 10 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson. Still, some see suspect Luigi Mangione as a heroic figure. About 7 in 10 adults say coverage denials or health insurance profits also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Richard Parsons, prominent executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76 NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, has died. He was 76. Parsons died Thursday at his Manhattan home. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. Financial services company Lazard confirmed his death. Parsons was a longtime member of the company's board. His friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose.The leader of Sinn Fein has expressed determination to form a government of the left in Ireland as she insisted her party’s performance in the General Election had broken the state’s political mould. Despite Mary Lou McDonald’s confidence around shaping a coalition without Fine Gael and Fianna Fail – the two parties that have dominated the landscape of Irish politics for a century – the pathway to government for Sinn Fein still appears challenging. With counting following Friday’s election still in the relatively early stages – after an exit poll that showed the main three parties effectively neck-and-neck – there is some way to go before the final picture emerges and the options for government formation crystalise. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, has dismissed talk of a Sinn Fein surge and said he was “cautiously optimistic” about where his party will stand after all the votes are counted. Meanwhile, Ireland’s deputy premier and Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, insisted his party has a “very clear route back to government” as he predicted seat gains. The counting process could last days because of Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. The early indications have turned the focus to the tricky arithmetic of government formation, as the country’s several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockey for a place in government. Ms McDonald told reporters at the RDS count centre in Dublin that she would be “very, very actively pursuing” the potential to form a government with other parties on the left of the political spectrum. The smaller, left-leaning parties in Ireland include the Social Democrats, the Irish Labour Party, the Green Party and People Before Profit-Solidarity. Ms McDonald said her party had delivered an “incredible performance” in the election. “I think it’s fair to say that we have now confirmed that we have broken the political mould here in this state,” she said. “Two party politics is now gone. It’s consigned to the dustbin of history and that, in itself, is very significant.” She added: “I am looking to bring about a government of change, and I’m going to go and look at all formulations. “If you want my bottom line, the idea of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for another five years, in our strong opinion, is not a good outcome for Irish society. “Obviously, I want to talk to other parties of the left and those that we share very significant policy objectives with. So I’m going to do that first and just hear their mind, hear their thinking. But be very clear, we will be very, very actively pursuing entrance into government.” In Friday night’s exit poll, Sinn Fein was predicted to take 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of outgoing coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively. Prior to the election, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both ruled out entering government with Sinn Fein. Fine Gael leader Mr Harris rejected suggestions Sinn Fein had broken new ground. He told reporters in his count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow: “Certainly we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it. “I mean, it looks likely, on the figures that we’ve seen now, fewer people, many fewer people would have voted Sinn Fein in this election than the last one. “In fact, I think they’re down by around 5% and actually the parties, particularly the two parties, the two larger parties in government, are likely to receive significant support from the electorate. So definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented.” He said it was too early to tell what the next government would look like. “I think anybody who makes any suggestion about who is going to be the largest party or the construct of the next government, they’re a braver person than I am,” he said. “Our electoral system dictates that there’ll be many, many transfers that will go on for hours, if not days, before we know the final computations at all. “But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead, and I’m cautiously optimistic and excited.” Fianna Fail’s Mr Martin told reporters at a count centre in Cork he was confident that the numbers exist to form a government with parties that shared his political viewpoint. Mr Martin said it “remains to be seen” whether he would return to the role of Taoiseach – a position he held between 2020 and 2022 – but he expressed confidence his party would outperform the exit poll prediction. “It’s a bit too early yet to call the exact type of government that will be formed or the composition of the next government,” he said. “But I think there are, there will be a sufficiency of seats, it seems to me, that aligns with the core principles that I articulated at the outset of this campaign and throughout the campaign, around the pro-enterprise economy, around a positively pro-European position, a government that will strongly push for home ownership and around parties that are transparently democratic in how they conduct their affairs.” Asked if it would be in a coalition with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Social Democrats, he said that would be “racing a bit too far ahead”. The final result may dictate that if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are to return to government, they may need more than one junior partner, or potentially the buy-in of several independent TDs. Mr Martin said it was unclear how quickly a government can be formed, as he predicted his party would gain new seats. “It will be challenging. This is not easy,” he added. The junior partner in the outgoing government – the Green Party – looks set for a bruising set of results. Green leader Roderic O’Gorman is in a fight to hold onto his seat, as are a number of party colleagues, including Media Minister Catherine Martin. “It’s clear the Green Party has not had a good day,” he said. The early counting also suggested potential trouble for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party’s only candidate in the constituency, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, is considered to have a battle ahead, with the risk of losing his seat. Meanwhile, there is significant focus on independent candidate Gerard Hutch who, on Saturday evening, was sitting in fourth place in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central. Last spring, Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge described Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and said he had engaged in “serious criminal conduct”. The constituency will be closely watched as other hopefuls wait to see if transfers from eliminated candidates may eventually rule him out of contention. In the constituency of Louth, the much-criticised selection of John McGahon appeared not to have paid off for Fine Gael. The party’s campaign was beset by questioning over footage entering the public domain of the candidate engaged in a fight outside a pub in 2018. The Social Democrats have a strong chance of emerging as the largest of the smaller parties. The party’s leader, Holly Cairns, was already celebrating before a single vote was counted however, having announced the birth of her baby girl on polling day.US sanctions founder of Georgia’s ruling political party
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(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Wednesday, Nov. 27 CANADIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE 7 p.m. NHLN — CHL/USA Prospects Challenge: From Oshawa, Ontario COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) Noon ESPN — Battle 4 Atlantis: Louisville vs. Indiana, Quarterfinal, Nassau, Bahamas 2:30 p.m. ESPN — Battle 4 Atlantis: West Virginia vs. Gonzaga, Quarterfinal, Nassau, Bahamas ESPN2 — Maui Invitational: TBD, Fifth-Place Game, Maui, Hawaii 4:30 p.m. BTN — Bucknell at Maryland 5 p.m. ESPN — Maui Invitational: TBD, Championship, Maui, Hawaii ESPN2 — Battle 4 Atlantis: Oklahoma vs. Providence, Quarterfinal, Nassau, Bahamas 6 p.m. CBSSN — Cancun Challenge: TBD, Third-Place Game, Riviera Maya, Mexico FS1 — Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division: Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina, Third-Place Game, Fort Myers, Fla. 6:30 p.m. BTN — S. Dakota at Nebraska 7 p.m. FS2 — Rider at Villanova 7:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Battle 4 Atlantis: Davidson vs. Arizona, Quarterfinal, Nassau, Bahamas 8:30 p.m. CBSSN — Cancun Challenge: TBD, Championship, Riviera Maya, Mexico FS1 — Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division: Michigan vs. Xavier, Championship, Fort Myers, Fla. 9 p.m. FS2 — Stonehill at Marquette 9:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Maui Invitational: TBD, Third-Place Game, Maui, Hawaii TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: TBD, Third-Place Game, Palm Springs, Calif. 10 p.m. TBS — Players Era Festival: Rutgers vs. Alabama, Las Vegas Midnight ESPN2 — Maui Invitational: TBD, Seventh-Place Game, Maui, Hawaii TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: TBD, Championship, Palm Springs, Calif. 12:30 a.m. (Thursday) TBS — Players Era Festival: Notre Dame vs. Houston, Las Vegas COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 2 p.m. TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: TBD, Third-Place Game, Palm Springs, Calif. 4:30 p.m. TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: TBD, Championship, Palm Springs, Calif. 7 p.m. TRUTV — Acrisure Holiday Invitational: Southern Cal vs. Seton Hall, Semifinal, Palm Springs, Calif. COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S) 7 p.m. ACCN — Pittsburgh at Louisville 8 p.m. SECN — Tennessee at Texas 8:30 p.m. BTN — Ohio St. at Wisconsin 10:30 p.m. BTN — Purdue at Oregon GOLF 4 a.m. GOLF — Asian Tour: The International Series Qatar, First Round, Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar 8 p.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The ISPS HANDA Australian Open, First Round, Kingston Heath Golf Club, Cheltenham, Australia 4 a.m. (Thursday) GOLF — Asian Tour: The International Series Qatar, Second Round, Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar NBA BASKETBALL 7:40 p.m. ESPN — New York at Dallas 10:05 p.m. ESPN — Oklahoma City at Golden State NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL 10 p.m. ESPNU — Rip City at South Bay NHL HOCKEY 7:30 p.m. TNT — Washington at Tampa Bay 10 p.m. TNT — Vegas at Colorado SOCCER (MEN’S) 2:50 p.m. CBSSN — UEFA Champions League: Borussia Dortmund at Dinamo Zagreb The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .NoneSeason 5 of Tyler Perry’s “Assisted Living” continues with a new episode on BET starting at 9:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Those without cable can watch the new episodes for free through either Philo , FuboTV or DirecTV Stream , each of which offer a free trial to new users. “After losing his job, Jeremy decides to move to the backwoods of Georgia to help his grandfather, who has purchased a rundown home for the elderly,” a FuboTV description for the series stated. The new episode is titled “The Spark” and in a description FuboTV said “Sandra utilizes her social media skills to help Anastasia launch a PR campaign to rehab her image, but they find out Anastasia’s longtime actress rival is fueling a smear campaign against her.” How can I watch Tyler Perry’s “Assisted Living” for free without cable? Those without cable can watch the new episodes for free through either Philo , FuboTV or DirecTV Stream , each of which offer a free trial to new users. What is Philo ? Philo is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers 60+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, like AMC, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more, for the budget-friendly price of $25/month. What is FuboTV ? RECOMMENDED • masslive .com 2024 Field Hockey Championship: How to watch Northwestern vs. Saint Joseph’s for free Nov. 24, 2024, 10:00 a.m. How to buy tickets to Post Malone’s ‘Big Ass Stadium Tour’ stop at Gillette Stadium Nov. 20, 2024, 3:59 p.m. FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, like sports, news, entertainment and local channels. It offers DVR storage space, and is designed for people who want to cut the cord, but don’t want to miss out on their favorite live TV and sports. What is DirecTV Stream ? The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels.
Editorial: Finally SC has news to celebrate on teacher vacancies, but lots left to do (copy)The US State and Treasury departments said they hit Georgian Dream party founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili with penalties “for undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation”, according to a statement. The designation of Mr Ivanishvili is the latest in a series of sanctions the US has placed on Georgian politicians and others this year. Those sanctions include freezes on assets and properties those targeted may have in US jurisdictions or that might enter US jurisdictions as well as travel bans on the targets and members of their families. “We strongly condemn Georgian Dream’s actions under Ivanishvili’s leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures,” the State Department said in a statement. “The United States is committed to promoting accountability for those undermining democracy and human rights in Georgia.” Mr Ivanishvili is a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia and served briefly as Georgia’s prime minister. In 2012, he founded Georgian Dream, Georgia’s longtime ruling party. Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted towards Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBT+ rights, prompting the European Union to suspend Georgia’s membership application process indefinitely. In October, Georgian Dream won another term in a divisive parliamentary election that has led to more mass protests. Last month, the country’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced a four-year suspension of talks on Georgia’s bid to join the European Union, fuelling further public outrage.
The closer a Prince Rupert woman looked at the deer in her yard, the stranger things became for her. “It was the first time I’ve seen anything like that; it was pretty bizarre,” said Joan Dudoward. Dudoward is a senior residing on 11th Avenue East in Prince Rupert. A flash of movement caught her eye as she scrubbed her breakfast plates on a typical Wednesday morning. Peeking out the window above her sink, she gasped— a majestic buck with massive antlers stood gracefully in her yard. “As soon as I noticed the huge buck, I ran and grabbed my camera to photograph it. I’ve been taking photos since I was a teenager...I photograph everything,” she said. She says he cozied up to lie on the grass and stayed for about half an hour. “He was wiggling his ears so I zoomed in and noticed a tag clipped on him,” she said. “I thought, why is this dear clipped? I got very concerned.” Dudoward, driven by her curiosity, noted that one side of the clip was labelled “BC WILDLIFE 06-529,” while the other read “CALL RAP: 877-952-7227.” It was suspicious because the number displayed is very similar but different from the official number of B.C.’s Conservation Officer Service, which is 1-877-952-7277. Also, the legitimate acronym for their hotline, Report All Poachers and Polluters, is “RAPP,” not “RAP,” as indicated on the tag. She called the number on the neon green tag to inquire about the buck, but reached a woman who spoke to her very hurriedly, she said. The woman, who identified herself as Jessica, wanted to send Dudoward a “free medical alert device” that she could wear around her neck. “We’re very excited to tell you about a special promotion for select callers,” Dudoward recalls the woman saying. She was then asked questions such as her age to check eligibility. Jessica then explained that as a senior, the device would help her in emergencies, such as falls, by alerting her immediate contacts. To proceed with delivery, she said she needed some personal information from Dudoward, such as her address. Then, Dudoward was abruptly transferred to another agent who continued the call. But when she tried to ask her about the buck and why the agency had clipped its number on his ear, they wouldn’t respond but instead continued to promote their products “That’s just cruelty to animals. They are targeting seniors for sure, and hurting the deer in the process,” said Dudoward. She wondered how they must have handled the wild animal to dart him. She questioned, “Did they sedate him? What exactly happened there?” She was absolutely shocked. Dudoward couldn’t comprehend why B.C. Wildlife, a legitimate organization, would have put this company’s number on the buck's ear. The incident reminded her of this continued pattern of companies attempting to target elderly and vulnerable individuals. “I also have my mother’s old number, and it gets scam calls all the time,” she said. “How can they do that? Especially to seniors. They are trying to decide if they should pay the rent or get medication,” said Dudoward in frustration. She proceeded to contact the legitimate conservation officer’s number, who, like the local RCMP, didn’t pay much heed to her situation, she said. The next day, Dudoward called the agency’s number on the tag again, and the conversation took a completely different turn. Now, the agent asked if she was 18 and was promoting products aimed at youth. They informed her that she needed to pay $3 through a call paywall to proceed to the next step, during which she would be directed to the free products for which she was eligible. “The message keeps changing; this is so strange,” said Dudoward. investigated the call and found that it was an intricately designed AI automated voice call. The system guides the caller through different phases by detecting both their spoken responses and the number keys they press. Contrary to Dudoward’s initial belief, it wasn’t a live human speaking to her, but a pre-recorded one. In fact, similar cases of fraud involving medical alert devices have happened in the U.S. before, prompting the and the to issue cautionary alerts for consumers regarding these “robocalls.” The authorities advised seniors to immediately hang up, not press any keys when prompted, and avoid sharing personal information. “Fraud is the number one crime against older Canadians. Though people of all ages can be victims of fraud, older people get targeted more than others,” states the Canadian Government on its The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) says that there have been 40,623 reports of fraud this year up to Oct. 31, resulting in a loss of $503 million. Vishing is a social engineering technique that uses voice communication technology. It involves fraudulent phone calls to trick the victim into revealing personal data. The CAFC advises caution during phone calls. They urge people not to hesitate to say no if something feels off and not to feel pressured by urgency or time limits. They also encourage taking enough time to research before sharing personal information. contacted the B.C. Wildlife Federation for a comment regarding the tag on the buck. “The Conservation Officer Service darted this deer Nov. 5 to remove wires wrapped around its antlers. The tag is legitimate, but unfortunately has the wrong number on it for RAPP. The new versions of the tag have the correct number and COS will stop using these older tags,” said Jesse Zeman, executive director at B.C. Wildlife Federation. Although the exact cause of this mistake is unclear, anyone who suspects fraud should contact CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or their local police.Lai Ching-te's Pacific Tour: A New Era of Value-Based Diplomacy
Man drugged and raped 10 victims he met on dating sites, Pennsylvania officials say
Saturday Night Live ’s Devon Walker has seen the online discourse comparing him and Pete Davidson . “There’s a longtime rumor that people think me and Pete Davidson look alike,” Walker, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly while attending the American Museum of Natural History Gala in New York City on Thursday, December 5. “And that’s been something that I tried to fight for a long time.” Walker was referring to the countless posts on social media stating that he and Davidson, 31, have similar facial features. In addition to their looks, the comedians are also the same height: 6-foot-3. “People don’t realize that I’m tall. I’m 6-foot-3,” he said while clarifying that the internet has gotten his height wrong. “Make sure that’s on record. I’ve seen some stuff that says otherwise. I’m 6-foot-3. Just note that.” While Walker and Davidson have the SNL connection , the men were not on the main cast at the same time. Davidson joined the variety show for season 40 in 2014. Eight years later, Davidson announced his departure following season 47. Walker, for his part, joined SNL the following season. In his first year as a featured cast member, many fans pointed out his resemblance to Davidson not only with his looks but his laid-back nature. In a March 2023 interview with GQ , Walker addressed the comparisons for the first time. While Walker doesn’t see the resemblance between him and the Bupkis star, he takes the comparison as a compliment — especially given Davidson’s high-profile dating history . “People want to f— that guy, so I guess that’s nice,” he joked to the outlet. Davidson returned to SNL in season 49 to host, and the pair got to share the stage for the first time. Since his 2023 hosting gig, Davidson has returned to SNL on multiple occasions for brief cameos. Most recently, Davidson appeared when pal John Mulaney returned to host for season 50 in November. Davidson joined Mulaney for their latest musical sketch . Following the episode, Walker shared a pic via social media of him posing alongside Davidson. “Ok but after this we gotta stop talking about it,” Walker wrote via Instagram alongside the photo of him and Davidson standing with their arms crossed. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News Fans of the comedians took to the comments section to share their thoughts on the duo’s resemblance. “Them ears, that nose, somebody call MAURY,” one user joked while another replied, “Having a twin off I see.” With reporting by Antonio FermeBionomics Reminds Shareholders to Cast their Vote for Re-Domiciliation from Australia to the United States
The Chicago Cubs already have been aggressive this offseason. Chicago knows it needs some more pitching and it has already landed veteran hurler Matthew Boyd. That likely won't be their only move of the offseason when it comes to pitching. Chicago's bullpen could use an upgrade after finishing with the 12th-best bullpen ERA in 2024 at 3.81. The Athletic's Jim Bowden made a list of suggested fits for each big league club with projected contracts. He predicted Philadelphia Phillies All-Star reliever Carlos Estévez as a fit for the Cubs and projected that he will receive a three-year, $33 million deal. "Chicago Cubs — Carlos Estévez, RHP (three years, $33 million)," Bowden said. "After adding Matthew Boyd to their rotation, the Cubs need to bolster their bullpen and Estévez would be a good fit. He’s coming off a strong year in which he posted a 2.38 ERA over 34 appearances with 20 saves for the Angels before being dealt to the Phillies at the trade deadline. He put up a 2.57 ERA over 20 appearances with six saves for Philadelphia. Batters hit under .200 against all of his arsenal, including his four-seamer, slider and changeup." Estévez shined in 2024 in what was the best season of his career so far. He appeared in 54 games with the Los Angeles Angels and Phillies and logged a career-best 2.45 ERA. Estévez also logged an impressive 50-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 55 innings to go along with 26 saves. If the Cubs want to add high-leverage help for the bullpen, Estévez would be a fantastic fit. Pitching contracts have been outrageous so far this offseason but a $33 million pact wouldn't be too rough. This is a great idea from Bowden and should be considered by Chicago. More MLB: Cubs have To pay 'significant salary' to dump $27.5M star, per insider“God is in control”: Governor Oyebanji dismisses 2026 reelection concernsThe United States on December 2 announced a new $725 million military aid package for Ukraine that includes another shipment of landmines and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other artillery systems, Stinger missiles, and drones. The United States announced a first shipment of land mines last month in a move that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said was necessary because Russian forces were using dismounted infantry units instead of vehicles to lead their advances. The Ukrainian defenders "have a need for things that can help slow down that effort," Austin said. The Biden administration is working to provide more aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has repeatedly criticized U.S. assistance to Kyiv. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement called the new aid a “significant package of urgently needed weapons and equipment.” The Taliban has ordered all private educational institutions in Afghanistan to cease female medical education starting December 3, according to two informed sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. The directive from the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, was announced on December 2 during a meeting of the extremist group's Public Health Ministry in Kabul. The two sources told RFE/RL that the heads of the private medical institutions affected by the order were summoned to the ministry for the announcement. As a result of the order, all institutions offering training in midwifery, dental prosthetics, nursing, and laboratory sciences are now barred from enrolling or teaching female students, the sources said. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. Polish authorities have arrested Irina Rogova, the wife of the former coordinator of the now defunct Open Russia project, on charges of espionage. Rogova (aka Moseikina) will remain in custody for three months, according to a report by the Vot Tak online channel citing the Polish Prosecutor-General's Office. The primary charge is espionage linked to aiding an attempt to commit a crime, Polish officials said but gave no further details. The case appears to be part of a broader investigation. Poland’s Internal Security Agency on November 27 conducted a search of the residence of Danila Buzanov, a Russian acquaintance of Rogova and her husband, Igor Rogov. According to Buzanov, agents inquired about possible ties between Igor Rogov and Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). "They asked questions like, 'Do you know this man?' and 'Did Irina ever mention Igor’s connections to the FSB?'" Buzanov told journalists. Igor Rogov was arrested in late July in the Polish city of Katowice. He faces charges of making a direct threat to the lives and health of numerous individuals as well as significant property damage through sabotage. Despite these allegations, no charges of espionage have been brought against him. Open Russia was a Russian pro-democracy organization established by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a self-exiled former oil magnate and outspoken critic of the Kremlin. The group aimed to promote civil society, democracy, and human rights in Russia. Over the years, it became a platform for opposition figures, activists, and independent journalists. The Russian government labeled Open Russia as an "undesirable organization" in 2017, effectively banning its activities in the country. Members and affiliates faced harassment, legal persecution, and accusations of extremism or foreign collaboration. The group's coordination efforts extended across Europe, engaging with Russian diaspora communities and advocating against the Kremlin’s authoritarian policies. Igor Rogov’s role as a coordinator for Open Russia suggests his work may have included organizing opposition activities or disseminating critical information about Russian governance, potentially putting him under the scrutiny of Russian intelligence agencies. Polish authorities have not confirmed whether Rogov’s involvement with Open Russia is directly linked to the charges of espionage against his wife. BAKU -- A district court in the Azerbaijani capital on December 2 fined the chairman of the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP), Ali Karimli, over accusations that he defamed a bitter rival in connection with his expulsion from the party five years ago. Tempers flared outside the Nasimi District courthouse before Judge Babek Panahov handed down the fine of 1,500 manats ($882) against Karimli, who announced his intention to appeal the decision. AXCP representatives said police detained multiple people after ordering Karimli supporters gathered outside to disperse and to move their vehicles before the court session began. Karimli tweeted that "Using force, the police detained six activists of the [AXCP]." RFE/RL efforts to learn details of the detentions from the Interior Ministry were unsuccessful. The case has drawn criticism from domestic observers and international human rights organizations, further highlighting concerns about judicial independence in Azerbaijan. The accusation stems from a complaint filed as a special indictment against Karimli. Aydin Aliyev, a former AXCP member expelled five years ago but subsequently reinstated by court order, accused Karimli of slandering him in television appearances by alleging that Aliyev was collaborating with government authorities. He has sought Karimli's prosecution under a defamation article of the Criminal Code. Karimli denies the accusation, arguing that Aliyev’s actions were inconsistent with AXCP’s political agenda, thus justifying his expulsion. He and his lawyer said the ruling -- after a monthslong delay -- appeared to lack legal reasoning. "The Azerbaijani authorities dragged this case on for four months, despite knowing that neither the Azerbaijani public nor the international community took it seriously," Karimli said. "Arresting a political opponent on such an absurd charge would have been indefensible, so they chose this measure instead." President Aliyev has ruled the oil-rich South Caucasus state with an iron fist since 2003 after taking over from his father, Heydar, who was president for a decade. Belarus law enforcement officers have raided the home of the 85-year-old grandmother of Syarhey Skulavets, a former journalist for the opposition media outlet Belsat, in another sign of the government's continued crackdown against independent media. Skulavets, who fled Belarus in the summer of 2023 due to growing fears of being arrested for his journalism, said in a post on Facebook on December 1 that officers, who identified themselves as investigators and KGB agents, searched his grandmother's home and asked questions about his activities. Belsat is a Belarusian-language television channel that operates from Poland, broadcasting critical news and analysis about the government of the authoritarian ruler of Belarus Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Since its launch in 2007, Belsat has become one of the most prominent independent media outlets for Belarusian audiences. The channel's outspoken coverage of political events, including the disputed 2020 presidential election and the violent crackdown on protests that followed, has made it a target for the authoritarian government. Journalists working for Belsat have faced harassment, intimidation, and arrests both within Belarus and abroad. Skulavets's account of the raid underscores the regime's strategy of targeting family members of dissidents. Although the search's precise motivations remain unclear, the authorities appeared to be focused on finding information about Skulavets and his work. The officers reportedly examined mobile phones, posed questions, and took notes, with Skulavets's father informing him that the officers showed no interest in his personal belongings, only in his association with the journalist. Skulavets also shared that his family had recently received phone calls from individuals claiming to be from the Department of Financial Security. The callers expressed concern about not being able to reach Skulavets, hinting the government may be using additional methods to intimidate and pressure him and his loved ones. This incident also underscores the broader context of Belarusian media censorship since a disputed 2020 election sparked massive protests amid claims the vote was rigged to hand Lukashenka a sixth consecutive term in power. Belsat, along with other independent outlets, has been a particular focus of these efforts, with its journalists being branded as enemies of the state. The international community, including human rights groups, has repeatedly condemned the actions, calling for an end to the harassment of journalists and their families. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on December 2 warned her Chinese counterpart that Beijing's support for Russia would "impact" ties, according to her office. Germany's top diplomat met in Beijing with her counterpart Wang Yi for a "strategic dialogue," as Berlin seeks to build better ties with China while engaging on key differences. Baerbock told Wang that "increasing Chinese support for Russia's war against Ukraine has an impact on our relations," according to a readout by the German Foreign Ministry. "Core German and European security interests are affected," she said. China presents itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine war and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations. But it remains a close political and economic ally of Russia and NATO members have branded Beijing a "decisive enabler" of the war, which it has never condemned. Estonia says that it has jointly agreed along with Latvia and Lithuania to introduce national sanctions against "those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia" amid the ongoing turmoil in that Black Sea post-Soviet republic. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced the move via social media on December 2, adding , "Opponents of democracy & violators of human rights are not welcome in our countries." Georgian authorities have acknowledged detaining at least 224 people in the four days since Georgian Dream party Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Tbilisi was suspending its EU membership talks through 2028. The decision sparked protests and a harsh crackdown in an already tense post-election atmosphere with constitutional challenges mounting between outgoing President Salome Zurabishvili and the government. Iran said on December 2 that it plans to keep military advisers in Syria after its ally's second city, Aleppo, was overrun by rebels in a surprise offensive. The Islamic republic, which has backed President Bashar al-Assad since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, says it only deploys military advisers in the country at the invitation of Damascus. "We entered Syria many years ago at the official invitation of the Syrian government, when the Syrian people faced the threat of terrorism," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaeil. "Our military advisers were present in Syria, and they are still present" and would remain in the country "in accordance with the wishes" of its government, he told a news conference in Tehran. Baqaeil did not specify whether or not Iran would be increasing its forces in Syria in the wake of the lightning rebel offensive. His remarks come a day after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Assad in Damascus to show support for the Syrian president. KYIV -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on December 2 vowing to deliver hundreds of millions of euros in additional weapons for Ukraine's defense this month, with questions mounting among Kyiv's allies and signs of a possible diplomatic shift around the 3-year-old full-scale Russian invasion. Scholz's visit follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's suggestion that an invitation of NATO membership even limited to territory under Kyiv's control could put an end to "the hot stage of the war." It also comes ahead of a U.S. presidential transition in January and a German election expected in February. After arriving by train on December 2, Scholz met in Kyiv with Zelenskiy for the first time since the Ukrainian president publicly accused Scholz of opening a "Pandora's box" and easing Moscow's isolation by speaking by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. Scholz has also been among the more cautious NATO leaders concerning possible alliance membership for Ukraine. It is also Scholz's first Ukraine visit since the months following Russia's nearly full-scale invasion, which started in February 2022. In a post on X, he pledged that "Germany will remain Ukraine's strongest supporter in Europe." "At the meeting with President Zelenskiy, I will announce additional weapons worth 650 million euros, which are to be delivered in December," he added. Scholz and Zelenskiy jointly visited wounded Ukrainian soldiers. Dpa quoted Scholz as lauding the Ukrainian people's defense of their country "in a heroic manner against Russia's merciless war of aggression" for more than 1,000 days. "Ukraine can rely on Germany. We say what we do. And we do what we say." A German Defense Ministry spokesperson said the aid bound for Ukraine this month includes IRIS-T air-defense systems, Leopard 1 tanks, and weaponized drones. It will also include winter equipment and handheld weapons, the spokesperson said. Scholz's main conservative rival in the upcoming German elections, Friedrich Merz, has accused him and his Greens partners of being slow and overly cautious in their government's supply of aid to Ukraine. Western supporters led by Washington last month gave permission for Ukraine to use their weapons for long-range strikes even deeper inside Russia, adding a new wrinkle to the conflict that Kyiv had long desired. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Scholz's visit that it had no "expectations" and it was part of Berlin's "continuing...line of unconditional support to Ukraine." U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to take swift and dramatic action to end the Ukraine war but provided no details. Sources told RFE/RL's Hungarian Service last week that Trump had held multiple conversations with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban since winning the U.S. presidential election in early November and the two had discussed possible routes toward ending the conflict. Orban has consistently criticized EU and U.S. policies since Russia's unprovoked invasion began in February 2024, and launched his own uncoordinated "peace mission" with visits to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing in July -- a move that infuriated Brussels. NATO's mission in Kosovo says it has withheld authorization for a request by Pristina to deploy the ethnically fractured country's national security body, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), to the Serb-majority northern region where an explosion last week damaged a water canal and ratcheted up tensions. Kosovar officials have accused neighboring Serbia of involvement, without providing evidence -- a charge Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rejected before vowing to conduct an investigation and hinting cryptically, "We have information about who might be the perpetrator." NATO's KFOR mission confirmed to RFE/RL's Kosovo Service on December 1 that Kosovar authorities had asked to deploy the KSF to the northern area of Zubin Potok, a region where the transatlantic alliance and European civilian mission EULEX have helped keep the peace for years. “The KFOR Commander has not given such authorization, based on his security assessment and the actions already undertaken by KFOR," the NATO force said in a written response. Serbia rejects independence for its former province, and decade-old talks facilitated by the European Union to normalize relations between Pristina and Belgrade have largely stalled. Belgrade has long maintained parallel institutions in northern Kosovo that serve the tens of thousands of Serbs there who mostly reject Kosovar central authority. Pristina has essentially pledged since a 2013 agreement not to deploy its mostly ethnically Albanian forces to the northern region without KFOR's prior consent. Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the November 29 blast that damaged the canal supplying water to his country's two main coal power plants a "criminal and terrorist attack" by northern neighbor and bitter rival Serbia. The attack did not cause any casualties but threatened power disruption as the region hunkers down for the onset of winter. Drinking water supplies to Pristina were also said to be at risk. "KFOR has deployed units to secure the Zobin Potok area of the damaged water canal," KFOR told RFE/RL . "KFOR has also offered additional assistance to the Institutions in Kosovo, including logistical and explosive ordnance disposal support." It said it was in contact with all key partners and was monitoring events. At a press conference late on December 1, Kurti avoided saying whether he had sought KFOR permission for a deployment but acknowledged Pristina was "constrained" by the 2013 deal. The next day, Kurti invited foreign envoys for a meeting to discuss the situation. Afterward, U.S. Ambassador to Pristina Jeffrey Hovenier said Washington doesn't know who was behind the attack. But, he added, "Once it is...determined who is responsible, we will work with the proper authorities to ensure that they are held accountable." Kurti, whose ruling Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje) is facing national elections next year, has spent much of the past year squeezing out dinar payments, Serbian postal and banking ties, and other Serbian-dominated aspects of everyday life in northern Kosovo. EU and U.S. officials have repeatedly warned his government to refrain from unilateral and potentially provocative steps. The explosion in the village of Varrage, in the Zubin Potok municipality, created a large crack in the Iber-Lepenc canal. The waterway, which originates at Ujman (Gazivoda) Lake, supplies water to the entire northern region of Kosovo, the Mitrovica regions, and Pristina and its surroundings, including the Kosovo Energy Corporation for cooling its power plants. TBILISI -- Police again moved to disperse thousands of demonstrators in Tbilisi on December 2 after more than 200 people were detained during four previous nights of protests amid anger over government plans to suspend EU accession talks through 2028. Police in ski masks used water cannons and tear gas to drive protesters away from the parliament building, where they have gathered each night since November 28 when the ruling Georgian Dream party declared its decision on EU talks. Protesters continued marching even amid clouds of tear gas released in the streets in the early hours of December 3. Police in Tbilisi used similar tactics the night before to prevent a protest near parliament and made dozens of arrests. RFE/RL journalists said police arrested and beat several demonstrators after they were dispersed around 2 a.m. on December 2. The brother of an RFE/RL producer described the scene inside a police minivan after he and his sibling were arrested. There was a pool of blood on the floor of the vehicle, which was filled with protesters who had been beaten, Tornike Beradze told RFE/RL. Tornike Beradze was taken to a clinic to be treated for a concussion, while his brother, Beka, was placed in a pretrial detention facility. Both are scheduled to be released on December 3. Tornike Beradze said riot police aggressively questioned his brother, who was walking in front of him and a friend. They told the police officers that, if the street was blocked, they would take a different route, but the police started throwing punches. "I tried to call my brother, be careful, but when I looked back to say that, I had a few more fists in my face,” he told RFE/RL. “As many times as I lifted my head up, there were so many fists, all the special forces who met us were hitting me.” The Interior Ministry said that 224 protesters were detained on administrative charges and three on criminal charges. In addition, three police officers were hospitalized and 113 others have required medical treatment, the ministry said on December 2. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili 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. "It's everything but a revolution. This is a huge, I would say, national movement that has truly spread across the entire country, geographically and socially, encompassing all segments of the population," Zurabishvili said earlier on December 2 in an interview with Reuters. Special forces wearing masks are part of the "violent repression on protesters" taking place on the night of December 2-3, she told CNN, calling it "a step further...against freedom of expression." The government is carrying out a policy to try to limit the expression of the Georgian people not to go toward Russia, she said. The response follows Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's "outrageous decision" on EU membership talks, she said. Kobakhidze warned the opposition that “any violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law.” Politicians who "hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups" also will not escape "severe punishment,” he said. Kobakhidze said earlier that Zurabishvili must leave office at the end of her term later this month. His announcement came despite her pledge to stay in office "until a president is legitimately elected" after Georgian Dream, which has ruled the country for over a decade, claimed national elections last month. Zurabishvili and the opposition have alleged fraud and other improprieties and refuse to recognize the new parliament, which last week scheduled an indirect election for a new president for December 14 despite ongoing legal challenges. "There is no legitimate parliament, and therefore, an illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president," she said on November 30. A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution. But the ruling Georgian Dream's enactment this year of what Zurabishvili and critics call a "Russian law" clamping down on NGOs and media financed from abroad, as well as a controversial bill on LGBT rights and public attacks on the West by Kobakhidze and other officials, have raised fears the current government is leading the country back into Russia's orbit. Western governments have questioned the October parliamentary elections -- in which Georgian Dream claimed 54 percent of the vote -- arguing the elections were marred by violations and Russian influence. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of the controversial "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens to publicly discredit thousands of media outlets and civil society groups as "serving" outside powers. Germany said on December 2 that it still supported Georgia's bid for EU membership, while the Baltic states threatened to impose sanctions on Georgian leaders who oppose the country's move toward joining the group. "The door to Europe remains open for Georgia. But what is important is that Georgia decides to take this path, and the people we see protesting want to take this path," said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced on December 2 that Tallinn had jointly agreed with Latvia and Lithuania to introduce sanctions against "those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia." "Opponents of democracy & violators of human rights are not welcome in our countries," Tsahkna said on social media. The United States in July announced it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning that it was backsliding on democracy. BUCHAREST -- Romania's Constitutional Court has recognized the results of the first round of the presidential election and confirmed that the second round will be held on December 8. The runoff will see far-right and pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu face off against the pro-Western Elena Lasconi, who immediately announced the start of her second-round campaign after the court's decision. “Thank you for not playing Russian roulette with the right to vote," Lasconi said after the court's decision, which followed a recount ordered by the court. "I am a supporter of the law and the constitution. God will help us again this time to fight for democracy and keep Russia away from our country," she added, pledging to "unite all Romanians" if elected president. Romania's president has significant decision-making powers, including on matters of national security and foreign policy. Elected for a five-year term, the president can also reject party nominees for prime minister and government nominees for judicial appointments. After a recount of ballots cast in the first round, the Constitutional Court unanimously rejected a request to challenge the election. The ruling came after Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) won pivotal parliamentary elections held on December 1, preliminary results show, setting the stage for talks to form a pro-Western coalition that could prove to be difficult. Preliminary figures gave the PSD the lead over the far-right, ultranationalist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR). With all polling stations reporting, the PSD had 22.3 percent of the vote to the AUR’s 18.3 percent. The center-right Liberal Party (PNL) -- a junior coalition partner to the PSD -- had 14.3 percent, while another center-right party, the Save Romania Union (USR), followed with 12.3 percent. With no party -- as expected -- reaching a parliamentary majority, hard negotiations are expected to follow on forming a government and could depend on the outcome of next week's presidential runoff. As the party that gained the most votes, the PSD will likely be asked to nominate a prime minister. Analysts have suggested a tenuous coalition could develop with the left-leaning PSD and the center-right PNL and USR combining forces. Such a development would help ensure Romania's pro-Western policies against the emerging far-right -- and often Russian-friendly -- parties. Turnout was reported at 52.36 percent, or about 9.43 million voters, the highest in parliamentary elections in 12 years, according to officials. Voter turnout in the 2020 parliamentary election was about 32 percent. No major irregularities were reported during the balloting. More than three dozen parties and coalitions, along with independent candidates, competed for seats in the bicameral legislature: 329 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 136 in the Senate. Senate results were similar to the results of the vote for the Chamber of Deputies. Along with the divide between the East and West, Romanians have expressed concerns about the country's ailing economy and rampant corruption. Toomaj Salehi, an Iranian rapper who was acquitted in court after being sentenced to death over his protest songs against the Islamic republic, was released from custody on December 1, a news agency linked to the judiciary reported. Mizan quoted the Isfahan judiciary as saying that “Salehi, sentenced to one year in prison for the crime of propaganda against the state, was released from prison after serving his sentence.” Salehi was sentenced to death by the Isfahan Revolutionary Court in May on a "corruption on Earth” charge, but the Supreme Court overturned the punishment. Salehi was arrested in October 2022 after making statements in support of protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died in police custody for allegedly wearing her head scarf improperly. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here . BELGRADE -- Serbia is conducting a "serious investigation" into the explosion on the Ibar-Lepenac Canal in Kosovo, President Aleksandar Vucic said as he again rejected accusations by Pristina that his government was involved in the attack. "Belgrade and Serbia had no knowledge [of the incident], nor would it ever occur to us to do that, and we will prove it,” Vucic said in a public address on December 1, without providing details. “We have some suspicions, but we will not talk about them. We have information about who might be the perpetrator," he added. Vucic emphasized that he "does not want to say that [Kosovo Prime Minister Albin] Kurti organized everything" but said the investigation "will show everything." He also accused Kurti of using the incident to bolster his grip on the north of Kosovo, where a local Serbian majority refuses to recognize the government in Pristina and looks to Belgrade as their capital. Vucic said Serbia is ready to work with the European Union, NATO-led KFOR, and even Pristina in the investigation. The explosion on November 29 struck a canal that sends water to Kosovo's two coal-fired power plants -- which account for most of the country's power output -- and provides much of Kosovo's water supply. Kurti called the blast a "criminal and terrorist attack" by northern neighbor and bitter rival Serbia, without providing evidence, and said the attack aimed to "damage perhaps the most important infrastructure" in the country. On November 30, Kosovo said it had arrested eight people on charges related to the blast. Police alleged that most of those detained belonged the ethnic-Serbian group Civilna Zastita (Civil Protection), which Kosovo has declared a terrorist organization. The EU, without placing blame, on November 30 denounced the explosion at the Kosovo canal as a "terrorist act." "It is a despicable act of sabotage on Kosovo's critical civilian infrastructure, which provides drinking water for considerable part of Kosovo's population and is a vital component of Kosovo's energy system," the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a statement. Washington also condemned the attack, with spokesman Matthew Miller saying, “We will support efforts to find and punish those responsible and appreciate all offers of support to that effort.” Tensions are habitually high between the two Balkan neighbors. Serbia has not recognized Kosovo's independence, which it declared in 2008. Kosovo has an ethnic Serbian majority in several districts, while ethnic Albanians overwhelmingly populate the rest of the Balkan country . TBILISI -- An RFE/RL journalist says he was beaten and arrested by security forces as he walked near Georgia's parliament in Tbilisi. Jano Chkadua, a lawyer for Beka Beradze, told RFE/RL that his client said he was walking in the vicinity of an anti-government rally early on December 1 when he was seized by security personnel. Details remain scarce, but Beradze told his lawyer he was not working at the time and was walking with friends near his home in the area of the protests sparked by a government decision this week to halt the country's European Union membership drive until 2028. After being seen by a doctor, Beradze was transferred to a temporary detention center, Chkadua said. Chkadua told RFE/RL that Beradze had noticeable injuries on the right side of his forehead. "When they discovered he was a journalist at RFE/RL, they became more aggressive and began beating him. He was then thrown into a minivan with other detainees and beaten for about an hour," Chkadua alleged. The allegations could not immediately be confirmed. The Ministry of Health said 44 people had been injured overnight on November 30-December 1. More than 100 people have been arrested in the past three days, according to authorities, as Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since the Russian-friendly Georgian Dream party claimed victory in disputed parliamentary elections in October. Pro-Europe Georgians have also been angered by an announcement from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that his government was suspending EU accession talks and would reject budgetary grants from Brussels "until the end of 2028." Georgia's Interior Ministry has claimed that protesters have “verbally and physically” assaulted police officers and had thrown various objects at security forces. However, various videos from the rally showed police beating protesters. Reacting to the crackdown , Kobakhidze suggested on November 30 that there were "isolated" incidents of police brutality but "systemic violence" against security forces by protesters. The United States, meanwhile, on November 30 condemned Georgian authorities for what it called "the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and expression." Thousands of Serbs marched to mark one month since the collapse of a concrete train station canopy that killed 15 people in the city of Novi Sad, with youth groups joining a procession from the station to central Freedom Square on December 1. During the walk, marchers stopped 15 times and silently paid respects to each of the 15 fatalities. Red paint representing blood was spread as "red messages" to the authorities. The November 1 incident has turned into a political headache for President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling party, with protesters demanding those responsible be held accountable. The accident occurred after the railway station, built in 1964, had been renovated twice in recent years by a Chinese-led consortium. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Balkan Service, click here . TBILISI -- Georgia's prime minister has said President Salome Zurabishvili must leave office at the end of her term later this month, despite her pledge not to, while anti-government protesters -- who are supported by Zurabishvili -- took to the streets again, scuffling with security forces at key sites in the capital. Demonstrators gathered on December 1 in the courtyard of the Channel 1 public broadcaster, blocking the entrance and vowing to stay until leaders of the organization resign. Protesters also demanded the broadcaster report on the demonstrations of the pro-European groups as they stand opposed to the Russian-friendly Georgian Dream-led government. Channel 1 said in a statement that "viewers are watching the unprecedented pressure” on its journalists. "Channel 1 was and will remain free and will defend editorial independence despite any pressure," it said. There were no immediate reports of arrests or injuries at that site or near the parliament building, but video by Current Time showed large crowds of protesters and security personnel facing off, with water cannons and tear gas being fired. The Interior Ministry warned “the aggressive participants of the rally to stop illegal activities, otherwise the ministry will take appropriate measures granted by law." It also warned parents to keep their children away from the “violent environment.” Shortly thereafter, police began moving protesters away from the parliament building and erected barricades. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's comments earlier in the day set up a showdown with Zurabishvili, a day after she called the newly elected parliament illegitimate and vowed to remain as president. Demonstrations in the capital, Tbilisi, have turned increasingly chaotic and violent. Georgia has plunged deeper into a political crisis that started in late October, when the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in parliamentary elections. The opposition said the vote was marred by fraud. Western countries have called for an investigation. Thousands of demonstrators had returned to the streets of Tbilisi on November 30 for a third night to protest against the government's decision to suspend accession talks with the European Union. In central Tbilisi, police fired tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators, some of whom chanted "traitors" and held photographs of journalists who they say were beaten by police. Demonstrators have erected barricades on Tbilisi's main avenue. More than 200 people have been arrested in the past three days, officials said. Zurabishvili, who has allied herself with pro-European opposition, asserted that parliament does not have the right to choose her successor following the end of her term in December and she vowed to remain in office. "There is no legitimate parliament, and therefore, an illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president," she said on November 30. "Thus, no inauguration can take place, and my mandate continues until a legitimately elected parliament is formed," she said On December 1, Kobakhidze dismissed her pledge, saying she would have to leave the office. Kobakhidze also dismissed the United States' announcement that it would suspend its strategic partnership with Georgia. Calling it a "temporary event," he said his government would talk to the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump when it takes office in January. Kobakhidze also accused opponents of the halt to EU talks of plotting a revolt, along the lines of Ukraine's 2014 Euromaidan protests. Sparked by the president's decision to spurn closer ties with the EU, months of protests in Kyiv culminated that February in violent street clashes. The president, Viktor Yanukovych, later fled the country. "Some people want a repeat of that scenario in Georgia," he said. "But there will be no Maidan in Georgia." A State Department spokesman criticized the decision to suspend EU talks, saying it "made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin." "The United States condemns the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and expression, including their freedom to peacefully protest," Matthew Miller said in a statement. U.S. authorities have sought to pressure Georgian officials , imposing sanctions on dozens of government officials whom Washington said had "undermined" democracy and human rights in the country. The European Union's new foreign policy chief warned Georgian authorities over violence against demonstrators. "It is clear that using violence against peaceful protesters is not acceptable, and the Georgian government should respect the will of the Georgian people," Kaja Kallas told journalists during a trip to Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin has approved a new, multiyear budget that sets defense spending for next year at record-high levels, signaling no let-up in Russia's determination to defeat Ukraine. The approved budget, which was published on the government’s main website on December 1 , calls for 35.5 percent of all spending to be allocated for national defense in 2025. That’s up from a reported 28.3 precent this year. The spending plan had been approved by both houses of Russia’s parliament over the previous 10 days. At 13.5 trillion rubles ($145 billion), defense-related spending is at a level not seen since the Cold War. While the budget showcases the government’s intention to pump money into the armed forces and security agencies, it also shields up to a third of expenditures from public scrutiny – a break from past budgets. The government has presented the draft budget as "balanced", with the deficit falling to 0.5 percent compared to this year's projected deficit of 1.7 percent. The flood of government spending has caused the economy to wobble in recent months . Officials have steadily ratcheted up already high wages and benefits for volunteer soldiers to fight in Ukraine, a sign that recruiting efforts are growing more difficult as the war stretches on more than 32 months. But that has resulted in labor shortages in many industries, driving up wages and prices. Prices for basic staples like potatoes or butter have skyrocketed in recent month. The unemployment rate has dropped to 2.4 percent The central bank, meanwhile, has hiked interest rates to levels not seen in years, in a bid to cool down the economy. But that in turn has dampened real estate transactions -- as mortgages become unaffordable -- and prompted business leaders to grouse about the potential for bankruptcies. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which started in Feb. 2022, has become Europe’s biggest land war since World War II. Russia launched dozens of attack drones at the Ukrainian capital, officials said, in the latest of a series of air strikes that have battered Kyiv and its power grid. No injuries were immediately reported in the December 1 attack. Ukrainian air defenses shot down about a dozen of the drones, military administrator Serhiy Popko said in a post to Telegram. In the southern city of Kherson, however, Russian drones killed at least three people were killed and seven others were wounded, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said . Ukraine’s air force said 78 drones in total were launched at targets across the country overnight, and it claimed 32 of them were intercepted or downed. Another 45 drones were "locationally lost," the force said, as a result of electronic jamming. For months now, Russia has pummeled Ukraine with both drones and missiles, targeting not only military sites but also energy infrastructure in what appears to be an effort to demoralize and exhaust the civilian population. Experts have warned that large parts of Ukraine could face heating or power outages or blackouts during the winter. Ukraine has used its own drones to target Russian infrastructure and other sites across the border. In the Bryansk region, a child was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian drone early December 1, Governor Alexander Bogomaz said in post to Telegram. In Kyiv, meanwhile, the European Union's newest top officials arrived in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian leadership. The trip by European Council President Antonio Costa and Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, came on their first day in their new roles. "From day one of the war, the EU has stood by the side of Ukraine," Costa said in post to X. "From day one of our mandate, we are reaffirming our unwavering support to the Ukrainian people." Both Kallas and Costa have been strong supporters of Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 invasion, and their visit comes as Kyiv struggles to hold off a relentless Russian offensive across large parts of the 1,100-kilometer front line. The European Union says its institutions and member countries have provided around $133 billion in aid to Ukraine since the start of the all-out invasion. "In my first visit since taking up office, my message is clear: the European Union wants Ukraine to win this war," Kallas wrote on X . "We will do whatever it takes for that." Speaking to reporters after talks with the visiting EU officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy argued that an invitation to join NATO was necessary for his country’s survival. And he said there was still time for the United States to convince "skeptics" in Europe about membership in the alliance. NATO has stated that Ukraine should eventually become a member of the alliance, but resistance from some European allies has resulted in little progress toward that goal. For its part, Moscow has cited Ukraine's potential membership as one of several justifications for launching its all-out invasion. Zelenskiy also told reporters that an invitation to join must apply to all of Ukraine's territory. However, he conceded that the alliance’s defensive arrangement could not apply to the occupied parts of Ukraine. BUCHAREST -- Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) appears to have taken an early lead in pivotal parliamentary elections, which could determine the fate of the country’s pro-Western policies, including its future assistance to Ukraine. The December 1 vote comes a week after the country’s disputed presidential election in which a pro-Russian, far-right candidate pulled off a surprise first-round victory. With 27 percent of polling stations reporting, the left-leaning PSD led with 24.3 percent of the vote, with the far-right, ultranationalist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) next at 17.9 percent. Experts caution that such early official results can be misleading as votes from the larger cities often come last and could move results sharply in either direction. The official results reflect an exit poll conducted by CURS and released by Digi24 as voting ended at 9 p.m. in Bucharest, giving the PSD 26 percent, with the AUR next at 19 percent. The Liberal Party (PNL) -- a junior coalition partner to the PSD – and the center-right Save Romania Union (USR) followed with about 15 percent each in the exit polls. The party gaining the most votes will likely nominate the prime minister. If no party -- as expected -- reaches a parliamentary majority, hard negotiations will follow on forming a government and could depend on the outcome of next week's presidential runoff. Analysts have suggested a tenuous coalition could develop with the left-leaning PSD and the center-right PNL and USR combining forces. Such a development would help ensure Romania's pro-Western policies against the emerging far-right -- and often Russian-friendly -- parties. Experts have cautioned that exit polls could be misleading following surprising results from the presidential first round a week earlier and the fact that crucial diaspora voting is not included in the polls. Full results in the December 1 parliamentary elections -- which featured some 10,000 registered candidates -- are not likely to be known until at least midday on December 2, or even later. Far-right candidates, who also performed surprisingly well in the presidential election first round, were expected to make gains in the parliamentary voting. Turnout was reported at 52.36 percent, or about 9.43 million voters, the highest in parliamentary elections in 12 years, according to officials. Turnout in the 2020 parliamentary vote was reported at 32 percent. No major irregularities were reported by the early evening. Diaspora results – with some 643,000 eligible voters – could play a key role, although it is unclear which parties foreign-based Romanians favor. More than three dozen parties and coalitions, along with independent candidates, were competing for seats in the bicameral legislature: 329 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 136 in the Senate. Exit polls indicated similar voting patterns for both legislative bodies. A preelection poll had showed the far-right AUR leading the pack with 22.4 percent backing, just ahead of the ruling Social Democrats at 21.4 percent. The AUR has staked out anti-Western positions, questioning Romania's membership in the European Union and NATO, alongside xenophobic and other conspiratorial rhetoric. Under outgoing President Klaus Iohannis, Romania has been a strong supporter of NATO , as well as neighboring Ukraine in its fight against the 2 1/2-year-old Russian invasion. A shift toward more Russian-friendly leaders could endanger support for Ukraine, analysts say. The center-right USR, meanwhile, was polling at 17.5 percent, according to the survey. Its candidate for president, Elena Lasconi, will face pro-Russian, far-right candidate Calin Georgescu in the December 8 runoff vote. The Liberal Party was listed at 13.4 percent. Along with the divide between the East and West, Romanians have expressed concerns about the country's ailing economy and rampant corruption. The diaspora vote is also expected to be heavy. By 7 p.m. Romania time, officials said more than 115,000 Romanians had voted in Italy, 110,000 in Britain, and 108,000 in Germany. Moldova is a key voting space for Romanian elections. Most of Moldova was part of Romania until the end of World War II and many Moldovans also hold Romanian citizenship. By 7:30 p.m., officials reported that more than 73,000 Romanian citizens had voted in Moldova. In last week’s presidential election, more than 80,000 cast ballots in the country. Experts have voiced caution about preelection polling figures, pointing to Georgescu's unexpected victory in the first round of the presidential vote on November 24. Lasconi, a small-town mayor who is a vocal supporter of Romania's NATO and EU alliances, finished second in that vote, barely beating leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The Central Election Bureau has begun a court-ordered recount of all ballots cast in the first round, as accusations swirled that Georgescu illegally used TikTok to boost his campaign, among other alleged irregularities. The Constitutional Court is expected to validate the first-round results on December 2 after the parliamentary vote is completed, people familiar with the court’s plans told RFE/RL's Romanian Service . Romania's president has significant decision-making powers, including on matters of national security and foreign policy. Elected for a five-year term, the president can also reject party nominees for prime minister and government nominees for judicial appointments. Moscow police on November 30 raided several bars and nightclubs in the Russian capital as part of the government’s crackdown on “LGBTQ+ propaganda,” state media reported. The Russian state-run TASS news agency said phones, laptops, and cameras were seized and club visitors had documents inspected. One year ago, Russia’s Supreme Court ruled to ban the “LGBTQ+ movement” as an “extremist organization." Russian authorities for years have engaged in a crackdown on LGBT rights throughout the country. Since December 2022, the dissemination of positive information about homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgenderism has been banned, subject to fines. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Russian Service, click here . TBILISI -- Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, an ardent critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party, called the nation’s parliament illegitimate and vowed to remain in office when her term ends next month, while Washington said it was suspending its "strategic partnership" with the country. Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since parliamentary elections in October -- in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote -- with the opposition and Western governments arguing that the poll was marred by violations and Russian influence. Zurabishvili on November 30 said the “illegitimate” chamber does not have the right to choose her successor following the end of her term in December and vowed to remain in office. "There is no legitimate parliament, and therefore, an illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president,” Zurabishvili said. “Thus, no inauguration can take place, and my mandate continues until a legitimately elected parliament is formed," she added, setting up a likely showdown over the office with Georgian Dream. Separately, Washington blasted the security measures used against Georgians who have taken to the streets following the disputed elections and after a November 28 announcement by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that his government was suspending EU accession talks and would reject budgetary grants from Brussels "until the end of 2028." "The United States condemns the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and expression, including their freedom to peacefully protest," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement . "By suspending Georgia’s EU accession process, Georgian Dream has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin," he said. "Georgian Dream’s various anti-democratic actions have violated the core tenets of our U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership, which was based on shared values and commitments to democracy, rule of law, civil society, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and anti-corruption efforts. As a result, the United States has suspended this mechanism." “We reiterate our call to the Georgian government to return to its Euro-Atlantic path, transparently investigate all parliamentary election irregularities, and repeal anti-democratic laws that limit freedoms of assembly and expression,” Miller added. More than 100 people were detained in a massive pro-EU rally in Tbilisi on November 29 as Georgian police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters. Georgia's Interior Ministry said protesters had “verbally and physically” assaulted police officers and had thrown various objects at security forces. Various videos from the rally showed police officers beating protesters. Reacting to the crackdown, Kobakhidze suggested on November 30 that there were "isolated" incidents of police brutality but "systemic violence" against security forces by protesters. "On one side, there was violence, on the other side there were incidents," he said in a press conference. The opposition called for renewed protests on November 30, with several thousand demonstrators gathering near the parliament waving EU and Georgian flags. Officials said protesters damaged walls of the legislative building using stones and other objects. Police in riot gear used water cannons and tear gas to subdue the crowd shortly after midnight on December 1. Fires were also reported at the parliament grounds. On the first night of protests, some 43 demonstrators were detained "as a result of illegal and violent actions,” according to the Interior Ministry. Kobakhidze on November 30 said that a "difficult" few months lay ahead of Georgia but added that he expects relations with the West to "reset." Zurabishvili, who has long sided with the protesters, condemned the "brutal and disproportionate attacks on the Georgian people and media," likening the crackdown on November 29 to "Russian-style repression." The next day, she urged the Georgian diaspora to “wake up” and help protesters by speaking to the media and appealing to the authorities where they live. “[You] can no longer be silent and pretend nothing is happening in the homeland,” she wrote on Facebook. On November 28, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for new legislative elections in Georgia and sanctions on senior members of the Georgian Dream party. In its resolution, the European Parliament said the election result election did "not serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people." It also called on the European Union, which froze Georgia's EU membership application last month, to place sanctions on key officials within the ruling party, including Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Gharibashvili, billionaire power broker and party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze. BUCHAREST -- Even as disputes remain over the first round of last week’s presidential election, Romanians return to the polls on December 1 to choose their parliamentary representatives as the battle between East and West rages in the Black Sea nation. The country’s far-right and often pro-Russia elements -- which performed surprisingly well in the presidential election -- are expected to make gains in the parliamentary vote as well. More than 10,000 candidates have registered to compete for seats in the bicameral parliament --329 seats in the lower house Chamber of Deputies and 136 in the Senate. A poll conducted by AtlasIntel indicated the far-right, ultranationalist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) leading the pack with 22.4 percent backing, just ahead of the ruling the Social Democratic Party (PSD) at 21.4 percent. The AUR has staked out strongly anti-Western positions, questioning Romania's membership in the European Union and NATO, alongside xenophobia and conspiratorial rabble-rousing. Under incumbent Klaus Iohannis, Romania has been one of Kyiv's staunchest allies , but a shift toward more Russia-friendly leaders could endanger support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, analysts say. The center-right Save Romania Union (USR) was at 17.5 percent. Elena Lasconi, a pro-West former small-town mayor for the USR, will compete on December 8 in a runoff presidential vote against pro-Russia, far-right candidate Calin Georgescu. The Liberal Party (PNL) -- a junior coalition partner to the PSD – was listed at 13.4 percent. If no party wins a majority of seats, coalition negotiations will follow. The party gaining the most votes would likely nominate the prime minister. Along with the divide between the East and West, Romanians have expressed concerns about the ailing economy and rampant corruption. Voting began late on November 30 among the Romanian diaspora , which may be pivotal in the parliamentary election -- although it is not initially clear which parties it will favor. Moldova is a key voting space for Romanian elections. Most of Moldova was part of Romania until the end of World War II and many Moldovans also hold Romanian citizenship. Political parties must capture at least 5 percent of the votes at a national level to qualify for parliament. Political alliances of two parties must attain 8 percent, alliances of three parties must get 9 percent, and alliances of four parties or more must achieve 10 percent. Pre-vote polls may not be indicative of the final results, however. In the November 24 presidential first round, independent candidate Georgescu shocked the field by coming from nowhere to lead the voting, gaining nearly 23 percent. Lasconi, a staunch Euro-Atlanticist, finished second in that vote, barely beating favored leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the PSD and leading to the runoff against Georgescu. Ciolacu resigned as PSD party leader following his disappointing showing in the presidential election. Romania's Central Election Bureau has begun a court-ordered recount of all ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election, as accusations swirled that Georgescu illegally used TikTok to boost his campaign, among other alleged irregularities. The Constitutional Court ordered the recount on November 28 after officials from the Supreme Council of National Defense demanded that the authorities take "urgent" steps, saying Georgescu was granted "preferential treatment" by the social media platform. TikTok has denied any wrongdoing. Sources have told RFE/RL's Romanian Service that the Constitutional Court, which was originally set to validate the results of the first round of the election on November 29, will do so on December 2 after the parliamentary vote is completed. Romania's president has significant decision-making powers, including on matters of national security and foreign policy. Elected for a five-year term, the president can also reject party nominees for prime minister and government nominees for judicial appointments. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a visit to his country's border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, called the development of military fortifications there and along the frontier with Kremlin ally Belarus "an investment in peace." "Everything we are doing here is meant to deter and discourage any potential aggressor, which is why this is truly an investment in peace," Tusk told a news conference on November 30. "We will spend billions of zlotys on this -- but right now all of Europe is watching with great satisfaction and will support these investments and our actions if necessary." The project -- called East Shield -- is designed to eventually protect 800 kilometers along the NATO nation’s borders with Russia and Belarus. Russian warplanes have joined Syrian air forces to bomb Islamist-led rebels who had taken much of the northwestern city of Aleppo in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad’s rule in the battle-torn Middle East nation in several years. Iran, meanwhile, said on November 30 that the rebels had attacked its consulate in Aleppo, calling it "aggression by terrorist elements," although it said there were no injuries and provided few details about the incident. The Russian and Iranian foreign ministers expressed support for longtime ally Syria, according to Iranian state media, which quoted Iran's Abbas Araqchi as telling Russia's Sergei Lavrov in a call that the attacks were part of an Israeli-U.S. plan to destabilize the region. The air strikes came a day after Islamists and their Turkish-backed allies breached Syria's Aleppo in a surprise offensive against forces of the Assad government. Reports on the ground said the rebels had captured much of the city, although details remained sketchy. The Syrian military confirmed that rebels had entered Aleppo. It did not confirm the air attacks, but Russia's Defense Ministry said its air force carried out strikes on the rebels. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 29 that Russia regarded the rebels’ actions as a violation of Syria's sovereignty. "We are in favor of the Syrian authorities bringing order to the area and restoring constitutional order as soon as possible," he said. Reuters quoted two Syrian military sources as saying that Russian and Syrian warplanes had targeted rebel sites in an Aleppo suburb on November 30. The sources said the Kremlin has promised Syria extra military aid, expected to arrive within two to three days. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the fighters, led by the Islamist extremist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) movement, took control of "half of the city of Aleppo," forcing government forces to pull back. HTS in the past has had links to the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) extremist groups, although many leaders reportedly split off from those organizations. It was formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusrah and the Al-Nusrah Front, which was Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria and has been deemed a terrorist organization by the UN and the United States. In May 2018, the U.S. State Department added HTS to the Al-Nusrah Front's existing December 2012 designation as a foreign terrorist organization. The rebels’ offensive began on November 27, prompting the Syrian military to close all main roads in and out of the city. Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that the armed rebels had been preparing for the operation since September, but Turkey had so far prevented it from taking place. The Aleppo violence breaks a pause in the Syrian civil war, which has been mainly quiet over the past four years. The conflict involved the Assad government backed by Moscow and Tehran against Syrian-Kurdish rebels supported by the United States, while Turkey aided separate rebel groups. The U.S. military still has a number of troops deployed in Kurdish-held areas of Syria. Terror organizations, including Islamic State, also were involved in fighting. Russia, Turkey, and Iran signed an agreement in 2019 to freeze the conflict at then current positions. The Syrian Observatory said at least 16 civilians were killed on November 30 when an air strike, likely carried out by Russian warplanes, hit Aleppo. It said the attack "targeted civilian vehicles" at an intersection, leaving an additional 20 people wounded. This incident brings the total number of fatalities in the city over the past four days to 327. The British-based observatory compiles its information from battlefield sources and has been influential throughout the Syrian civil war. Syria’s army command acknowledged that rebels had entered Aleppo. Rebels had previously controlled the city before being driven out by Russia-backed forces eight years ago. "The large numbers of terrorists and the multiplicity of battlefronts prompted our armed forces to carry out a redeployment operation aimed at strengthening the defense lines in order to absorb the attack, preserve the lives of civilians and soldiers, and prepare for a counterattack," the Syrian Army said. The fighting comes amid fears of a wider war in the Middle East. Israeli forces in Gaza are battling extremists from Hamas – deemed a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU – and a cease-fire hangs in the balance in Lebanon, where Israel has struck the leadership of Hezbollah, also designated a terrorist group by Washington. The EU blacklists Hezbollah’s military arm but not its political wing. Israeli attacks have also taken place against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen.
US sanctions founder of Georgia’s ruling political partyAfter three years in the position, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger stepped down , it was announced on Monday . The move comes amid stark competition from other chipmakers amid the recent AI boom. "Leading Intel has been the honor of my lifetime — this group of people is among the best and the brightest in the business, and I'm honored to call each and every one a colleague," the former CEO said in a statement obtained by The Hill . "Today is, of course, bittersweet, as this company has been my life for the bulk of my working career," he continued. "I can look back with pride at all that we have accomplished together." Walmart joins growing list of corporations scaling back diversity policies under pressure from conservative activists 'Macy’s employee hid up to $154 million in expenses' as Q3 earnings report delayed Gelsinger started working at Intel in 1979 and worked his way through the ranks, serving as its first chief technology officer. He then spent about a decade away from the company before returning in 2021 to become CEO, taking over from Bob Swan, who led the company for two years. He acknowledged that it's been a "challenging year" for the company, which is struggling to compete with rivals like Nvidia as AI takes over and continues to grow. The company said in August that it would be cutting 15% of its workforce, which amounts to about 15,000 jobs, as it struggles to keep up and faces setback after setback. Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sports and entertainment stories. Just last month, for the first time in over two decades, Intel was no longer a part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average on the stock market, replaced by Nvidia. It was a significant blow to the chipmaker, which has been one of the 30 stocks in the dow for the aforementioned length of time. "While we have made significant progress in regaining manufacturing competitiveness and building the capabilities to be a world-class foundry, we know that we have much more work to do at the company and are committed to restoring investor confidence," Intel's board chair Frank Yeary said in a statement on Monday. In Gelsinger's absense, David Zinser and Michelle Johnston Holthaus will take over as interim co-CEOs as the search for new chief executives gets underway. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
It’s new and risky, but Gen Z workers are ‘all in’ on AI
In four seasons at Pitt, Nate Yarnell has served four distinct roles at the game’s most important position. He has been a quarterback-in-waiting, hope for the future, an afterthought and, finally, an insurance policy. But all of that will end for Pitt’s bowl game and in 2025 after he revealed Friday on X that he is entering the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate student. He has two remaining seasons of eligibility. His announcement robs Pitt of quarterback depth but leaves the position next season in the hands of rising redshirt sophomore Eli Holstein, who was coach Pat Narduzzi’s preferred choice in the first place. Yarnell, who came to Pitt from Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, in January 2021, has been with the team long enough to sit in quarterback meetings with Kenny Pickett. Yarnell also started for injured Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti as a redshirt freshman in a 2022 victory at Western Michigan, slid to third string behind Phil Jurkovec and Christian Veilleux in 2023 and served as a fill-in for Holstein this past season. Through it all, he showed the kind of toughness coaches typically seek in their quarterbacks, taking a pounding behind an offensive line weakened by injury, playing through pain and less than a month ago nearly upsetting Clemson, a team that will play for the ACC championship Saturday night. Approaching spring ball and summer camp this year, Yarnell was the apparent favorite to open the season as the starter, even after Narduzzi signed Holstein, a transfer from Alabama. But Holstein seized the job this summer and held onto it through most of the first nine games until head and leg injuries ended his season early in the first quarter at Louisville on Nov. 23. Yarnell relieved Holstein in the Syracuse, SMU, Virginia and Louisville games, but he started against Clemson and Boston College. He leaves Pitt after appearing in 15 games over four seasons, with five starts (2-3), completing 149 of 273 passes (65.6%) for 1,846 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science before the ’24 season.
A range of independent TDs are contemplating the prospect of entering Ireland’s next coalition government as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael consider ways to secure a solid majority. Three long days of counting in the General Election finished late on Monday night when the final two seats were declared in the constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. Fianna Fail was the clear winner of the election, securing 48 of the Dail 174 seats. Sinn Fein took 39 and Fine Gael 38. Labour and the Social Democrats both won 11 seats; People Before Profit-Solidarity took three; Aontu secured two; and the Green Party retained only one of its 12 seats. Independents and others accounted for 21 seats. The return of a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael-led coalition is now highly likely. However, their combined seat total of 86 leaves them just short of the 88 needed for a majority in the Dail. While the two centrist parties that have dominated Irish politics for a century could look to strike a deal with one of the Dail’s smaller centre-left parties, such as the Social Democrats or Labour, a more straightforward route to a majority could be achieved by securing the support of several independent TDs. For Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and current taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, wooing like-minded independents would be likely to involve fewer policy concessions, and financial commitments, than would be required to convince another party to join the government benches. Longford-Westmeath independent TD Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, who served in a Fine Gael-led minority government between 2017 and 2020, expressed his willingness to listen to offers to join the new coalition in Dublin. ‘Look, my door’s open,’ he told RTE. ‘Someone knocks, I’m always there to open it.’ Marian Harkin, an independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim, expressed her desire to participate in government as she noted that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were within ‘shouting distance’ of an overall majority. ‘That means they will be looking for support, and I certainly will be one of those people who will be speaking to them and talking to them and negotiating with them, and I’m looking forward to doing that, because that was the reason that I ran in the first place,’ she said. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party both appear cautious about the prospect of an alliance with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. They will no doubt be mindful of the experience of the Green Party, the junior partner in the last mandate. The Greens experienced near wipeout in the election, retaining only one of their 12 seats. Sinn Fein appears to currently have no realistic route to government, given Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s ongoing refusal to share power with the party. Despite the odds being stacked against her party, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald contacted the leaders of the Social Democrats and Labour on Monday to discuss options. Earlier, Fianna Fail deputy leader and outgoing Finance Minister Jack Chambers predicted that a new coalition government would not be in place before Christmas. Mr Chambers said planned talks about forming an administration required ‘time and space’ to ensure that any new government will be ‘coherent and stable’. After an inconclusive outcome to the 2020 election, it took five months for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens to strike the last coalition deal. Mr Chambers said he did not believe it would take that long this time, as he noted the Covid-19 pandemic was a factor in 2020, but he also made clear it would not be a swift process. He said he agreed with analysis that there was no prospect of a deal before Christmas. ‘I don’t expect a government to be formed in mid-December, when the Dail is due to meet on December 18, probably a Ceann Comhairle (speaker) can be elected, and there’ll have to be time and space taken to make sure we can form a coherent, stable government,’ he told RTE. ‘I don’t think it should take five months like it did the last time – Covid obviously complicated that. But I think all political parties need to take the time to see what’s possible and try and form a stable government for the Irish people.’ Fine Gael minister of state Peter Burke said members of his parliamentary party would have to meet to consider their options before giving Mr Harris a mandate to negotiate a new programme for government with Fianna Fail. ‘It’s important that we have a strong, stable, viable government, whatever form that may be, to ensure that we can meet the challenges of our society, meet the challenges in terms of the economic changes that are potentially going to happen,’ he told RTE. Despite being set to emerge with the most seats, it has not been all good news for Fianna Fail. The party’s outgoing Health Minister Stephen Donnelly became one of the biggest casualties of the election when he lost his seat in Wicklow in the early hours of Monday morning. Mr Donnelly was always predicted to face a fight in the constituency after boundary changes saw it reduced from five to four seats. If it is to be a reprise of the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael governing partnership of the last mandate, one of the major questions is around the position of taoiseach and whether the parties will once again take turns to hold the Irish premiership during the lifetime of the new government. The outcome in 2020 saw the parties enter a coalition on the basis that the holder of the premier position would be exchanged midway through the term. Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin took the role for the first half of the mandate, with Leo Varadkar taking over in December 2022. Current Fine Gael leader Mr Harris succeeded Mr Varadkar as taoiseach when he resigned from the role earlier this year. However, this time Fianna Fail has significantly increased its seat lead over Fine Gael, compared with the last election when there were only three seats between the parties. The size of the disparity in party numbers is likely to draw focus on the rotating taoiseach arrangement, raising questions as to whether it will be re-run in the next coalition and, if it is, on what terms. On Sunday, Simon Coveney, a former deputy leader of Fine Gael, said a coalition that did not repeat the rotating taoiseach arrangement in some fashion would be a ‘difficult proposition’ for his party. Meanwhile, Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe said he would be making the case for Mr Harris to have another opportunity to serve as taoiseach. On Monday, Mr Chambers said while his party would expect to lead the government it would approach the issue of rotating the taoiseach’s role on the basis of ‘mutual respect’ with Fine Gael. ‘I think the context of discussions and negotiations will be driven by mutual respect, and that’s the glue that will drive a programme for government and that’s the context in which we’ll engage,’ he said. On Monday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik reiterated her party’s determination to forge an alliance with fellow centre-left parties with the intention of having a unified approach to the prospect of entering government. Asked if Labour was prepared to go into government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on its own, she told RTE: ‘No, not at this stage. We are absolutely not willing to do that. ‘We want to ensure there’s the largest number of TDs who share our vision and our values who want to deliver change on the same basis that we do.’ The Social Democrats have been non-committal about any potential arrangement with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and have restated a series of red lines they would need to achieve before considering taking a place in government. Leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a daughter on polling day on Friday, said in a statement: ‘The party is in a very strong position to play an important role in the next Dail. In what position, government or opposition, remains to be seen.’ Fianna Fail secured the most first preference votes in Friday’s proportional representation election, taking 21.9% to Fine Gael’s 20.8%. Sinn Fein came in third on 19%. While Sinn Fein’s vote share represented a marked improvement on its disappointing showing in June’s local elections in Ireland, it is still significantly down on the 24.5% poll-topping share it secured in the 2020 general election. The final breakdown of first preferences also flipped the result of Friday night’s exit poll, which suggested Sinn Fein was in front on 21.1%, with Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fail on 19.5%.Light snow likely Sunday morning in New Hampshire
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