People in London packed pubs and bars late Wednesday for one last drink before all of England shutdown for one month in an attempt to halt a surge in COVID-19 infections.
 
Streets in London’s Soho neighborhood were blocked so pubs could put out tables for outdoor seating, but that appeared to be the only indication the city was in the midst of a pandemic. People sat shoulder to shoulder or stood arm-in-arm, and the only masks in sight were on the policemen standing by to make sure the revelry did not get out of hand.
 
One man told a reporter the scene felt like a bittersweet New Year’s Eve atmosphere — festive, but with the knowledge it would all be ending.  
 
London and the rest of England began the shutdown at 1:00 am Thursday to combat a surge in new infections that scientists said could, if unchecked, cause more deaths than a first wave that forced a three-month lockdown earlier this year.  On Wednesday, the United Kingdom reported 492 deaths from the virus, the most reported since mid-May.
 
The nation has the biggest official death toll in Europe from COVID-19 and is grappling with more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day. Scientists warned the “worst-case” scenario of 80,000 dead could be exceeded without action.  
Under the lockdown, all non-essential businesses in England will be closed and people will be asked to work from home if possible until at least December 2nd. Masks and social distancing will be mandatory when venturing out.
 
The rest of the United Kingdom – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have their own lockdown policies and enacted tougher health restrictions last month. 
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Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has confirmed that he has been indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
 
Thaci told a news conference on Thursday that, because of the indictment, he was following through on a pledge to resign from his position.
 
Thaci was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade’s security forces in the 1998-99 war.
 
A Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) has accused Thaci and other suspects of being “criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders,” as well as the “enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture.”
 
The alleged crimes involved “hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and include political opponents,” according to the SPO.
 
Thaci has denied involvement in any war crimes.
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The recent repatriation of an Islamic State (IS) woman and four children from the Kurdish-controlled al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria is being applauded as an important step by Albania to deal with its citizens abroad who have been affiliated with the terror group.Some observers say they are expecting a long journey ahead for the country as it addresses the rehabilitation of IS families and their reentry into society.“Although modest in size, this transfer signals Albania’s shift toward a proactive approach for the repatriation of its citizens, especially children and women,” Adrian Shtuni, a Washington-based security and radicalization expert, told VOA.Roughly 13,500 foreign women and children are among about 70,000 IS families held by the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria, according to a report in April by the Crisis Group. Researchers in Albania say at least 70 members of the group hold Albanian citizenship.Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said last week that he was in Beirut to bring home from Syria a 41-year-old woman, Floresha Rasha; her three children – Amar, Emel and Hatixhe Rasha; and another minor, Endri Dumani. The five Albanians were evacuated from the al-Hol camp in a process mediated by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.Mark Ghraib, Albania’s honorary consul in Beirut, said the Albanians had been given medical checkups and provided with proper care. Authorities have not disclosed many details about the health of the evacuees but said Floresha Rasha uses a wheelchair because of “severe injuries” and will need immediate surgery upon her arrival in Tirana.Floresha Rasha will face investigation to determine if she was involved in any terrorist attacks during her seven years in Syria, according to the Albanian Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution. The four children, however, do not have any criminal liability under Albanian law because of their age.FILE – A man, suspected of having collaborated with the Islamic State group, is greeted by family members upon his release from the Kurdish-run Alaya prison in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli, on Oct. 15, 2020.Complex operationKurdish authorities repeatedly have called on countries to repatriate their citizens, saying imprisoned IS fighters and their families are a burden on their limited resources.Albanian Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj said in September that the return of the Albanian adults would face legal challenges because “they are considered the losing side of an armed battle.” He said the government was on track, though, to bring home 28 children.The government in Tirana first planned to repatriate dozens of its citizens in August 2019. But Albanian State Minister Elisa Spiropali subsequently announced the process was suspended because of the changing geopolitical situation in Syria following Turkey’s military operations and the partial withdrawal of U.S. troops in October 2019.The halt prompted a protest in September by relatives of the IS children, who said the government had to put more effort into bringing home minors who are citizens.Following the protest, Lleshaj went to Beirut to discuss with his Lebanese counterparts the possible repatriation of children and women from the camps“For children, we are trying to save them from that hell,” Lleshaj told Albania’s national Top Channel in September.Rights groups describe al-Hol camp as “massively” crowded and unsanitary. Doctors Without Borders FILE – Two women, center, reportedly wives of Islamic State group fighters, wait with other women and children at the al-Hol camp in al-Hasakah governorate in northeastern Syria, Feb. 7, 2019.Mironova also added that another motivation for these women who prefer to stay is to raise their children in the camp, which they consider an Islamic land, thinking that their countries do not have Islamic practices.Some may not seek returnSimilarly, Adrian Shtuni says the assumption that all of the Albanian women being held in the camp are eager to return home may not be accurate.“Substantiated media reports that a number of Albanian women went into hiding to evade repatriation point to a less well-understood aspect of the reality in camps,” Shtuni told VOA.“This highlights once more that though repatriation in itself is a complex effort, it is only the beginning of a long-term process of rehabilitation from trauma and violent extremism required to prepare returnees for reentry into mainstream society,” Shtuni added.Rama in the past has said his Cabinet is well-prepared to hold IS adult members accountable, and to prepare for the return of the brainwashed children into society.In a news conference last week, Rama announced his government rehabilitation program for children was being assisted by the children’s relatives and was equipped with the necessary care, psychologists, teachers and doctors.“The progress of these children will be monitored. Work will be done step by step to integrate them into the social structures, based on the opinion that will be given by doctors and psychologists,” Rama added.More than 100 Albanians are reported to have joined the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, alongside other ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and North Macedonia. The U.S. State Department’s 2019 Country Report on Terrorism determined the terrorism threat in Albania came mainly from foreign fighters returning from Iraq and Syria, along with Albanian youth being radicalized to terrorism.VOA’s Albanian Service contributed to this report.
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Pope Francis is urging people in Italy to follow the latest strict measures imposed by authorities to curb the spread of the coronavirus. VOA’s Mariama Diallo has more.
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A former senior commander of ethnic Albanian separatist fighters in Kosovo’s 1998-1999 war who was also the country’s former Parliament speaker was arrested Wednesday and taken to a special court in the Netherlands for war crimes, his lawyer said.Jakup Krasniqi, 69, was arrested by policemen of the European Union rule of law mission (EULEX) at his house in Negrovc village, 34 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital, Pristina, according to lawyer Valon Hasani. Krasniqi was taken to The Hague.”The indictment has been confirmed, and it is expected that a hearing before the special chambers will be scheduled very soon,” Hasani said, without giving details of the charges.Krasniqi is the second former fighter of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which fought for Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, to be taken to The Hague Kosovo Specialist Chambers court after Salih Mustafa in September.Another ex-KLA commander, Rexhep Selimi, 49, said he had been charged, without giving details, and will go to The Hague on Thursday.”I have known how to, and always will, defend the freedom of the people, the state of Kosovo, the glorious KLA,” said Selimi, one of the KLA founders.Selimi is a lawmaker with the main opposition Self-Determination Movement Party and has been interior minister and head of the military academy.The court and an associated Special Prosecutor’s Office were established five years ago following a 2011 report by the Council of Europe, a human rights body, that included allegations that KLA fighters trafficked human organs taken from prisoners and killed Serbs and fellow ethnic Albanians. The court is mandated to investigate and prosecute allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Kosovo, or linked to the Kosovo conflict, from 1998-2000. The Kosovo government said it was closely following EULEX activities concerning Krasniqi, adding that the country’s institutions and citizens have always respected the mission’s decisions.Prosecutors in The Hague also have issued an indictment against Kosovar President Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary speaker Kadri Veseli, and others for crimes that include murder, enforced disappearances, persecution and torture. It is not clear whether a pre-trial judge has confirmed those indictments, though the six-month period to do that is over. Both men have denied committing any war crimes.Two leaders of the Kosovar war veterans’ association, Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj, also were arrested in September and transferred to The Hague, accused of allegedly endangering potential witnesses in war crimes cases the court is investigating by releasing their names publicly.The war for Kosovo’s independence from Serbia left more than 10,000 people dead – most of them ethnic Albanians from Kosovo. More than 1,600 people remain unaccounted for. The fighting ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign against Serbian troops.Kosovo, which is dominated by ethnic Albanians, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move recognized by many Western nations but not by Serbia or its allies Russia and China. 
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The Dec. 7 season premiere at Milan’s La Scala opera house, a gala event that is one of Italy’s cultural highlights, is being canceled after a rash of COVID-19 infections among musicians and chorus members.The theater’s board of directors concluded Wednesday that the status of the pandemic and Italy’s virus-control measures, which include the closure of theaters, did not allow for “achieving a production open to the public and of the level and with the characteristics required” for the premiere.Lucia di Lammermoor had been on the program for the season’s opening. La Scala said the scheduled opening night performance and the shows set for the following days have been postponed.Politicians, business figures and other VIPs traditionally turn out for La Scala’s season premiere, an official holiday in Milan.The opera house reported a week ago that its entire orchestra had been told to quarantine after nine musicians tested positive for the coronavirus. The chorus was put under an earlier quarantine after 18 singers were confirmed to be infected.A government decree issued last month to battle a surge in COVID-19 infections shut down Italy’s theaters, cinemas and concert halls for a few weeks. Starting Thursday, Italian museums will also have to close their doors, at least until Dec. 2.  
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With a deadline looming ever more menacingly, the European Union’s chief negotiator on the post-Brexit trade deal with Britain on Wednesday publicly blamed London for a lack of progress in the two sides’ belated attempt to reach an even rudimentary agreement.”At this stage, there are still too many difficulties remaining on important topics,” Michel Barnier said on his way to brief the envoys of the 27 member states.In a Twitter comment later, Barnier said, “Despite EU efforts to find solutions, very serious divergences remain.”Britain’s Chief negotiator David Frost walks down Downing Street in London, Oct. 19, 2020.Britain’s chief negotiator, David Frost, said he agreed that “wide divergences remain on some key issues.””We continue to work to find solutions that fully respect U.K. sovereignty,” Frost tweeted.Barnier’s comments threw a dampener on optimistic reports that progress was being made at a rapid pace on issues such as fisheries rights, one of three remaining major topics that need a compromise solution if a deal is to be found before Jan. 1, when a transition period in the Brexit divorce proceedings ends.Barnier’s stern words were in complete contradiction to the olive branch he offered London only two weeks ago after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted that the EU and Barnier fundamentally had to change tack to continue the negotiations.Both sides have been intensely negotiating since, but, as Barnier pointed out, to little effect.The lack of progress on fisheries and on the need to have common regulatory standards and fair competition to make sure Britain won’t undercut EU businesses has befuddled the negotiating teams for months, as both sides have been trying to strike a trade deal since the U.K. left the EU on Jan. 31.Without a deal, trade between both sides would fundamentally change, and hundreds of thousands of jobs would be threatened on both sides, especially in nations close to Britain such as Ireland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Barnier insisted again Wednesday that the EU “is prepared for all scenarios.”In the trade negotiations, Britain wants to retain as many of the advantages of EU membership as possible without having to live by the bloc’s rules. The EU is insisting on stringent trade regulations to avoid having a giant buccaneering trade partner on its doorstep that could freely undercut the bloc’s state aid, social and environmental standards.After negotiating in Brussels this week, the talks are set to move to London again in the coming days.
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The death toll in last week’s Aegean Sea earthquake rose to 116 on Wednesday as rescuers in the Turkish city of Izmir finished searching buildings that collapsed in the quake.All but two of the victims were killed in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city. Two teenagers died on the Greek island of Samos, which lies south of the epicenter of Friday’s earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey registered the quake’s magnitude at 7.0, although other agencies recorded it as less severe.Mehmet Gulluoglu, head of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, said search and rescue operations had been completed at 17 buildings that fell in Izmir. The rescue operation has been roaring at full tilt since Friday, pulling 107 survivors from the rubble.Of the 1,035 people injured in the quake, 137 remained hospitalized on Wednesday, the agency added.Following a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged not to give up until the final person was recovered. Rescuers’ spirits were raised Tuesday when they pulled a 3-year-old girl from the wreckage of her family home 91 hours after the quake.The tremors were felt across western Turkey, including in Istanbul, as well as in the Greek capital of Athens. Some 1,700 aftershocks followed, 45 of which were greater than 4.0 magnitude.In Izmir, the quake reduced buildings to rubble or saw floors pancake in on themselves. Authorities have detained nine people, including contractors, for questioning over the collapse of six of the buildings.Turkey has a mix of older buildings and new buildings make of cheap or illegal construction that do not withstand earthquakes well. Regulations have been tightened to strengthen or demolish older buildings, and urban renewal is underway in Turkish cities, but experts say it is not happening fast enough. The country sits on top of two major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent.  
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Austrian authorities continue to investigate whether more than one attacker was involved in the terrorist shootings in Vienna Monday night that left four people dead and scores wounded.  As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, it’s the latest in a series of terrorist incidents in Europe in recent days.   Camera: Henry Ridgwell   Video editor: Jon Spier
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Britain’s Home secretary announced Tuesday the nation was raising its terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe” following recent terrorist activity in France and Austria.
According to Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence agency, the severe alert means a terrorist attack is highly likely. It is the fourth highest of the nation’s five threat levels.  
Speaking to reporters in London, Home Secretary Priti Patel said MI5’s Joint Terror Analysis Center ((JTAC)) raised the level following a recent knife attack by a radicalized Chechen refugee in Nice, France and the shooting of four people in Vienna late Monday by an armed man identified as a convicted jihadist.
Patel says the alert means people should be on alert but not alarmed. She said the alert is a precautionary measure. Patel adds the public can expect to see the nation’s intelligence and police agencies putting visible protective preventative measures in place across the country.
On her Twitter account earlier, Patel encouraged the public to “continue to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police.”
 
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Austrian officials said Tuesday a perpetrator of an attack in Vienna, Austria that killed at least four people and wounded 14 others was a sympathizer of the Islamic State terror group.    “We experienced an attack last night by at least one Islamist terrorist,” Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told reporters.    He said the assailant was armed with an assault rifle and wore a fake suicide vest.  He added in later comments to the Austrian news agency APA that the attacker was convicted last year of trying to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.   Police shot the assailant dead, and Nehammer said a search was ongoing Tuesday to see if anyone else was involved in the attack.    “At the moment we can’t rule out that there are still other attackers out there. That’s why we are investigating the environment of the attacker and also all of Vienna in order to make sure whether there was just one perpetrator or two,” he said.  After a shooting armed police officers stand on a street at the scene in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 3, 2020.Authorities advised people to stay away from public places and public transport.  Students in Vienna were allowed to miss classes Tuesday.    The shootings took place late Monday at six locations in Vienna, hours before a partial lockdown was due to go into effect due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.  The dead included two men and a woman, while a police officer was among the wounded.    Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said his country “will not be intimidated by terrorists.”  In a series of tweets he also said there is not a dispute between Christians and Muslims or between Austrians and migrants, but rather a struggle between those who believe in peace and those who want war.   Speaking to the Austrian public broadcasting station ORF, Nehammer said all six locations that were attacked were near a central city street that house’s Vienna’s main synagogue.    Jewish community leader Oskar Deutsch said on Twitter that it was not clear whether the synagogue and its adjoining offices had been the target of the attack. He said the buildings were closed at the time of the violence.        President Emmanuel Macron of France, which has faced several recent attacks blamed on Muslim extremists, tweeted that the French “share the shock and grief of the Austrian people hit by an attack tonight.””This is our Europe,” he said. “Our enemies must know with whom they are dealing. We will not retreat.”    German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed solidarity with neighboring Austria in a statement Tuesday, saying, “The fight against Islamist terrorism is our common struggle.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States “strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Vienna.” “We express our deepest sympathy to the families of those killed and wounded,” Pompeo said.  “We affirm our support for the police and first responders, and stand in solidarity with the people of Austria.” 
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Austrian officials said Tuesday the perpetrator of an attack in Vienna, Austria that killed at least three people and wounded 15 others was a sympathizer of the Islamic State terror group. “We experienced an attack last night by at least one Islamist terrorist,” Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told reporters. He said the assailant was armed with an assault rifle and wore a fake suicide vest. Police shot the assailant dead, and Nehammer said a search was ongoing Tuesday to see if anyone else was involved in the attack. “At the moment we can’t rule out that there are still other attackers out there. That’s why we are investigating the environment of the attacker and also all of Vienna in order to make sure whether there was just one perpetrator or two,” he said. After a shooting armed police officers stand on a street at the scene in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 3, 2020.Authorities advised people to stay away from public places and public transport.  Students in Vienna were allowed to miss classes Tuesday. The shootings took place late Monday at six locations in Vienna, hours before a partial lockdown was due to go into effect due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.  The dead included two men and a woman, while a police officer was among the wounded. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz described the shootings as a “repulsive terrorist attack.”    He said the attackers had “prepared professionally” and “were very well equipped with automatic weapons.”    Speaking to the Austrian public broadcasting station ORF, Nehammer said all six locations that were attacked were near a central city street that house’s Vienna’s main synagogue.      Jewish community leader Oskar Deutsch said on Twitter that it was not clear whether the synagogue and its adjoining offices had been the target of the attack. He said the buildings were closed at the time of the violence.     President Emmanuel Macron of France, which has faced several recent attacks blamed on Muslim extremists, tweeted that the French “share the shock and grief of the Austrian people hit by an attack tonight.”       “This is our Europe,” he said. “Our enemies must know with whom they are dealing. We will not retreat.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed solidarity with neighboring Austria in a statement Tuesday, saying, “The fight against Islamist terrorism is our common struggle.” 
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Britain is set to go into lockdown for a second time Thursday amid a surge in coronavirus infections, with over 20,000 new cases reported daily.  It’s the latest European country to impose strict measures, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London.Camera: Henry Ridgwell    Producer: Luis da Costa
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Gunmen have opened fire at six locations in Austria’s capital, Vienna, killing at least one person and injuring 15 others in what Chancellor Sebastian Kurz described as a “repulsive terrorist attack.”  Kurz told Austrian broadcaster ORF that several gunmen were still on the loose. Police have cordoned off a large area of central Vienna and are engaged in a hunt for the shooters.   Police said on Twitter Monday evening that residents of Vienna should “KEEP AWAY from all public places or public transport.”   Police said that in addition to one bystander being killed, one of the attackers has been shot dead by police. A police officer is among the injured.   The attack took place shortly after 8 p.m. Monday and came hours before a partial lockdown was due to go into effect due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.   Kurz said, “We are victims of a despicable terror attack in the federal capital that is still ongoing.” He said the attackers had “prepared professionally” and “were very well equipped with automatic weapons.”  Police officers stay in position at stairs named “Theodor Herzl Stiege” near a synagogue after gunshots were heard, in Vienna, November 2, 2020.Speaking to ORF, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said all six locations that were attacked were near a central city street that houses Vienna’s main synagogue.    Jewish community leader Oskar Deutsch said on Twitter that it was not clear whether the synagogue and its adjoining offices had been the target of the attack. He said the buildings were closed at the time of the violence.   Unverified videos circulating on social media showed gunmen walking through the streets of Vienna, apparently shooting at people at random.  Interior Minister Nehammer said the army has been tasked with protecting key sites in the capital so that police can focus on pursuing the gunmen.  President Emmanuel Macron of France, which has faced several recent attacks blamed on Muslim extremists, tweeted that the French “share the shock and grief of the Austrian people hit by an attack tonight.”  “This is our Europe,” he said. “Our enemies must know with whom they are dealing. We will not retreat.”   
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel says new coronavirus restrictions that took effect Monday were implemented because the country has seen “exponential growth” in cases in recent weeks, and officials are facing an acute emergency in the nation’s hospitals.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin following a Cabinet meeting on the virus Monday, Merkel said the Robert Koch Institute, which monitors public health, reported 12,097 new cases in the country, raising the overall number to 545,027 currently.  
Merkel said the daily rate is triple what the rate was two weeks ago and five times more than in the middle of October. She said the number of intensive care patients has doubled in the last 10 days from 1,030 to 2,061. The chancellor said the new measures reflect an effort to reduce contact among people to slow the spread of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.
The new lockdown includes the closing of restaurants, gyms and theaters. Merkel said the lockdown’s success will not be determined by the regulations but by how well they are followed. She said if people follow the rules, and the lockdown measures reduce the spread of infections over the month of November, the more freedoms they might have in December during the Christmas holiday.
Merkel said there will still be restrictions but added, “It’s going to be a Christmas under coronavirus conditions, but it shouldn’t be a lonely Christmas.”
A reporter asked Merkel how important it was for U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration to listen to the science when it comes to the pandemic. She refused to answer, given that it was the day before the U.S. presidential election; but, she added that given her own training as a physicist, “I, of course, value scientific advice highly and follow it.” 
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Former National Security Agency contractor-turned whistleblower Edward Snowden says he and his wife will apply for Russian citizenship, in addition to their current status as American citizens.  The request marks the latest chapter in Edward Snowden’s often secretive life in Russia, as Charles Maynes reports from Moscow.Videographer: Ricardo Marquina, Producer: Marcus Harton
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Belarus’s human rights record is in the spotlight as the U.N. Human Rights Council begins its Universal Periodic Review of nations’ rights records. Belarus has come under intense criticism for its crackdown on demonstrators who have challenged the outcome of last August’s presidential elections.This is the third time since the review process began in 2008 that Belarus’s human rights record has come under scrutiny. The meeting was aimed at taking stock of developments that have occurred in the country since the previous reviews.  The head of the Belarus delegation was unable to prevent nations attending the meeting from fixating on the violent events, which followed August’s allegedly rigged presidential elections.  Belarus’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Yuri Ambrazevich, said his government has spoken publicly on this subject several times. The ambassador spoke through an interpreter.“In that connection, I would like to appeal to all participants today not to turn the UPR on Belarus only into a discussion of the post-election events…Belarus wishes, has the will and has the necessary instruments itself peacefully to restore civility in society on the basis of a balance of interests of our society as a whole,” said  Ambrazevich.Belarus Police Fire Warning Shots, Detain ProtestersPolice in Belarus fired warning shots into the air and detained protesters in Minsk, Sunday November 1. The United Nations reports more than 10,000 people have been arrested, thousands severely beaten, and hundreds tortured by state agents.Ambassador Ambrazevich tried to turn the focus of the debate onto the improvements being made in all areas of public life. He cited progress in gender equality, in the protection of vulnerable people, of the disabled and special provisions to help mothers and their children. Ambrazevich touted his country’s public health system, saying it provided free medical care for all. Countries nevertheless were not dissuaded from expressing concerns about Belarus’s repression of peaceful demonstrators and what those nations cited as ongoing violations of human rights.  The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Andrew Bremberg, called the August 9 presidential elections fraudulent. He denounced the ongoing use of violence, intimidation and repression of the Belarusian people.“The United States recommends that Belarus: One, immediately cease its brutal crackdown against the Belarusian people, including threats to use lethal force against peaceful protesters and employment of severe abuses against detainees, and hold those responsible accountable,” said Bremerg. “Two, immediately release all political prisoners and those detained for participation in election-related protests.”   Besides its detractors, Belarus also had a number of supporters. Countries such as China, Syria and Venezuela praised what they said was Belarus’s promotion and protection of human rights. Those countries applauded what they said were the political rights and democratic freedoms enjoyed by its people.  They condemned efforts to destabilize the country and told the international community to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Belarus in the name of human rights.
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Rescue teams in Turkey pulled two girls out alive Monday from under the rubble of their collapsed apartment buildings, three days after a strong earthquake centered in the Aegean Sea rocked Turkey and Greece.Fourteen-year-old Idil Sirin was removed from the wreckage after being trapped for some 58 hours.Seven hours later, rescuers pulled out 3-year-old Elif Perincek, whose mother and two sisters had been rescued two days earlier. At Least 51 Dead in Turkey, Greek Islands EarthquakeHundreds injured, buildings destroyed and collapsedThe child, who spent 65 hours in the wreckage of her collapsed apartment, became the 106th person rescued alive, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.At least 80 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 injured by the earthquake that toppled buildings in the Turkish city of İzmir and created sea surges on at least two Greek islands, where two school children lost their lives.The U.S. Geological Survey rated the earthquake 7.0, while Istanbul’s Kandilli Institute and Turkey’s emergency management agency gave 6.9 and 6.6 measures respectively.The deadly earthquake originated from a 250-kilometer fault line off the coast of the Greek island of Samos, streaming across the Aegean Sea that divides Turkey and Greece. Hundreds of aftershocks followed.
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In Bangladesh at least 50,000 people took to the streets of the capital Dhaka Monday to protest French President Emmanuel Macron, who has defended criticism of Islam as a right of freedom of speech. The demonstrators demanded a boycott of French products and tried to march to the French embassy but were blocked by police.  France is an important trading partner and a major aid provider for Bangladesh.  Police estimated that about 50,000 people participated in the protest, but organizers said more than 100,000 people had gathered for the rally.Bangladeshi Muslims protesting the French president’s support of secular laws allowing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad march burn an effigy of French President Emmanuel Macron in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nov.2, 2020.Macron triggered protests in the Muslim world, including Bangladesh, when he said France would never renounce its right to caricature. His comment came after the decapitation of teacher Samuel Paty earlier in October who had shown students a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad republished by the Paris-based satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.  Two other attacks that French authorities have attributed to Islamist terrorism have followed.    Macron sounded a more empathetic tone in an interview with Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera on Saturday, but again emphasized freedom of speech.    “I can understand that people could be shocked by the caricatures, but I will never accept that violence can be justified.”  
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Former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden said on Twitter Monday that he and his wife are applying for Russian citizenship, in addition to their American citizenship.  Snowden, 37, also announced he and Lindsay Mills are expecting a baby boy.  “After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our son. That’s why, in this era of pandemics and closed borders, we’re applying for dual US-Russian citizenship.”After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our son. That’s why, in this era of pandemics and closed borders, we’re applying for dual US-Russian citizenship. https://t.co/cCgT0rr37e— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) November 1, 2020Snowden emphasized that the couple have no intention to renounce their U.S. citizenship. “Lindsay and I will remain Americans, raising our son with all the values of the America we love – including the freedom to speak his mind. And I look forward to the day I can return to the States, so the whole family can be reunited.”Lindsay and I will remain Americans, raising our son with all the values of the America we love—including the freedom to speak his mind. And I look forward to the day I can return to the States, so the whole family can be reunited.— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) November 1, 2020Snowden’s tweet comes weeks after Moscow granted him permanent residency. Russia also has recently changed its strict laws to allow individuals to hold dual citizenship, in their country of origin and Russian. Snowden has been living in exile in Russia since 2013, after he leaked information on U.S. Domestic and international surveillance programs. He is wanted in the United States on espionage charges after he copied and leaked secret files to The Guardian and The Washington Post newspapers.  Other major world newspapers picked up the story. U.S. Public opinion is split whether to pardon Snowden.  Earlier this year, President Donald Trump said he would take a close and careful look at the possibility of pardoning Snowden, but no further comments have come from Trump since.   Days after Trump’s statement, in an interview with The Associated Press, Attorney General William Barr said he would be “vehemently opposed” to any attempt to pardon Snowden.  In 2015, then-president Barack Obama rejected a petition to pardon Snowden.  
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The ruling party in the former Soviet republic of Georgia is claiming victory following Saturday’s closely contested parliamentary election.  But the opposition alleges the vote was rigged and staged a rally outside parliament on Sunday in protest.Preliminary results show the ruling Georgian Dream, or GD, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, garnered about 48% of the vote, according to election officials.The opposition United National Movement, or UNM, of former President Mikheil Saakashvili, was second with 27%. Trailing with roughly 4% was European Georgia, a party that split from the UNM in 2017. Altogether, there are eight opposition parties, including pro-Russia Patriot’s Alliance, which is perceived as an ally to the Georgian Dream.  The ruling party declared victory soon after initial projections were announced. It said the elections were a step forward and that it will single-handedly form a government.  “This is a big win,” said Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream’s executive secretary. “Free and fair elections are main achievement of Georgian Dream,” he told reporters at a press conference.
 
With the final votes still being counted, the opposition is discussing the possibility of boycotting parliament. They have argued that Ivanishvili has undermined Georgian democracy through shadow governance, control over the judiciary and pressuring the business sector.   The opposition leaders have pledged unity, maintaining that they won’t recognize Saturday’s elections.   “Ivanishvili destroyed democracy in our country last night,” said UNM member Salome Samadashvili ahead of announcing an opposition rally. “We demand new and legitimate elections,” she added.   “The results that were established through fear tactics, violence, bribery, use of administrative resources, manipulations at voting stations, do not reflect the will of the people,” said Giga Bokeria, leader of European Georgia.Ruling Party in Ex-Soviet Georgia Leads in Parliament Vote; Opposition ProtestsThe opposition said preliminary results did not correspond with realityObservers from the OSCE — the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe — have said the vote was competitive and that overall, fundamental freedoms were respected. The OSCE, however, said allegations of pressure on voters and blurring of the line between party and state reduced public confidence in parts of the process.  Georgian Dream says the OSCE assessment proves that the elections reflected the popular choice. “The assessment is much more positive than in the case of previous elections,” said Archil Talakvadze, the chairman of parliament.  A statement from the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi echoed the assessment of the OSCE, while calling for transparency in resolving the complaints.“These efforts to corrupt the electoral process through voter intimidation, vote buying, interfering with ballot secrecy, blurring of party and official activities, and violence against election observers and journalists, while not sufficient to invalidate the results, continue to mar Georgia’s electoral process and are unacceptable,” the statement said.Elections in the nation of nearly 4 million people were held with a hard-won, new electoral system, a concession the ruling party made after a series of demonstrations last year and continued pressure from the U.S. government and Congress. Of the legislature’s 150 seats, 120 are decided by a proportional system. The remaining seats would be decided through what are called single-mandate. There will be run-offs in 16 out of 30 districts.  The elections also took place amid the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, a struggling economy and increased poverty. Observers note the national currency, the lari, has lost half of its value against the U.S dollar and unemployment remains the main concern of the population.  The pandemic has hit Georgia hard with its economy expected to shrink by 4% this year. Coronavirus cases are sharply rising, straining the health care sector. According to the Johns Hopkins University, the former Soviet republic has close to 39,000 confirmed cases and 307 deaths. The government took steps to curb the outbreak by declaring a state of emergency earlier this year, closing schools and some businesses and restricting travel.The election followed a highly polarized campaign in which Georgian Dream and the United National Movement traded personal attacks.  Georgian Dream’s chief tactic was to target Saakashvili, who served as president from 2004 through 2013. Saakashvili left the country after a series of criminal charges against him, which he argues are politically motivated. He currently resides in Ukraine and holds an official position in the government.  “If the opposition decides that I should come, I will jump on the next plane,” he said after the election results were announced.Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia in the 1990s, came to power in 2012, ousting President Saakashvili’s government. He served as a prime minister for a year, before abruptly resigning. He is widely believed to run the government behind the scenes.  Over the years, Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream has come under harsh criticism from local and international observers, who have voiced concerns over targeting of media freedoms, and political opponents and the use of excessive force during anti-Russia protests last summer.
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White House coronavirus adviser Scott Atlas apologized on Sunday for giving an interview to Russia’s Kremlin-backed television station RT, saying he was unaware the outlet was a registered foreign agent in the United States.Atlas, a neuroradiologist and member of the White House coronavirus task force, appeared on the channel on Saturday and criticized coronavirus lockdown measures, calling them an “epic failure” at stopping the virus’ spread.”I recently did an interview with RT and was unaware they are a registered foreign agent,” Atlas wrote on Twitter. “I regret doing the interview and apologize for allowing myself to be taken advantage of.”I especially apologize to the national security community who is working hard to defend us,” Atlas said.I recently did an interview with RT and was unaware they are a registered foreign agent. I regret doing the interview and apologize for allowing myself to be taken advantage of. I especially apologize to the national security community who is working hard to defend us.— Scott W. Atlas (@SWAtlasHoover) November 1, 2020RT registered as a foreign agent three years ago. A January 2017 report from U.S. intelligence agencies said the television station, which broadcasts on cable in the United States, is “Russia’s state-run propaganda machine” and that it contributed to the Kremlin’s campaign to interfere with the 2016 presidential election in favor of the winning candidate, Republican President Donald Trump.After that report, the U.S. Department of Justice insisted that RT America comply with requirements under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA).”The lockdowns … will go down as an epic failure of public policy by people who refused to accept they were wrong,” Atlas told RT in the Saturday interview.Public health experts in the United States have previously raised concerns that Atlas, who has no background in infectious diseases, is providing misleading or incorrect information on the pandemic to Trump.Anthony Fauci, the leading U.S. infectious disease expert, said on Saturday that Atlas is the only pandemic adviser whom Trump regularly sees.”I have real problems with that guy,” Fauci told The Washington Post. “He’s a smart guy who’s talking about things that I believe he doesn’t have any real insight or knowledge or experience in.”  
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Security forces in the Belarusian capital have detained more than 200 people in the latest anti-government protest fueled by a disputed presidential election 12 weeks ago.Thousands of demonstrators took part Sunday November 1 in marches in Minsk as part of almost daily protests demanding Alyaksandr Lukashenko’s resignation and a new vote.According to a list published by the human rights group Vyasna, nearly all the people detained were taken into custody in Minsk.People argue with policemen during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus, Nov. 1, 2020.Armored vehicles equipped with machine guns were seen in Minsk along with water cannons and other anti-riot equipment, according to AP.It was the 12th consecutive Sunday of marches in Minsk held to keep the pressure on Lukashenko, who has orchestrated a massive crackdown and arrested thousands since authorities declared him the winner of an August 9 election to give him a sixth consecutive term.Most of the country’s opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country, including presidential candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has said the vote was rigged in Lukashenko’s favor and considers herself the rightful winner. She left Belarus for Lithuania after the vote amid threats to her and her family.Tsikhanouskaya has urged a “national strike” since October 26 that has been met with security sweeps and more brutal moves against dissenters.The opposition had set a deadline of midnight on October 25 for Lukashenko — who has been president for 26 years — to leave.Lukashenko responded with another show of power, and later met with his new security chiefs on October 30 and threatened “harsh measures” against protesters.Vyashna said about 40 people were detained in Minsk, Hrodna, and other Belarusian cities on October 31.The November 1 rallies coincide with an annual march that commemorates victims of Soviet-era killings with victims buried at Kurapaty, on the outskirts of Minsk.Cell phone coverage was said to be cut off in many areas as estimates suggested dual marches had attracted tens of thousands of people.Belarus partially closed all its land borders to foreigners overnight on October 31-November 1 in a move that prompted speculation the restrictions are politically motivated.The country’s State Border Committee said the border restrictions were to “prevent the spread of infection caused by COVID-19.”Lukashenko has repeatedly accused the opposition and critics of being foreign-backed puppets.He has bolstered forces at Belarus’s western borders, and accused Poland and the Baltic states of trying to destabilize Belarus.
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Security forces in the Belarusian capital have fired warning shots and begun detaining participants on Sunday in the latest anti-government protest fueled by a disputed presidential election 12 weeks ago. Thousands of demonstrators were taking part in parallel Minsk marches on November 1 as part of almost daily protests and ongoing demands for Alyaksandr Lukashenko’s resignation and a new vote. Columns of security trucks and buses to hold detainees could be seen around the city as the columns marched toward a well-known monument to Soviet-era repression victims outside the capital. But soon, law enforcement were targeting groups of protesters with flash-bang grenades, warning shots fired into the air, and with tear gas and batons while trying to disperse the crowds. Belarusian law enforcement officers block opposition supporters during their rally to reject the presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus, Nov. 1, 2020.Some motorists appeared to be trying to block the movement of vehicles intended to carry off detainees. One day earlier, police arrested dozens as hundreds of women marched through Minsk to keep the pressure on Lukashenko, who has orchestrated a massive crackdown and arrested thousands since authorities declared him the winner of an August 9 election to give him a sixth consecutive term. FILE – Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks during a news conference in Brussels, Belgium, Sept. 21, 2020.Most of the country’s opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country, including presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has said the vote was rigged in Lukashenk’s favor and considers herself the rightful winner. She left Belarus for Lithuania after the vote amid threats to her and her family. Tsikhanouskaya has urged a “national strike” since October 26 that has been met with security sweeps and more brutal moves against dissenters. The opposition had set a deadline of midnight on October 25 for Lukashenko — who has been president for 26 years — to leave. Lukashenko responded with another show of power, and later met with his new security chiefs on October 30 and threatened “harsh measures” against protesters. The Vyashna rights organization said about 40 people were detained in Minsk, Hrodna, and other Belarusian cities on October 31. The November 1 rallies coincide with an annual march that commemorates victims of Soviet-era killings with victims buried at Kurapaty, on the outskirts of Minsk. Cell phone coverage was said to be cut off in many areas as estimates suggested dual marches had attracted tens of thousands of people. Belarus partially closed all its land borders to foreigners overnight on October 31-November 1 in a move that prompted speculation the restrictions are politically motivated. The country’s State Border Committee said the border restrictions were to “prevent the spread of infection caused by COVID-19.” FILE – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speaks during a meeting with the country’s political activists in Minsk, Belarus, Sept. 16, 2020.Lukashenko has repeatedly accused the opposition and critics of being foreign-backed puppets. He has bolstered forces at Belarus’s western borders, and accused Poland and the Baltic states of trying to destabilize Belarus. Belarus has also expelled or turned away many foreign correspondents, in addition to jailing some journalists. Lukashenko has repeatedly turned to Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he has sometimes clashed over the implementation of a two-decade-old agreement on a joint state, for support since the latest unrest began.  
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