The British government’s contentious policy to stem the flow of migrants faces one of its toughest challenges this week as the U.K. Supreme Court weighs whether it’s lawful to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda. 

The Conservative government is challenging a Court of Appeal ruling in June that said the policy intended to deter immigrants from risking their lives crossing the English Channel in small boats is unlawful because the East African country is not a safe place to send them. 

Three days of arguments are scheduled to begin Monday with the government arguing its policy is safe and lawyers for migrants from Vietnam, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Sudan contending it’s unlawful and inhumane. 

The hearing comes as much of Europe and the U.S. struggle with how best to cope with migrants seeking refuge from war, violence, oppression and a warming planet that has brought devastating drought and floods. 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to “stop the boats” as a top priority to curb unauthorized immigration. More than 25,000 people are estimated to have arrived in the U.K. by boat as of Oct. 2, which is down nearly 25% from the 33,000 that had made the crossing at the same time last year. 

The policy is intended to put a stop to the criminal gangs that ferry migrants across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes by making Britain an unattractive destination because of the likelihood of being given a one-way ticket to Rwanda. 

The consequences of the crossing have been deadly. In August, six migrants died and about 50 had to be rescued when their boat capsized after leaving the northern coast of France. In November 2021, 27 people died after their boat sank. 

The government claims the policy is a fair way to deal with an influx of people who arrive on U.K. shores without authorization and that Rwanda is a safe “third country” — meaning it’s not where they are seeking asylum from. 

The U.K. and Rwandan governments reached a deal more than a year ago that would send asylum-seekers to the East African country and allow them to stay there if granted asylum. 

So far, not a single person has been sent there as the policy has been fought over in the courts. 

Human rights groups have argued it’s inhumane to deport people more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) to a place they don’t want to live. They have also cited Rwanda’s poor human rights record, including allegations of torture and killings of government opponents. 

A High Court judge initially upheld the policy, saying it didn’t breach Britain’s obligations under the U.N. Refugee Convention or other international agreements. But that ruling was reversed by a 2-1 decision in the Court of Appeal that found that while it was not unlawful to send asylum-seekers to a safe third country, Rwanda could not be deemed safe. 

The government argues the Court of Appeal had no right to interfere with the lower court decision and got it wrong by concluding deportees would be endangered in Rwanda and could face the prospect of being sent back to their home country where they could face persecution. The U.K. also says that the court should have respected the government’s analysis that determined Rwanda is safe and that its government would abide by the terms of the agreement to protect migrants’ rights. 

Attorneys for the migrants argue that there is a real risk their clients could be tortured, punished, or face inhumane and degrading treatment in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, and they cite Rwanda’s history of abusing refugees for dissent. The second flank of their argument is that the home secretary did not thoroughly investigate how Rwanda determines the status of refugees. 

One of the claimants asserts that the U.K. must still abide by European Union asylum procedures despite its Brexit split from the EU that became final in 2020. EU policies only allow asylum-seekers to be sent to a safe third country if they have a connection to it. 

Even if the courts allow the policy to proceed, it’s unclear how many people will be flown to Rwanda at a cost estimated to be 169,000 pounds ($206,000) per person. 

And there’s a chance it wouldn’t be in place for long. The leader of the opposition Labor Party, Keir Starmer, said Sunday that he would scrap the policy if elected prime minister. 

Polls show the Labor Party has an advantage in an election that must be called by the end of next year. 

“I think it’s the wrong policy, it’s hugely expensive,” Starmer told the BBC. 

The court is not expected to rule immediately after the hearing. 
…

Waving Spanish and Catalan flags, tens of thousands of people marched through Barcelona on Sunday to protest against a potential amnesty deal which Spain’s Socialists must strike over Catalonia’s 2017 separatist bid if they want to form a government.  

The protest, organized by the anti-separatist organization Societat Civil Catalana, took place five days after Spain’s acting Socialist prime minister was nominated to seek backing of other political parties for a new mandate.   

Pedro Sanchez needs the support of Catalan separatist parties Junts and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, which want the unpopular amnesty in exchange for votes in parliament.  

Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the opposition conservative People’s Party, and Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, attended the march which police said attracted 50,000 protesters.  

“An amnesty would undermine the judiciary. An amnesty would put the government above democracy and the rule of law,” said Javier Tapia, 55, a chemicals worker.  

Holding a sign which said “Spain for Sale”, Isabel Martinez said: “We cannot allow an amnesty because not all Catalans believe that these [separatists] should be pardoned. They want to live in conflict forever but we want to live in peace.”   

Amnesty would benefit hundreds   

Sanchez has defended his conciliatory policy with Catalonia, including a 2021 pardon to nine jailed leaders, and said the 2017 crisis “brought nothing good.”  

“This is not an amnesty that seeks reconciliation. The only thing it seeks is to make [Sanchez] the president of the government,” Feijoo told the rally on Sunday.  

The amnesty could potentially cover more than 1,400 people involved in the independence bid that came to a head in 2017, pro-separatist Catalan group Omnium estimates. These are a mix of people in jail and facing charges.   

That would be the largest in Spain since the 1977 blanket amnesty for crimes committed during the Francisco Franco dictatorship, and the first amnesty law approved in the European Union since 1991, according to Spain’s CSIC research council.  

Around 70% of respondents — 59% of them Socialist supporters — said they were against the idea of an amnesty in a poll in mid-September.  

If no candidate for prime minister secures a majority by Nov. 27, a repeat election has to be called. 
…

Israel’s Ambassador to Turkey, Irit Lillian, said Sunday it was too early to talk about mediation offers between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, adding the attacks showed that Hamas should not have any presence in Turkey or elsewhere. 

On Saturday, Hamas launched an attack against Israel, for which Israel vowed “mighty vengeance” in response. Hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis have been killed, in what Israel has said is a war. 

In an online briefing with journalists after Turkey said it was in contact with all parties and stood ready to de-escalate, Lillian said Israel’s priority was its response to the attack. 

“Mediation comes at a different point of time. Right now, we are unfortunately counting the dead, we are trying to heal the wounded, we don’t even know what is the number of the citizens abducted,” she said. 

“We want to see all the abducted people coming home and we want quiet and calmness coming back to Israel and the region,” she added. “After that, we can talk about mediation and who are going to be the players in this mediation.” 

The conflict comes as Turkey, which has backed Palestinians in the past, hosted members of Hamas, and supported a two-state solution to the conflict, works to repair ties with Israel after years of animosity. 

Ankara does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization. 

Hamas presence in Turkey 

Asked about the presence of Hamas members in Turkey, Lillian said a senior member of the Islamist group, Saleh al-Arouri, was sometimes seen at events in Turkey, and added he should be tried for crimes against humanity. 

“I think it just strengthens our point that Hamas should not have an office or any kind of activity, neither in Turkey nor anywhere else in the world,” she said. “There is no place for terrorists to direct or command acts from any country in the world.” 

The Turkish foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the presence of Hamas officials in Turkey. 

On Sunday, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, while repeating Ankara’s earlier call for restraint, said Palestinians had long suffered from injustices, namely on Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque which he labelled a “red line.” 

Lillian said Israel had expected more empathy from Turkey, a country that has suffered from militant attacks for decades but added “good constructive” dialogue between the countries in “the day after” would shed light on the fate of the rapprochement. 

“I think it’s a little bit hard to say,” Lillian said, when asked if ties would be affected, adding that some comments from Ankara were “surprising.” 

“I think the relations of Israel and Turkey which started a process of warm-up should not be affected by yesterday’s attack and by the ongoing war against terrorism,” she added. 

She also said the Israeli embassy was in touch with Turkish authorities regarding threats and calls for demonstrations and violence.  
…

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said in an interview published on Sunday that she was confident the ECB would meet its target of getting inflation back down to 2%, and relatively confident over Europe’s gas reserves situation. 

Last month, the ECB raised its key interest rate to a record high of 4%.

“The key ECB interest rates have reached levels that, maintained for a sufficiently long duration, will make a substantial contribution to the timely return of inflation to the target,” Lagarde said in an interview published on Sunday in French paper La Tribune Dimanche. The ECB’s website clarified that the interview was conducted on Oct. 2. 

Lagarde added the fact that inflation was “currently falling significantly” was one of several reason as to why she was not pessimistic regarding the short-term economic outlook.

She added that other reasons for this were economic reforms underway in Europe, and because Europe’s gas reserves situation was better than before.

“Structural reforms are being put in place. And, just one year ago, who would have thought that we would succeed in replenishing more than 90% of our gas reserves by September 2023?,” said Lagarde.

“This allows us to look towards the coming winter, if not calmly, then at least with a lot more confidence,” she added.
…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address Saturday that Ukrainians are “particularly sensitive to what happened” in Israel – “Thousands of missiles in the sky … people killed right in the streets … Riddled cars with civilians.”

“Our position,” he said, “is absolutely clear: anywhere in the world, anyone who brings terror and death must be held accountable.”

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old woman and her baby were among a dozen people wounded in a Russian attack in Ukraine’s Kherson region, the regional governor said Saturday.

United Nations investigators are in the Ukrainian village of Hroza, where a Russian missile strike this week killed 52 people during a wake for a slain soldier being held at a café.

The team leader of the investigators said in a statement, “My initial conversations with local residents and survivors indicate that virtually all those killed were civilians and that the target itself, a busy village cafe and store, was also clearly civilian.”

Among the dead were the village leader, a couple who left behind four children and the dead soldier’s wife and son.

Russia’s new silo-based intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile system is nearly combat-ready, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Saturday, after he inspected the manufacture of Sarmat missiles, one of Russia’s most advanced weapons.

“Re-equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with this system, which will become the basis of Russia’s ground-based strategic nuclear forces, is a priority in ensuring the country’s defense capability,” Shoigu was quoted as saying.

His comments reflect Russia’s escalating nuclear rhetoric in its standoff with the West over the war in Ukraine.

Known to NATO military allies by the codename “Satan,” the Sarmat missiles reportedly have a short initial launch phase, which gives little time for surveillance systems to track their takeoff.

On Friday, the Russian parliament speaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, said lawmakers will reevaluate whether to revoke the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT, a global nuclear test ban.

Volodin’s statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could consider rescinding the ratification of the international pact since the United States never ratified it. 

The 1996 treaty prohibiting “any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion” anywhere in the world has been signed by 187 nations but not ratified by eight of them, including the United States.

The U.S. did not ratify the treaty, but it has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions since 1992 that it says it will continue to abide by.

“It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any state signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT,” Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization Executive Secretary Robert Floyd said in a statement.

There are widespread concerns that Russia could move to resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West from continuing to offer military support to Ukraine.

Ukraine-Russia strikes

Ukraine and Russia launched several strikes against each other Saturday. 

Russia’s defense ministry said the country’s air defense systems had “detected and destroyed” a Ukrainian S-200 anti-aircraft missile deployed in an attempted attack on the Crimean Peninsula.

Reuters, which reported the development, could not verify the statement by the Russian defense ministry, which did not say where the missile was shot down.

Ukrainian shelling killed one person in the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

A party official in the Russian-held town of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine’s Kherson province was killed by a car bomb Saturday, the provincial governor said.

Vladimir Malov, executive secretary of the town branch of Russia’s governing United Russia party, died in a hospital, Vladimir Saldo said in a post on his Telegram channel, calling it “a terrorist attack,” meaning one orchestrated by Ukraine.

There was no immediate comment from Kyiv.

Russia, meanwhile, launched a missile strike on Ukraine’s Odesa region overnight.  Local officials say four people were wounded in the attack that was launched from Russian-occupied Crimea.

Russian forces downed a Ukrainian drone near Moscow early Saturday, according to Tass, a Russian state news agency.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press. 
…

Tourists at the Acropolis this holiday season can witness the resolution of one of the world’s most heated debates on cultural heritage.

All they need is a smartphone.

Visitors can now pinch and zoom their way around the ancient Greek site, with a digital overlay showing how it once looked. That includes a collection of marble sculptures removed from the Parthenon more than 200 years ago that are now on display at the British Museum in London. Greece has demanded they be returned.

For now, an app supported by Greece’s Culture Ministry allows visitors to point their phones at the Parthenon temple, and the sculptures housed in London appear back on the monument as archaeologists believe they looked 2,500 years ago.

Other, less widely known features also appear: Many of the sculptures on the Acropolis were painted in striking colors. A statue of goddess Athena in the main chamber of the Parthenon also stood over a shallow pool of water.

“That’s really impressive … the only time I’ve seen that kind of technology before is at the dentist,” Shriya Parsotam Chitnavis, a tourist from London, said after checking out the app on a hot afternoon at the hilltop Acropolis, Greece’s most popular archaeological site.

“I didn’t know much about the (Acropolis), and I had to be convinced to come up here. Seeing this has made it more interesting — seeing it in color,” she said. “I’m more of a visual person, so this being interactive really helped me appreciate it.”

The virtual restoration works anywhere and could spare some visitors the crowded uphill walk and long wait to see the iconic monuments up close. It might also help the country’s campaign to make Greek cities year-round destinations.

Tourism, vital for the Greek economy, has roared back since the COVID-19 pandemic, even as wildfires chased visitors from the island of Rhodes and affected other areas this summer. The number of inbound visitors from January through July was up 21.9% to 16.2 million compared with a year ago, according to the Bank of Greece. Revenue was up just over 20%, to 10.3 billion euros ($10.8 billion).

The app, called Chronos after the mythological king of the Titans and Greek word for “time,” uses augmented reality to place the ancient impression of the site onto the screen, matching the real-world view as you walk around.

AR is reaching consumers after a long wait and is set to affect a huge range of professional and leisure activities.

Medical surgery, military training and specialized machine repair as well as retail and live event experiences are all in the sights of big tech companies betting on a lucrative future in immersive services. Tech giant like Meta and Apple are pushing into VR headsets that can cost thousands of dollars.

The high price tag will keep the cellphone as the main AR delivery platform to consumers for some time, said Maria Engberg, co-author of the book “Reality Media” on augmented and virtual reality.

She says services for travelers will soon offer a better integrated experience, allowing for more sharing options on tours and overlaying archive photos and videos.

“AR and VR have been lagging behind other kinds of things like games and movies that we’re consuming digitally,” said Engberg, an associate professor of computer science and media technology at Malmo University in Sweden.

“I think we will see really interesting customer experiences in the next few years as more content from museums and archives becomes digitized,” she said.

Greece’s Culture Ministry and national tourism authority are late but enthusiastic converts to technology. The popular video game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which allows players to roam ancient Athens, was used to attract young travelers from China to Greece with a state-organized photo contest.

Microsoft partnered with the Culture Ministry two years ago to launch an immersive digital tour at ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games in southern Greece.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the innovations would boost accessibility to Greece’s ancient monuments, supplementing the recent installation of ramps and anti-slip pathways.

“Accessibility is extending to the digital space,” Mendoni said at a preview launch event for the Chronos app in May. “Real visitors and virtual visitors anywhere around the world can share historical knowledge.”

Developed by Greek telecoms provider Cosmote, the free app’s designers say they hope to build on existing features that include an artificial intelligence-powered virtual guide, Clio.

“As technologies and networks advance, with better bandwidth and lower latencies, mobile devices will be able to download even higher-quality content,” said Panayiotis Gabrielides, a senior official at the telecom company involved in the project.

Virtual reconstructions using Chronos also cover three other monuments at the Acropolis, an adjacent Roman theater and parts of the Acropolis Museum built at the foot of the rock.
…

Germany and France on Saturday moved to reinforce security around Jewish temples, schools and monuments after the surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel.

Germany tightened police protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions, as some supporters of the Palestinians took to the streets of Berlin to celebrate the attack.

France focused on Jewish temples and schools in cities across the country, as one Jewish leader expressed concern at the possibility the conflict might be imported there.

“In Berlin, police protection has been immediately stepped up,” Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told Bild newspaper. “The federal government and the regions are closely coordinating their actions.”

Germany’s authorities were also closely watching “potential supporters of Hamas in the Islamist sphere,” she added.

Berlin police posted photos on social media showing “people celebrating the attacks on Israel by passing out pastries” on Sonnenallee, the main avenue in city’s Neukolln district.

Police had in some cases carried out identity checks and filed complaints, they added.

The German account of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network posted photos of the distribution of pastries on the streets of Berlin and a message celebrating “the resistance of the Palestinian people.”

Martin Hikel, mayor of the Neukoelin district, denounced “a horrible glorification of a terrible war,” in comments to Welt television.

He called on the government to ban “the disgusting terrorist propaganda of Samidoun.”

Later Saturday, Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of reunified Germany, was lit up in the colors of the Israeli flag.

“In solidarity with Israel,” wrote Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X, formerly Twitter. Israel’s ambassador replied on the same platform, thanking him for “this beautiful symbol.”

In France, security had already been stepped up at synagogues in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Strasbourg because of religious holidays observed since late September.

Interior Gerald Darmanin sent an urgent message to prefects running the country’s regions asking them to reinforce surveillance even further.

“At a time when terrorist attacks from Gaza are hitting Israel, I ask you to immediately step up vigilance, security and protection of Jewish community sites in France,” he wrote in a message seen by AFP.

He called for a “visible and systematic static presence,” and the use of soldiers from France’s Operation Sentinelle, a special force deployed across the country since the 2015 terror attacks.

The interior ministry will review the security situation at a special meeting Sunday.

In the east of France, increased surveillance of Jewish schools and synagogues in the city of Strasbourg was being organized, said Pierre Haas, of the Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF).

“We were very shocked and worried by this outburst of violence,” he told AFP.

Knowing the Israeli army would hit back, he said, “we’re not reassured by the possibility of the conflict being imported to France.”

In the southern port city of Marseille, the north of France and in the Paris region, police sources confirmed that security had been stepped up there, too.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin has declared that the country is at war after the large-scale, surprise attack launched by Hamas out of Gaza.

Hundreds have already been killed on both sides according to figures from Israeli medical services and the Gaza authorities, the conflict’s bloodiest escalation in years.
…

Major airlines canceled dozens of flights to and from Tel Aviv this weekend after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale attack against Israel. 

On the arrivals board at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, American Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Ryanair and Aegean Airlines were among those companies pulling flights.

Many departing flights were canceled, too.

“Given the current security situation in Tel Aviv, Lufthansa is canceling all flights to and from Tel Aviv up until and including Monday, a spokesperson for the German carrier told AFP. 

The airline was “permanently monitoring the security situation in Israel,” he added.  

Air France said it had halted Tel Aviv flights “until further notice.” 

Air France-KLM group’s low-cost carrier Transavia also canceled a flight from Paris to Tel Aviv Saturday evening. 

In Warsaw, Polish carrier LOT said Saturday it had also canceled a flight to Tel Aviv. 

However, airport authorities did not stop commercial air links with Eilat, Israel’s second international airport and tourist destination on the Red Sea. 
…

Migration and interior ministers from five European Union countries most affected by migration across the Mediterranean — Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain — hailed a new EU pact on migration but said more resources were needed. 

The ministers from the Med 5 group, who met in Thessaloniki, Greece, on Friday and Saturday, took a hard line on returning migrants who have crossed into the bloc illegally to their countries of origin, arguing that if Europe does not tackle the problem decisively, more extreme voices will take over. 

Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis, who hosted the sixth meeting of the Med 5, and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas congratulated the Spanish presidency of the EU for “doing what is humanly possible” to arrive at a compromise agreement. 

In a news conference Saturday, Schinas took issue with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who said Friday Hungary was “legally raped” by its fellow EU members. 

“Before he talks about rape, he should study the European Treaty,” he said, adding that decisions on migration are taken on an enhanced majority basis. Hungary and Poland were the two dissenters at an EU summit in Granada, arguing for a tougher approach. 

“Personally, I would have preferred unanimity,” said Schinas. “But you cannot reach an understanding with someone who doesn’t want to.” 

Kairidis added that Orban is a warning of what could happen if the EU does not come up with viable solutions. 

“We are caught between the hateful shouters on the right and the naive people on the left who believe that any effort to guard borders violates human rights,” he said. 

The Med 5 agreed on taking a hard line on migrant crossings but also emphasized cooperation with the countries of migration origin. 

“It is important to encourage repatriation,” said Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi. 

Malta’s Interior minister Byron Camillieri said that it is very important “to send a clear message (illegally entering migrants) have no right to stay and will return promptly to (their countries) countries of origin.” He added that 70% of migrants who landed in Malta had been returned. All the migrants had traveled from Libya but 70% came originally from Asian countries, he said. 

Cyprus’ Konstantinos Ioannou said that, recently, repatriations had exceeded arrivals in his country. 

Schinas emphasized cooperation with the migrants’ countries of origin, including financial incentives. He said the countries should be made to understand that “if you cooperate with Europe, you gain; if you don’t, you lose.” He called this the “more for more and less for less,” approach. 

Agreements are already in progress with Tunisia, Egypt and some western African countries, Schinas said, adding the EU should also revisit its 2016 deal with Turkey. 

Under that agreement, the EU offered Turkey up to 6 billion euros ($6.7 billion) in aid for the Syrian refugees it hosts, fast-tracked EU membership, and other incentives to stop Europe-bound migrants. 

“We must destroy the traffickers’ business model,” Schinas said. 

The Med 5 ministers called for an additional 2 billion euros to deal with migration. Most of the current EU budget was spent on accommodating Ukrainian refugees and tackling migrant flows through the EU’s external border with Belarus, they said. 

The ministers also expressed concern about the conflict between Israel and Gaza that erupted Saturday and concern that an expanded Middle East conflagration would affect migrant flows. Kairidis said already most of the recent migrants crossing into Greece are from Gaza. 

It was also noted that, besides the more than 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, another 2.5 million are in Lebanon. 
…

Ukraine and Russia launched new strikes on each other Saturday.

Ukrainian shelling killed one person in the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Russia, meanwhile, launched a missile strike on Ukraine’s Odesa region overnight. Local officials say four people were wounded in the attack, which was launched from Russian-occupied Crimea.

Russian forces downed a Ukrainian drone near Moscow early Saturday, according to Tass, a Russian state news agency.

North Korean-Russian border activity

Meanwhile, analysts say satellite imagery shows “an unprecedented number of freight railcars” at North Korea’s Tumangang Rail Facility, located at the North Korean-Russian border.

The analysts at Beyond Parallel, a unit of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the rail traffic is larger than any they have seen in the past five years.  They said the traffic “likely indicates North Korea’s supply of arms and munitions to Russia,” following the two countries’ recent summit.

They said tarps covering the containers made it impossible to identify what is in them. But the organization said that it is “probable that these shipments are to support Russia in its war with Ukraine,” in line with the recent U.S. statement that North Korea has begun transferring artillery to Russia.

Nuclear test ban treaty

On Friday, the Russian parliament’s speaker said lawmakers will reevaluate whether to revoke the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Volodin’s statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could consider rescinding its ratification of the international pact since the United States never ratified it.

The 1996 treaty prohibiting “any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion” anywhere in the world has been signed by 187 nations but not ratified by eight of them, including the United States.

The U.S. did not ratify the treaty, but it has observed a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions since 1992 that it says it will continue to abide by.

“We are disturbed by the comments of Ambassador Ulyanov in Vienna today,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters. “A move like this by any State Party needlessly endangers the global norm against nuclear explosive testing.”

“It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any State Signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT,” Robert Floyd, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization executive secretary, said in a statement.

There are widespread concerns that Russia could move to resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West from continuing to offer military support to Ukraine.

Asked Friday whether rescinding the ban could greenlight the resumption of tests, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “it doesn’t mean a statement about the intention to resume nuclear tests.”

Peskov said a possible move to revoke Russia’s ratification of the ban would “bring the situation to a common denominator” with the U.S.

Speaking Thursday at a forum with foreign affairs experts, Putin said that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasn’t yet formed an opinion on the issue.

Kharkiv and Hroza attacks

The United Nations and partners are mobilizing humanitarian assistance — including medical supplies and health support, shelter maintenance kits, nonfood items, cash and hygiene assistance — as well as mental health and psycho-social support after Russian strikes Thursday and Friday killed at least 54 civilians in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, said Denise Brown, the U.N.’s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

“These are barbaric consequences of this war that 20% of the community can be wiped out in seconds,” Brown remarked in a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A Russian missile strike killed a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother Friday in the same region where at least 52 people, including a child, were killed Thursday, from another Russian attack, this one in the eastern village of Hroza.

Ukrainian officials bitterly condemned the attack, which blew apart a cafe where a wake was being held for a soldier from Hroza who died last year. He was being reburied in his hometown.

During his nightly video address Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks and stressed the importance of Ukraine bolstering its air defense and strengthening its infrastructure in view of the approaching winter.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
…

Spanish company PLD Space launched its reusable Miura-1 rocket early on Saturday from a site in southwestern Spain, carrying out Europe’s first fully private rocket launch and offering hope for the continent’s stalled space ambitions.

The startup’s test nighttime launch from Huelva came after two previous attempts were scrubbed. The Miura-1 rocket, named after a breed of fighting bulls, is as tall as a three-story building and has a 100-kilogram cargo capacity. The launch carries a payload for test purposes, but this will not be released, the company said.

Mission control video showed engineers cheering as the rocket gained altitude against the dark nighttime sky, shouting for joy and congratulating one another.

A first attempt to launch the Miura-1 rocket in May was abandoned due to strong high-altitude winds. A second attempt in June failed when umbilical cables in the avionics bay did not all release in time, halting the lift off as smoke and flames spewed out from the rocket.

Airspace, areas of the sea and roads were closed around the high-security launch site ahead of the launch.

Europe’s efforts to develop capabilities to send small satellites into space are in focus after a failed orbital rocket launch by Virgin Orbit from Britain in January. That system involved releasing the launcher from a converted Boeing 747. Competitors lining up to join the race to launch small payloads include companies in Scotland, Sweden and Germany.

Saturday’s mission on the Miura-1 demonstrator was the first of two scheduled suborbital missions. However, analysts say the most critical test of its ambitions will be the development of orbital services on the larger Miura-5, planned for 2025.

In July, the last launch of Europe’s largest rocket, the premier Ariane 5 space launcher, took place at the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Europe has until recently depended on Ariane 5 and its 11-tonne-plus capacity for heavy missions, as well as Russia’s Soyuz launcher for medium payloads and Italy’s Vega, which is also launched from Kourou, for small ones.

The end of Ariane 5 has left Europe with virtually no autonomous access to space until its successor, Ariane 6, is launched. Russia halted access to Soyuz in response to European sanctions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the upgraded Vega-C has been grounded for technical reasons and Ariane 6 is delayed until next year.

The European Space Agency said last week that Vega-C would not return to service until the fourth quarter of 2024, following a failed mission last December.
…

Polish voters face a stark choice in parliamentary elections set for October 15, which are likely to have a significant impact not only on a deeply polarized Polish society but also on the future of Europe as a whole. 

According to a recent public opinion poll, the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party and the opposition Civic Coalition bloc are in a close race for seats in the two-house, 460-member Parliament. 

One of these political forces will likely have to form a coalition in order to govern what is the largest post-communist EU and NATO member and a critical supporter of Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion.

The Law and Justice party has held power for eight years. Led from behind the scenes by former Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczynski, 74, the party pledges to maintain traditional values and ensure the country’s security, especially in light of Russian aggression in neighboring Ukraine. 

The party leadership also aims to conclude a revamping of the Polish judicial system, a process that started in 2019 and has been criticized by the EU as undermining judicial independence.

In contrast, the Civic Coalition bloc, headed by Donald Tusk, 66, a former president of the European Council and a former Polish prime minister, pledges to reverse the judicial amendments, safeguard media independence and protect civil liberties.

The Tusk coalition asserts that it will work to restore Poland’s international reputation as a democratic nation and rebuild its cooperative relationships within the EU, particularly with Germany, which has faced strong criticism from the current government in recent months.

Political battle ahead 

“It will be a very close run. The election result is extremely difficult to predict,” Jacek Kucharczyk, president of the Institute of Public Affairs in Warsaw, said in an interview with VOA. 

Tusk’s Civic Coalition trails the Law and Justice party by several percentage points in the polls, but Kucharczyk believes it has a chance to secure enough votes to form a parliamentary majority in partnership with other forces, like Poland’s New Left. 

Alternatively, he foresees “a coalition between the current ruling party, Law and Justice, and the far-right Confederation party” — an outcome that he believes “will likely result in further democratic backsliding in Poland.” 

Campaign strategist Sergiusz Trzeciak says it will be very challenging for either bloc to form a governing coalition “due to their differing platform positions.” 

He anticipates a protracted political struggle after the election, possibly leading to a new election. And bearing in mind that Poland will have local elections early next year and a presidential election later in 2025, “this is going to be a very difficult time for Polish politics.”

Ukraine factor 

A protracted internal political struggle could have adverse implications for Poland’s stance on Ukraine, as demonstrated in recent months with restrictions on agricultural products from Ukraine and rhetoric centered on protecting Polish farmers, an important voting bloc. 

“Initially, due to the war in Ukraine and Russian aggression, there was a rare moment of national unity in Poland, with widespread agreement on supporting Ukraine and against Russian aggression,” said Kucharczyk, the Institute of Public Affairs president.

But that consensus has eroded during this election campaign, and in Kucharczyk’s view, the Law and Justice party is adjusting its rhetoric, particularly on Ukraine, to fend off competition from the far-right Confederates, who are perceived as pro-Russian.

Additionally, there is a crisis in agricultural imports, especially grain deliveries in rural areas, which is influencing the ruling party’s messaging. 

Analysts say the majority of polls still show support for the effort to assist Ukraine, but recent political rhetoric has created a crack in Polish-Ukraine unity. “I am very, very relieved that Poles are fully aware that they still need to provide support to Ukraine,” Trzeciak said. 

Analysts assert that, when considering centuries of Polish suffering at the hands of Russia, it is highly unlikely that Poland would become pro-Russian, regardless of the election outcome.

From Euro enthusiasts to Euro realists 

EU-Polish relations could be the next casualty of political uncertainty, especially with the upcoming 2024 European Parliament elections. 

Poland, under the current ruling party, has had strained relations with the EU. On the one hand, EU funding has ensured a Polish economic revival. At the same time, the current political leadership in Warsaw is offended by criticism from Brussels toward its immigration policies and restrictions on civil liberties.

“Poles used to be Euro enthusiasts. Now they have become Euro realists, or sometimes even more and more people are simply Euroskeptic,” said Trzeciak, the campaign strategist. 

Kucharczyk says he believes the Polish election is of major significance for the entire EU bloc. He says the outcome will affect external EU policies like relations with Russia and Ukraine, as well as its internal cohesion based on values like democracy and the rule of law. 
…

Russian lawmakers will evaluate whether to revoke ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the speaker of the lower house of parliament said Friday.

Vyacheslav Volodin’s statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could consider rescinding the ratification of the international pact, since the United States never ratified it.

“It conforms with our national interests,” Volodin said. “And it will come as a quid pro quo response to the United States, which has still failed to ratify the treaty.”

The 1996 treaty prohibiting “any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion” anywhere in the world has been signed by 187 nations, but the U.S. and seven others haven’t ratified it.

“It would be concerning and deeply unfortunate if any state signatory were to reconsider its ratification of the CTBT,” Robert Floyd, chairman of the commission that promotes support for the treaty, said in a statement.

There are widespread concerns that Russia could move to resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West from continuing to offer military support to Ukraine.

Volodin said senior lawmakers would discuss recalling the 2000 ratification of the treaty at the next meeting of the agenda-setting house council. 

“Washington and Brussels have unleashed a war against our country,” Volodin said. “Today’s challenges require new decisions.”

Asked Friday if rescinding the ban could lead to the resumption of tests, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “it doesn’t mean a statement about the intention to resume nuclear tests.”

Peskov noted that a possible move to revoke Russia’s ratification of the pact would “bring the situation to a common denominator” with the U.S.

Speaking Thursday at a forum with foreign affairs experts, Putin said that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasn’t yet formed an opinion on the issue.

“I’m not ready to say yet whether it’s necessary for us to conduct tests or not,” he said.

Kharkiv attacks

The U.N. and partners mobilized humanitarian assistance — including medical supplies and health support, shelter maintenance kits, nonfood items, cash and hygiene assistance — as well as mental health and psychosocial support after Russian strikes Thursday and Friday killed at least 54 civilians in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, said Denise Brown, the U.N.’s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

“These are barbaric consequences of this war, that 20% of the community can be wiped out in seconds,” Brown said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A missile strike killed a 10-year-old boy and his grandmother Friday in the same region where at least 52 people, including a child, were killed Thursday.

Ukrainian officials bitterly condemned Thursday’s attack, which blew apart a cafe where a wake was being held.

The Associated Press reported that after the attack in the eastern village of Hroza, “body parts were strewn across a nearby children’s playground that was severely damaged by the strike.”

Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov told the BBC, “One-fifth of this village has died in a single terrorist attack.” 

“Today, Russian terrorists launched an attack that one can’t even call ‘beastly,’” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday night in his daily address, “because it would be an insult to beasts.”

‘Depravity’ of Russian forces

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the BBC that the attack on Hroza “demonstrated the depths of depravity Russian forces are willing to sink to.”

The wake was being held for a soldier from Hroza who died last year. He was being reburied in his hometown.

Officials posted footage on the Telegram messaging app of rescue workers clambering through smoldering rubble. Bodies lay alongside slabs of concrete and twisted metal.  

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military said Thursday that it had destroyed 24 of 29 drones Russians launched at the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions.    

The Hroza attack occurred as Zelenskyy was in Spain lobbying Western allies at a summit of about 50 European leaders for more military assistance to thwart Russian aggression.

Ukraine defense aid 

Zelenskyy said in his daily address that there were now “clear agreements” with his European allies for more air defense systems, which would be “crucial as we approach winter.” He also said there were deals for more artillery and long-range weapons.   

Russia targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure last winter, leading to widespread power outages, effectively an attempt to demoralize Ukrainians during the coldest and darkest months of the year. Over time, the infrastructure was restored, but now Ukraine fears more infrastructure attacks are in the offing as winter approaches.

“The main challenge that we have is to save unity in Europe,” Zelenskyy told reporters as he arrived for talks in Granada.

Zelenskyy said it was important for Ukraine to have a “defending shield for the winter,” with Russia expected to carry out many attacks with missiles and Iranian drones.

He also cited what he said was 100% support from U.S. President Joe Biden as well as bipartisan support from the U.S. Congress, days after approval of a short-term funding deal that excluded additional aid for Ukraine.

Biden called key Western allies Tuesday to reassure them of continued American military support for Ukraine after a group of congressional Republicans forced the exclusion of immediate new funding for Kyiv in the spending bill.

The White House said Biden spoke with the leaders of Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Britain, the European Union and NATO, along with the foreign minister of France.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press. 
…

Editor’s note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. 

US Government to Resume Deportations to Venezuela

The Biden administration announced Thursday it will resume the deportation of migrants back to Venezuela in hopes of decreasing the numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. On a background call with reporters — a method often used by U.S. authorities to share information with reporters without being identified — Biden officials said Venezuelan nationals who cross into the United States unlawfully will still be processed. But if it is found they do not have a legal basis to remain in the country, they will be “swiftly removed” back to Venezuela. The U.S. has not carried out regular deportations to Venezuela for years. VOA’s Immigration reporter Aline Barros.

Biden Says He Can’t Stop New Border Barrier Plan

President Joe Biden said Thursday he was unable to legally divert money away from a plan to build several miles of new barriers along the southern border — directly contradicting his campaign vow to build “not another foot of wall” and drawing harsh criticism from Mexico’s president. A notice to allow construction in Texas was released Wednesday night in the Federal Register, the official U.S. government gazette. Story by VOA’s White House correspondent Anita Powell and VOA’s Immigration reporter Aline Barros.

UN Agency: US-Mexico Border, World’s Deadliest Land Crossing for Migrants

The U.S.-Mexico border is the world’s deadliest land migration route, according to the United Nations migration agency. The most recent report from the International Organization for Migration shows hundreds of people die each year attempting to get to the United States through the dangerous deserts. VOA’s Immigration reporter Aline Barros.

Chicago Keeps Hundreds of Migrants at Airports While Waiting on Shelters and Tents

Hidden behind a heavy black curtain in one of the nation’s busiest airports is Chicago’s unsettling response to a growing population of asylum-seekers arriving by plane. Hundreds of migrants, from babies to the elderly, live inside a shuttle bus center at O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 1. They sleep on cardboard pads on the floor and share airport bathrooms. A private firm monitors their movements. The Associated Press reports.

Migrants Being Raped at Mexico Border as They Await Entry to US  

When Carolina’s captors arrived at dawn to pull her out of the stash house in the Mexican border city of Reynosa in late May, she thought they were going to force her to call her family in Venezuela again to beg them to pay $2,000 ransom. Instead, one of the men shoved her onto a broken-down bus parked outside and raped her, she told Reuters. “It’s the saddest, most horrible thing that can happen to a person,” Carolina said. Reported by Reuters.

US Officials in Mexico to Discuss Fentanyl, Human Migration

Senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, were in Mexico for talks Wednesday with Mexican officials on the drug trade and a humanitarian crisis at the U.S. southern border. Blinken will be joined by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The U.S. delegation is set to meet with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Rosa Icela Rodriguez, secretary for Security and Citizen Protection. Reported by Rob Garver.

Immigration around the world

Reporter’s Notebook: The End of Artsakh

The dog’s ribs are visible and her owner’s skeletal shoulders poke through a gray sweater. The dog’s name is Chalo, essentially “Spot” in Armenian, and the owner, 69, tells us to call her Tamar. She is a refugee in Armenia and wants her real name withheld for security reasons. We meet her in a park hours after she arrives in Goris, Armenia, where workers staff humanitarian tents in the last days of September for the 100,000-plus people fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh. By VOA’s Middle East correspondent Heather Murdock.

Pakistan to Begin Deportation of 1.7 Million Undocumented Afghans

Pakistan has ordered all undocumented immigrants, including 1.7 million Afghans, to leave the country by November 1, vowing mass deportations for those who stay. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar approved the plan Tuesday at a high-level meeting of his top civilian and military officials in Islamabad. Reported by Ayaz Gul and VOA Pakistan Bureau Chief Sarah Zaman.

Afghans Seeking Refuge in Pakistan Face New Uncertainties

Pakistan has ordered all undocumented immigrants to leave voluntarily by November 1 or face deportation. The new order primarily affects Afghans, many of whom fled their country after the Taliban took over in August 2021. VOA Pakistan Bureau Chief Sarah Zaman met with some Afghan women who once again are facing an uncertain future. VOA footage by Wajid Asad, Malik Waqar Ahmad and Wajid Shah.

New IOM Chief Seeks More Regular Pathways for Migration

On assuming her post as the new director general of the International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope said that one of her main priorities was to build more regular pathways for migration for people who have lost hope for a viable future and cannot stay home. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

Ethiopian Entrepreneur Awarded for App That Helps Refugees Find Work

An Ethiopian digital app inventor has been given a prestigious award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for creating an application designed to link refugees with employers. Last week in New York, Eden Tadesse accepted a Goalkeepers Global Goals Award at a ceremony attended by Kenyan President William Ruto, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Bill and Melinda Gates, among others. Maya Misikir reports for VOA from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Pakistan Turns Up Heat Over Cross-Border Attacks

A senior Pakistani diplomat said Thursday that while the Taliban had brought peace and security to Afghanistan, increased terrorist attacks from the neighboring country threatened stability in Pakistan, putting strains on an already difficult bilateral relationship. Ayaz Gul reports for VOA from Islamabad, Pakistan.

VOA60 Africa — Hundreds of Thousands of South Sudanese Refugees Face Hunger

The World Food Program says hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugees fleeing Sudan’s five-month-long war are facing hunger, with 90% of families going days without meals. The fighting has forced out nearly 300,000 South Sudanese.

Taliban, Rights Groups Decry Pakistan’s Decision to Evict Afghan Immigrants

Afghanistan’s Taliban Wednesday urged Pakistan to review its plans to expel Afghan immigrants, rejecting charges the displaced community is involved in the security problems facing the neighboring country. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid released the statement a day after the Pakistani government ordered undocumented immigrants, including more than 1.7 million Afghans, to leave the country by November 1. Ayaz Gul reports for VOA from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Officials Describe ‘Surreal’ Scenes as Nagorno-Karabakh’s Aid, Health Crisis Grows

The unprecedented influx of more than 100,000 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh into Armenia in less than a week has triggered a humanitarian and health crisis that will require a large-scale, longtime international effort and support to resolve, aid officials warned Tuesday. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

Armenian Refugees Say No Hope of Return to Nagorno-Karabakh

Nearly the entire population of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh have fled to Armenia, and the one-time residents of the self-declared Republic of Artsakh are scattered. But as VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Ishkhanasar and Kornidzor near the Armenia border with Azerbaijan, many fear the war that drove them out is not over. Camerman Yan Boechat contributed.

Lebanon Reacts to Surge in Migration from Syria 

Lebanon is pushing back on the European Union’s calls for the country to assist migrants and refugees from Syria. There are growing concerns that Lebanon’s collapsing economy is fueling anti-immigrant sentiment and putting the country on a dangerous course. Lebanon’s caretaker interior minister, Bassam Mawlawi, has accused Syrian refugees and migrants of committing crimes, taking away jobs from Lebanese and potentially creating a demographic imbalance along sectarian lines, saying their numbers must be “limited.” Produced by Dale Gavlak.

News brief

— U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced Friday “the extension and redesignation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from December 8, 2023, through June 7, 2025, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Cameroon that prevent individuals from safely returning.”
…

Ukrainian officials bitterly condemned a Russian attack Thursday that blew apart a café where a wake was being held, killing at least 51 people, including a child.

The Associated Press reported that after the attack in the eastern village of Hroza, “body parts were strewn across a nearby children’s playground that was severely damaged by the strike.”

Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Syniehubov told the BBC, “One-fifth of this village has died in a single terrorist attack.”

“Today, Russian terrorists launched an attack that one can’t even call ‘beastly,’” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday night in his daily address, “because it would be an insult to beasts.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the BBC that the attack on Hroza “demonstrated the depths of depravity Russian forces are willing to sink to.”

The wake was being held for a soldier from Hroza who died last year. He was being reburied in his hometown.

Officials posted footage on the Telegram messaging app of rescue workers clambering through smoldering rubble. Bodies lay alongside slabs of concrete and twisted metal.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military said Thursday it destroyed 24 of 29 drones launched by Russian forces directed at the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirohovrad regions.

The Hroza attack occurred as Zelenskyy was in Spain lobbying Western allies at a summit of about 50 European leaders for more military assistance to thwart Russia’s invasion.

Zelenskyy said in his daily address that there are now “clear agreements” with his European allies for more air defense systems which are “crucial as we approach winter.” He also said there are deals for more artillery and more long-range weapons.

Russia targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure last winter, leading to widespread power outages, effectively an attempt to demoralize Ukrainians during the coldest and darkest months of the year. Over time, the infrastructure was restored, but now Ukraine fears more infrastructure attacks are in the offing as winter approaches.

“The main challenge that we have is to save unity in Europe,” Zelenskyy told reporters as he arrived for talks in Granada.

Zelenskyy said it is important for Ukraine to have a “defending shield for the winter” with Russia expected to carry out many attacks with missiles and Iranian drones.

He also cited what he said was 100% support from U.S. President Joe Biden as well as bipartisan support from the U.S. Congress, days after a short-term funding deal that excluded additional aid for Ukraine.

Biden called key Western allies on Tuesday to reassure them of continued American military support for Ukraine after a group of congressional Republicans forced the exclusion of immediate new funding for Kyiv.

The White House said Biden spoke with the leaders of Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Britain, and of the European Union and NATO, along with the foreign minister of France.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
…

U.S. future funding for Ukraine was up in the air Thursday, as the Biden administration discussed how best to support Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders without a House speaker to bring Ukraine aid packages to a vote. VOA Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb reports.
…

Almost 50 European leaders used a summit in the southern Spanish city of Granada on Thursday to stress that they stand by Ukraine at a time when Western resolve appears weakened. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that besides maintaining such unity, more military aid to get through the winter was essential. 

Despite the political, economic and military support, the desperate struggle to rid Ukraine territory of invading Russian forces has ground to a stalemate, and Zelenskyy insisted that it was no time for wavering in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin – especially now that questions about continued support are growing in the United States, too. 

“Europe must be strong” despite what happens in other places like the United States, Zelenskyy said, calling on the leaders to provide for more air defense systems, artillery shells, long-range missiles and drones. 

He said that victory or defeat in Ukraine would determine the fate of all of Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron seized upon the view and insisted that even if U.S. President Joe Biden had this week reassured everyone that Washington’s commitment remained strong, it was first and foremost for Europe to act. 

“Even if we are lucky to have such a committed American partner, we ourselves have to be totally committed, because this is in our immediate neighborhood,” Macron said. 

Yet, even if the European Union promised Thursday to continue its support for Kyiv, it could never replace Washington’s contribution if funds were to dry up there, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said. “Certainly we can do more. But the U.S. is something irreplaceable for the support of Ukraine.” 

That was a worry lingering over the third meeting of the European Political Community forum, which was formed in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that drastically reset the continent’s political agenda and fundamentally undermined long-held beliefs on peace and stability on the continent. 

Support from Europe has become all the more important after the U.S. Congress hastily sent Biden legislation over the weekend that kept the federal government funded, but left off billions in funding for Ukraine’s war effort that the White House had vigorously backed. 

Biden called other world powers on Tuesday to coordinate on Ukraine in a deliberate show of U.S. support at a time when the future of its aid is questioned by an important faction of Republicans who want to cut off money to Kyiv. 

“Everybody is looking at the situation with obviously a lot of vigilance,” said Macron. 

Europe, too, has to deal with its doubters. 

Last weekend’s election in Slovakia, where pro-Russia candidate Robert Fico was the big winner, and Hungary’s continued recalcitrance to fully back Ukraine have cast increasing shadows on Europe’s commitment. That counts especially for the European Union, where many decisions on Ukraine need unanimity among the bloc’s 27 members. 

In Slovakia early this week, the president refused a plan by her country’s caretaker government to send further military aid to Ukraine, saying it doesn’t have the authority and parties that oppose such support are in talks to form a government following last week’s election. 

“The main challenge that we have,” Zelenskyy said, “is to save unity in Europe.” 

On Thursday, though, the overall mood was supportive. Like most leaders, summit host and Spanish caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stood firmly behind Ukraine and offered Zelenskyy a new package of anti-aircraft and anti-drone systems and training for Ukrainian soldiers to use them. 

And Zelenskyy said after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Berlin “is working on” providing Ukraine with another Patriot air defense system, to be operational within months. 

Zelenskyy insisted that Putin’s attempts to divide the West would not cease. 

“Russia will attack by information, disinformation, by fakes, et cetera,” he said. 

Talks were held just as news came in of a Russian rocket striking a village cafe and store in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 51 civilians, in one of the deadliest attacks in the war in months. 

The contrast could hardly be greater when the leaders attended a royal dinner hosted by Spain’s King Felipe VI at Granada’s famed Moorish Alhambra Palace, with its refined halls and gardens known for their fountains and decorative pools.
…

The first shipment of Russian uranium was officially delivered Thursday to Bangladesh to fuel the nation’s only nuclear power plant, currently under construction.

The uranium has been in Bangladesh since late last month but was officially handed over to Bangladesh authorities in a ceremony attended via video link by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

Construction of the plant, called Rooppur, has been carried out by Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation, and funded by Moscow. Bangladesh received an $11.38 billion loan from Russia for the project, to be paid back over two decades beginning in 2027. The loan financed 90% of the construction.

Rooppur is the first of two plants set to be constructed in Bangladesh with the help of Rosatom.

Once completed, Bangladesh will become the 33rd country in the world to produce nuclear power.

Upon completion, Rooppur is set to produce 2,400 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 15 million homes, and according to Putin, it will be responsible for 10% of Bangladesh’s energy consumption.

Russia is currently facing sanctions and other obstacles because of its invasion of Ukraine.

However, Sergey Lavrov, who became the first Russian foreign minister to visit Bangladesh since its 1971 independence, assured the South Asian nation that the project would be completed on time.

The traditionally good relationship between Bangladesh and Russia has not been weakened since the invasion of Ukraine, and the two countries have signed several agreements to work together to establish a nuclear power industry in Bangladesh.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
…

The Belarus Red Cross says it is examining a call by the international Red Cross to fire its chief, who made headlines earlier this year for bragging that his organization was ferrying children from Russian-occupied Ukraine to Belarus.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva said Wednesday it wants Dzmitry Shautsou ousted for violating its rules on neutrality and integrity. He was seen in occupied cities of the Donbas region in a military uniform with the “Z” insignia of Russian forces and said he favored deployment of nuclear arms in Belarus.

Yulia Sytenkova, a spokeswoman for the Belarus Red Cross, said Shautsou was re-elected as its head September 7 at a special congress where “the majority of members of the Belarusian organization expressed confidence in him.”

Belarusian TV on Thursday aired images of authorities in the Belarusian city of Novopolotsk showing a recently arrived group of Ukrainian children to foreign diplomats. Ukrainian officials and human rights groups have decried the transfers as illegal removals, and it is not clear whether they were carried out with the consent of the children’s parents or legal guardians.

The children arrived in Belarus on September 19, and included 44 from the eastern Ukrainian cities of Lysychansk and Sevierodonetsk. The cities have been occupied since July 2022 and sit near the current front line between Russian and Ukrainian forces since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine over 19 months ago.

The head of the government of Novopolotsk, Dzmitry Dziamidau, said another group of children had previously arrived in the city — and both were brought in “to tear children away from the horrors of war.”

One girl, identified as 11-year-old Polina Snihurska, said she was enrolled at a Belarusian school. Belarusian authorities did not specify whether the children were orphans or had guardians in Ukraine.

The two-day visit by diplomats included envoys from former Soviet republics plus China, India, Syria and Mozambique, Belarusian officials said. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry urged diplomats not to take part in the “propaganda trip.”

Both the Belarus Red Cross and international Red Cross in recent days have said the Belarus chapter wasn’t involved in the transfers of children from Ukraine. The Red Cross and local officials said a charity founded by Belarusian Paralympic athlete Alexei Talai, which has government support, conducted the transfers.

But a report aired in July by state Belarus 1 TV channel showed Shautsou visiting Lysychansk and saying the Belarus Red Cross was taking “an active part” in the transfers, which he said were designed for “health improvement” purposes.

The international Red Cross said Wednesday its board has given the Belarus chapter until November 30 to dismiss Shautsou or else it will suspend the branch and recommend that all affiliates halt new partnerships and funding for it.

Sytenkova, the Belarus Red Cross spokeswoman, said it was studying the decision “and a reaction will soon follow.”

The Belarusian opposition has called for President Alexander Lukashenko and all others involved in the removal of children from Ukraine to be brought to justice over the transfers.

Opposition leader Pavel Latushka, a former government minister, has said he has handed over to the International Criminal Court documents proving that there have been illegal transfers of Ukrainian children to Belarus.

“Alexander Lukashenko, members of his family, as well as people close to him organized a system of removing children — in particular, orphans — from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Belarus,” Latushka told The Associated Press.

“The main purpose of sending these children to Belarus is their ideological indoctrination in accordance with the narratives of the ‘Russian world,'” he said.

Latushka said at least 2,100 Ukrainian children aged 6 to 15 years were transferred from over a dozen Ukrainian cities to Belarus between September 2022 and May of this year.

Belarus has been Moscow’s closest ally since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Lukashenko allowed the Kremlin to use Belarusian territory to send troops and weapons into Ukraine.
…

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Thursday that the detonation of hand grenades inside the aircraft, not a missile attack, caused the August plane crash that killed Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

“Fragments of hand grenades were found in the bodies of those killed in the crash,” Putin told a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

The Russian leader said the head of Russia’s crash investigative committee reported to him a few days ago on its findings.

“There was no external impact on the plane — this is already an established fact,” Putin said, seemingly rejecting assertions by unidentified U.S. officials who said shortly after the crash that they believed it had been shot down.

Some Western officials have suggested that Putin ordered the killing of Prigozhin, whose mercenaries fought alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, after the Wagner Group leader led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin in late June.

Thousands of Prigozhin’s troops subsequently settled in Belarus, although more recently several hundred have returned to the front lines in Ukraine to resume fighting for Russia.

Prigozhin traveled freely in Russia before the August 23 crash that killed him, two other top Wagner figures, four bodyguards and a crew of three.

Putin gave no details on how a grenade or grenades could have been detonated on the plane. He faulted investigators for not having carried out alcohol and drug tests on the crash victims given that quantities of cocaine had been found in the past in Wagner’s office in St. Petersburg.

Some material in this report came from Reuters.
…

More than 100-thousand Russian citizens – many of them young people – have gone to Armenia to flee President Vladimir Putin’s repression or avoid being sent to fight in Ukraine, an exile that many of them believed was temporary but is starting to look permanent. Ricardo Marquina has this report from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, narrated by Elizabeth Cherneff.
…

As is the case in Italy, Greece is facing new wave of illegal immigration, and as it boosts measures to contain the influx, the government is now pressing its European Union partners to join forces in deporting migrants back to their countries. Greece is expected to raise the proposal at a meeting of national leaders in Spain this week but mustering an agreement among the EU’s 27 members may be difficult.

Greek migration minister Dimitris Keridis revealed the proposal as the government in Athens grows “wary and concerned,” as he put it, of a new migration crisis. 

Concerns have mounted as the number of illegal immigrants arriving in Greece has risen to 31,000 this year, up from 18,000 for all of 2022.

This comes nearly a decade after Europe’s poorest state saw more than a million, mainly Syrian, refugees stream through its frontiers and into the heart of Europe, in the biggest migratory push to the West since World War II.

While nearly 680,000 migrants have been legalized since 2021, Keridis said about 60,000 migrants remain in the country illegally. He said their numbers continue to grow because countries such as Pakistan and Iran refuse to accept their nationals back in forced deportations.

He said the EU as a whole has to demand that these countries take back these illegal migrants, or else face sanctions.

Keridis did not say what such punitive measures may include, but he said it was imperative for what he called an EU deportation mechanism to be set up. Failure to do so, he said, would effectively allow human traffickers already pushing countless droves of illegal migrants to the West to take the EU and its migration policies “hostage,” as he put it.

It would also endanger Europe’s bid to help and safeguard refugees in need, Keridis said.

It is imperative, the minister said, for refugees to be distinguished from illegal migrants because if all of them end up staying, it will create such a crisis that it could ultimately lead to Europe’s closure of all its borders, thus failing to protect true refugees escape wars and persecution.

Like Greece, Italy and Spain have been facing rising illegal migration in recent months. And while Europe’s already restrictive approach to immigration has come under human rights groups’ fire, the EU agreed Wednesday to adopt a new list of what it called “crisis regulations measures,” to deal with periods of exceptionally high migrant arrivals.

Immigration, though, has Europe largely divided, and ahead of EU elections next year many right-wing parties in countries such as Italy, Hungary, Poland and Germany have made the issue central to their polices, demanding more restrictions. 

Whether the EU will adopt Greece’s call for sanctions remains unclear.

Until then, Keridis said, the Greek government will not remain idle.

A recent thawing of tense relations between long-time foes Greece and Turkey has both sides now working together on a deal that would revive and revise a landmark agreement hatched at the height of Europe’s 2016 migration crisis. The deal aims to crack down on human smugglers and contain illegal flows of migration from Turkey’s massive pool of 4 million refugees and migrants.

He said, the bigger issue at stake for Greece is not to lose this momentum and drive for concrete results, but also not to allow Italy to monopolize all the focus on illegal migration. A decade after two shipwrecks off Italy’s Lapendusa took the lives of hundreds of migrants, similar tragedies have followed, with the region once again at the center of a new European refugee crisis. If Italy manages to its block paths of migrant entries to Europe, he said, we will see an explosion of entries to Greece.

Greece and Turkey are aiming to have a separate migration deal ready by early December.
…

Ukraine’s military said Thursday it destroyed 24 drones launched by Russian forces overnight.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia sent a total of 29 drones in attacks directed at the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirohovrad regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend a meeting of European leaders in Spain on Thursday as he seeks more support for his military, including air defense systems.

Zelenskyy said ahead of the meeting that Ukraine is doing its best to boost its air defenses ahead of the coming winter season.

“We are expecting certain decisions from our partners,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.

U.S. President Joe Biden called key Western allies on Tuesday to reassure them of continued American military support for Ukraine after a group of congressional Republicans forced the exclusion of immediate new funding for Kyiv.

The White House said Biden spoke with the leaders of Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Britain, and of the European Union and NATO, along with the foreign minister of France.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Biden reaffirmed the strong commitment of the United States to supporting Ukraine as it defends itself “for as long as it takes, as did every other leader on the call.”

Kirby said the leaders discussed efforts to continue providing Ukraine with the ammunition and the weapons systems that it needs to defend itself and to continue strengthening Ukrainian air defenses as they prepare for more attacks on critical infrastructure. “Now, certainly, but also certainly in the winter months ahead,” Kirby said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military command said that it has sent about 1.1 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine that American naval forces seized from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps last year as Tehran tried to transfer the ammunition to Houthi fighters in Yemen in violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
…

NATO’s most senior military official has warned that European ammunition stocks are running short – as the West continues to send large amounts of military aid to Ukraine to fend off invading Russian forces. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
…