Another Chinese Communist party official is visiting Serbia in the latest sign of close cooperation between the two countries.

Li Xiaoxin, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CCPC) and director of the State Commission for Public Sector Reform, arrived in Belgrade on October 14, a month after the visit of Lin Wu, the party secretary of Shandong Province.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who met with Li, said Serbia is extremely proud of its “excellent relations, ironclad friendship, and overall cooperation with China.” Vucic posted a photo of the meeting on Instagram, saying that he and Li discussed economic cooperation between Serbia and China.

This cooperation is “dynamically developing” through numerous infrastructure and energy projects and “increasingly intense” investment cooperation, especially in mining and the automobile industry, Vucic said.

Serbia is one of the countries in China’s Belt and Road initiative to fund infrastructure projects with Chinese loans.

In addition to meetings with officials in Belgrade, members of the Chinese delegation are meeting with the leadership of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

The SNS said on October 14 that the visit comes after the establishment of cooperation between Serbia and China and after close party cooperation between SNS and the CCPC "paved by presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Xi Jinping."

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Marina Ragus, a member of the SNS presidency and the vice president of the Serbian parliament, said the two countries are in a new phase of developing bilateral relations and have continued to support each other since Xi's visit to Serbia in May. She did not respond to RFE/RL’s inquiry about the frequent visits by Chinese party delegations.

Vuk Vuksanovic, a senior researcher at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy (BCSP), told RFE/RL that the intensified dialogue between the two parties and political elites is an integral part of the Serbian-Chinese partnership.

"The frequency of these visits speaks to the intensity of that partnership and shows a reality that has existed for at least six years, which is that China has replaced Russia as Serbia’s primary partner outside the Western world," says Vuksanovic.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the government of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina led by provincial President Maja Gojkovic is visiting China’s Shandong Province.

The government of Vojvodina announced on October 13 that officials discussed cooperation and project implementation by Chinese companies in Vojvodina.

Jailed Belarusian political activist Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk is again facing accusations of showing "disobedience" to the administration of the prison where she is incarcerated.

The latest charge is the subject of a new trial that began on October 14 in the Rechytsa district court in southeastern Belarus.

Sharendra-Panasyuk, a mother of two, has already served nearly four years in prison and could face an additional year if convicted again.

Her continued imprisonment is widely seen as a politically motivated act of repression by the Belarusian authorities.

The activist's husband, Andrey Sharenda, said his wife is now accused of “malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration of the correctional facility.”

Before her trial, Sharenda-Panasyuk was transferred from a pretrial detention center in the regional capital, Homel, to a detention center in Rechytsa, a nearby town.

Sharenda expressed concern over her transfer to this facility, where conditions are reportedly harsh.

According to him, inmates are forced to sleep on metal slabs without mattresses or bed linen, which exacerbates his wife’s back problems.

Despite her medical condition, Sharenda claims that the authorities have subjected his wife to inhumane treatment. He also noted that her latest trial began on October 14, the same date on which Belarus celebrates Mother’s Day. Sharenda-Panasyuk has not seen her children for four years.

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Sharenda-Panasyuk was initially sentenced to two and a half years in prison for insulting authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka and allegedly assaulting a police officer. Her term was extended by two years in successive trials for allegedly disobeying prison guards' commands.

Sharenda-Panasyuk was due to be released in May but has remained in custody pending investigation into the new criminal case.

Her health has been a significant concern throughout her imprisonment. In July 2024, her family learned that she had been diagnosed with moderate chronic pancreatitis. Sharenda has reported that his wife's health has deteriorated sharply in recent months, including constant stomach and back pain.

While the prison administration claims that “necessary treatment is being provided,” her husband remains skeptical about the quality of care she is receiving.

Belarusian human rights organizations have recognized Sharenda-Panasyuk as a political prisoner.

Her continued imprisonment has drawn attention both within Belarus and internationally and highlights the ongoing repression of opposition activists and dissidents in Belarus, where the government has been cracking down on any form of dissent, particularly since the disputed 2020 presidential election.

Less than a week after European parliamentarians blasted Russia for its "provocations and attempts to destabilize" Moldova ahead of a crucial presidential election and referendum on European Union membership, the bloc has sanctioned five people and one legal entity for similar actions.

Foreign ministers from the EU's 27 members on October 14 approved restrictive measures on the six culprits it identified, including Evghenia Gutul, the Russian-backed leader of Moldova's autonomous region of Gagauzia.

Evrazia, a Russian-based NGO that promotes Russian interests, and its founder, Nelli Parutenco, were also sanctioned.

"Moldova faces massive direct attempts from Russia to destabilize the country, as well as challenges arising from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, said in a statement.

"This is a direct threat to a sovereign country, to its democratic life, to its path toward the European Union. The EU will continue providing all its support to the legitimate aspirations of the Moldovan people. Today's listings are yet another contribution to the resilience of Moldova."

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The new sanctions, which come before an October 20 presidential election that has been twinned with a referendum on joining the EU, include asset freezes and travel bans.

Last week, members of the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning "Russia’s escalating malicious activities, interference and hybrid operations" ahead of the balloting.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on October 14 rejected the allegations of meddling in the campaigns.

The two polls are seen as a make-or-break moment for the future of one of Europe's poorest countries, where Russia still wields massive influence and maintains more than 1,000 troops in the separatist Transdniester region, 33 years after Chisinau declared independence from the Soviet Union.

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Under the U.S.-educated Sandu, who came to power after defeating Russian-backed incumbent Igor Dodon in 2020, Moldova took an about-turn toward the West, condemning Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and joining the EU sanctions regime against the Kremlin.

Moldova secured EU candidate status in June 2022 and opened membership negotiations with the bloc earlier this year, steps that prompted Russia to step up attempts to undermine the credibility of Moldova's government and portray Moscow as a better alternative for Chisinau's future.

The National Democratic Institute, a U.S. pro-democracy NGO, recently warned that foreign malign influence from Russia on social media platforms "is the greatest threat to electoral integrity" and recommended that social media companies move to prevent advertising from "sanctioned individuals or their proxies."

U.S. tech giant Meta recently blocked Gutul's social media accounts after qualifying them as “dangerous.”

Umed Bobozoda, Tajikistan's human rights commissioner, voiced serious concerns over the mistreatment of Tajik migrants in Russia. In a letter to his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, Bobozoda accused Russian law enforcement of using illegal methods, including physical abuse and unjustified detentions, particularly since a deadly terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall near Moscow in March. Since the attack, in which several Tajik nationals were implicated, around 20,000 Tajiks have been deported, and many others have faced harsh treatment in Russia. Bobozoda highlighted that detained Tajik citizens, including women and children, are often denied basic necessities. Tajik officials, including Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda, have raised these issues with Russian officials in recent meetings, but the response from Moscow remains uncertain. The ongoing crackdown threatens to strain relations between the two countries, the leaders of which have called each other key strategic partners. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, click here.

Razif Abdullin, the chief editor of the online independent media outlet Aspekty, resigned from his position last week amid pressure from the authorities in the Russian region of Bashkortostan, according to a statement by Aspekty's founder, Ruslan Valiyev. Valiyev, the former editor of the now defunct Ekho Moskvy radio affiliate in Bashkortostan, made the announcement via YouTube on October 14, emphasizing that the publication's team was evicted from its studio in Bashkortostan's capital, Ufa. Valiyev, who currently lives abroad, said that despite the setback, Aspekty would continue its work, noting that the publication plans to report more freely as its ties to the region diminish. Aspekty has been active in covering protests and criminal cases against activists in Bashkortostan, particularly since January. In March, Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor blocked Aspekty’s website, but the publication has persisted through its Telegram and YouTube channels after emerging shortly after Russia started its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Idel.Realities, click here.

A Moscow court sentenced French researcher Laurent Vinatier on October 14 to three years in prison on a charge of violating "foreign agent" laws, Russia's Investigative Committee said. Vinatier, 48, was arrested in June, allegedly for spying and for failing to register as a foreign agent. Russian investigators claimed he pleaded guilty to illegally obtaining information about the Russian military. Prosecutors sought three years and three months in prison for Vinatier. His defense team had asked the court to fine him instead of sentencing him to prison, calling the prosecutor's request "too harsh." Vinatier is an adviser for the Geneva-based Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, a nonprofit conflict-resolution organization, and "travels regularly for his work," according to his employer. France denounced the "extreme severity" of the sentence and called for his immediate release. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said Russia's "foreign agent" law "contributes to a systematic violation of fundamental freedoms in Russia."

At least four Pakistani police officers and five insurgents were killed on October 14 when militants stormed a police headquarters in the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region in the country’s northwest, a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity told RFE/RL. The officer in the Bannu police unit said armed men crossed the police line and engaged in battles with security forces. According to the official, the gunmen have entered the police building and the clash is ongoing. The security forces have closed nearby roads amid sounds of gunfire, and military helicopters can be seen flying over the area. The Islamist militant group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the attack. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal, click here.

Maryya Kalesnikava, a key figure in the Belarusian opposition and a symbol of defiant protests against the country's authoritarian regime, has been held incommunicado in prison for 18 months amid fears over her reportedly declining state of health.

Kalesnikava was an opposition activist who in 2020 became a prominent leader of protests demanding the resignation of strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka following a disputed presidential election. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison in September 2021.

There has been no information on Kalesnikava for well over a year. Sources earlier this year told RFE/RL that she was placed in solitary confinement more than a year ago a violation of Belarusian law, which says the maximum period in solitary confinement is six months.

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“I can only pray to God that she is alive. The authorities ignore my requests for meetings and letters. It's a terrible feeling of helplessness for a father,” her father, Alyaksandr Kalesnikau, was quoted by AP as saying on October 14 by phone.

Kalesnikava’s unwavering resistance to authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has not only led to her imprisonment but has also raised international concern about the conditions under which political prisoners are held in Belarus.

Kalesnikava and fellow opposition figure Maksim Znak were sentenced to 11 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, in September 2021 on charges that included extremism, conspiracy to seize power, and calls for actions damaging national security.

Both opposition figures rejected these charges, viewing them as politically motivated in the wake of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, where mass protests erupted after Lukashenka’s widely disputed victory.

Kalesnikava gained prominence as a coordinator for would-be presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, and later as an ally of Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the opposition candidate who is believed by many Belarusians to have won the election.

Following her abduction on September 7, 2020, Kalesnikava’s defiance at the border -- ripping up her passport to prevent forced exile -- led to her detention, symbolizing her resolute opposition to the regime.

Since her imprisonment, Kalesnikava’s family has had no contact with her for the past 18 months. The last known communication from her came in February 2023, when she managed to send a letter.

Her father said he has made several attempts to visit his daughter at the Homel women’s colony where she is incarcerated, but he said all efforts have been met with indifference from prison authorities.

Guards have responded that if she does not call or write, it is because “she does not want to,” he said.

Former inmates from the same prison colony have reported alarming details about Kalesnikava’s deteriorating health.

According to one former prisoner, Kalesnikava was hospitalized around May or June 2023, although specifics surrounding her condition remain unknown.

The information, relayed by a woman who identified herself as Natallya, sheds light on the inhumane treatment Kalesnikava endures in custody, with reports suggesting that she is suffering from malnutrition, weighing only 45 kilograms.

Tatsyana Khomich, Kalesnikava's sister who resides outside Belarus, voiced fears that Kalesnikava’s life is in grave danger.

“They are slowly killing Maryya,” Khomich said.

According to Khomich, Kalesnikava’s letters are torn up by prison staff and the mental toll of isolation is exacerbated by physical neglect.

Kalesnikava’s case is emblematic of the brutal suppression of dissent in Belarus.

The mass protests following the 2020 election were met with violent crackdowns by security forces, and many opposition leaders, activists, and ordinary citizens have since been imprisoned or forced into exile.

While international human rights organizations have condemned these actions, the regime has persisted in silencing its critics, often employing draconian measures like incommunicado detention to stifle opposition voices.

With reporting by the Associated Press

Foreign ministers from the European Union have approved new sanctions against seven individuals and seven entities linked to Iran after Kyiv's Western allies accused Tehran of sending ballistic missiles to Russia to aid in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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The sanctions, reported in an exclusive by Radio Farda last week, target companies and individuals accused of being involved in the transfer of the weapons to Russia, including the country's flagship carrier Iran Air, as well as airlines Saha Airlines and Mahan Air.

Individuals sanctioned include the deputy defense minister of Iran, Seyed Hamzeh Ghalandari; prominent officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps's Quds Force (IRGC-QF); IRGC Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters; and IRGC Aerospace Force Space Division, as well as the managing directors of the EU-listed companies Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (HESA) and Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO).

The United States, Britain, France, and Germany accused Iran of sending ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use against Ukraine more than a month ago, sparking consultations among European allies on the matter.

"Today’s designation includes individuals and entities responsible for the development and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles, and related technology to Russia in support of its war of aggression against Ukraine, and to armed groups and entities undermining peace and security in the Middle East and the Red Sea region," the council said in a statement on October 14 .

Those targeted are subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the European Union. Additionally, the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, with those listed is prohibited.

Iran Air has direct flights to several cities in Europe, including Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Paris, and Milan.

The new EU sanctions come just a few days after Peter Stano, the EU's chief foreign policy spokesman, told RFE/RL that he was "optimistic" about the EU's relationship with Iran.

Stano stressed that EU relations with Iran "have been at an all-time low for a long time" and noted that the most recent reason is Iran's support for Russia in its illegal invasion of Ukraine by supplying drones and more recently missiles.

Domestic repression in Iran, arbitrary detention of EU citizens, and uranium enrichment are other factors that have caused the Islamic republic's relations with the EU to become "complicated" and "sensitive," according to Stano.

Afghanistan's Taliban morality ministry pledged on October 14 to implement a law banning news media from publishing images of all living things, with journalists told the rule will be gradually enforced. "The law applies to all Afghanistan...and it will be implemented gradually" by persuading people images of living things are against Islamic law, a spokesman for the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, Saiful Islam Khyber, told the AFP news agency. The Taliban government's judiciary recently announced legislation formalizing its strict interpretations of Islamic law. Aspects of the new law have not yet been strictly enforced, however, and Taliban officials continue to regularly post photos of people on social media.

Human Rights Watch has condemned Iran’s controversial new law that increases prison terms and fines for women and girls who breach the country's strict dress code in the wake of the mass Women, Life, Freedom protests that followed the death of a young woman while in police custody for an alleged head-scarf violation.

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The Hijab and Chastity law mandates sentences of up to 10 years in prison for those who are deemed to be dressed “inappropriately” in public.

The law, which was approved by parliament in September 2023, came into force after its approval by the Guardians Council, a conservative legal body.

“Rather than responding to the Woman, Life, Freedom movement with fundamental reforms, the autocratic government is trying to silence women with even more repressive dress laws,” said Nahid Naghshandi, acting Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The hijab became compulsory for women and girls over the age of 9 in 1981, two years after the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

For women, unacceptable coverings are defined as “revealing or tight clothing, or clothing that shows parts of the body lower than the neck or above the ankles or above the forearms,” according to the new law.

For men, it has been defined as “revealing clothing that shows parts of the body lower than the chest or above the ankles, or shoulders.”

Naghshandi warned that the new law “will only breed fierce resistance and defiance among women in and outside Iran.”

The renewed focus on the mandatory hijab came after Iran was swept by monthslong mass protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police in 2022 for an alleged hijab violation.

French President Emmanuel Macron told Iranian counterpart Masud Pezeshkian that it was Tehran's "responsibility" to help ease tensions in the Middle East, where the Iran-allied Hezbollah and Hamas militant groups are engaged in fighting Israeli forces. Macron underlined "the responsibility of Iran to support a general de-escalation and to use its influence in this direction with the destabilizing actors that enjoy its support." Hezbollah is an armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon and has been targeted with a massive Israeli air and ground campaign over recent weeks. It is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hamas is deemed a terror organization by the United States and the EU. The Iranian presidency also reported on the call, mentioning efforts to reach a cease-fire but using belligerent language toward Israel.

Amirhossein Maghsoudloo, a popular and controversial Iranian rapper known by his stage name Tataloo, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on a variety of charges, a judiciary spokesman said on October 13.

Court spokesman Asghar Jahangir told a news conference that the performer had been sentenced to five years on charges of insulting sanctities and 10 years for encouraging corruption and prostitution.

It was not immediately clear if the sentences would run concurrently or consecutively. Jahangir said he would be required to begin his sentence immediately.

Tataloo's works -- considered provocative and Western in style -- are not officially permitted in the country, with authorities saying he lacks pertinent certificates from the Culture Ministry.

Hard-liners in Iran often condemn performers who they accuse of offending the conservative Islamic nation's moral standards and corrupting the youth.

Tataloo, 36, who at times has used his music to criticize Iran's human rights record, had lived in Istanbul since 2018 but was extradited to Iran by Turkish authorities in December 2023. He has been detained in Iran since his extradition.

Tataloo's trial began in March on charges of promoting obscenity, publishing propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and disseminating obscene content.

In a statement last month, the case investigator cited Tataloo's expression of regret, stating the rapper had written a repentance letter while also expressing his desire to marry, start a family, and pursue music in a more accepted manner.

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The information could not be verified, but the admission, if true, likely saved the performer from a much harsher potential sentence.

The rapper, known for blending rap, pop, and R&B and for his distinctive tattoos, has been a polarizing figure in Iran.

He previously released a song in support of Iran's nuclear rights, which coincided with the breakdown of a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

In 2020, Instagram shut down the rapper's account after activists and Instagram users reported him for inappropriate posts asking underage girls to join his "team" for sex.

Tataloo had been briefly jailed in 2013 for distribution of his banned music to foreign-based satellite channels and for two months in 2016 for insulting a judge during a court hearing.

Iranian media reported in December 2023 that Turkish police had arrested Tataloo on charges of insulting members and staff of the consulate in Istanbul over a complaint by the Iranian consulate.

Fars News Agency reported that Tatlou was charged with setting up a gambling house; encouraging, enticing or threatening people to obtain or facilitate pornographic content; inciting and persuading people, especially the younger generation, to commit crimes against chastity and sexual deviance; and encouraging people to commit corruption and prostitution.

With reporting from ISNA and dpa

Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of executing nine captured troops in the Kursk border region, denouncing Moscow for violating "all the rules and customs of war," while Kyiv said at least two people were killed and 22 others injured in Russian attacks in Ukraine over the past 24 hours.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's commissioner for human rights, said he had written to the United Nations and the Red Cross concerning the allegations, which officials said are the result of Ukrainian battlefield analysis site DeepState, which published drone footage purporting to show the dead troops.

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Russia has not commented on the reports, which could not immediately be verified.

The allegations are the latest in a long list of reports by Kyiv outlining incidents of alleged executions of Ukrainian prisoners by Russian forces.

Kyiv said it has documented evidence related to the execution of a total of 93 Ukrainian prisoners of war, according to a law enforcement official tasked with investigating war crimes related to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Yuriy Belousov, who heads the Prosecutor-General's Office department in charge of investigating crimes committed in armed conflict, provided the figure during a live television appearance on October 4.

Cases of the alleged execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war fall under the mandate of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the court is entitled to try such cases, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said on October 9, without referring to specific cases.

"Each of the provisions of the Rome Statute [the founding treaty of the ICC]...can be applied. They all matter. Our duty is to apply a methodological approach and put together an investigation strategy," Khan told a roundtable at The Hague attended by journalists from Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.

In the latest incident, images published by DeepState showed the apparently dead Ukrainian troops stripped to their underwear and lying face down in the Kursk region following a rapid offensive by Russian forces.

"These actions must not go unpunished, and the enemy must bear full responsibility," Lubinets wrote in a post on Telegram. "Russia is a terrorist country that violates all the rules and customs of war."

The accuracy of the videos could not independently be verified.

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The accusations come amid reports that at least two people were killed and 22 others were injured in Russian attacks over the past 24 hours in Ukraine.

The two fatalities were reported in the settlements of Kurakhivka and Ulakla in the eastern Donetsk region, which came under came under intense shelling.

Eleven others were injured in the attack, according to regional Governor Vadym Filashkin.

Separately, Russian state-run TASS news agency quoted the Defense Ministry as saying that Russian glide bombs hit a concentration of Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region on October 13. Kyiv has not commented and there is no report on casualties yet.

Russian forces also targeted the Kharkiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya regions, injuring at least 11 people and damaging residential buildings and infrastructure, regional officials said.

In Kherson, the Russian military "targeted a critical infrastructure facility and a cellular tower," as well as "populated residential quarters," regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Telegram.

"A high-rise residential building and three private houses were damaged," Prokudin added.

Russia launched 68 drones and four missiles on Ukrainian territory overnight, according to the latest update by Ukraine's air force.

The air force said its defense units destroyed 31 of the Russian drones, while 36 were unaccounted for, most likely intercepted by Ukraine's electronic warfare. The remaining drone was still in the air, it said early on October 13.

Two Iskander-M ballistic missiles struck Poltava and Odesa regions, and two Kh-59 guided air missiles targeted the Chernihiv and Sumy regions, it added.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from the latest air strikes.

Russia claimed its air-defense units downed 13 Ukrainian drones overnight over three regions bordering Ukraine.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on October 13 that six drones each were shot down over the Belgorod and Kursk regions. One drone was destroyed over Bryansk, the ministry said on Telegram.

The claims cannot be independently verified.

With reporting by Reuters and the BBC

Pakistan's capital was under strict security lockdown starting October 14 ahead of the arrival of Chinese Premier Li Qiang for a four-day bilateral visit and a heads-of-government gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this week.

The government has announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, with schools and businesses shut, and large contingents of police and paramilitary forces deployed.

Pakistan Army troops will be responsible for the security of the capital's Red Zone, which will house most of the meetings and is also home to parliament and a diplomatic enclave, according to the Interior Ministry.

The threat alert has been high in the South Asian nation ahead of the SCO summit meeting, especially after the killing of two Chinese engineers and the shooting deaths of 21 miners.

Four Israeli soldiers were killed and dozens were injured, seven critically, when a "swarm" of Hezbollah drones hit an army base near the northern Israeli town of Binyamina in one of the bloodiest attacks on the country since October 2023.

Hezbollah is an armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military early on October 14 said the attack took place at an army base some 60 kilometers north of Tel Aviv. It did not immediately provide further details.

CNN had earlier reported that the United Hatzalah rescue service said it had "provided assistance to over 60 wounded people in various conditions -- some of them in critical, serious, moderate, and light condition."

National emergency service Magen David Adom (AFMDA) said at least 67 people were injured in the attack in Israel's Haifa district.

Hezbollah -- which is considered a terrorist group by the United States, although the EU has only blacklisted its armed wing -- claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had launched a "swarm of attack drones" at a military training camp in Binyamina.

Iran-allied Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel but, because of Israel's sophisticated air-defense systems, most have been shot down or have caused little damage and few casualties.

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Earlier in the day, angry UN peacekeepers said Israeli forces had smashed into a gate of one of their bases in Lebanon, causing about 15 minor injuries.

"At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two IDF Merkava tanks destroyed the position's main gate and forcibly entered the position in the Ramia area," said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), adding that the Israeli forces left after about 45 minutes.

Israel later claimed the tanks had come under fire when they crashed into the base gate.

The action came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said UN peacekeepers must "immediately" pull out of the combat zone in southern Lebanon and directly addressed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"The time has come for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones," Netanyahu said, accusing Guterres of making UNIFIL soldiers "human shields" and "hostages of Hezbollah."

"Mr. Secretary-General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm's way. It should be done right now, immediately," he said.

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UNIFIL is a 9,500-strong mission created in 1978 tasked with monitoring a cease-fire that ended a 33-day war in 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah.

Forty nations that contribute to UNIFIL said in a joint statement on October 12 that they "strongly condemn recent attacks" on the peacekeepers. The United States and European leaders have demanded Israel stop firing at the peacekeepers, with U.S. President Joe Biden on October 12 saying he was "absolutely, positively" telling Israel to stop.

Fears of an all-out regional war grew as signs indicated Israel could be preparing to launch a direct strike on Iran in retaliation for Tehran's massive missile strike on Israel on October 1.

Biden on October 13 said he had ordered the Pentagon to send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and troops to Israel as part of U.S. efforts "to defend Israel."

Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said the system will help bolster Israel's air defenses following Iran's missile attacks. The THAADs are similar to Patriot missile systems but can cover wider areas and require about 95 soldiers to operate, analysts say.

"It is part of the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias," Ryder said.

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The French presidency on October 13 said President Emmanuel Macron, in a phone call, told his Iranian counterpart, Masud Pezeshkian, it was Tehran's "responsibility" to back efforts to lower tensions in the Middle East. The Iranian presidency also reported the call, saying the sides discuss ways to end the conflict but also using heavily belligerent language toward Israel.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on October 13 said Tehran was prepared for a "war situation," although he stated his government desired peace.

"We are fully prepared for a war situation. We are not afraid of war, but we do not want war. We want peace, and we will work for a just peace in Gaza and Lebanon," he said while on a visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Israeli warplanes hit a 100-year-old mosque in a village of Lebanon near the border early on October 13, a day after a marketplace was hit in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, according to Lebanon's official National News Agency.

Lebanon's Health Ministry reported deadly strikes in other areas of the country, including one on a Shi'ite Muslim village in a mostly Christian mountainous area.

Hezbollah said it launched rockets at Israeli forces inside Lebanese territory on October 13 as ground troops conducted incursions into the country's south.

A Hezbollah statement claimed it targeted a "gathering" of Israeli forces in the village of Maroun al-Ras "with artillery shells."

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Hezbollah fired hundreds of projectiles from Lebanon into Israel on October 12 as Israelis celebrated Yom Kippur, an important holiday on the Jewish religious calendar.

The escalation comes as Israel is also conducting fresh attacks in Gaza and is expected to strike Iran in retaliation for a missile attack earlier this month.

Palestinian medical officials said on October 13 that an Israeli strike killed a family of eight and wounded seven others in the central Gaza Strip.

The attack late on October 12 hit a home in the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing a couple and their six children, who ranged in age from 8 to 23, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the bodies were taken.

Israel continues to strike what it says are militant targets in Gaza nearly every day for more than a year into the war with Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the United States and European Union.

The Israeli Army said in a statement on October 13 that forces operating throughout the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours had attacked about 40 targets and killed dozens of militants.

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Both Hamas and Hezbollah are allies of Iran. Israel has repeatedly said it will respond to Iran's missile attack on October 1, which Tehran said was launched in retaliation for Israel's military operations in Gaza and Lebanon and the killings of a string of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

Washington believes Israel has narrowed down targets in its potential response to military and energy infrastructure, NBC reported on October 12, citing unnamed U.S. officials.

There is no indication that Israel will target Iran’s nuclear facilities or carry out assassinations, the NBC report said, adding that Israel has not made final decisions about how and when to act.

Araghchi said there would be "no red line" for Iran in defending its citizens from the potential strikes.

"While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests," Araghchi wrote in a post on X on October 13.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP

Iran has banned passengers from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on all flights, after near-simultaneous attacks last month in which the communication devices exploded across Lebanon and Syria. The new regulation applies to both cabin and hold luggage, a spokesman for the Iranian aviation authority told the ISNA news agency on October 12. Passengers are still allowed to take their mobile phones on board. Thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia exploded in September. Hezbollah, an armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah and Iran blamed the brazen attacks on Israel. At least 39 people were killed and around 3,000 were injured, some seriously. Most were Hezbollah members.

Tehran has delivered two Iranian-made satellites to Russia for launch into orbit, according to the Tasnim news agency, which is linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The report on October 12 said the satellites were "developed by a private-sector company," but it is a continuing sign of close cooperation on technical, scientific, and military matters by Moscow and Tehran. The report said the Kowsar satellite was designed for precision agriculture and mapping, while Hodhod is an Internet-related communications satellite. No launch date was specified. Russia sent Iranian satellites into orbit in February and in 2022, sparking concerns from Washington. A Washington Post report citing anonymous Western intelligence officials claimed Russia "plans to use the satellite for several months or longer" to assist its war efforts in Ukraine before allowing Iran to take control of it. Iran denied the allegations and said it would maintain control of the craft at all times.

A series of shooting incidents believed to be linked to a tribal land feud in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province have left at least 15 people dead and 12 injured, local elders and district officials told RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal on October 12.

A senior district official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the first incident occurred when unidentified gunmen opened fire on three people who had traveled to Kunj Alizu mountain, causing injuries.

Local elder Imran Maqbal told Radio Mashaal that 14 people were killed and nine injured in a second attack in the Kurram District. The clashes -- believed to be related -- resulted in the closure of public offices, schools, and roads, while authorities also shut down mobile Internet in the district.

The Af-Pak Monitor group, activists, and locals posted photos and videos on social media showing the victims of the shooting.

Dozens of people in recent weeks have been killed in clashes between armed Shi’ite and Sunni Muslim groups over land disputes. Sunnis and Shi’a have lived in close proximity for decades in the area, but armed clashes have occasionally broken out over land, forests, and other properties and religious differences.

The latest violence comes after a nine-day cease-fire that had been agreed to by Sunnis and Shi'ite leaders on September 28.

Health officials, police, and local leaders say 44 people have been killed and more than 130 injured in clashes in the area since September 20.

In 2008 a peace deal was reached between Shi'a and Sunnis. The agreement stipulated that both sides would keep all roads open, prevent the deterioration of security, allow the displaced to return to their villages, and resolve land disputes based on ancient documents and Pashtun tradition in the name of paper property.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, in Pakistan's northwest, has been the site of sectarian violence over the years, including attacks by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan.

The Iranian Supreme Court has lifted the death sentence against imprisoned labor activist Sharifeh Mohammadi and referred her case "for reconsideration," her lawyer said on October 12. Mohammadi, 45, was sentenced to death in July, accused of membership in an independent labor union and a banned Kurdish separatist group based in neighboring Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region. Her family has said she was not affiliated with any political organization inside or outside the country. The sentence sparked widespread condemnation from civil and political activists. Lawyer Amir Raeesian told the Sharq news outlet that the Supreme Court "overturned the sentence of my client...and referred the case to the same branch for reconsideration." To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on October 15 will announce a temporary suspension of the right to asylum as part of a new strategy to combat illegal migration amid tensions with neighboring Belarus. "One of the elements of the migration strategy will be the temporary territorial suspension of the right to asylum," Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a Civic Platform party congress on October 12. "I will demand this, I will demand recognition in Europe for this decision." Poland claims that the right to asylum is being used by Belarusian strongman ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and by people smugglers in a way that goes against the principle of the right to asylum and to punish Warsaw for its support of Ukraine following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of February 2022. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.

Tatar activists Galishan Nuriakhmet and Rafik Karimullin were detained by police in Kazan, capital of Russia's Tatarstan region, for about an hour before being released on October 12, the Tatar youth group Azatlyk reported, after several other activists had been detained in order to prevent them from attending a prayer in the Kol-Sharif mosque. The prayer to commemorate Tatars fallen during the 16th-century siege of Kazan by Russian troops was organized after the Kazan mayor's office banned a public rally. Azatlyk said it had lost contact with some of the detained activists. The then-capital of the Kazan Khanate fell to Moscow on October 15, 1552, when Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible conquered it after two weeks of resistance. The event has been marked in the city since the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, Kazan authorities in recent years have been reluctant to allow activists to hold such events. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Idel.Realities click here.

The European Commission has dismissed as "false" media reports that it is considering opening deportation camps for illegal migrants in EU candidate countries such as Moldova.

Recent reports in international media claimed that a number of European Union countries would encourage the hosting of migrants who are intercepted in international waters in candidate states outside the borders of the 27-member bloc in so-called "deportation hubs," citing the model of such a center opened by EU member Italy in Albania this week.

The reports claimed that EU home affairs ministers discussed the issue at a meeting in Luxembourg on October 10 ahead of a summit of the bloc's leaders later this month.

However, the center in Albania has come under scathing criticism from human rights watchdogs, prompting Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who inked the deal with his Italian counterpart, Georgia Meloni, to make it clear that there will be no new such centers in his country.

After the Luxembourg meeting, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told a news conference that there was currently no proposal to establish deportation hubs.

"Claims that the EU intends to create deportation camps for migrants in the Republic of Moldova and other countries that want to join the EU are false," Anita Hipper, a spokeswoman on internal affairs for the commission, said in response to a request for comment from RFE/RL.

"There is no such proposal in relation to the Republic of Moldova or any other country," Hipper added.

The Moldovan government has also strongly denied the reports, which have been picked up by the Russian press, saying it was a "fake" invented by the Kremlin.

The government has been grappling with a Russian-backed disinformation campaign before a make-or-break double election on October 20, when pro-Western President Maia Sandu is running for a second term in parallel with a referendum on EU membership.

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"A new fabrication has appeared claiming that Moldova would host a hub for rejected asylum seekers subject to deportation procedures," government spokesman Daniel Voda told The Times of London. "Let it be clear: the government is not discussing such a proposal and will not accept such ideas."

Sandu steered Moldova firmly toward the West after defeating a Moscow-backed incumbent in 2020 and moved to curb Russia's influence in one of Europe's poorest countries more than three decades after it declared independence from the Soviet Union.

Under Sandu's government, Moldova secured EU candidate status in June 2022 and opened membership negotiations with the bloc earlier this year.

The moves prompted Russia to step up a disinformation campaign to undermine the credibility of Moldova's government and portray Moscow as a better alternative for Chisinau's future.

The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest has issued a security alert for its citizens for the weekend regarding religious institutions on the territory of Romania. In a statement on its website, the embassy says that it "has been made aware of threats potentially targeting a synagogue, temple, or mosque in Romania for the October 11-13 weekend. The embassy urges U.S. citizens to exercise increased caution near religious institutions in Romania for this period." It recommends increased caution, keeping a low profile, and avoiding religious sites while paying increased attention to one's surroundings. Romania's Intelligence Service (SRI) said in response that it had no information justifying raising the terror-alert level. However, the SRI said it would act with increased attention to defend Romania's security. Israel, whose military is engaged in conflicts with U.S-designated Islamist terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas, observes the Yom Kippur religious holiday on October 12. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Romanian Service, click here.