Author: dmitriy.vasyura@gmail.com

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a serious escalation due to the presence of North Korean troops in Russia. According to intelligence reports, about 12,000 DPRK troops have already been deployed to Russia.

The presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia and their possible participation in the war against Ukraine is serious, and causes further escalation of the current situation. This was stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, reports UNN citing Le Monde.

“The question of the transfer of North Korean soldiers to Russia and their possible deployment in Ukraine (…) is very alarming. This is serious, and it causes a further escalation of the current situation,” the prime minister told German media during his visit to India.

Scholz added that the broadcast was indicative of “the Russian president's growing unease.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine needs determination from its partners, given North Korea's new role in supporting russia. Zelensky noted that Putin is afraid of peace and that is why he is looking for ways to increase aggression and bring North Korea to the front now.

Zelensky reported that as early as October 27-28, the first North Korean military will be used by Russia in Ukraine in combat operations.

The GUR reported that the number of North Korean military deployed to Russia now stands at about 12,000, including 500 officers, including three Pyongyang generals.

The US president has approved the development of an Israeli retaliation against Iran to deter future attacks. Israel struck military sites in three Iranian provinces, causing “limited damage”.

U.S. President Joe Biden "encouraged" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call last week to "devise" a retaliatory strike against Iran that would "deter future attacks on Israel," a senior U.S. administration official said, reports UNN citing CNN.

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U.S. officials had expected Israel to retaliate against Iran by Nov. 5, and an attack before the U.S. election would bring public attention to the growing instability in the Middle East in the days after the U.S. presidential election.

"The President discussed the overall situation with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Last week, he called on the prime minister to develop a response that will deter further attacks on Israel while reducing the risk of further escalation. And that's our goal. That's also Israel's goal, as they said tonight: if Iran decides to respond, we will be fully prepared to defend ourselves again against any attack," the official said.

According to CNN, both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on Israel's retaliatory strikes on Iran and have been closely monitoring developments.

Addendum

Israel launched direct strikes against Iran on Saturday morning in response to Tehran's launch of ballistic missiles earlier this month. The Israeli military said it hit "accurate" military targets in Iran, and Iranian state media reported several explosions.

Official Iranian media reported that strikes hit military installations in three provinces – Tehran, Ilam and Khuzestan – but said their air defenses worked well and damage was "limited.

Israeli officials said Israel's decision to strike Iranian military facilities came after weeks of discussions in the country's security cabinet about the nature and scope of such an attack.

FATF did not include russia in the list of money-laundering countries despite Ukraine's demands. China, India, Saudi Arabia and South Africa opposed this decision, extending only the suspension of russia's membership in the organization.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), contrary to the requirements of Ukraine, did not include Russia in the list of violators. However, FATF has extended the suspension of Moscow's membership in the organization, the FATF said in a statement following a meeting in Paris, the UNN quoted DW as saying.

Reuters sources say Kiev's request was rejected by several countries at once, including China, India, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

One of the agency's interlocutors specified that the decision was postponed to collect additional evidence. The FATF itself declined to comment.

FATF may consider blacklisting russia at the request of Ukraine, Politico reported earlier, citing sources. In public, FATF is noted to have said that it finds russia's aggression unacceptable and contrary to its "core principles," but a near downgrade of russia's rating requires consensus from its multilateral members.

Additional complications: an expert on the consequences of the possible inclusion of Russia in the FATF blacklistOctober 17 2024, 10:52 AM • 83891 view

The intergovernmental body now brings together about 40 countries, including China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Saudi Arabia, three times a year to assess which countries should be moved to or from gray and blacklists.

According to the document, Ukraine first asked to include Russia in the list of high-risk jurisdictions in April 2022 and since then has continuously – albeit unsuccessfully – provided new evidence to downgrade Moscow.

FATF suspended russia's membership in February 2023 – a year after moscow invaded Ukraine – but has so far refrained from downgrading its rating.

In Georgia's parliamentary elections, police are investigating mass ballot stuffing at a polling station in Marneuli. In Baghdat municipality, a voter smashed electronic voting equipment.

In Georgia, police opened a criminal case over alleged mass ballot stuffing at a polling station in Marneuli County. Meanwhile, in Baghdat municipality, a citizen broke into a polling station and smashed electronic voting devices. This UNN reported with reference to NewsGeorgia.

Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili stated that the Interior Ministry has opened a criminal case due to alleged mass ballot stuffing at polling station 69 in Marneuli.

He also sought clarification from the Marneuli District Election Commission to explain the situation and demanded a meeting.

This is disturbing information and the Election Commission, if confirmed, will not allow such isolated, controlled or manipulative incidents to undermine the months of effort we put into Election Day

– He added.

The media reports that the voting process at the said polling station is currently suspended.

Images of the mass stuffing of polling stations were disseminated on social networks by the head of the organization "Transparency International – Georgia" Eka Gigauri.

It is also reported that in village of Didwela in Baghdat municipality, a voter broke into polling station and smashed several electronic voting devices.

The media circulated footage from the spot showing overturned electronic ballot boxes and voter verification machines.

The fact was confirmed by the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Georgia Giorgi Kalandarishvili. At the same time, according to him, only the registration machines were out of order.

Kalandarishvili attributed the citizen's behavior to "a certain psycho-emotional state."

"The commission ensured smooth continuation of the voting process at the polling station by utilizing other machines," he said.

According to Kalandarishvili, now the voting process at this polling station continues in a normal mode.

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On October 26, parliamentary elections are being held in Georgia. Eighteen parties are participating, including the ruling Georgian Dream, which has been in power for 12 years.

For the first time, 150 members of parliament are elected under a fully proportional system, rather than a mixed system as before. In order to pass to the legislative body, parties need to overcome the five-percent threshold.

More than 3,100 polling stations are open in Georgia and beyond. 3.5 million citizens have the right to vote. Polling stations opened at 08:00 and will close at 20:00.

Rapper Lil Durk is accused of organizing the murder of his cousin Quando Rondo in 2022. Five members of his Only the Family crew have been arrested along with him, while two more suspects are wanted.

Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Durk was arrested in Florida on federal charges that he paid for the attempted murder of rapper Quando Rondo in 2022 at a Los Angeles gas station, which resulted in the death of the rapper's cousin. This UNN reported with reference to Hollywood Reporter.

Lil Durk, 32, is charged with conspiracy to commit the contract killing of 24-year-old Saviai Robinson – the cousin of Quando Rondo. He was shot and killed on August 19, 2022

Five other members of Chicago rap crewLil Durk's “Only the Family” or “OTF” have also been arrested, and at least two more could be arrested, according to court documents filed. Durk was arrested Thursday night in South Florida as he tried to flee the country, the FBI said.

FBI agent Sarah Corcoran said in an affidavit that OTF members “committed violence, including murder and assault, at the direction of Banks and to maintain their OTF status.

Za informatsiyeyu slidstva vony obstrilyaly mashynu, ale yikh holovna tsilʹ Quando Rondo vyzhyv.

According to investigators, they fired on the car, but their primary target was Quando Rondo survived.

Law enforcement also believes the motive was revenge for the death of Lil Durk's friend King Von, who was shot and killed by an associate of Quando Rondo at an Atlanta nightclub in November 2020 after Von and Rondo got into a fight.

Reference

Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, won the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance earlier this year for his song “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole. He was also nominated for the award three times and appeared as a featured artist on Drake's track “Laugh Now Cry Later.”

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