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Russian attack on Ukraine kills six as Kyiv envoys travel to US for peace negotiations

By
IFP Media Wire
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“While everyone is discussing points of peace plans, Russia continues to pursue its ‘war plan’ of two points: to kill and destroy,” Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Saturday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia had launched about 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones in the attack.

The Kyiv City Military Administration also announced two people were killed in the strikes on the capital, Kyiv.

Regional officials and police said one person had died in the region surrounding the capital, two in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, and one in a midday attack in the Kherson region in the south.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko noted 29 people were wounded in the city, noting that falling debris from intercepted Russian drones hit residential buildings. He also said that the western part of Kyiv had lost power.

“The world should know that Russia is targeting entire families,” Kyiv’s military administration head, Tymur Tkachenko, said.

Following the attack, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, cast doubt on Russia’s stated interest in a peace deal.

“While the world discusses a possible peace deal. Moscow answers with missiles, not diplomacy,” Mathernova wrote on X.

On the diplomatic front, Zelensky stressed that his negotiators had left for the United States to seek a “dignified peace” and a rapid end to the war, started by Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Zelensky is under growing pressure from Washington to agree to a US proposal to end the war, which critics say heavily favours Moscow.

At Kyiv’s insistence, US President Donald Trump’s initial 28-point plan to end the war was revised during talks in Geneva with European and US officials. However, many contentious issues remain unresolved.

The Ukrainian team is being led by former defence chief Rustem Umerov, following the resignation on Friday of Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, amid a corruption probe.

“The task is clear: to swiftly and substantively work out the steps needed to end the war,” Zelensky posted on X.

“Ukraine continues to work with the United States in the most constructive way possible, and we expect that the results of the meetings in Geneva will now be hammered out in the United States,” the Ukrainian president added.

According to media reports citing US officials, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will meet the Ukrainian delegation on Sunday in Florida.

 

Tens of thousands rally in Europe, demanding justice over Israeli war on Gaza

By
IFP Media Wire
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The demonstrations, held to mark the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Saturday, came as the death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza surpassed 70,000 people.

In the French capital, Paris, an estimated 50,000 marched along the city’s major streets, chanting “Gaza, Gaza, Paris is with you” and “From Paris to Gaza, resistance!”.

They also waved Palestinian flags while denouncing “Israeli genocide”.

“This is not acceptable. We are still so far from justice or accountability,” one protester told Al Jazeera.

“We, the people, know that this [Israel’s war] is wrong. But why do the people in power not feel that this is wrong?” asked another protester.

Anne Tuaillon, head of the France Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS), one of about 80 non-government organisations, unions and parties behind the call to protest, stated that “nothing has been resolved” seven weeks after a ceasefire took effect on October 10.

“The ceasefire is a smokescreen. Israel violates it every day, blocks humanitarian aid and continues to destroy homes and infrastructure in Gaza. We are calling for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the genocide,” she told the AFP news agency.

Protests were also held in London, Geneva, Rome and Lisbon.

In the British capital, London, organisers announced that up to 100,000 joined the march demanding accountability for Israeli “crimes” against Palestinians and pleading for “protection” of those still suffering under siege despite a ceasefire.

In Italy, where mass demonstrations and union-led strikes have repeatedly mobilised against Israel’s war, the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, and climate activist Greta Thunberg, attended the main demonstration in the capital, Rome.

The Wanted In Rome news website, in a report ahead of the rally, said some 100,000 were expected to take part.

In a statement posted on X, Albanese said that Israel is “committing genocide against the Palestinians” not just in Gaza, but in the occupied West Bank, too.

“Look at the totality of conduct/crimes against the totality of the Palestinians in the totality of the land slated for ethnic cleansing. Israel must be stopped, and we will,” she wrote.

Under the US-brokered ceasefire, Israel has pulled back to a so-called “yellow line” inside the Gaza Strip. But it remains in control of more than half of the besieged territory, and has launched several deadly attacks in breach of the agreement.

Since the ceasefire deal, at least 500 Israeli violations have been recorded, resulting in at least 347 Palestinians being killed and 889 being injured.

In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that “the killing of so many civilians, the repeated displacement of an entire population and the obstruction of humanitarian aid should never be acceptable”.

On Thursday, rights group Amnesty International warned that “Israeli authorities are still committing genocide” in Gaza, waging new attacks and curbing critical aid access, despite the declared ceasefire.

Gaza death toll surpasses 70,000: Health Ministry

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

The milestone comes as a fragile US-brokered ceasefire largely holds, but with both sides accusing the other of violating the terms of the deal.

In a statement, Gaza’s health ministry said the death toll from the war had risen to 70,100.

The ministry added that since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, 354 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire.

Despite the ceasefire, the Palestinian territory remains in a deep humanitarian crisis.

 

Kiev behind drone attacks on Black Sea tankers: Ukrainian source

By
IFP Media Wire
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The two tankers, the Virat and the Kairos, were rocked by explosions in Turkey’s coast late Friday, according to the Turkish transport ministry.

One of the two was struck again early Saturday, the ministry added.

“Modernised Sea Baby naval drones successfully targeted the vessels,” a source in Ukraine’s SBU security service told AFP.

It shared a video that purported to show sea drones gliding towards the two ships, before sparking explosions.

 

Iran’s Navy receives homegrown forward base ship, overhauled destroyer

By
IFP Media Wire
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The equipment was handed over to Iranian naval forces during a ceremony joined by Deputy Chief of Iranian Army for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani and other senior military figures in Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday.

The Makran-class Kordestan forward base ship is said to offer rescue and relief capabilities, handle the heaviest helicopters, and support up to three destroyers on a three-year, around-the-world mission without refueling stops.

The Iranian-built Sahand stealth destroyer was initially launched in December 2018. It features a helicopter deck, torpedo launchers, anti-aircraft and anti-ship weaponry, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, along with advanced electronic warfare systems.

The Mowj-class destroyer sank last year in the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf shortly after being repositioned.

It is named after the Sahand-class Alvand frigate, which sank during a 1988 confrontation with the US Navy in the Persian Gulf.

The new arrivals on Saturday also included fast attack crafts equipped with anti-destroyer cruise missile launch systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed for multipurpose usage, uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), as well as seaborne and groundborne electronic warfare, missile launch, and surveillance systems.

Iran’s Navy has in recent years achieved self-sufficiency in manufacturing surface and sub-surface vessels. It has also increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.

The Iranian naval forces have also staged military drills with different countries, including Russia, China and Pakistan, over the past years to promote their combat readiness.

They have also been involved in joint efforts aimed at countering piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging information in naval rescue and relief operations as well as sharing operational and tactical experience to enhance the security and stability of international maritime trade.

 

Saint Mary Metro Station inaugurated in Tehran 

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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IRNA correspondent says the Saint Mary Station was inaugurated in the presence of the mayor of Tehran, a number of foreign guests, and bishops of religious minorities, especially the Armenian community. This station is one of the stations on Tehran Metro Line 6, located at the intersection of Nejatollahi Street and Karim Khan Zand Street, near the Saint Sarkis Church.

The station has been constructed at a depth of 34 meters underground, with a total area of approximately 11,000 square meters.

Abbas Fathalipour, the project manager of Metro Line 6, said,“The first artwork installed in the station is a panel of ‘In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful’ written in Persian, English, Arabic, and Armenian”.

He added that the station also features artworks containing:
– Statements by Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and by founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in praise of Saint Mary (Peace Be Upon Her) and Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him);
– Qur’anic verses from Surah Maryam regarding the birth of Jesus (PBUH);
– Verses 28 to 31 of the Gospel, displayed in Armenian, Assyrian, and Persian.
Fathalipour noted that another artwork depicts Jesus (PBUH) walking on water, and another panel portrays Saint Mary (PBUH) in a state of prayer along with the Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, accompanied by vine branches.

A separate artwork shows a mosque on one side and a church on the other, with a central sunburst motif symbolizing belief in one God.

A statue of Saint Mary (PBUH) and Jesus Christ (PBUH), approximately 2.2 meters tall, has been installed at the entrance of the station.

Christians are recognized as one of the official religious minorities in Iran. They have representatives at parliament and are free to perform their religious rituals within the framework of the law.

3rd day of Fajr Intl. Film Festival held in Shiraz

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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On the sidelines of the festival 3rd day, Head of the Cinema Organization Ra’ed Faridzadeh visited the film market, photo exhibitions, and the festival venue.

Meantime, specialized panels were also held for films from Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Turkey, and other countries.

More in the following pictures:

Russia confirms receipt of US draft peace plan on Ukraine

By
IFP Media Wire
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Kremlin

Earlier this month, the US put forward a peace proposal to end the Ukraine conflict.

According to leaked versions, the plan requires Kiev to abandon its NATO ambitions, drop its territorial claims, and cap its army at 600,000. Feeling sidelined, Kiev and its EU and UK backers demanded a redraft, which they reportedly worked on during a meeting with the US negotiating team in Geneva last weekend. The revised version reportedly removed or amended these key issues, though no details have been officially confirmed.

Peskov said on Friday that Moscow has received the new version of the plan but will not comment publicly on the details.

“The main parameters have been communicated. A discussion will take place in Moscow next week,” he stated, adding, The Kremlin confirmed earlier that US special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit the Russian capital in the coming days to discuss the plan.

Asked whether certain countries or the UN will be called on to recognize decisions on a settlement, Peskov said this will be determined in further talks.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and hold discussions in such a public, megaphone format – we believe this is inappropriate,” he added, echoing other Russian officials who have described the European approach to the peace process as “megaphone diplomacy.”

While Moscow welcomed the initial US plan, saying its framework could form the basis for a final settlement, it has accused Kiev’s European backers of undermining peace efforts and distorting the proposal “for their own agenda.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that the main obstacle to progress is a clash of conflicting views within the West over how to end the fighting. He added that signing a deal with Ukraine is “legally impossible” for now due to the status of Vol Zelensky, whose presidential term expired last year but who refused to hold elections due to martial law.

Peskov explained that Putin was referring to the “de facto situation” in Ukraine, and that while “Zelensky’s legitimacy is problematic, everyone has the desire and preference to bring things to a peaceful conclusion.”

 

Palestinians forced into lockdown as Israel’s West Bank invasion continues

By
IFP Media Wire
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Save the Children reported on Friday that families in the northern West Bank have been forced to shelter inside their homes due to the fear of violence from the Israeli military, which launched an intensified operation earlier this week.

The lockdowns are “keeping children out of school, jeopardising family incomes and increasing risk of physical violence and child detention from the Israeli military”, the child rights group added.

Israeli troops laid siege to large swaths of the northeastern Tubas governorate, starting on Wednesday, and carried out a series of major raids in other cities and towns across the occupied West Bank, including Jenin.

Israeli forces have injured dozens of people in the Tubas area since the raids began, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on Friday, while more than 160 others have been detained.

Israel has said the operation aims to root out Palestinian armed groups, but residents say the military has carried out indiscriminate attacks against civilians, blocked journalists and ambulances, and damaged infrastructure.

An incident that was caught on camera in Jenin on Thursday, showing Israeli forces killing two unarmed Palestinian men as they attempted to surrender, has also drawn widespread condemnation.

Palestinians across the occupied West Bank have faced a surge of Israeli military and settler violence in the shadow of Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in the nearby Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 70,000 people since October 2023.

Israeli army and settler attacks have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since Israel’s war on Gaza began, according to the United Nations.

The northern West Bank has been particularly hard-hit, with about 32,000 residents of several refugee camps forced out of their homes since January, and prevented by Israel from returning.

The Israeli military has also carried out wide-scale home demolitions, in what rights groups and UN officials have said is a campaign to forcibly displace Palestinians.

Ameer, who works with a Save the Children partner organisation in the West Bank, stated this week’s raids in the Tubas governorate constitute “a systematic assault by Israeli forces and a continuation of the Israeli government’s collective punishment policy”.

“The operation is cutting off children from the key services and supplies they rely on and need, including education and health services. Every child in these areas is being denied the right to an education,” Ameer announced in a statement.

 

Air pollution remains severe across Iran as Tehran records seventh consecutive ‘red’ day

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The city’s 24-hour average concentration of PM2.5 particles reached 160, and the index stood at 153 on Saturday morning, both classified as unhealthy for all groups.

In Alborz Province, monitoring stations reported unhealthy conditions in Savojbolagh for all residents, while Karaj and Nazarabad recorded levels considered hazardous for vulnerable groups including children, the elderly and individuals with heart or respiratory diseases.

Authorities reported PM2.5 readings of 161 in Savojbolagh, 148 in Nazarabad and 123 in Karaj.

Tehran police announced that, due to emergency measures approved by provincial authorities, the odd-even traffic scheme would be enforced citywide.

In Mashhad, air quality remained unhealthy for the 22nd consecutive day, with an average index of 108 over the past 24 hours and peaks of 136, affecting sensitive groups across most monitoring zones.

The National Meteorological Organization forecast a gradual improvement beginning Monday evening with the arrival of a rain-bearing clouds.

In Khuzestan Province, 18 cities reported polluted air, with Hoveyzeh registering a PM2.5 index of 239, classified as “very unhealthy.” Several other cities, including Ahvaz, Shushtar and Susa, were in the red, while Dezpart reported clean conditions.

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