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3 mins ago
Ales Bialiatski: the Belarusian who "devoted his life to promoting democracy"
Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski speaks after he and the Belarusian human rights organization Vjasna were awarded the 2020 Right Livelihood Award during the 2020 awards ceremony in Stockholm on December 3, 2020. (Photo by ANDERS WIKLUND/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images)
Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski, one of the winners of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, is the founder of Viasna (Spring), a human rights organization that has documented and protested the use of torture by authorities against political prisoners.
As one of the initiators of the democratic movement that emerged in the mid-1980s in Belarus, he has "dedicated his life to promoting democracy and peaceful development in his home country," the Nobel committee said on Friday.
Government authorities have tried to silence him for a long time.
He has been detained without trial since 2020.
Despite these "tremendous personal difficulties, Bialiatski has not given up one iota in his struggle for human rights and democracy in Belarus," the committee said.
17 mins ago
Human rights defenders in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus win the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize
By Rob Picketa
Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski in a Dec. 3, 2020 photo. (Photo: Anders Wiklud/AFP/Getty Images)
Ales Bialiatski, human rights defender from Belarus;
the Russian human rights organization Memorial, and the Ukrainian human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, it was announced on Friday.
The winners were honored for "an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human rights abuses and abuse of power" in their respective countries.
"For many years they have promoted the right to criticize power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
His victory comes seven months after Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine, with the help of Belarus.
Last year, persecuted journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov won the award.
Past winners include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai and Barack Obama.
Read the complete news here.
19 mins ago
Despite Biden's warnings, the US has seen no change in Russia's nuclear posture
By Kaitlan Collins, Jeff Zeleny
A US official said Thursday night that despite President Biden's warning that the world is closer to a nuclear crisis since the 1960s, they have yet to see any change in Russia's nuclear posture so far.
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's statement on Tuesday — that there has been no indication of a change in Russia's position and therefore no change in the US position — remains valid, the official.
According to a source familiar with his thinking, Biden was outspoken about the threat officials believe Russia poses at a fundraiser in New York on Thursday night.
Although there is no doubt that Russia's nuclear posture is being taken seriously, a senior US government official said the president's language in fundraising surprised other government officials.
The official expressed surprise at the president's remarks, saying there were no obvious signs of a growing threat from Russia.
21 mins ago
At Least 7 People Killed in Russian Missile Strikes in Zaporizhia, Ukrainian Official Says
By Yulia Kesaieva, Mohammed Tawfeeq
Ukrainian firefighters push out a fire following an attack in Zaporizhzhia on October 6, 2022, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
(Photo by MARINA MOISEYENKO/AFP via Getty Images)
At least seven people were killed when several missiles hit the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia on Thursday, according to a Ukrainian official.
Oleksandr Starukh, head of the Zaporizhia regional military administration, shared the information in a post on Telegram.
Starukh warned that the death toll could rise as five people are still missing.
He also said that at least 21 people were rescued and that teams are still working to find others.
Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of intentionally targeting civilians.
"There are no military or important objects near the impact site, only civilian and apartment buildings," Starukh said.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said at least seven Russian missiles "hit people who were sleeping peacefully in their houses."
"More have struck during the day. The Russians continue to deliberately hit civilians to spread fear. Russian terror must end: with force of arms, sanctions and total isolation," Kuleba continued.
A little background
: Zaporizhia is a major city in southern Ukraine, not far from the front line, and it is home to a nuclear power plant that the international community watches with suspicion.
Part of the region is occupied by Russian forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin this week signed measures to annex four Ukrainian regions, including Zaporizhia, in violation of international law.
25 mins ago
Biden issues a harsh warning about the dangers of Putin's nuclear threats
By Sam Fossum
President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the IBM facility in Poughkeepsie, New York, on October 6.
(Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
During a fundraiser in New York on Thursday night, Biden delivered a sober and stark warning about the dangers of Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons as his country's military regresses in Ukraine, according to press releases.
"For the first time since the Cuban missile crisis, we have a direct threat of the use of nuclear weapons if, in fact, things continue the way they are," Biden warned during the fundraiser, according to the note.
He added: "I'm trying to figure out what Putin's off-ramp is... Where does he find a way out? Where does he find himself in a position where he not only loses face, but loses significant power within Russia?" ?"
"We have a guy I know pretty well," Biden said of Putin, according to the pool.
"He's not kidding when he talks about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons because his military is, you could say, significantly underperforming."
"I don't think there is a possibility of easily (using) a tactical nuclear weapon and not ending Armageddon," Biden added, according to the pool.
war in ukraine
