(KYIV, Ukraine) — The commander of Ukraine’s ground forces General Oleksandr Syrskiy, in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Ian Pannell, said the world should be worried about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons.
Late last month, Putin issued a thinly veiled threat that Russia would resort to using nuclear weapons in its war against Ukraine following a series of setbacks for Moscow on the battlefield.
“We are and should be worried,” Syrskiy told ABC News.
You can watch more of Ian Pannell’s full interview with General Oleksandr Syrskiy on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday.
The Ukrainian general is confident that his country is winning the fight against Russia, despite the challenges of war.
“Of course, I think we are winning. Because first and foremost, we are winning the psychological battle,” Syrskiy said. “We have success on the battleground, but the war is difficult.”
Syrskiy, the commander of the Army of the Armed Forced of Ukraine, won the battle of Kyiv in the spring and the battle of Kharkiv in September. The successful surprise counteroffensive rapidly liberated thousands of square miles of occupied territory, forcing the Russians back towards their border.
Last month, Putin accused Ukraine of terrorism after an explosion destroyed parts of a bridge connecting occupied Crimea to Russia, a vital supply route for Russian forces.
“There hasn’t been any wars at that scale in Europe, or elsewhere in the world, since the Second World War. And we understand that this war is about the survival of our people and our state and this is why we have no other option but to win,” Syrskiy said.
(NEW YORK) — More than six months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose forces began an offensive in August, has vowed to take back all Russian-occupied territory. But Putin in September announced a mobilization of reservists, which is expected to call up as many as 300,000 additional troops.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Oct 23, 4:11 PM EDT
Russian Defense Minister claims Ukrainians planning ‘dirty bomb’ attack
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the defense ministers of Turkey, France and the United Kingdom on Saturday, claiming Ukraine is preparing a provocation with the use of a “dirty bomb.”
The first mention of a possible Ukrainian “dirty bomb” attack appeared Sunday in a morning message of the RIA Novosti state-owned news agency. The article, citing “credible sources in various countries, including Ukraine,” stated that “the Kiev regime is preparing a provocation on the territory of its country related to the detonation of the so-called ‘dirty bomb’ or low-power nuclear munition.”
“The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian theater of operations and thereby launch a powerful anti-Russian campaign in the world aimed at undermining confidence in Moscow,” RIA Novosti reported.
Shoigu also had a telephone conversation with the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday, during which they discussed the situation in Ukraine, according to a Pentagon official.
“Secretary Austin rejected any pretext for Russian escalation and reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine,” said Pentagon press secretary, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.
Oct 23, 1:20 PM EDT
Russian military jet crashes into a residential building, 2nd time in a week
A Russian Sukhoi Su fighter jet crashed into a residential building in southern Siberia on Sunday during a an apparent test flight just six days after another Russian Sukhoi Su jet slammed into an apartment block in Yeysk, Russia, near the Ukrainian border.
Two pilots were killed in Sunday’s crash in the southern Siberia town of Irkutsk, Russian officials said. The crash ignited a giant fireball when the aircraft nosedived into a two-story house, Igor Kobzev, the regional governor, said in a post on Telegram.
Kobzev confirmed two pilots were killed and said no civilian residents were injured.
The Sukhoi Su-30 jet was on a test flight when the crash occurred, according to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.
The crash came about a week after a Russian Sukhoi Su-34 crashed into an apartment block in the southern Russian city of Yeysk, near Ukraine, killing at least 15 people.
Authorities said the initial investigation indicated a technical malfunction of the aircraft caused the crash and that the pilots eject from the jet and survived.
Oct 22, 4:39 PM EDT
33 missiles have been fired at Ukraine, air force says
Thirty-three missiles were fired at Ukraine on Saturday morning, 18 of which were shot down, the country’s air force claimed. Local officials in regions across Ukraine are reporting that the strikes were aimed at energy facilities.
More than a million people were without power as of Saturday afternoon, according to presidential adviser Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
In the southeastern city of Nikopol, local authorities warned that air raid sirens would be switched off as a result of power cuts. Instead, emergency vehicles driving around the city will warn resident of incoming aerial threats.
Oct 22, 1:45 PM EDT
Russian authorities tell civilians in annexed Kherson to leave immediately
Russian authorities in the Ukrainian city of Kherson told civilians to leave immediately on Saturday because of what they called a tense military situation as Ukrainian forces advance. Kherson was illegally annexed by Russia earlier this month.
“Take care of the safety of your family and friends! Do not forget documents, money, valuables and clothes,” Russian authorities said.
At Oleshky on the opposite bank of the Dnipro, the agencies caught up with people arriving by river boat from Kherson, loaded with boxes, bags and pets, according to an article in Russian News Agency Interfax.
One woman carried a toddler under one arm and a dog under the other. Some boats were loaded with vegetables and pallets of food. Staff from Russia’s emergency ministry carried elderly people and children in prams from the vessels. Families then waited to board buses to the Russian-annexed city of Crimea, according to Interfax.
Meanwhile, in a briefing on Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had repelled a Ukrainian attempt to break through its line of control in the Kherson region.
Oct 21, 3:36 PM EDT
Ukraine accuses Russia of delaying passage of 150 grain ships
Russia is deliberately delaying the passage of ships carrying grain exports under a U.N.-brokered deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged in his evening address Friday.
Zelenskyy said the delay meant that Ukraine grain exports were short 3 million tons, which he said is enough to feed 10 million people.
“The enemy is doing everything to slow down our food exports … as of today, more than 150 ships are queuing to fulfill contractual obligations on the delivery of our agricultural products,” Zelenskyy said.
“This is an artificial queue. It only arose because Russia is deliberately delaying the passage of the ships,” he said.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Oct 21, 1:24 PM EDT
Russia has hit 30% to 40% of Ukraine’s overall power infrastructure, Ukrainian official tells Reuters
Russian attacks have hit 30% to 40% of Ukraine’s overall national power infrastructure, Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko told Reuters in an interview.
“We see that they targeted a number of new [facilities], but also they shelled [facilities] which had been already shelled before to destroy them absolutely,” Halushchenko said.
Asked about the scale of the damage, Halushchenko said Russian attacks have hit at least half of Ukraine’s thermal generation capacity and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
Halushchenko said electricity imports could be one of the options Ukraine pursues to get through the crisis.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Oct 21, 11:03 AM EDT
Austin speaks with Russian defense minister about Ukraine
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart, Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu, for the second time since the invasion of Ukraine on Friday.
“Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine,” the Pentagon said in a brief statement.
The first call between the two was in May and lasted an hour. Officials did not say how long the Friday call was.
Oct 20, 4:33 PM EDT
US believes Iranians are on the ground assisting Russian drone attacks in Ukraine
The U.S. believes Iranians are “on the ground” in Ukraine to assist Russia with its drone operations, White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday.
“We can confirm that Russian military personnel that are based in Crimea have been piloting Iranian [drones] and using them to conduct strikes across Ukraine, including strikes against Kiev in just recent days. We assess that Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations,” Kirby told reporters.
Kirby did not know how many Iranians are in Crimea, but said the U.S. knows it is “a relatively small number.”
Kirby specified that the Iranians “have put trainers and tech support in Crimea, but it’s the Russians who are doing the piloting.”
“We’re going to continue to vigorously enforce all U.S. sanctions on both the Russian and Iranian arms trade. We’re going to make it harder for Iran to sell these weapons to Russia. We’re going to help the Ukrainians have what they need to defend themselves against these threats.”
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Oct 20, 2:53 PM EDT
DOJ says it will continue to be “relentless” in efforts to hold people responsible for war crimes accountable
The Justice Department will “continue” to be “relentless” in its pursuit to hold those responsible for war crimes and other atrocities in Ukraine accountable, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday, while sitting next to his German counterpart, Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht.
“We are committed to finding ways to expand our cooperation with our German partners in these efforts,” Garland said.
Garland also thanked Germany for its help in apprehending a suspect accused of getting sensitive technologies to Russia as part of an indictment announced Wednesday.
The Justice Department charged five individuals including Yury Orekhov, the alleged mastermind behind the plot. Orekhov was arrested in Germany as part of the Justice Department’s task force KleptoCapture, which is cracking down on Russian-related crimes as the war in Ukraine continues.
Asked if any U.S. intelligence was compromised after Germany replaced its head of cybersecurity over alleged ties to Russia, Garland didn’t answer, saying intelligence sharing is what makes the relationship with Germany so strong.
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Oct 20, 6:56 AM EDT
US will ‘not hesitate’ to sanction Iran over drone sales, official says
The United States is committed to stopping Russia from obtaining foreign weapons, including Iran-made drones, a State Department official said.
Officials from the United States, United Kingdom and France on Thursday raised the issue during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
“The United States began warning in July that Iran was planning to transfer UAVs to Russia for use in Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, and we now have abundant evidence that these UAVs are being used to strike Ukrainian civilians and critical civilian infrastructure,” Price said. “As Iran continues to lie and deny providing weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, we are committed to working with allies and partners to prevent the transfer of dangerous weaponry to Russia.”
He added, “We will not hesitate to use our sanctions and other appropriate tools on all involved in these transfers.”
Oct 19, 8:08 PM EDT
Putin’s martial law declaration ‘speaks to his desperation’: Blinken
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC News’ Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopoulos in a new interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of martial law in illegally annexed parts of Ukraine “speaks to his desperation” as Ukrainian forces continue to make progress in rebuffing the invasion.
“Just in the last few weeks, he’s tried to mobilize more forces. He’s gone through with this sham annexation of Ukrainian territory,” Blinken said in a preview from the sit-down, which will air Thursday on Good Morning America.
Oct 19, 3:34 PM EDT
Ukraine to restrict electrical supply after Russia knocks out power plants
Ukraine will start restricting electricity supplies across the country on Thursday after Russia knocked out more power plants, a senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said on Wednesday.
“From 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., it is necessary to minimize the use of electricity … if this is not done, you should prepare for temporary blackouts,” Tymoshenko wrote in a Telegram post.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Oct 19, 2:26 PM EDT
Biden says Putin imposing martial law may be ‘his only tool available’ to brutalize Ukrainians
President Joe Biden reacted to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to impose martial law in illegally annexed Ukrainian areas, telling reporters it may be his only tool available.
“I think that Vladimir Putin finds himself in an incredibly difficult position. And what it reflects to me is it seems his only tool available to him is to brutalize individual citizens, in Ukraine, Ukrainian citizens to try to intimidate them into capitulating,” Biden said Wednesday.
“They’re not gonna do that,” he added
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Oct 19, 8:31 AM EDT
Putin announces he is imposing martial law in four occupied Ukrainian territories
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he will impose martial law in four Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian forces — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye. All four regions were illegally annexed by Putin last month.
Marital law grants Russia’s authorities huge powers over the civilian population in the regions it is imposed. Martial law is set to go into effect on Thursday.
The decree, which Putin announced during a televised meeting with his security council, will now be sent to be rubber stamped by Russia’s upper chamber of parliament, the Federation Council.
Putin has also granted new powers to governors in several regions bordering Ukraine.
Putin’s decree includes other points ordering the rest of Russia itself put into various levels of “readiness.”
The decree puts eight regions bordering Ukraine into a state of “moderate level of response,” but also imposes a “level of heightened readiness” in the southern and central regions that include Moscow. All other Russians regions are put on a “basic level of readiness.”
The decree says these statuses grant special powers to local authorities that are similar to martial law and includes points imposing increased security at key facilities, puts transport and communications into a special regime and also envisages the creation of “territorial defense headquarters” in some regions.
Oct 19, 7:35 AM EDT
Russian civilians to evacuate Kherson
Russia has announced the mass evacuation of civilians from the key city of Kherson, as well as all of its civilian occupation administration there.
Russia’s newly appointed overall commander for its war in Ukraine, Gen. Sergey Surovikin, said on Tuesday that “difficult decisions” may have to be made in the near future regarding Russia’s position in Kherson. In his first public remarks since his appointment, he said the situation around Kherson was already “extremely difficult.”
The evacuation combined with Surovikin’s comments has fueled speculation that Russia may be preparing to retreat from the city in the face of a Ukrainian offensive, in what would be a major defeat for President Vladimir Putin.
Other Russian officials though have suggested the evacuation is in preparation of Russian defense of the city. Kherson’s Russian-appointed governor on Wednesday denied Russia was planning to “give up” the city.
Another senior occupation official has said the battle for Kherson will begin in the “very near future.”
Kherson is the only regional capital Russia managed to seize in its invasion and is a capital of one of the regions Putin annexed last month.
The city is located on the western side of the Dnieper river and Russian forces’ position there has become increasingly difficult, after Ukraine succeeded in destroying the bridges needed to supply it.
With the bridges destroyed, thousands of Russian troops risk becoming surrounded in Kherson city and cut off from any supplies.
Russia has already begun evacuating civilians to the eastern side of the Dneipr river. Independent military researchers said Russia has quickly built a pontoon bridge near Kherson that could be used for evacuation or re-supplies.
The Russian-appointed governor said around 60,000 civilians will be evacuated, over the course of seven days.
Oct 18, 5:14 PM EDT
Russia trying to make Ukrainians ‘suffer,’ US officials say
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian power stations shows Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to make Ukrainians “suffer” with deliberate attacks, speaking of attacks on Ukrainian power stations.
“He is trying to make sure that the Ukrainian people suffer,” Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Tuesday. “He’s making it very difficult for them.”
Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder echoed those comments, saying Russia is trying to “inflict pain” on Ukrainian civilians with its strikes on population centers and infrastructure.
“We do continue to see them target, among other things, civilian infrastructure, to include energy related targets — power grids, for example,” Ryder said.
He added, “In terms of why we think they’re targeting those areas, I think obviously trying to inflict pain on the civilian society as well as try to have an impact on Ukrainian forces.”
ABC News’ Ben Gittleson and Matt Seyler
Oct 18, 4:59 PM EDT
UN commission releases detailed report on war crimes in Ukraine
The United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has released its first in-depth, written report on what it calls “an array of war crimes, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law” committed in the country during the first weeks of Russia’s brutal invasion.
The report outlines what investigators say are “documented patterns of summary executions, unlawful confinement, torture, ill-treatment, rape and other sexual violence.”
The inquiry zeroed in on four regions of Ukraine– Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy–and focused on incidents that took place following Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24 through the end of March.
Investigators traveled to 27 cities and towns, conducted nearly 200 interviews and “inspected sites of destruction, graves, places of detention and torture, as well as weapon remnants, and consulted a large number of documents and reports.”
Due to the sheer number of allegations, the commission could not investigate all the claims it received. The commission said it intends to “gradually devote more of its resources” to a broader investigation within the country, according to the report.
ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Oct 18, 2:25 PM EDT
NATO to send Ukraine anti-drone systems: NATO Secretary General
Ukraine will receive anti-drone systems from NATO in the coming days according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
“The most important thing we can do is deliver on what allies have promised, to step up and deliver even more air defense systems,” Stoltenberg said, according to Reuters.
He added, “NATO will in the coming days deliver counter-drone systems to counter the specific threat of drones, including those from Iran.”
ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Oct 18, 7:00 AM EDT
30% of Ukraine’s power stations destroyed
About a third of Ukraine’s power stations have been destroyed by Russian attacks in the last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
“Since Oct. 10, 30% of Ukraine’s power stations have been destroyed, causing massive blackouts across the country,” he said on Twitter. “No space left for negotiations with Putin’s regime.”
(LONDON) — Liz Truss announced her resignation on Thursday after only 45 days in office, making her the shortest-serving U.K. prime minister in history.
Her resignation follows weeks of political and economic turmoil after her government introduced a “mini-budget” that sent financial markets into crisis and cratered the value of the Great British Pound.
As a result, members of the Conservative Party’s 1922 Committee, the ruling group that sets out leadership contest rules, have introduced immediate changes to the process as the party prepares to name its third prime minister in two months.
Potential prime ministerial candidates will need the support of at least 100 fellow Members of Parliament to secure their spot on the ballot to become the next party leader.
The Conservative Party currently has 357 members in Parliament meaning there will be a maximum of three leadership candidates that could be put forward.
The increased threshold of MPs needed to support a candidate for office “can be achieved by any serious candidate with a chance of going through” Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee, said on Thursday.
Many see these changes as an attempt to bypass the Conservative Party’s internal membership voting in the leadership contest and, as a result, could produce another leader who creates further political and economic instability.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is speculated to make a dramatic return to the frontline of British politics only six weeks after he reluctantly resigned amid intense scandal. He remains popular with Conservative Party members but is seen as a liability by many of his fellow colleagues.
On the potential return of Johnson, John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay, told the BBC that “we’ve now got to look forward and pick a new candidate, somebody who has credibility, experience and can unite the party.”
Johnson has not yet confirmed if he is standing for office again but will be flying back to the U.K. this weekend after enjoying a vacation in the Caribbean.
Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is seen as another likely candidate after he came second to Liz Truss in this summer’s leadership contest. Sunak repeatedly warned Truss that her economic plans and proposed tax cuts would create economic turmoil. The subsequent financial fallout looks to have proven him correct.
Sunak is a potential calming voice and remains the U.K.’s seventh most popular politician, according to analytics firm, YouGov. However, reports that his wealthy family used non-domiciled status to reduce their tax payment is seen as a potential gift to Labour, the U.K.’s opposition party, amid the current cost of living crisis.
Penny Mordaunt, who placed third in the leadership contest, is another likely favorite.
Mordaunt served as former Prime Minister Theresa May’s defense secretary, the first woman to hold the post in British history, and her previous experience within the Ministry of Defense could be a vital benefit when it comes to how the U.K. deals with the war in Ukraine.
Suella Braverman, the former Interior minister — who lasted a day less in office than Liz Truss did — is another probable contender for the top job.
A renowned anti-immigration and Brexit supporter, Braverman proposed strengthening the punishment for possessing cannabis and is seen as the preferred candidate for the ideological right of the Conservative Party.
Across the aisle, however, Leader of the U.K.’s Opposition Party, Sir Keir Starmer, has joined other political leaders from the minority parties in calling for a general election.
“The British public deserve a proper say on the country’s future” and “we need a general election,” he said on Twitter.
The next prime minister will be announced by Oct. 28.
(LONDON) — It took Liz Truss 12 years in Parliament to reach the pinnacle of British political power. Now, after just 44 days leading the country, she has assumed the title of shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom.
Not since George Canning — who served almost three times as long as Truss at 119 days — in 1827 has a British prime minister served such a short period of time. He died of tuberculosis while in office.
The blistering speed of the collapse of Truss’ period in governance is unparalleled in modern times.
Having been elected by Conservative Party members — and not the country as a whole — Truss came into power after Boris Johnson was all but forced to step down as prime minister having lost the mandate to govern from his own party after a scandal-plagued three years and 44 days in office — three years more to the day than Truss actually lasted.
Truss came in with a clear plan but squandered her own mandate to govern in just 44 days. She made a U-turn on almost every single key policy she had run on during the leadership election this summer.
The U.K. is now expected to name its third prime minister in just under two months by the end of next week.
Only eight prime ministers in the country’s history have even served less than a full calendar year, but most will not recognize their names.
Viscount Goderich served only 144 days in office in 1827, Bonar Law served 211 days in 1922, and Sir Alec Douglas-Home — the most recent former prime minister to serve less than a year — was in power for 363 days in 1963.
Even though Truss may now have the ignominious title of shortest-ever serving prime minister, the Conservative Party still commands a strong majority in the House of Commons and the next public vote is not due until 2024.
(LONDON) — U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her resignation on Thursday.
Truss, who only became prime minister on Sept. 6, will be the shortest serving prime minister in modern political history.
“I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party,” Truss said.
Her resignation follows weeks of political and economic crisis, after the government introduced a new “mini-budget” which was roundly criticized.
The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, has called for a general election. The Conservative Party, then under the leadership of Boris Johnson, won a large majority in the last general election in 2019.
Whoever is chosen as Truss’ successor from the Conservative Party ranks will become the fifth prime minister since the U.K. voted to leave the EU in the Brexit referendum of 2016 in an unprecedented period of turbulence in British political history.
From outside the steps of Number 10 Downing Street, Truss said a leadership election would take place over the next seven days.
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
(NEW YORK) — NASA on Wednesday released an image of newly formed stars from the James Webb Space Telescope.
The image captures nascent, bright-red stars within a billowing cloud of gas and dust at an iconic stellar birthplace known as “The Pillars of Creation.”
The crimson protostars, estimated to be just a few hundred thousand years old, form when knots in the cloud gain enough mass that they collapse under their own gravity and slowly rise in temperature, according to a joint statement from the coalition behind the Webb telescope, which includes NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
The scene is captured by the Webb telescope’s near-infrared camera, which affords the capacity to detect light from the first stars and galaxies. The telescope, launched last December, has delivered images to the public since July.
In this case, the image depicts a location within the Eagle Nebula, which stands 6,500 light-years away, the statement said.
The image of the “Pillars of Creation” will help researchers improve their understanding of star formation by identifying more precise star populations as well as the amount of gas and dust in the region, the statement added.
The “Pillars of Creation” was first captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995. Since then, a host of increasingly advanced telescopes have been trained on the star-studded location.
The Webb telescope is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space, the joint statement said.
Images released from the Webb telescope have featured Jupiter and the Phantom Galaxy.
(LONDON) — Iranian sport climber Elnaz Rekabi returned to Tehran early Wednesday after she garnered global attention for competing overseas without wearing a hijab, which is required of female athletes representing the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency filmed Rekabi’s arrival and briefly interviewed her at Imam Khomeini International Airport, southwest of the capital. Other videos shared online purportedly showed large crowds gathered outside to welcome home the 33-year-old professional athlete, chanting her name and calling her a “hero.”
The state media footage captured Rekabi, clad in a black hoodie over a black baseball cap covering her dark hair, as she walked into one of the airport’s terminals, where she received flowers from a fan and then repeated to reporters an explanation posted earlier on Instagram for why she had competed without the Islamic headscarf at the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Asian Championships in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday.
“It was completely unintentional,” Rekabi said. “I was unexpectedly called and I had to compete. I was busy putting on my shoes and technical gear, and that caused me to forget putting on the hijab I had to be wearing. Then I went to compete.”
“Fortunately, I came back to Iran with peace of mind, although I went through a lot of tension and stress,” she added. “So far, thank God, nothing has happened.”
A state media reporter then said: “It was rumored that nobody knew where you were for 24 or 48 hours. Such weird rumors were being made.”
Rekabi replied: “No, this didn’t happen. We came back to Iran according to the plan. Until this moment, everything has been going on according to the plan.”
However, critics of the Iranian government believe Rekabi’s explanation was “forced” and that she could still face severe consequences.
“What can happen to her is first of all to be sent to prison,” Iranian women’s rights activist Mahya Ostovar, an Iranian women’s rights activist and lecturer at University of Galway, Ireland, told ABC News in an interview on Tuesday. “She can be forced to confess in front of the camera on national TV.”
The Iranian Embassy in Seoul confirmed in a statement posted to Twitter that Rekabi had left Seoul for Tehran on Tuesday morning.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in South Korea strongly denies all fake news, lies and false information about Mrs. Elnaz Rekabi,” the embassy added.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women are required to wear a hijab in Iran. They must also abide by the mandatory rule outside Iran when they are officially representing the country abroad. Iranian women who don’t cover up in public are routinely arrested by the country’s morality police.
Large-scale protests have swept across Iran in recent weeks, sparked by the death of a young woman who was detained by the morality police for breaching the strictly enforced Islamic dress code. Mahsa Amini, 22, died in police custody in Tehran on Sept. 16, three days after she was arrested over allegedly wearing her state-mandated hijab too loosely. Iran requires women to don the garment in a way that fully covers their hair while in public.
Iranian police have denied that Amini was mistreated. They said she suffered a heart attack at the police station and died after being in a coma for two days.
Female protesters in Iran have been seen taking off their headscarves and cutting their hair to show solidarity with Amini. The movement has garnered global attention, with people around the world taking to the streets in support of the Iranian protesters.
The widespread demonstrations in Iran have been met with a brutal crackdown by authorities, who are disrupting internet access and allegedly using both excessive and lethal force. Nearly 8,000 protesters have been arrested and at least 240 have been killed, including 32 children, according to U.S.-based rights monitor HRANA.
Rekabi initially appeared with a hijab at the weeklong annual Asian Championships in the South Korean capital, but then wore just a black headband when competing in the final round on Sunday. She finished in fourth place.
The Iran Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation announced the result on its website alongside an undated image of Rekabi wearing a hijab. Rekabi did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment on Monday, while telephone calls to the Iranian climbing federation went unanswered. However, on Tuesday, an Instagram account in Rekabi’s name posted a statement in Farsi, saying: “Due to finals sensitivity and unexpected call to climb the wall, my hijab went wrong unintentionally.”
Rekabi is believed to be one of the first Iranian female athletes to disobey the hijab requirement — a move that was widely praised by observers on social media as “historic,” “daring,” “courageous” and “powerful.” Sadaf Khadem, 27, was bare-headed and wore shorts when she became the first female Iranian boxer to win an overseas fight in April 2019. Khadem had intended to return to Tehran after the competition but was forced to stay in France, after Iranian authorities reportedly issued an arrest warrant over her violations of the dress code.
In December 2019, Iranian chess player Mitra Hejazipour removed her hijab during the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in Moscow while competing under the Islamic Republic’s flag. The Iran Chess Federation subsequently expelled her. The 29-year-old is now said to be competing in a private capacity and living in France.
Amid growing concerns for Rekabi, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) released a statement on Tuesday saying it is keeping an eye on the case and stands behind athletes.
“There is a lot of information in the public sphere regarding Ms. Rekabi and as an organisation we have been trying to establish the facts. We have also been in contact with Ms. Rekabi and the Iranian Climbing Federation,” the IFSC said. “Our understanding is that she is returning to Iran, and we will continue to monitor the situation as it develops on her arrival. It is important to stress that athletes’ safety is paramount for us and we support any efforts to keep a valued member of our community safe in this situation. The IFSC fully support the rights of athletes, their choices, and expression of free speech.”
(LONDON) — After Queen Elizabeth II’s death, a new royal era has officially begun.
With King Charles III now as monarch, Prince William and Kate have also taken on new titles as prince and princess of Wales, and with new titles come new responsibilities.
But ABC News royal correspondent Victoria Murphy says William and Kate have been working toward this moment for quite some time.
“William and Kate have been gradually increasing their royal responsibilities for several years, so in many ways their elevated positions are a natural progression from how things have already been going,” ABC News royal correspondent Victoria Murphy said of their elevated positions. “Because they are senior royals and two of only a handful of working royals, they will have busy timetables – the days of William having another job such as the air ambulance are over.”
As a king in waiting, William will take over his father’s previous duties, while continuing to carry out a mixture of official visits that support his and Kate’s charitable interests, as well as overseas tours on behalf of the government and other royal engagements such as investitures and receptions.
Over the past decade, William and Kate have focused on key areas, including the environment, mental health and child development. Murphy said that the couple will continue to support those causes in their new roles and be called on more frequently to support the king.
“They still have plenty of freedoms with William as heir in the same way that Charles did when he was Prince. However, they will also be required to spend time supporting the King and the British government in their work, such as investitures, receptions, state visits, overseas tours and other visits,” Murphy said.
Balancing royal life and parenting
While their workload will expand, their grounding roles are as mom and dad to George, Charlotte and Louis.
“Family is very important to William and Kate and they have made forging a stable and happy family life for their children central to every decision they make,” Murphy said. “They will continue to balance their work responsibilities with the active roles they play as parents. Being present for their children and regularly doing things like the school run and bedtime is very important to them both.”
In September, William, Kate and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, recently relocated to their new home, Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle. A senior royal source told ABC News that the Cambridges’ move to the country was driven by their choice of school, and a desire to give their children as “normal” of an upbringing as possible. Their new home is also close to Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton.
“The children are already learning about the role their family has on the world stage, but William and Kate are keen for their childhood to be free from pressures or scrutiny so [they] are constantly making decisions with this in mind,” Murphy said about their focus on protecting their kids’ childhood.
“A lot of the things that we hear about them doing with their family and speak about valuing are very relatable — such as time outdoors, visiting the beach, baking and roasting marshmallows,” she said.
With George now second in line to the throne, Murphy said that William and Kate want to “gently introduce him to life on the world stage, but while still very much protecting his everyday childhood.”
“I don’t think that any decision to have [the kids] appear publicly will be influenced by the change in their positions in line to the throne, but more on what is deemed suitable for their age and what level of exposure the family feels comfortable with,” Murphy said.
William and Kate’s connection to Wales
The couple is the first to use the prince and princess of Wales titles since Charles and the late Princess Diana.
Last month, William and Kate traveled to Wales for the first time as the prince and princess of Wales. The couple met with different communities across the nation to learn about the work of key charitable organizations in Anglesey and Swansea.
Kensington Palace said that William and Kate have a “deep affection for Wales,” having made their first family home in Anglesey in 2011. It is where they spent their first months as parents to Prince George. Wales was also where William undertook his first engagement as a young boy.
William graduated from the Search and Rescue Training Unit at RAF Valley in Anglesey when he was training to become a helicopter pilot with the Royal Air Force’s Search and Rescue Force.
“The couple want to establish a strong bond and link with the people of Wales by visiting there often,” Murphy said.
How their household will be funded
The biggest change for William and Kate may be how their household is financed, according to Murphy. As prince of Wales, William would also inherit the Duchy of Cornwall.
The Duchy of Cornwall is an estate, which was established by Edward III in 1337 to provide independence to his son and heir Prince Edward, according to the Duchy of Cornwall’s website. Charles, who was the prince of Wales prior to his role as king, became the 24th duke of Cornwall when Queen Elizabeth acceded the throne in 1952.
In 1969, when Charles turned 21, “he became entitled to the full income of the duchy and took over its management,” according to the website.
As the duke of Cornwall, Charles was in charge of the territory, which consists of around 53,000 hectares of land in 23 counties, mostly in the South West of England, according to the website.
Now, William gets the net profits from the estate, which for Charles, was around £20 million per year.
“Unlike when he was the Duke of Cambridge and relied on his father paying for his offices, William will now have his money to fund his work and properties how he chooses, and eventually those of his children as well,” Murphy said. “Some of his work, such as royal travel and the upkeep of Kensington Palace, will also be funded by the Sovereign Grant, which is the money the UK Treasury pays to the monarchy for official duties.”
(NEW YORK) — Meghan, the duchess of Sussex, has made her first public comments about the death of Queen Elizabeth II, whom she called the “matriarch” of Britain’s royal family.
“I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her,” Meghan said in a new interview with Variety. “It’s been a complicated time, but my husband, ever the optimist, said, ‘Now she’s reunited with her husband.'”
Meghan and her husband Prince Harry, one of the queen’s grandsons, were visiting the United Kingdom for charity engagements when the queen died on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
The Sussexes stayed in the U.K. during the royal family’s period of mourning and attended the queen’s funeral on Sept. 19.
The two were also spotted Sept. 10 on a walkabout outside Windsor Castle with Prince William and his wife Kate, the princess of Wales. The couples viewed tributes to the queen and greeted members of the public who had gathered to mourn Elizabeth’s death.
The solemn occasion was one of Harry and Meghan’s first public appearances with royal family members since stepping down from their senior royal roles in 2020 and moving to California, where they now live full-time with their children Archie and Lilibet.
“I’m really grateful that I was able to be with my husband to support him, especially during that time,” Meghan said. “What’s so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts. Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like.”
When asked how she had processed the death of Elizabeth, Meghan spoke about how the loss put things in perspective.
She also said she was “proud to have had a nice warmth” with the queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, and reflected on the “outpouring of love and support” from the public after her death.
“In big moments in life, you get a lot of perspective. It makes you wonder what you want to focus your energy on,” said Meghan. “Right now, we feel energized and excited about all of the things we’ve been building toward. We’re also focused on our foundation. So much of the work we do includes the philanthropic space.”
Harry and Meghan’s foundation, Archewell, includes a production arm that focuses on audio as well as television and movies.
In addition to speaking about her “Archetypes” podcast on Spotify, Meghan spoke with Variety about an upcoming docuseries about her life with Harry.
The docuseries is being directed by Liz Garbus, a U.S.-based documentary filmmaker.
“It’s nice to be able to trust someone with our story — a seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired — even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it,” said Meghan. “But that’s not why we’re telling it. We’re trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens.”
Meghan, who left her acting career when she wed Harry in 2018, added, “It’s interesting. My husband has never worked in this industry before. For me, having worked on Suits, it’s so amazing to be around so much creative energy and to see how people work together and share their own points of view. That’s been really fun.”
(LONDON) — It was only six weeks ago that Liz Truss met Queen Elizabeth II and was appointed the new prime minister of the U.K. But six weeks is a long time in British politics and, after a major policy U-turn along with unconvincing attempts to reassure her Conservative party and the public, she is already under major pressure to resign.
Prime Minister Truss, who remained loyal to her predecessor Boris Johnson before his resignation this summer, won the Conservative leadership contest with the promise of a low tax, high growth economy. Her spending plans were criticized by her leadership rival, former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, who said “borrowing your way out of inflation is a fairytale” at the time in July.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the new chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the government’s first major policy plan to advance Truss’ economic vision in the House of Commons on Sept. 23. Their package included measures to cut the rate of tax for the highest earners, cancel a planned corporation tax increase, remove a cap on bankers’ bonuses, and all this while also promising billions to tackle the looming threat of rising energy bills ahead of the winter, attributed by the government to the war in Ukraine.
The plan was criticized by opposition politicians and economists, and the International Monetary Fund issued a sharp rebuke to their plans, saying in a statement widely interpreted to be scathing that “we do not recommend large and untargeted fiscal packages at this juncture” and the budget would “likely increase inequality.”
Economic chaos followed, as the budget triggered an immediate adverse reaction from the markets. The Bank of England, the U.K.’s central bank, was forced to buy government bonds to ease fears that the state pension fund could collapse. Interest rates were forecast to rise, meaning mortgages rates, as well as household bills, were set to increase against a backdrop of rising inflation.
The budget prompted rare criticism from President Joe Biden, who said “I wasn’t the only one that thought it was a mistake,” and that the outcome was “predictable.”
Amid mounting criticism, the government attempted to calm the storm but last week Kwarteng, a long-time supporter and personal friend of Truss, became the first ministerial casualty of the policy, as he was asked to resign as chancellor last week.
The new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, then announced an effective reversal of all the key measures introduced in the September budget — leading many to speculate that he, and not Truss, had become the de facto leader of government policy. Tuesday’s headline in the Daily Mail, which backed her leadership campaign and supported her budget at the time, read: “In Office, But Not In Power.”
While Truss insisted her plans were right for the country in public, the speed of the collapse in her authority with her Conservative colleagues has generated a great deal of parody. After The Economist magazine quipped that Truss “blew up her own government” so quickly that she had “roughly the shelf-life of a lettuce,” the Daily Star, a tabloid, set up a live stream to monitor if she could outlast a lettuce of their own.
The Conservative Party still command a strong majority in the House of Commons after Boris Johnson’s election win in 2019, and the next public vote is not due until 2024. Truss insisted to the BBC on Monday she will lead her party into the next election, but now the new prime minister faces a daily challenge to stay in office.
