Israel probes leaks that bolstered PM as Gaza truce talks stalled
Tel Aviv, Nov 3: An Israeli court on Sunday was considering whether to lift a gag order on a case surrounding suspected leaks of classified information from an associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Critics say they were aimed at giving him political cover as Gaza cease-fire talks ground to a halt. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and says no one from his office has been arrested or is under investigation. He has downplayed the affair and publicly called for the gag order to be lifted. Israeli media reports say the case concerns the leak of classified information to two European media outlets by an adviser who may not have been formally employed and did not have security clearance, without naming the individual. Netanyahu said the person in question “never participated in security discussions, was not exposed to or received classified information, and did not take part in secret visits”. (AP)
Iranian-American journo held in Iran, says US
Dubai, Nov 3: An Iranian-American journalist who once worked for a US government-funded broadcaster is believed to have been detained by Iran for months now, authorities said Sunday, further raising the stakes as Tehran threatens to retaliate over an Israeli attack on the country. The imprisonment of Reza Valizadeh, acknowledged to The Associated Press by the US State Department, came as Iran marked the 45th anniversary of the American Embassy takeover and hostage crisis on Sunday. It also followed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatening both Israel and the US the day before with “a crushing response” as long-range B-52 bombers reached the Middle East in an attempt to deter Tehran. (AP)
Moldovans choose president in decisive runoff
Chisinau, Nov 3: Moldovans cast votes in a decisive presidential runoff Sunday that pits pro-Western incumbent Maia Sandu against a Russia-friendly opponent, as ongoing claims of voter fraud and intimidation threaten democracy in the European Union candidate country. In the first round held October 20, Sandu obtained 42 per cent of the ballot but failed to win an outright majority. She is facing Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general, who outperformed polls in the first round with almost 26 per cent of the vote. Polling stations will close at 9 pm. By 1 pm, 850,000 people – almost 30 per cent of eligible voters – had cast ballots, according to the Central Electoral Commission. A poll released by research company iData indicates a tight race that leans toward a narrow Sandu victory, an outcome that might rely on Moldova’s large diaspora. (PTI)