Ukraine-Russia war
The Ukrainian president says Russian forces destroyed the critical infrastructure in the southern city of Kherson before pulling out their forces from the area. Volodymyr Zelensky says extremely fierce fighting is now going on in Donetsk region in east of Ukraine. Russia's military was ordered to pull out of Kherson on Thursday. Russia's commander in Ukraine said it was no longer possible to keep supplying the city. Kherson was one of four regions in Ukraine that Moscow annexed in September.
Albania anti-government protest
Thousands of Albanians gather outside the prime minister’s office in the capital city to demonstrate against the rising costs of living in the Balkan country. The protest was organized by the opposition Democratic Party of Albania. People gathered in the capital Tirana to rally against soaring prices and denounce the policies of the government. Earlier this year, the government introduced some measures for fiscal relief. However, Albanians don't find that to be enough to alleviate the rising cost of living. Based on national statistics, a third of Albanian citizens live below the poverty line and many complain that high prices are too hard to bear. The cost of foodstuff, fuel, and energy have increased following the war in Ukraine.
Iran-Russia ties
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have placed emphasis on deepening political and economic cooperation. The Kremlin says the two leaders discussed a number of issues on bilateral agenda. The two also stressed advancing cooperation in the political, trade and economic fields, including the transport and logistics sector. The phone conversation came shortly after a senior Russian security official met with Iranian officials in Tehran where the two countries pledged closer ties.