Moscow has sharply condemned the European Union’s latest sanctions against Russia, calling them unilateral, illegal, and in violation of international law. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the EU’s “19th Package of Sanctions,” formally adopted at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on October 23, undermines the powers of the United Nations Security Council.

In retaliation, Russia has significantly expanded its list of EU officials, representatives of member states, and citizens of certain European countries who are now banned from entering Russian territory.

The action falls under Federal Law No. 114-FZ of August 15, 1996, “On the Procedure for Exit from and Entry into the Russian Federation.”

The expanded list targets:

1. Officials of law enforcement, state, and commercial organizations, as well as citizens of EU and other Western countries involved in military aid to Ukraine, supply of dual-use goods, activities undermining Russia’s territorial integrity, or the blockade of Russian shipping.

2. Representatives of EU institutions and European governments engaged in prosecuting Russian officials allegedly involved in “unlawful arrests and deportations from Ukrainian territories.”

3. Individuals supporting the creation of tribunals against Russian leadership.

4. Advocates for the confiscation of Russian state assets or their transfer for Ukraine’s benefit.

5. Persons responsible for enforcing sanctions and attempting to damage Russia’s international relations.

6. Civil activists, academics, and parliamentarians known for anti-Russian rhetoric or who have voted in favor of anti-Russian legislation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the EU’s hostile measures will not influence Russia’s policies. Moscow reiterated its commitment to defending national interests, protecting citizens’ rights, and advancing a multipolar global order.

• Trump further injects himself into New York City mayoral race.
• Mamdani leads polls ahead of Cuomo and a Republican candidate.
• US provides $7.4 billion a year to NYC, or 6.4% of its budget.

US President Donald Trump endorsed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City on Monday and threatened to hold back federal funds to the city if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the mayoral election on Tuesday.

Trump, a Republican who has offered frequent commentary on the New York mayoral election, injected himself further into the race by crossing party lines to support Cuomo over Mamdani and the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, who trails badly in public opinion polls in the heavily Democratic city.

Cuomo, a longtime stalwart in the Democratic Party, is running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary.

Tuesday’s New York City election has been closely watched nationally as one that could help shape the image of the Democratic Party as it seeks its identity in opposition to Trump. 

Mamdani, 34, a self-described democratic socialist who is leading Cuomo in the polls, has energised younger and more progressive voters, but he has also alarmed more moderate Democrats who fear a shift too far to the left may backfire.

Republicans have attacked Mamdani’s candidacy throughout the campaign, with Trump casting him as a communist.

“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Trump said a vote for Sliwa would only help Mamdani.

“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home,” said Trump, a native New Yorker.

The US federal government is providing $7.4 billion to New York City in fiscal year 2026, or about 6.4% of the city’s total spending, according to a report from the New York State Comptroller.

Trump has threatened federal funding cuts throughout his second term in office over climate initiatives, transgender policies, pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war in Gaza and diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Mamdani, a Uganda-born state assembly member, shocked political observers on June 24 with a convincing victory in the primary.

Mamdani has used his campaign to rally New Yorkers against establishment candidates like Cuomo, who was elected governor of New York three times but resigned in 2021 following a report from the New York Attorney General that concluded he had sexually harassed 11 women, including state employees. A US Justice Department investigation later concluded Cuomo subjected at least 13 female state employees to a “sexually hostile work environment.”

“The MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this would be the best mayor for him,” Mamdani said at a campaign event following Trump’s endorsement of Cuomo.

“They (Trump and Cuomo) share the same donors, they share the same small vision, they share the same sense of impunity,” Mamdani said.

Mamdani’s policies include hiking taxes on New York City’s wealthiest, raising the corporation tax rate, freezing stabilised apartment rental rates and increasing publicly subsidised housing.

His rise presents both risks and rewards for the national Democratic Party, which acknowledges the need to appeal to young voters but is wary of Republican attacks over Mamdani’s criticism of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and his democratic socialism, which has concerned New York’s finance community.

Pakistan and other Muslim countries on Monday slammed Israeli violations of the fragile Gaza ceasefire and demanded the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territory, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

Hamas and Israel signed a ceasefire agreement on October 9, agreeing to free the Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of United States President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Pakistan was one of the eight Arab and Muslim countries to work with Trump on the plan.

Despite occasional flare-ups, the fragile truce has been holding in Gaza. The truce, which left thorny issues like the disarmament of Hamas and a timeline for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza unresolved, has been tested by unilateral Israeli bombardment since coming into force.

The foreign ministers of Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan — the same countries that met with Trump on Sept 23 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly — met at the Coordination Meeting of Arab-Islamic Foreign Ministers in Istanbul today to discuss the ceasefire.

A statement from the FO said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other Arab-Islamic diplomats deliberated on the way forward for a lasting ceasefire and sustainable peace in Gaza.

“The leaders jointly called for urgent humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, condemned Israeli ceasefire violations, demanded Israel’s withdrawal from the Occupied Palestinian Territory and emphasised the rebuilding of Gaza.

“Pakistan reaffirmed its principled stance for the establishment of an independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in line with the UN and OIC resolutions.”

The countries said that Gaza’s future must be Palestinian-led and avoid any new system of tutelage.

Turkiye, which played a central role in forging the now shaky three-week-old ceasefire, is pushing for Muslim nations to bring their influence to bear on the reconstruction of the embattled territory.

“Our principle is that Palestinians should govern the Palestinians and ensure their own security, the international community should support this in the best possible way — diplomatically, institutionally and economically,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said after the talks.

“Nobody wants to see a new system of tutelage emerge,” he told a news conference.

“We’ve now reached an extremely critical stage: we do not want the genocide in Gaza to resume,” Fidan added, saying all seven nations supported plans for the Palestinians to take control of Gaza’s security and governance.

Fidan, who held talks at the weekend with a Hamas delegation led by its chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, said the movement was “ready to hand Gaza to a committee of Palestinians”.

He also expressed hope that reconciliation efforts between Hamas and the rival West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, “will bear fruit as soon as possible”, saying inter-Palestinian unity would “strengthen Palestine’s representation in the international community”.

Fidan said it was crucial that the emerging International Stabilisation Force (ISF) that will monitor the Gaza ceasefire under Trump’s plan, have a “mandate defined by a UN Security Council resolution and a framework for legitimacy”.

Washington is currently working with Arab and international partners to decide on the composition of the force, with Turkiye hoping to play a role, despite fierce opposition from Israel.

“The countries we’ve spoken with say they will decide whether to send troops based on … the ISF’s mandate and authority,” Fidan said.

“First, a general consensus needs to be reached on a draft, then it needs to be approved by the members of the Security Council.

“And it needs to be free from vetoes by any of the permanent (UNSC) members,” he said of a blocking move frequently used by key Israel ally Washington.

Israel has long viewed Turkiye’s diplomatic overtures with suspicion over Ankara’s close ties with Hamas and adamantly opposes it joining the task force that is meant to take over after Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza.

A Turkish disaster relief team, sent to help efforts to recover the remains of those trapped under the rubble — including Israelis seized by Hamas — has been stuck at the border because Israel refused to let them in, according to Ankara.

Earlier, FM Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepen cooperation with Türkiye across political, economic, and defence spheres in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, while agreeing to continue working together on the issue of Palestine.

Dar held a bilateral meeting with FM Fidan on the meeting’s sidelines, the FO said.

“During the meeting, the ministers expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan–Türkiye bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further deepening cooperation across political, economic, and defence spheres.

“Both sides agreed to continue working together on the issue of Palestine, especially establishing sustainable peace in Gaza.”

It added that both leaders reaffirmed the strong bonds of brotherhood and mutual support that continue to underpin Pakistan–Türkiye relations and agreed to maintain close coordination on regional and international issues.

Earlier in the day, the FO posted on X that upon arrival, FM Dar was received by Ambassador Ahmet Cemil Miroğlu, Director General of Protocol, as well as officials of the Pakistan Embassy.