Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev was among the early voters in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, in the November 20 snap presidential election. The country is coping with the authoritarian legacy of Nazarbaev, who transferred power to Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev in 2019 but retained informal influence. After a bloody crackdown on protests in early 2022, Toqaev pledged reforms. Still, opposition parties have been blocked from registration and protesters were detained on election day.
The United Nations says a senior UN official had "constructive discussions" in Moscow on facilitating Russian grain and fertilizer exports to global markets after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of "playing hunger games" with the world by blocking Ukrainian food exports.
Ukrainian lawmakers have fired Ombudswoman Lyudmila Denisova almost one year before her term's end, saying she failed to help organize humanitarian corridors and citing other alleged inaction related to Russia's invasion.
Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev says he supports a series of constitutional changes that will be put to a nationwide referendum, and that there is no rift between him and his successor, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev.