Georgia's EU-friendly president Salomé Zurabisvjili will not leave her post after her term ends in December. She announced this according to Reuters.
At a press conference, she says that the presidency is the "last legitimate institution" left in the country.
- There is no legitimate parliament, and an illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president.
The presidential election will be held on December 14. Following a change in the constitution, the election will for the first time be via a 300-member electoral college, rather than a direct referendum.
For several days, Georgia has been rocked by strong protests after the pro-Russian Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidze announced that the country is pausing talks on EU membership. President Zurabishvili has called for continued protests.
Mass protests in Georgia for the third night in a row
Late on Saturday, thousands of Georgians again gathered to demonstrate in the capital Tbilisi, writes Reuters. It is the third day of mass protests following the government's announcement of paused EU talks.
Outside the parliament, the protesters build barricades, break windows and set off fireworks. Riot-equipped police respond with tear gas and water cannons.
According to Georgian media, demonstrations are also taking place in smaller towns and villages elsewhere in the country.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidze and the state security service accuse the pro-EU opposition of trying to commit revolution and "oust the government by force".
Protesters and police clash in Tbilisi
Violent clashes between protesters and police have taken place in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Saturday evening, AFP reporters on the ground said.
Police in riot gear used rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds, who threw fireworks and set up barricades outside parliament.
- I'm not going to hide that I'm afraid that many people will be hurt, but I'm not afraid to stand here, says protester Tamar Gelashvili.
In recent days, over 100 people have been arrested during the demonstrations.
The government crisis in Germany Scholz proposes fund of over 1,000 billion before new elections
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has proposed an investment fund of the equivalent of more than SEK 1,000 billion to modernize the country's infrastructure. That's what Bloomberg writes.
The fund, financed by both public and private funds, will prioritize energy infrastructure and housing construction.
Scholz also wants to introduce a 10 percent tax discount for business investments in Germany.
The proposals are part of the social democratic SPD's campaign before the new election on 23 February.
Crisis Northvolt Catl: No plans to invest in Northvolt
Chinese battery giant Catl has no plans to invest in Northvolt, says co-founder Pan Jian in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. Bloomberg reports.
- There is still a possibility that we can help them with production, he says further.
Dagens Nyheter reported this week that Catl and Northvolt have been in dialogue since last summer. According to Pan Jian, these discussions have been about licensing, a partnership similar to the one Catl has with Ford.
Johan Forssell The minister's ex-domain became a Chinese betting site
Julia Wide
Published 18.10
Johan Forssell (M). Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT
If you surf to Migration Minister Johan Forssell's old website, you are met today with a slightly less governmental, slightly more commercial view.
- Johan Forssell was not aware that the domain had been taken over and is of course not behind the content, says the minister's spokesperson Ebba Koril.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell's (M) former personal website johanforssell.com has received a new Chinese outfit.
Nowadays, the home page is graced instead by the company V Sports, a Chinese gaming and sports broadcasting service that claims to operate in large parts of the world. The Argentine national football team is singled out as one of the company's partners.
In addition to betting information, there are also pictures of posing women in challenging clothes.
Canceled the domain in April
That the domain had a new owner was news to Johan Forssell, according to the minister's spokesperson Ebba Koril.
- The Government canceled the domain in April 2024. Johan Forssell did not know that the domain had been taken over and is of course not behind the content, says Ebba Koril.
What will happen to the domain in the future is unclear.
- We have passed on the information within the Ministry of Justice according to standard procedures.
Elephants 350 elephants died from toxic algae in the water New study: Climate-related poisonings an alarming trend
Christina Nordh
Published 2024-11-29 16.14
The researchers say the 2020 mass death of elephants is the largest documented case so far. Photo: Handout
350 elephants were found mysteriously dead in Botswana four years ago.
Toxic algae caused by climate change may be behind, according to a new study.
In the study - a collaboration between the University of Botswana, the National history museum in London, Queen's university Belfast and the Plymouth marine laboratory - scientists warn that climate-related poisoning is an "alarming trend".
The mass death in Botswana's Okavango Delta is described by scientists as a disaster for nature conservation.
Elephants of all ages were seen walking in circles before collapsing and dying. The first cases were detected in May and June 2020.
The incident is the largest documented elephant death where the cause was initially unknown.
- That is why people have been so concerned, says the lead author of the study, Davide Lomeo at King's College London, to The Guardian.
Enhanced by the climate
The new study has been published in Science of the Total Environment and it is claimed that the elephants were poisoned by the water where there was an algal bloom of toxic blue-green algae, cyanobacteria. Climate change increases the intensity and strength of toxic algal blooms, according to the study.
The researchers' theory is that the elephants, on average, walked just over 100 kilometers from the springs and died within 88 hours of drinking. A total of 3,000 waterholes were examined and it was found that the waterholes that had had a heavy bloom of toxic algae in 2020 had many carcasses.
- The animals had no choice but to drink from them, says Lomeo.
200,000 antelopes died
"Globally, this confirms the alarming trend of climate-related death," the study says.
In the same year, the neighboring country of Zimbabwe fought against a rare bacterium that entered the animals' bloodstream. 35 of them died. According to reports, this was due to prolonged drought in the country. In 2015, 200 ,000 saiga antelopes in Kazakstan, the mass death being linked to an outbreak of blood poisoning haemorrhagic septicaemia.
Now experts are warning that mass die-offs are becoming more and more common as global temperatures rise and could cause the extinction of several species.
Niall McCann, head of conservation at UK-based National Park Rescue, says:
- This study provides a convincing explanation for the mass death of elephants that shocked the world in 2020
Nord Stream Two are suspected of the Nord Stream explosions Emil Forsberg
Updated 18.15 | Published 16.57
The leak from Nord Stream. Photo: AP
Two people are suspected of the Nord Stream sabotage.
This is stated by Germany's Attorney General Jens Rommel for Der Spiegel.
In my view, this is a success that was not necessarily expected at the beginning, he says.
On September 26, 2022, a series of explosions occurred on the Nord Stream gas pipelines that run between Russia and Europe.
The suspicions about who is behind it have been directed in different directions, but now the German public prosecutor states that two people have been identified.
But much remains to be done, he says.
- The identity of the others involved, the motives behind the crime and especially the question of possible state control of the business are the subject of ongoing investigations, he tells Der Spiegel.
In mid-August, Rommel stated that they were looking for a Ukrainian who had fled from Poland to his homeland. He has not yet been arrested, writes the German news agency DPA.
- This was a major attack on our country's energy supply that could destabilize the local economy and society, he says.
The Nord Stream sabotage Two suspects in the Nord Stream crime identified
The German prosecutor's office has made progress in the investigation of the Nord Stream sabotage and identified two suspects. This is what Attorney General Jens Rommel says in an interview with Der Spiegel.
- From my point of view, it is a success we did not expect from the beginning, he says.
Rommel would not provide any further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
This summer, the Wall Street Journal published an extensive report in which a number of Ukrainian sources were interviewed.
According to them, the act was a Ukrainian sabotage operation that President Zelensky knew about, but tried to stop when the CIA learned about it. However, then ÖB Valery Zaluzhny should have given it the green light anyway. This is denied by Ukraine.
This summer, Expressen, in collaboration with German media, also reported information that three people are suspects, including a Ukrainian diver.
สถาบันกษัตริย์
จนถึงกลางทศวรรษ 2530 มีสถานะเป็นเพียง "กลุ่ม" หรือ clique หนึ่งในบรรดา
"กลุ่ม" หรือ cliques ต่างๆ จากกลางทศวรรษ 2530 เป็นต้นมา
รัฐที่มีลักษณะเอกภาพจึงเกิดขึ้น ภายใต้อำนาจนำของสถาบันกษัตริย์
(ของในหลวงภูมิพล) นับจากเหตุการณ์พฤษภาคม (ไม่ใช่ 14 ตุลา
ตามที่นักวิชาการเกือบทุกคนยังเชื่อกันอยู่) - ผมเคยใช้ประโยคว่า
กษัตริย์เปลี่ยน from head of the ruling cliques to head of the ruling
class (จากหัวหน้ากลุ่มปกครอง เป็นหัวหน้าชนชั้นปกครอง)
The US is sending radar systems and F-16 parts to Taiwan
The US State Department has approved the sale of radar systems and spare parts for F-16 fighter planes to Taiwan, international news agencies write. The sale is worth $320 million, and according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the purchase could go through within a month.
"Taiwan and the United States will continue to strengthen their security partnership and work together to maintain peace and stability," it said in a statement.
The US approval comes as Taiwan President Lai Ching-te embarks on a political tour of the Pacific islands. Two of the stops are in Guam and Hawaii.
Analysis: The comeback makes the pulse rise in Taiwan
While the world's eyes are directed towards other wars and conflicts, tensions around Taiwan are rising. That development is likely to continue when Donald Trump soon returns to the White House, writes Peter Apps in an analysis for Reuters.
The US has warned that Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the military to invade Taiwan by 2027. While Joe Biden has vowed to strike militarily if that happens, Donald Trump has spoken in terms of tariffs and sanctions. And both Trump and his vice president have suggested that Taiwan should start paying for US military aid.
Now China's goal seems to be to get the new administration to back off from Taiwan, writes Peter Apps.
Uncertainty is the only thing Taiwan can be sure of in the face of Trump 2.0, reports CNN's Will Ripley, who has made a video report from the island. With an unpredictable Trump at the helm, Taiwan will have to invest even more in its defense.
- We don't know if we will become safer or if it will become more dangerous. But regardless, we will have to pay a higher price, says Professor Chen Ming-chi.
41 Chinese planes and ships around Taiwan ahead of Lai's trip
Taiwan says it has spotted 41 Chinese military aircraft and ships around the island. It is the highest figure in at least three weeks, writes AFP.
The Chinese escalation follows the announcement that Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is planning a tour of the Pacific. Among other things, he will visit the American territories of Guam and Hawaii. Because China considers Taiwan to belong to the country, the visits arouse great anger in Beijing, writes the Hong Kong Free Press.
Even further north, China is active. During the night, there are reports that China and Russia have conducted a joint air patrol exercise in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, writes Reuters.
USA skickar radarsystem och F-16-delar till Taiwan
USA:s
utrikesdepartement har godkänt en försäljning av radarsystem och
reservdelar till F-16-stridsplan till Taiwan, skriver internationella
nyhetsbyråer. Försäljningen är värd 320 miljoner dollar och enligt
Taiwans utrikesdepartement kan köpet gå igenom inom en månad.
”Taiwan
och USA kommer att fortsätta stärka sitt säkerhetspartnerskap och
arbeta tillsammans för att upprätthålla fred och stabilitet”, står det i
ett uttalande.
Det amerikanska godkännandet kommer samtidigt som
Taiwans president Lai Ching-te ger sig ut på en politisk turné bland
Stillahavsöarna. Två av stoppen görs på Guam och Hawaii.
Medan
världens blickar riktas mot andra krig och konflikter ökar spänningarna
kring Taiwan. Den utvecklingen lär fortsätta när Donald Trump snart
återvänder till Vita huset, skriver Peter Apps i en analys för Reuters.
USA
har varnat för att Kinas president Xi Jinping har beordrat militären
att invadera Taiwan senast 2027. Medan Joe Biden har lovat att angripa
militärt om så sker har Donald Trump talat i termer om tullar och
sanktioner. Och både Trump och hans vicepresident har föreslagit att
Taiwan borde börja betala för USA:s militära stöd.
Nu tycks Kinas mål vara att få den nya administrationen att backa från Taiwan, skriver Peter Apps.
Osäkerhet
är det enda Taiwan kan vara säkra på inför Trump 2.0, rapporterar CNN:s
Will Ripley, som har gjort ett videoreportage från ön. Med en
oförutsägbar Trump vid rodret kommer Taiwan behöva investera ännu mer i
sitt försvar.
– Vi vet inte om vi blir säkrare eller om det blir
farligare. Men oavsett kommer vi få betala ett högre pris, säger
professorn Chen Ming-chi.
41 kinesiska flyg och fartyg runt Taiwan inför Lais resa
Taiwan
säger sig ha upptäckt 41 kinesiska militärflygplan och fartyg runt ön.
Det är den högsta siffran på åtminstone tre veckor, skriver AFP.
Den
kinesiska upptrappningen sker efter beskedet att Taiwans president Lai
Ching-te planerar en rundresa i Stillahavsområdet. Han ska bland annat
besöka de amerikanska territorierna Guam och Hawaii. Eftersom Kina anser
att Taiwan tillhör landet väcker besöken stor vrede i Peking, skriver
Hong Kong Free Press.
Även längre norrut är Kina aktivt. Under
natten kommer rapporter om att Kina och Ryssland har genomfört en
gemensam luftpatrulleringsövning i Japanska havet, även känt som
Östhavet, skriver Reuters.
There is anarchy in Gaza, according to the UN human rights agency OHCHR. They warn, among other things, that looting has occurred and that people are fighting over the few resources available in the region.
- The anarchy in Gaza that we warned about several months ago is here, said chief Ajith Sunghay on Friday.
SVT Nyheter has spoken to Robin Vikström at the UN's food program, WFP, who testifies that food convoys have been looted by armed gangs. He warns that looting puts further obstacles in the wheel for people in vulnerable areas who are in desperate need of food.
- You can say that it is happening because the situation in Gaza is in a state where law and order no longer exists, he tells the channel.
Aid workers killed in Israeli attack
Five people have been killed in an Israeli drone attack on southern Gaza, writes TT. Three of the victims belonged to the aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK), two of whom worked as local managers and one as a driver, local sources said.
According to a witness, one drone hit a humanitarian aid truck and another drone hit an all-terrain vehicle with WCK's logo. According to Israel's military, the attack was directed at an identified militiaman.
The organization lost seven employees in an Israeli air raid in early April, which was condemned from several quarters globally.
Aid worker killed - was a terrorist according to Israel
Palestinian Hazmi Kadih, employed by the American aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK), has been killed in an Israeli attack. The IDF writes that on X.
According to the IDF, Kadih was a terrorist and participated in the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 last year.
According to the Hamas-controlled authorities in Gaza, three WCK associates were killed in the attack. Aid worker killed - was a terrorist according to Israel
Palestinian Hazmi Kadih, employed by the American aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK), has been killed in an Israeli attack. The IDF writes that on X.
According to the IDF, Kadih was a terrorist and participated in the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 last year.
According to the Hamas-controlled authorities in Gaza, three WCK associates were killed in the attack.
Syria's army: Strategic retreat before counteroffensive
The Syrian military stated on Saturday that it is temporarily withdrawing its forces from the million-strong city of Aleppo to "prepare a counter-offensive against the terrorists", reports Reuters.
In the statement, the armed forces also state that they are waiting for "reinforcement". Earlier, the news agency reported that government forces are waiting for additional help from Russia to arrive.
The statement comes after the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said most of Syria's second-largest city had been captured by rebels whose offensive began earlier this week.
Analysis: The regime's grip on power has become fragile
The Syrian war has long seemed to be a frozen conflict, but the ongoing offensive in the country has turned everything upside down, writes Alex Rossi in an analysis on Sky News.
"What is happening now is a big blow to the government because it shows how fragile its grip on power has become," he writes.
Rossi believes that there are several reasons why the offensive, which led to the capture of Aleppo by rebels, is being carried out now. One of the reasons is that Russia, which supported President Bashar al-Assad, now has its military focus elsewhere.
Ellen Knickmeyer at the AP news agency writes in an analysis that the fighting poses a risk of "another violent front opening in the Middle East". She points out that the president has been at odds with opposition forces for 13 years.
"The push is the rebels' strongest in years in a war whose destabilizing effects have spread far beyond the country's borders," she writes.
Several countries in talks about the situation in Syria
Several ministerial-level phone calls were held between Iran, Russia, Turkey and Qatar on Saturday regarding the rebel offensive in Syria, news agencies reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi claimed in a conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that the jihadists' attack is part of an "Israeli-American plan to destabilize the region", according to Reuters.
Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan underlined the need for "joint action to stabilize the situation", according to AFP.
At the same time, word comes that the rebels have captured the airport in Aleppo.
Attack on canal could knock out electricity in parts of Kosovo
An explosion occurred at a canal in northern Kosovo on Friday evening, writes Reuters. The canal is the water source for two coal-fired power plants that generate almost all of the country's electricity, and supplies the capital Pristina with drinking water.
The Kosovo government calls it a professionally executed terrorist attack. Prime Minister Albin Kurti singles out "gangs led by Serbia", according to Koha Ditore, but does not present any evidence.
- If the canal is not repaired, part of Kosovo will be without electricity from early morning (Saturday), he says.
No injuries have been reported.
Serbia condemns sabotage - and denies involvement
Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric condemns the attack on the Ibar-Lepenac canal in northern Kosovo that occurred on Friday evening. He calls the incident a "disturbing act of sabotage" and says it endangers the lives of people in the region.
At the same time, he denies that Serbia was involved, something that Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti talked about after the explosion.
"These baseless accusations undermine efforts at constructive dialogue and only serve to escalate tensions in an already sensitive situation," writes Djuric on X.
The government of Kosovo has warned that the attack could lead to power outages in parts of the country. The canal is the water source for two coal-fired power plants that generate almost all the electricity.
The Prime Minister: Several arrested after the attack
The police have arrested several people after the attack on an important canal in northern Kosovo, says the country's Prime Minister Albin Kurti. During Saturday, he visited the place where an explosion occurred late on Friday evening. He told reporters that law enforcement agencies in the country were collecting testimonies and evidence.
- The criminals and terrorists will be brought to justice, he says according to AFP.
Two of the large power plants that use the canal as a water source have been restored to 25 percent capacity.
The outside world's response Expert: The parties are fighting for the best starting point for negotiations
With
seven weeks to go until Donald Trump is sworn in as the next president
of the United States, Russia and Ukraine are fighting over the best
starting position for possible peace talks, sources told Politico. Among
other things, when he promised to end the war a few days after he took
the White House.
But it is not only Trump's entry that forces the
parties to the negotiating table, according to Russia expert James
Nixey at the British think tank Chatham House.
Both countries are
"running a race against the clock" due to major "domestic problems,"
according to Nixey. For Ukraine, there is a major shortage of soldiers,
while the Russian economy is under severe pressure after the ruble
plummeted in value.
MI6 chief: Never seen the world as dangerous as it is now
Russia is waging a "staggeringly ruthless" sabotage campaign against Ukraine's allies in the West, and European intelligence services are working tirelessly to contain the fallout. Richard Moore, head of the British intelligence service MI6, says so, according to several media outlets.
- During my 37 years in intelligence work, I have never seen the world in a more dangerous situation, he says according to Sky News.
The statements were made during a speech alongside Moore's French counterpart Nicolas Lerner, who added that "the collective security of all of Europe is at stake".
If Russia is allowed to subdue Ukraine and turn it into a vassal state, Putin will not stop there, according to Moore. He also warns Donald Trump against a Russian victory, adding that it would strengthen China, North Korea and Iran.
Ukraine's response Zelenskyi: Some just want to talk to Putin to get on the front page
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says some world leaders only want to talk to Vladimir Putin to get themselves in the news. In the high-profile interview with Sky News, he was asked about the conversation between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Russian president two weeks ago.
- Don't open Pandora's box, because if you open it, other leaders will want to talk to him to get into the newspaper and say they can handle Putin, he says.
In the interview, he calls Putin a murderer and a terrorist. The Ukrainian president believes that Putin is trying to divide Europe.
Expert: "He knows that Trump will soon lower himself"
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is playing a "very sophisticated game" when he opens up for a ceasefire in which Russia retains control of occupied land in exchange for a NATO invitation. This is what Britain's former ambassador to Russia, Tony Benton, told Sky News.
- He knows that Donald Trump will soon descend on him and Russia. He is already arranging to have something to offer Trump in his mission to end the war.
However, Benton adds that it is a "fairly large concession" on Zelensky's part - something Putin may interpret as a sign of weakness and an invitation to try to take more.
Zelenskyj: Can give up land to Russia - against the NATO invitation
Emil Forsberg
Updated 21.18 | Published 19.23
Volodymyr Zelenskyy opens for the first time to give ground to Vladimir Putin.
In exchange, he wants an invitation to NATO.
- Otherwise he will come back, he says in an interview with Sky News.
The war report 26 November: The most dangerous phase of the war and Russian insidious tactics
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi was interviewed for the first time since Donald Trump secured victory in the US presidential election.
Then he was asked about Trump's plans to end the war in Ukraine by giving Russia land in exchange for Ukraine joining NATO.
And for the first time, Zelenskyy opens up that it could become a reality.
- In order to end the critical phase of the war, we must come under NATO's umbrella, he says and continues:
- We have to do it quickly. Then Ukraine can try to get the land back diplomatically
Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: AP
Zelenskyy believes that NATO should immediately secure the area that remains under Kiev's control.
- Otherwise he will come back, he says, referring to Vladimir Putin.
He also emphasized the importance of working together with Donald Trump.
- I want to work directly with him because he has different voices around him. We cannot allow someone nearby to destroy the communication, he says.
When asked if he had any conversations with Trump, Zelenskyy says:
- We had a conversation in New York in September. It was very warm, good, constructive. it was a very good meeting. And that was an important first step. Now we have to prepare some meetings.
Russian rocket attack in the city of Odessa earlier in November. Photo: AP
Ukraine is asking NATO countries for an invitation next week
Ukraine's
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha urges in a letter to his counterparts in
the NATO countries to invite the country to the alliance at next week's
summit in Brussels, reports Reuters.
According to the letter,
the Ukrainian government understands that membership is out of the
question until the war is over, but Sybiha writes that an invitation
would show Putin that he cannot prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.
"With
the realization that Ukrainian NATO membership is inevitable, Russia
will lose one of its main arguments for continuing this unjust war."
On
Friday, President Zelenskyi opened for the first time a ceasefire
without Russia returning the occupied land, on the condition that
Ukraine be invited to NATO.
Israeli Minister: We will stay in Gaza for years
Israeli
military will stay in Gaza for many years. This is according to Avi
Dichter, Minister of Food Safety and member of the Security Cabinet,
according to The Guardian.
- I think most people understand that
(Israel) will be in a kind of West Bank situation for years, where we
may go in and out and remain along the Netzarim corridor.
According
to IDF soldiers, Israel has expanded the military infrastructure in
Gaza, including roads and a number of large military bases along the
Netzarim Corridor, an occupation zone that runs right through central
Gaza and bisects the area.
The world's richest Elon Musk 760 billion richer since Trump's victory
Most
investors have benefited from Donald Trump's win in the presidential
election. But few have benefited as much as Elon Musk, writes Barron's.
In
the three weeks that have passed since the election, Musk's fortune has
grown by 70 billion dollars, around 760 billion kroner, according to
Bloomberg's billionaire index. It is equivalent to the entire market
value of Fedex or 3M. Mainly the increase in wealth is due to Tesla's
stock exploding.
But other billionaires have not seen the same
gratifying development. Among other things, Facebook founder Mark
Zuckerberg's fortune has shrunk by $1 billion, mainly because Meta's
stock has gone down slightly.
Even Nvidia's CEO and founder
Jensen Huang is poorer than before the election. This is mainly because
Nvidia's stock has fallen 7 percent since November 5, the magazine
writes.
The China-Taiwan relationship 41 Chinese planes and ships around Taiwan ahead of Lai's trip
Taiwan
says it has spotted 41 Chinese military aircraft and ships around the
island. It is the highest figure in at least three weeks, writes AFP.
The
Chinese escalation follows the announcement that Taiwan President Lai
Ching-te is planning a tour of the Pacific. Among other things, he will
visit the American territories of Guam and Hawaii. Because China
considers Taiwan to belong to the country, the visits arouse great anger
in Beijing, writes the Hong Kong Free Press.
Even further north,
China is active. During the night, there are reports that China and
Russia have conducted a joint air patrol exercise in the Sea of Japan,
also known as the East Sea, writes Reuters.
The accusations against Bolsonaro Bolsonaro aims for a comeback with Trump's help
Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro wants to return to power, he says in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
He believes that Donald Trump can help him with this, for example with sanctions against the current president Lula da Silva.
- Trump is back, and it is a sign that we will soon be back too, says Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro
remains very popular among conservative Brazilians, and fares better in
public opinion than the incumbent left-wing president. According to a
survey this week, he receives 37.6 percent support compared to Lula's
33.6.
Last week, the federal police recommended that Bolsonaro be
charged with attempted coup d'état. According to sources to Reuters,
Attorney General Paulo Gonet, with whom the decision rests, is not
expected to take a position until next year.
The next Brazilian election will be held in October 2026.
The climate threat The global challenges Workers in Spain allowed to take 'climate leave'
The
Spanish government has introduced "paid climate leave" for up to four
days per year, The Guardian reports. The aim is for workers to be able
to avoid traveling during extreme weather events.
According to
labor market minister Yolanda Díaz, it is about "legislating in
accordance with the climate emergency" so that "no workers are forced to
take risks".
The law, which was inspired by a similar initiative
in Canada, comes a few weeks after the catastrophic floods in the
Valencia region that killed 224 people.
Putin on Trump: Intelligent, experienced and capable
Vladimir Putin thinks that US President-elect Donald Trump is a smart and seasoned politician who is capable of finding "solutions". This is what the Russian president says during a visit to Kazakhstan on Thursday, reports CNN.
- As far as I can imagine, the newly elected president is an intelligent and already quite experienced person, Putin said.
At the same time, Putin took the opportunity to criticize Joe Biden for creating "further difficulties" before Trump's withdrawal, because Biden had given Ukraine permission to use American long-range robots against targets in Russia.
Putin apologizes for his dog: "Angela, forgive me"
Russian President Vladimir Putin apologizes to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, writes AFP. This since Merkel pointed out in her memoirs that Putin brought her dog to a meeting in 2007, despite her well-documented fear of dogs.
Merkel wrote that it was a "demonstration of power" and that Putin enjoyed her concern.
At a press conference in Kazakhstan's capital Astana on Thursday, Putin claims he did not know about the chancellor's fear of dogs.
- I appeal to her again through the media and say: Angela, please forgive me, I didn't want to cause you any heartache. On the contrary, I wanted to create a favorable atmosphere for our conversation, says Putin, adding:
- If you ever come again - I realize it's unlikely - under no circumstances will I do it again. Send feedback
Vladimir Putin Putin's lackeys seem to be succeeding Wolfgang Hansson
This is a commenting text. Analysis and positions are the writer's.
Published 14.27
Quick version
Georgia's government has suspended all membership negotiations with
the EU, causing widespread protests among the population who want to
see the country as part of the EU.
The Georgian government has introduced laws similar to Russia's, such as
the agent law and anti-gay laws, raising concerns about the country's
rapprochement with Russia instead of the EU.
The EU questions Georgia's recent election results and is considering
sanctions, while Russia welcomes the development as a way to deter other
former Soviet republics from seeking closer ties with the West..
Georgia is about to become the next hotbed of conflict between Russia and the West.
Just like with Ukraine, Vladimir Putin wants to prevent Georgia from becoming a member of the EU and NATO.
It looks like his lackeys are well on their way to success.
See the chaos in Georgia - water cannons and fires
When the government of Georgia announced yesterday that they are pausing all membership negotiations with the EU, it was really just a confirmation that the country itself is about to punish itself.
That it still caused thousands of protesters to take to the streets is due to the fact that, according to opinion polls, 80 percent of Georgians want the country to become a member of the EU. They now watch with anger and despair as those in power instead move in the direction of Russia.
One of those who went to the front of the demonstration train was the country's president Salome Zourabichvili, who accuses the government of having "declared war against its own people".
Salome Zourabichvili participates in the protests. Photo: Zurab Tsertsvadze / AP
She and the others confronted the riot police and questioned whether they were serving Georgia or Russia. The police responded with water cannons, pepper spray and tear gas.
The president only serves until the turn of the year, when she is replaced by a regime-loyal former parliamentarian with anti-Western views.
Then the leading party Georgia's Dream has completed its 180-degree turn, called by many a coup, and is running at full speed towards Moscow instead of Brussels.
It already started earlier this year when the regime pushed through an agent law that classifies organizations that receive money from abroad as foreign agents. The law is more or less a copy of the law that Russia introduced and which led to basically shutting down all civil society organizations.
Sweet music for Putin
Like Russia, Georgia has also introduced anti-gay laws.
When the country held parliamentary elections at the end of October, Georgia's dream declared itself victorious with 54 percent of the vote.
However, the election result was questioned by foreign election observers who pointed out that a series of irregularities had occurred. Yesterday, the EU Parliament adopted a resolution in which it was determined that the election was not fair and demanded new elections within a year. They also want to introduce sanctions against the country's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
At the time, the EU had already notified the government in Tbilisi that the country could not possibly become a member of the EU with the new laws that have been enacted because it simply does not meet the EU's requirements for democracy and human rights.
The regime's response is to pause all negotiations themselves until 2028.
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze. Photo: AP
For Vladimir Putin, what is happening in Georgia is sweet music and a sign that his aggression against Ukraine also serves as a deterrent signal to other former Soviet republics that dream of a future in the European community rather than in the Russian one.
Changed location
Georgian Dream was founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, who has strong ties to Russia. Formally, he no longer leads the party, but is considered to be the one who actually rules behind the scenes.
It is only a year since the EU gave Georgia the status of a candidate country. This is in the hope that it would strengthen the EU-friendly forces in the country that previously managed to write into the country's constitution that they have EU membership as a goal.
Since then, the situation has changed radically.
The struggle over where Georgia is headed has been going on ever since the Rose Revolution in 2003 when the country got its first democratically elected government that was rapidly approaching the West.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and President Salome Zourabichvili. Photo: Irakli Gedenidze / AP
It didn't like Putin, who in 2008 invaded Georgia as a warning both to the country and to the West. The Russians left but surrendered two breakaway areas.
Similarly, Putin tried to stop Ukraine's path towards the EU and NATO by annexing Crimea in 2014. A first stage that in February 2022 culminated in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Of the former Soviet republics, it is Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova that are most persistent in their desire to leave the Russian Empire. Something Putin does not want to accept.
Trump's role
When there were recent elections in Moldova, there was vote buying initiated by Russian forces and it was by a hair's breadth that the country's democratic president Maia Sandu managed to retain power despite the fact that even there a clear majority of the population wants Moldova to become a member of the EU.
By supporting the pro-Russian forces in both Georgia and Moldova, Putin hopes to destabilize the countries to such an extent that they simply do not qualify for EU membership.
Russia and Georgia do not currently have diplomatic relations, but rapprochement has occurred in recent times.
During a visit to Kazakhstan, Putin praised the "courage and character" shown by Georgian authorities in pushing through the agent law.
The question is what happens to the West's support for the democratic forces in Georgia and Moldova when Donald Trump moves into the White House in January.
The countries then risk becoming pawns in a negotiation game between Putin and Trump to end the war in Ukraine.
