Political situation in Turkey
Erdogan sues Istanbul mayor for defamation
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is suing Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu for defamation, reports AFP.
In the lawsuit, Imamoglu is accused of making "baseless accusations including defamation" and "acting with the aim of humiliating the president before the public" in a speech at a demonstration. It is not clear which statements are referred to.
Imamoglu, who belongs to the opposition, is seen as one of Turkey's most popular politicians and Erdogan's main political rival. He is expected to stand in the next presidential election in 2028.
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The Japan-China relationship
Strengthened cooperation between the EU and Japan after threats
The EU and Japan are strengthening cooperation in security matters, AFP reports. Japan and the Union will, among other things, carry out more joint defense exercises.
According to Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, the new cooperation is due to "a challenging security environment". He did not specifically mention China, but Japan's government has previously spoken of the neighboring country as the biggest security challenge in the region.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell is in Japan to announce the new pact. It will include, among other things, space defence, cyber security and hybrid threats.
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East Asia's aging population
Chinese women are called up - asked to have children
Tens of thousands of women in China have been called by government employees urging them to get pregnant, writes the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
It happens after an authority announced in October that it was launching a survey aimed at women of childbearing age, to find out their views on marriage and childbearing.
The birth rate in China has declined sharply – a development that can be seen in large parts of the world. In 2016, China scrapped the rule that only allowed one child per family. In 2021, the limit was raised to three children.
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The storm Jakob
New warnings for landslides and floods after severe storms in Norway
Water levels are rising in several places in western Norway after storm Jakob caused great devastation in several villages and towns. Norwegian NRK reports that the historic hotel in Ullensvang has been flooded.
- In some places in the hotel, the water has risen to one meter above the ground, says Britt Marie Grieg, who runs the hotel.
In the municipality, which is located a couple of hours outside the city of Bergen, 50 people have been forced to leave their homes due to the prevailing weather conditions. The local authorities have stated that the worst of the downpour is over, but are still warning that there may be consequences.
- There is still a warning for floods and landslides, says meteorologist Julie Solsvik Vågane to the channel.
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Satellite images show Spain before and after the disaster
The floods in Spain have caused great devastation during the week. Satellite images of the Valencia region now show how cities have been covered in muddy water, streets have turned into rivers and important infrastructure has been completely destroyed, writes CNN.
When the downpours began on Tuesday, an entire year's worth of rain fell in just a few hours in the worst-hit areas.
At least 205 people have died and the military has been called in to assist in rescue efforts after Europe's worst weather disaster in five decades, Reuters reports.
More than 200 people have now been confirmed dead in the heavy floods that hit Valencia in recent days, the local authorities said according to Spanish media. Earlier on Friday, the official figure was 155. Now 202 people have been confirmed dead.
The emergency services say they are continuing to identify victims.
The major search effort to find missing people is still ongoing, including with the help of soldiers.
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