tisdag 17 december 2024

Latest news

Putin's Russia
1.2 million questions for Putin's annual press conference

More than 1.2 million questions have poured in for Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his marathon annual news conference. This is reported by Russian state television according to Sky News.

Putin annually takes questions from journalists and Russian citizens at a press conference that usually lasts several hours. A few international media outlets are also usually invited.

The 1.2 million questions are expected to come from the public and, according to the state-controlled television channels, most of them are about housing, social safety nets for soldiers and medicine.

This year's press conference will begin on Thursday morning.

Middle East crisis  Gaza war
Sources: Netanyahu travels to Egypt – ceasefire close

According to Israeli media and Reuters, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to the Egyptian capital Cairo for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza.

According to Reuters, a ceasefire agreement may be signed in the coming days.

Negotiations for a ceasefire in the conflict have been ongoing from time to time, but with the exception of a brief ceasefire at the end of last year, they have not borne fruit. Netanyahu's personal participation in the negotiations is unusual, however.

The Times of Israel writes that the corruption trial against Netanyahu has been suspended and that the reason is believed to be his trip to Egypt.

Russian invasion The world's response
Tighter control of Russian shadow fleet

Several European countries have agreed on new measures to tackle Russia's so-called shadow fleet, reports Ekot.

Including through extra checks of suspicious ships moving along the route to and from Russian oil ports in the Baltic Sea.

- I don't think we will see a complete end to it. But I think we can find different measures that can limit the fleet, says Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at an ongoing defense meeting in Tallinn.

The Russians have used the shadow fleet to export crude oil, among other things, despite sanctions against the country.
 
Powerful earthquake in Vanuatu – great devastation

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 has shaken Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean, several media outlets report. Pictures from the island nation show damaged buildings and a witness tells AFP that he saw bodies in the capital Port Vila.

At least one person has died, writes the Australian ABC.

The ground floor of a building that housed the American, British, French and New Zealand embassies was crushed by the floors above.

– It no longer exists. It is completely flat, says witness Michael Thompson.

– If anyone was in there, they are gone now.
 
Security around the Baltic Sea
Chinese ship remains at sea – four weeks later

The Chinese vessel suspected of sabotage, Yi Peng 3, has been at sea in the Kattegat for four weeks and Swedish investigators have not yet been allowed to board it, writes Expressen.

Per Engström at the police's National Operations Department says that dialogue is still ongoing in the hope of being allowed to board it and conduct a technical examination and question the crew.

He has no answer as to why the vessel is still at sea.

– That is a good question, which we have also asked ourselves.

The Chinese vessel is suspected of being behind the damage to two cables in the Baltic Sea, one between Sweden and Lithuania and one between Finland and Germany. A Danish and a German vessel are still near Yi Peng 3.

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