Political situation in Georgia
US imposes sanctions on Georgian power player
The US has imposed sanctions on Georgia's former prime minister, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. The aim is to prevent him from "undermining the country's democratic future in favor of Russia," reports AFP. All of his assets in the US are being blocked.
Ivanishvili founded the Georgian Dream party that won the disputed parliamentary elections in October. Today, he holds no political office, but is considered to exercise power behind the scenes.
- We strongly condemn the actions of Georgian Dream under Ivanishvili's leadership, including the ongoing violent repression of citizens, protesters, journalists, human rights activists and opposition figures, says US Secretary of State Antony Blinken according to Georgia Today.
Political situation in Iran
Italian reporter detained in Iran - kept in isolation
Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been arrested during a reporting trip to Iran, reports AP. She was arrested in Tehran on December 19 and taken to an isolation cell in the notorious Evin Prison, according to the Italian newspaper Il Foglio for which she writes.
“With the arrest of Cecilia, Iran is challenging not just a journalist, a newspaper, or an editorial office, but everything that the West considers inviolable: Our freedom,” writes editor-in-chief Claudio Cerasa.
Sala has been allowed to make two calls to her family and on Friday met with the Italian ambassador, who states that she is in good health. There is no word on what she is accused of, according to Corriere Della Sera.
Iran has repeatedly accused foreign journalists and others of espionage, only to use them as pawns in prisoner exchanges.
US imposes sanctions on Georgian power player
The US has imposed sanctions on Georgia's former prime minister, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. The aim is to prevent him from "undermining the country's democratic future in favor of Russia," reports AFP. All of his assets in the US are being blocked.
Ivanishvili founded the Georgian Dream party that won the disputed parliamentary elections in October. Today, he holds no political office, but is considered to exercise power behind the scenes.
- We strongly condemn the actions of Georgian Dream under Ivanishvili's leadership, including the ongoing violent repression of citizens, protesters, journalists, human rights activists and opposition figures, says US Secretary of State Antony Blinken according to Georgia Today.
Political situation in Iran
Italian reporter detained in Iran - kept in isolation
Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been arrested during a reporting trip to Iran, reports AP. She was arrested in Tehran on December 19 and taken to an isolation cell in the notorious Evin Prison, according to the Italian newspaper Il Foglio for which she writes.
“With the arrest of Cecilia, Iran is challenging not just a journalist, a newspaper, or an editorial office, but everything that the West considers inviolable: Our freedom,” writes editor-in-chief Claudio Cerasa.
Sala has been allowed to make two calls to her family and on Friday met with the Italian ambassador, who states that she is in good health. There is no word on what she is accused of, according to Corriere Della Sera.
Iran has repeatedly accused foreign journalists and others of espionage, only to use them as pawns in prisoner exchanges.
Drones flew in the airspace of NATO country Romania
Late Thursday evening, what is believed to be a drone flew into Romanian airspace, up to six kilometers into the country. Reuters reports, citing a statement from the country's defense ministry.
The population of the city of Tulcea was urged to take cover and the country's defense forces prepared fighter jets before the small flying object disappeared from radar. The incident has not affected Romanian territory, according to the military.
NATO country and EU member Romania has had Russian drone fragments on its territory several times. Russian drones have previously been detected in Romanian airspace.
The crash in Zhuhai
Man sentenced to death after the car attack in southern China
A man who killed 35 people when he deliberately drove into a crowd in Zhuhai in southern China on November 11 has been sentenced to death. AFP reports, citing Chinese state media on Friday.
State-controlled CCTV reports that the man was convicted of "endangering public safety through dangerous methods."
Another 43 people were injured in the attack.
Black Widow Murders
Japan's "black widow" tricked men into drinking cyanide - has now been found dead
Japanese Chisako Kakehi had been sentenced to death for murdering three elderly men with cyanide. Now she herself has been found dead in her cell, several media outlets report.
Kakehi was called the "black widow", after the poisonous spider species. In 2017, she was sentenced to death for three murders and one attempted murder. Three more of her husbands died without any evidence being found.
Kakehi used to meet older men on dating sites and trick them into drinking cyanide in order to then steal their money. The victims were wealthy and childless - and often old and sick.
She was taken to hospital after being found lifeless in her prison cell. The cause of death has not been determined.
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