Latest news

Kim Jong-Un's train on Friday morning / Kim Jong-Un says goodbye to Putin after the meeting on Wednesday. TT  

 

The Russian Invasion|The North Korea-Russia relationship  

Kim has visited fighter plane factory - unrest in South Korea  

 

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un visited on Friday a factory that builds fighter planes in Komsomolsk-na-Amure in eastern Russia, several news agencies write. Among other things, the Su-35 and Su-57 planes are manufactured at the factory.  

 

Kim Jong-Un is in Russia at the invitation of Vladimir Putin. The US has warned that the meeting between the leaders could lead to an agreement in which North Korea supplies Russia with ammunition for the war of aggression against Ukraine.  

 

At the same time, there is widespread concern in South Korea that North Korea would receive advanced weapons technology in exchange, writes TT.  

 

Kim Jong-Un's visit to the factory comes two days after he met Putin at the Vostochyn space base. 

 

 

Li Shangfu. Archive image. Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP 

 

China's foreign policy 

Sources: The Minister of Defense in China has been fired 

 

China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been fired and is being investigated for crimes. That assessment is made by the American intelligence service, reports the Financial Times with reference to several sources.  

 

Li has not been seen in public for a month and recently canceled a meeting citing health concerns.  

 

The data comes during a turbulent time for Chinese President Xi Jinping. In July, Foreign Minister Qin Gang was ousted after only seven months in office. A few weeks later, Xi fired two generals in charge of the country's nuclear arsenal, without explanation.

 

Karin Kneissl dances with Putin at her wedding in 2018. Roland Schlager / AP 

 

Political situation in Austria  

The minister danced with Putin - moves to Russia  

 

Austria's former foreign minister Karin Kneissl has left her home country and pulled down the stilts in St. Petersburg, AP reports. Kneissl writes on Telegram that she will build a think tank at the initiative of the state university in the city. 

 

Kneissl was criticized for running Russia's affairs during her three years as foreign minister, between 2017 and 2019. It didn't get any better when she danced with Vladimir Putin at her own wedding.  

 

She also announces that she brought her ponies, which were kept in Syria, to Russia in a Russian military plane.  

 

Emmanuel Macron. Ludovic Marin / AP  

 

The military coup in Niger  

Macron: Our ambassador in Niger is living as a hostage  

 

Emmanuel Macron says the country's embassy staff in Niger are not allowed to leave the embassy while the military junta halts French food deliveries to the building, reports AFP.  

 

- As we stand here and talk, our ambassador and our embassy staff are literally living as hostages, says the French president.  

 

In late July, the military junta overthrew the Nigerian government and subsequently demanded that the French envoy leave the country. However, France refused to obey the junta's orders. 

 

Macron now describes how the French ambassador has been declared "persona non grata" and that he and his staff are being forced to ration their food.  

 

 

Viktor Orbán ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP 

 

The NATO process|Sweden's application  

The US pressures Hungary about Sweden: "Act quickly" 

 

The US is putting pressure on Hungary about Swedish NATO membership, reports Bloomberg. At a press conference, David Pressman, who is the US ambassador to Hungary, complains that it has taken over a year for Hungary to accept the Swedish application.  

 

Furthermore, the American emphasizes that the country's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has already said that he supports a Swedish NATO entry. 

 

- The defense alliance, and we, look forward to quick action from the Hungarian parliament, says Pressman.  

 

Orbán's Fidesz party has a majority in the Hungarian parliament and can approve Swedish entry on its own. The party will gather next week to discuss the agenda for the coming year. 

 

Image from a protest/Joe Biden AP   

 

The Iran protests  

The US imposes new sanctions on the anniversary of Amini's death 

 

The United States is imposing sanctions on Iran's "worst human rights violator," says Joe Biden on Friday, according to AP. The US president's announcement comes on the anniversary of Jina Mahsa Amini's death.  

 

Biden says that through the sanctions they want to show their support for "the brave people of Iran." 

 

- With their determination and resilience, they inspire the whole world. Together with our allies, the United States stands by their side, says Biden.  

 

The US agency OFAC lists 29 people and organizations linked to Amini's death, including state media and government officials. In addition to these, 13 Iranian officials are placed under visa restrictions.  

 

The death of Jina Mahsa Amini a year ago was the starting point for the large demonstrations against the oppression of the Iranian regime.