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The Political Situation in Germany
Far-right gains ground in the EU – AfD softens its criticism

The German far-right party AfD appears to be toning down its criticism of the EU, Reuters reports.

The position of the far-right in the European Parliament has strengthened significantly in recent years; in a new strategy document, the AfD has, among other things, softened its demand for Germany to leave the union.

"The opportunities to reform the EU in line with our vision have not been this good since the end of the Second World War," AfD member Sebastian Muenzenmaier told the news agency.

The AfD was originally founded during the eurozone crisis and was, at that time, deeply critical of bailout payments to debt-ridden EU countries. Since then, criticism of the EU—alongside opposition to immigration—has remained one of the party’s core pillars. 

The Political Situation in Bulgaria
Bulgaria elects its first female president

Iliana Iotova is set to become the new president of Bulgaria. She will be the country’s first popularly elected female president, Reuters reports.

In the second round of the election, Iotova received approximately 58 percent of the vote, while her opponent, Andrey Gyurov, garnered around 39 percent.

The election in Bulgaria was marked by low voter turnout. In the first round on October 25, none of the candidates secured a majority, AFP reports. Twenty-three percent of eligible voters participated in the first round, and 27 percent in the second.

Iotova advocates for closer cooperation with Russia and reduced military support for Ukraine. 

Middle East Crisis  Strait of Hormuz
Iran: Could reopen the Strait quickly if the US agrees to demands

Iran claims it is prepared to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days, provided the US agrees to the conditions set by the country.

"We have stated that it would be possible to restore security in the Strait of Hormuz and resume the negotiation process shortly, if Iran's demands are met," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, according to AFP.

Among other things, the country is demanding that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz be lifted.

According to Baqaei, Iran’s negotiations with the US are still being conducted through intermediaries. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran is working with Qatar on a peace plan that would allow for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within two days. 

Political situation in Somalia
Uganda withdraws troops from Somalia after 20 years

Uganda has begun withdrawing troops from Somalia after nearly 20 years, the BBC reports.

"The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) have, with immediate effect, commenced the withdrawal of forces deployed in Somalia under bilateral agreements with the country's federal government," wrote Chris Magezi, a spokesperson for the Ugandan military, on X.

The military operations began in 2007 to protect the then-government from attacks by Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda. Uganda is now set to withdraw its troops—estimated to number between 4,500 and 6,000 soldiers—in phases, concluding by August of next year. However, not all troops will leave; under a separate security agreement between the countries, some soldiers are set to remain. 

Russian Invasion The Negotiations
Sources: US wants Europe to purchase Russian gas via Ukraine

The US hopes that Russian natural gas supplies to Europe could persuade the Kremlin to agree to an "energy truce" between Russia and Ukraine, sources have told The Wall Street Journal.

The plan reportedly entails selling the gas through Ukrainian pipelines, utilizing an American intermediary. This would circumvent European sanctions against Russia while also generating revenue for Ukraine through transit fees.

According to a US source, the proposal stipulates that the proceeds from these sales would be deposited into an account in a third country, preventing Russia from using the funds to finance the war. 

The Climate Threat  Global Challenges
Scientists’ Warning: Warming Could Cause Permanent Damage

The Earth’s ice- and snow-covered regions risk suffering permanent damage if global warming continues to intensify. This is the conclusion of a new UN-backed report authored by over 80 scientists, as reported by *The Guardian*.

Under current climate policies, near-surface permafrost is at risk of disappearing. Such changes could also disrupt ocean circulation, and more than 90 percent of the glacial ice mass in Scandinavia, the Alps, Iceland, and the Rocky Mountains is at risk of being lost.

“Switzerland has lost 20 percent of its glacial ice over the last five years, and thousands of glaciers worldwide are expected to vanish over the coming decade,” says James Kirkham, a glaciologist at the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI).

The researchers are calling for global warming to be reined in, aiming to keep it below one degree by the year 2150. Furthermore, they emphasize that any period during which the 1.5-degree threshold is exceeded must be kept as brief as possible.