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Europe
Romania
29.11.2024 Romanian Premier Marcel Ciolacu withdrew from the presidential race, whose second round was scheduled to be held on Dec. 8, local media reported on today. Ciolacu’s move came after the constitutional court decided to re-count the votes cast in the first round of the race on Nov. 28. "If it is proven after the recount that I was at a disadvantage, I am announcing that I am withdrawing from the race for the presidency of Romania anyway," he said in a statement. Ciolacu's withdrawal may complicate the presidential elections if the recount places him in second place - possibly making far-right candidate Georgescu the winner. Yesterday, Romania's Constitutional Court ordered a recount of the first round of the presidential vote. The decision came at the official request of National Conservative Party leader Terhes, who claimed that in several sections there were corrections to the number of votes for presidential candidate Ludovic Orban. In an unexpected result, ultranationalist candidate Georgescu won the first round of the presidential election held on Sunday. Voters were choosing between 13 candidates to replace outgoing President Iohannis. The top two candidates are set to compete in a runoff on Dec. 8. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
European Commission
29.11.2024 The outgoing EU foreign policy chief, today acknowledged criticism of the EU’s ’double standards’ in its inconsistent stance on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, saying that this idea spread widely in the countries of the Global South. Before leaving his position, Borrell evaluated his five-year tenure on his blog. He said the bloc has not managed to be consistent and effective in the Middle East. He said some EU member states are major suppliers of arms to Israel while the EU is the leading supplier of aid to the Palestinian people via the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Authority but is also Israel's leading partner in terms of trade, investment, and exchanges of people. Borrell said the bloc's ’deep divisions’ on this issue have largely prevented them from influencing the course of events, despite the growing number of civilian casualties – over 44,000 killed by Israel to date. ’This impotence and passivity, in contrast to the vigour of our commitment in support of Ukraine, have often been perceived outside the Union as the sign of a ‘double standard. He said this idea is spreading widely in the countries of the Global South. Borrell added: ’And not just in Muslim countries: I was struck by the extent to which this criticism was also regularly levelled at us throughout Latin America or Sub-Saharan Africa.’ (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
European Union
29.11.2024 All EU member states ’are under an obligation to execute arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC),’ EU spokesperson Stano told in a written statement yesterday, specifically noting the warrants issued for two top Israeli officials in the ongoing war on Gaza. The ICC’s mandate is “to prosecute the most serious crimes under international law,” he said, stressing that all EU member states “that have ratified the Rome Statute … are under an obligation to execute arrest warrants issued by the ICC.” The ICC last week issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. While some EU countries announced they would implement the warrants if the Israeli officials set foot on their territory, others were less clear, and one said there would be no arrests. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
November 29, 2024 The European Union faces economic and strategic risks threatening its global relevance and ability to deliver on goals such as the 2030 Agenda. Climate dogmas collapse as soon as realpolitik comes to the fore. Europe is at a historic crossroads: adapt to a multipolar world where BRICS leads the change or is left behind as a bystander. In a world that no longer revolves around the G7, the EU’s influence in regions such as Africa and Asia is declining. While BRICS attracts emerging economies with concrete proposals, Europe offers conditions and policies that no longer resonate with a ‘Global South’ that demands respect and autonomy. BRICS dominance in oil production and access to strategic minerals represents a direct challenge to Europe’s green transition. Countries such as China and Russia control essential resources for clean technologies, leaving the EU vulnerable. If it was once vulnerable to Russia in hydrocarbons, it will now be susceptible to more countries thanks to climate fanaticism. Exacerbated by Moscow’s isolation as a supplier, import dependency threatens to increase costs and weaken supply chains. Der Leyen and her team have tried to mitigate this risk through global agreements, but growing intra-BRICS trade and the integration of players such as Indonesia and Nigeria redraw markets. Meanwhile, Europe remains caught up in internal debates over gender, what representativity really means, and bureaucracy, losing sight of critical geopolitical challenges. Europe must offer honest and respectful alternatives to the BRICS model. It must also focus on competitiveness, investing in technological innovation, infrastructure, and nuclear energy as the basis for energy independence. (Source: Brussels Signal)
Georgia
29.11.2024 Yesterday evening Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a meeting with the parliamentary majority and the government team followed by a briefing at the Georgian Dream headquarters. During the briefing, he announced that Georgia was suspending its process of integration into the European Union until 2028. According to Kobakhidze, talks with the EU are being used as a tool for blackmail Georgia and to divide Georgian society. Kobakhidze’s statement came after a European Parliament resolution, declared the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia ’rigged’, the EP refuses to recognize the election results and demands re-election. Yesterday Georgian President Zourabichvili issued a statement condemning the authorities’ decision to suspend EU negotiations, describing it as ’their final turn away from Europe toward Russia.’ ’She urgently contacted ambassadors from Western partner countries, as well as opposition and civil society representatives, calling on them to unite and fight to the end’. Protests erupted ’spontaneously’ in Tbilisi and several other cities. Zourabichvili also declared herself the ’only constitutional authority in the country’ as president, personally joined the protest, appealing to the special forces not to use violence against participants. By 10 p.m., tens of thousands of demonstrators converged on the Parliament building, turning the protest into a massive rally that lasted through the night on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. Special forces, the criminal police, and specialized equipment were deployed along the Avenue. Early today, Zourabichvili posted on her X page, expressing hope for a firm response from European leaders to what she called the ’extremely brutal dispersal’ of the protests in Tbilisi. Demonstrators were met with water cannons and tear gas on multiple occasions. Around 6:30 a.m., a large group of police and special forces moved along Rustaveli Avenue toward Republic Square and on their way, they beat and detained protesters. The total number of arrests remains unclear, but it is likely to be in the dozens. /Photo/ (Source: ’JAM News, founded with the assistance from the UK Conflict, Stability and Security Fund in 2016; major donor today the European Endowment for Democracy which receives funding from the European Commission and twenty-three European countries').
Russia
9:02 am, November 29, 2024 Since the first day of the full-scale invasion, journalists from Mediazona and BBC News Russian have worked with volunteers to track reports of Russian military deaths using open sources. They have identified the names of 80,973 Russian military personnel killed in the Russia-Ukraine war since February 2022, majority of whom were civilians before full-scale war. 52 percent of total losses includes those who voluntarily signed contracts after the war began. Their share of the overall confirmed losses now stands at 22 percent. The rapid increase in losses among volunteer soldiers continues. Many of these volunteers die within two to four weeks of being sent to the front lines. The proportion of losses among convicts recruited to fight has been decreasing. In November 2023, they represented 26 percent of total losses; now, they account for 18 percent. The journalists emphasize that the actual death toll is higher, as not all casualty reports make it into publicly available sources. (Source: Meduza - Headquartered in Riga, Latvia))
Ukraine
8:56 am, November 29, 2024 Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tykhyi said yesterday that Kyiv has discussed lowering the conscription age with its allies. 'We keep our partners informed about the dynamics of mobilization in Ukraine,' Tykhyi said. He said that the issue has not become a 'point of disagreement or tension' in discussions with Western countries. He emphasized that Ukraine’s current priority is securing weapons and equipment for its already mobilized troops. (Meduza - Headquartered in Riga, Latvia)
November 29, 2024 08:18 GMT Klimenko, 77, overcomes power cuts resulting from Russian air strikes with his own energy, by pedaling a bicycle hooked up to an electricity generator that lights his home and charges his phone as Russia continues to pound Ukrainian power stations and other energy infrastructure. He also has his own wind turbine and solar panels. /Video/ (Source: Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty - U.S.)
Africa
Chad
November 29, 2024, 8:39 AM Chad's government said it was ending a defense cooperation agreement with France in order to redefine the nation's sovereignty from its former colonial ruler. The decision to end the agreement would allow Chad to redefine its strategic partnerships in line with national priorities, foreign ministry spokesperson Koulamallah said yesterday. The Central African nation gained independence more than six decades ago. Chad was one of the last countries in the region where the French maintained a large military presence, having been ousted in recent years from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, after years of fighting Islamic extremists alongside regional troops. Those countries have inched closer to Russia, which has mercenaries deployed across the Sahel. Chad’s interim president, Deby Itno, seized power after his father, who ran the country for more than three decades, was killed fighting rebels in 2021. France has some 1,000 troops in the region, and the statement didn't specify when they had to leave. Last year, the government announced it was extending the 18-month transition for two more years, which led to protests across the country. Chad said the decision in no way calls into question the countries’ historical ties and wants to maintain relations in other areas of common interest. Analysts say the decision creates an opportunity for other nations, notably Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. (Source: ABC News / Associated Press - U.S.)
Asia
South Korea
Nov 29, 2024, 03:57 PM South Korea said today it had completed development of a new ballistic missile interceptor, adding another layer to defence systems deployed to protect against missile threats from neighbouring North Korea. The long-range-surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) is designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles or aircraft at altitudes higher than 40km in the terminal phase of its descent, the defence ministry said. L-SAM uses the 'hit-to-kill' manoeuvre. The L-SAM will become operational in the mid- to late 2020s after mass production begins in 2025. (Source: The Straits Times - Singapore / Reuters - United Kingdom)
North America
United States
29 November 2024 US President-elect Trump has announced his pick to negotiate an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general served as a national security adviser in Trump's first administration. (Source: Euronews - Headquarters Lyon, France)
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