EU
Migrants: 71 million euros to Italy and other countries from Asylum Fund
The European Commission, through the Asylum Fund, has allocated EUR 171 million for projects on reception, asylum and repatriation (Amif) to Italy, Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Poland, the countries most under pressure. The aim of the project is to strengthen reception procedures on arrival of migrants and accompanying them through all subsequent stages, especially to protect women and children.
China – Taiwan: EU condemnation
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell strongly criticised China’s ‘targeted military exercises’ around Taiwan, emphasising that the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not a valid justification for such action. “There is no reason to use a visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait,” so Borrell on Twitter who then added “We encourage all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and act with transparency.”
WESTERN EUROPE
Italy
September elections
The pact signed between Action and PD puts at risk an agreement between the Dems, Italian Left, Green Europe and Luigi Di Maio. Fratoianni and Bonelli say they no longer met the PD secretary because ‘the conditions have changed’. Fratoianni and Bonelli blow off the meeting with Letta because ‘the conditions have changed’ but Calenda says no to renegotiating the pact with the PD. For Berlusconi, ‘vote Forza Italia for a new Italian miracle’. Conte: ‘Bonelli must not use us to negotiate with the PD’.
Germany
Scholz, “Russia responsible for blocking turbine delivery”.
For Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russia is responsible for blocking the delivery of a turbine currently in Germany, without which, for Moscow, the Nord Stream pipeline cannot function normally. Meanwhile, Russia has reduced the volume of its gas deliveries claiming that the turbine was necessary. For Scholz, ‘Moscow only has to provide the necessary customs information for transport to Russia’. Gazprom, in response, claims that the turbine’s return to Russia is not prevented by Moscow, but is made ‘impossible’ by Western sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.
United Kingdom
Hacker fears over vote after Johnson
Voting procedures within the Conservative party, which has to choose PM Johnson’s successor, have slowed down for security reasons after some fears of hacker attacks raised by Gchq, the UK intelligence agency that deals with cyber espionage and counter-espionage. For this reason, there have been delays in sending ballots to the majority party members who have to decide by postal vote on their new leader and next prime minister.
EASTERN EUROPE
Ukraine
Ukraine: Zelensky opens to civil unions for same-sex couples
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, responding to a popular petition, says he is open to considering the legalisation of same-sex ‘civil unions’, but not to constitutionally change the wartime definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman as expressed in the Constitution. This was reported in the New York Times.
AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Senegal
Opposition and president claim victory
Elections: the opposition claims to have obtained ‘a large majority’ in the legislative elections held this week, yet President Macky Sall has also declared victory for his side. Neither side, however, has specified the number of its deputies. Neither side, however, specified the number of its deputies. These legislative elections are an important test before the presidential elections in 2024. The last local consultations in January were all won by the opposition in the largest cities of the country, which is known for its stability.
Kenya
President Kenyatta: ‘don’t elect a thief in my place’
According to The Star newspaper, Uhuru Kenyatta – the country’s outgoing president – has asked his fellow citizens not to elect his vice-president William Ruto as he considers him ‘a thief’. This is what Kenyatta said during the inauguration of a dam in Kiambu County. On the other hand, the President confirmed his support for opposition leader Raila Odinga and recalled the many projects completed by his ten-year administration.
Israel
Elections: Lapid and Netanyahu intimidated by Orthodox Jews
The weight of Orthodox Jews in the country’s upcoming November parliamentary elections increases. In the outgoing Knesset they had a total of 16 of the 120 deputies. Prime Minister Yair Lapid and opposition leader Benyamin Netanyahu were confirmed when criticism of both leaders multiplied among the Orthodox: the former for leaving on holiday during important days for the Jewish religion and the latter for an inappropriate haircut before the start of the fast. Lapid was forced to return early from his holiday while Netanyahu’s photo has meanwhile disappeared from the web.
ASIA
Russia
Taiwan, Kremlin ‘Pelosi visit a provocation. Nothing to do with support for freedom and democracy’.
“US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a pure provocation. It has nothing to do with the line of support for freedom and democracy. It is pure provocation. Such steps should be called by their name’. This is what Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Tass.
China
Taiwan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi: ‘US traitors, I am biggest destroyer of peace’
After Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, China goes on the attack against the US, accusing it of ‘treason’ and of being ‘the greatest destroyer of peace today’. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a note that the One China principle ‘is the universal consensus, the political basis for China’s exchanges with other countries, the core of fundamental interests and an insurmountable red line and bottom line’. For Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Beijing government’s Taiwan Affairs Office, ‘taking the necessary countermeasures is a right move’.
Taiwan
Activation of defence systems after China missile launch
Taipei’s armed forces activated their defence systems after several ballistic missiles were launched by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the western waters of the island. Journalists saw projectiles fired by the Chinese Army in the direction of the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of Defence ‘condemned China’s irrational actions’ that ‘threaten regional space and stability’.
AMERICA
United States
Taiwan, Pelosi: ‘We come in friendship and peace’
“We come in friendship to Taiwan, we come in peace to the region”, was what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during her visit to Taipei, which triggered China’s harsh reaction. Pelosi was received at the Legislative Yuan, the island’s parliament, by Vice-President Tsai Chi-Chang, who stressed the importance of relations between Washington and Taipei. “With this mission we want to show that we are unequivocally on Taiwan’s side,” the speaker added. The last visit by a US congressman to the Taipei parliament was in 1960.
South America
Guatemala
President Giammattei subjected to armed attack but unharmed
An armed commando opened fire at a motorcade accompanying President Alejandro Giammattei on a visit to the department of Huehuetenango, but he was unharmed. This was stated by the radio station Emisoras Unidas. The incident ‘was confirmed by government and armed forces sources to international news agencies’, the station added. The armed commando in a car allegedly opened fire as the motorcade was passing through the village of Jacaltenango, near the border with Mexico, on its way to the community of La Laguna. The Guatemalan military added on twitter that ‘one of the attackers, probably of Mexican nationality, was wounded in the shootout and is now in hospital’.
Israel
Elections: Lapid and Netanyahu intimidated by Orthodox Jews
The weight of Orthodox Jews in the country’s upcoming November parliamentary elections increases. In the outgoing Knesset they had a total of 16 of the 120 deputies. Prime Minister Yair Lapid and opposition leader Benyamin Netanyahu were confirmed when criticism of both leaders multiplied among the Orthodox: the former for leaving on holiday during important days for the Jewish religion and the latter for an inappropriate haircut before the start of the fast. Lapid was forced to return early from his holiday while Netanyahu’s photo has meanwhile disappeared from the web.
ASIA
Russia
Taiwan, Kremlin ‘Pelosi visit a provocation. Nothing to do with support for freedom and democracy’.
“US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan is a pure provocation. It has nothing to do with the line of support for freedom and democracy. It is pure provocation. Such steps should be called by their name’. This is what Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Tass.
China
Taiwan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi: ‘US traitors, I am biggest destroyer of peace’
After Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, China goes on the attack against the US, accusing it of ‘treason’ and of being ‘the greatest destroyer of peace today’. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a note that the One China principle ‘is the universal consensus, the political basis for China’s exchanges with other countries, the core of fundamental interests and an insurmountable red line and bottom line’. For Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Beijing government’s Taiwan Affairs Office, ‘taking the necessary countermeasures is a right move’.
Taiwan
Activation of defence systems after China missile launch
Taipei’s armed forces activated their defence systems after several ballistic missiles were launched by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the western waters of the island. Journalists saw projectiles fired by the Chinese Army in the direction of the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of Defence ‘condemned China’s irrational actions’ that ‘threaten regional space and stability’.
AMERICA
United States
Taiwan, Pelosi: ‘We come in friendship and peace’
“We come in friendship to Taiwan, we come in peace to the region”, was what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during her visit to Taipei, which triggered China’s harsh reaction. Pelosi was received at the Legislative Yuan, the island’s parliament, by Vice-President Tsai Chi-Chang, who stressed the importance of relations between Washington and Taipei. “With this mission we want to show that we are unequivocally on Taiwan’s side,” the speaker added. The last visit by a US congressman to the Taipei parliament was in 1960.
South America
Guatemala
President Giammattei subjected to armed attack but unharmed
An armed commando opened fire at a motorcade accompanying President Alejandro Giammattei on a visit to the department of Huehuetenango, but he was unharmed. This was stated by the radio station Emisoras Unidas. The incident ‘was confirmed by government and armed forces sources to international news agencies’, the station added. The armed commando in a car allegedly opened fire as the motorcade was passing through the village of Jacaltenango, near the border with Mexico, on its way to the community of La Laguna. The Guatemalan military added on twitter that ‘one of the attackers, probably of Mexican nationality, was wounded in the shootout and is now in hospital’.
