⊂ EUROPE ⊃
G7 warns Russia of consequences if it attacks Ukraine: Russia will face “massive consequences and severe cost” if it pursues further military aggression against Ukraine, foreign ministers from the G7 group of democratic powers warned Sunday. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said all forms of economic sanctions against Russia were on the table if it made an incursion into Ukraine, and hinted she may be prepared to look again at the UK’s laws against money laundering, seen by some as a way for Russian elites to stash their cash. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused the West of demonising Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, insisting his country was not threatening anyone in an interview broadcast on Russian state television on Sunday. The US will send its top diplomat for Europe to Russia and Ukraine to discuss Russia’s troop build up and reiterate US commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
politico.eu, theguardian.com, dpa-international.com, reuters.com
- Another topic of discussion in Liverpool was the nuclear dispute with Iran. Truss: „This is the last chance for Iran to come to the negotiating table with a serious resolution to this issue, which has to be agreeing the terms of the JCPOA.“ reuters.com
- G7 is concerned about China’s ‚coercive‘ economic policies reuters.com
- Stronger cooperation with Asean states fr.de
UK and EU settle fishing row: Paris, London and Brussels have dropped talk of a trade war and appeared to settle a dispute over post-Brexit fishing licences. Britain granted another 23 licences to French fishermen, a government spokesperson said Saturday, a day after a deadline set by Paris to resolve the post-Brexit battle over fishing rights. The UK granted 18 licences and the Channel Island of Jersey five. France had previously said 104 of its boats still lacked licences to operate in British and Channel Island waters that should have been granted under the Brexit agreement.
theguardian.com, france24.com
Britain drops demand for removal of ECJ role from NI protocol: Britain has dropped its demand that the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) must be removed from the Northern Ireland protocol in its negotiations with the European Commission. A senior British government official said London still believed the protocol’s governance arrangements were unsustainable in the long term but acknowledged that the Commission had no mandate to renegotiate the protocol.
irishtimes.com
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Assange said to have suffered stroke, UK court permits Assange extradition: Julian Assange’s fiancée has said that he has suffered a stroke in prison due to the “constant chess game” and “battle after battle” over his future. The WikiLeaks founder was in a “truly terrible state” at the time of a High Court battle over whether or not he should be extradited to the US, according to his partner Stella Moris. A British appellate court opened the door Friday for Assange to be extradited to the United States by overturning a lower court ruling that found the WikiLeaks founder’s mental health was too fragile to withstand the American criminal justice system.
independent.co.uk, npr.org
European Central Bank: ECB’s Vice President Luis de Guindos tests positive for coronavirus politico.eu
Israel: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visits the United Arab Emirates wsj.com
Ethiopia: Tigray rebels retake Ethiopian heritage town of Lalibela theguardian.com
⊂ QUOTE OF THE DAY ⊃
„The diplomatic boycott is the least Germany can do together with others in Europe.“
German CDU politician Michael Brand has called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to not send any political representatives from Germany to the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
tagesspiegel.de
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
New Caledonia votes to remain a French territory: Voters in the French island territory of New Caledonia chose overwhelmingly Sunday to stay part of France. However, turnout was only 44%. Pro-independence campaigners had urged supporters to boycott the referendum after saying it would not be fair because of COVID-19 restrictions complicating their campaign. The main indigenous pro-independence movement, FLNKS, even called the government’s decision to press on with the referendum a „declaration of war.“ French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the result as a resounding confirmation of France’s role in the Indo-Pacific, and said „a period of transition“ would begin in the wake of the vote.
dw.com, politico.eu
Bosnia: Serbs vote to leave key institutions in secession move. dw.com
New German chancellor pays inaugural visit to Poland: Four days after taking office, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid an inaugural visit to neighbouring Poland on Sunday. Amid fears of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is becoming untenable, as it increases Moscow’s options with which to exert pressure on the EU, „tightening the political noose“ around Ukraine. Scholz said he would back plans to continue pumping gas through Ukraine from Russia. Another key issue that was discussed in Warsaw is the ongoing migrant crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border. Scholz backed Poland’s efforts to stop groups of migrants seeking entry from Belarus.
dw.com
Thousands at Covid protests in several cities: Tens of thousands of people rallied in Vienna on Saturday in protest against restrictions introduced to halt the spread of coronavirus in Austria. Separately, around 2,500 protested against the restrictions in Klagenfurt, while 150 people demonstrated in Linz. Several thousand people also marched through the Czech capital Prague on Sunday, protesting a Covid vaccination mandate for certain groups including people age 60 and over. In Spain, thousands of people marched peacefully through the centre of Madrid on Saturday in protest against the government’s approach to the coronavirus. Further north in Luxembourg, several hundred people also protested over the weekend. Fourteen police officers were injured during a demonstration against Covid restrictions in the town of Greiz in the state of Thuringia in central Germany, police said Sunday.
france24.com, apnews.com, euronews.com, dw.com
Bayern Munich player Kimmich decides to get Covid vaccine after infection: German soccer star Joshua Kimmich is now willing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, German media reported on Sunday. Broadcaster ZDF reported Sunday that the 26-year-old midfielder said he would get vaccinated and that he regretted not doing it before. Kimmich sparked a heated vaccination debate in October when he revealed that he had declined a vaccine against Covid due to „personal concerns“.
dw.com, france24.com
Austria ends Covid lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people: Austria has ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country, three weeks after reimposing strict rules to combat a rising wave of coronavirus infections. The rules, which vary by region within the country, largely allow for the reopening of theatres, museums and other cultural and entertainment venues on Sunday. Shops will follow this Monday.
theguardian.com
- Italy reports 21,042 new Covid cases, 96 deaths reuters.com
- Israeli study finds Pfizer Covid booster protects against omicron variant cnbc.com
France-Greece frigate deal ’signed,‘ says Paris after US makes rival offer france24.com
Bulgaria: PM designate Petkov presents new government ahead of parliament vote rferl.org
France: Anne Hidalgo renews call for French left to choose one presidential candidate theguardian.com
Greece to make push for ECB to keep buying its bonds ft.com
Spanish island volcano eruption hits local record of 85 days abcnews.go.com
Sicily apartment block explosion leaves at least four dead theguardian.com
⊂ POLITJOBS ⊃
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⊂ LAST BUT NOT LEAST ⊃
Vienna museum display tackles tricky issues of Nazi memorabilia: Based on the theme of „What to do with the remnants of National Socialism?“ an exhibit entitled „Hitler: From the Cellar to the Museum“ is opening at the House of Austrian History. Director Monika Sommer told dpa that almost every week the museum received objects from the Nazi era. Objects in the exhibit include a Wehrmacht bayonet, the so-called „Knipseralben“ (snapshot albums) of soldiers at the front and a microphone said to have been used by Adolf Hitler in the city of Linz during his first speech following the annexation of Austria.
dw.com