One of the soldiers mobilized during the martial law declared on Tuesday was seen apologizing to citizens, in a YouTube video posted by a local journalist early Wednesday.

Heo Jae-hyeon, an investigative reporter, posted a video of the South Korean troops leaving the National Assembly in the early hours of Wednesday. One of the soldiers who crossed paths with Heo and others gathered at the building -- most of whom were there to protest President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law -- bowed his head repeatedly and said, "I'm sorry."

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/23220340

Hanno Hauenstein
December 3 2024, 6:00 a.m.

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgian police on Wednesday raided the offices of an opposition party and arrested its leader in an apparent attempt to squelch a wave of mass protests triggered by the governing party’s decision to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union.

During the past six nights, riot police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, who threw fireworks at police officers and built barricades on the Georgian capital’s central boulevard. More than 300 protesters have been detained since Thursday and over 100 people have been treated for injuries.

On Wednesday, the Coalition for Change opposition party said that police raided its offices and detained its leader, Nika Gvaramia. It shared a video showing several officers dragging Gvaramia into a car.

Georgian media reported that police also raided the offices of several other opposition groups and non-government organizations.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the Georgian Dream party said the raids targeted those who encouraged violence during protests in an attempt to topple his government. “I wouldn’t call this repression; it is more of a preventive measure than repression,” he said.

The ruling Georgian Dream retained control of parliament in the disputed Oct. 26 election, which was widely seen as a referendum on Georgia’s EU aspirations. The opposition and the pro-Western president have accused the governing party of rigging the vote with neighboring Russia’s help and boycotted parliament sessions.

https://12ft.io/https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/dec/04/france-government-vote-no-confidence-barnier-lepen-europe-live

Summary

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Russia sees "no grounds for negotiations" to end the war in Ukraine, insisting Kyiv must accept Russian control over occupied territories.

Ukraine and Russia continue military and diplomatic efforts to gain leverage, with Ukraine receiving $750M in U.S. aid and Germany pledging $680M. Russia continues drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure.

Speculation about peace talks is growing as Trump’s presidency approaches, with some suggesting Russia may adjust its stance under his leadership.

Ukraine aims to strengthen defenses amid intensified Russian advances in the east and Kursk region.

Summary

A German court ruled that 100-year-old former Nazi guard Gregor Formanek can stand trial for aiding 3,322 murders at Sachsenhausen concentration camp (1943–1945).

The decision overturns a lower court's ruling that deemed Formanek unfit for trial due to insufficient psychiatric evaluation.

Germany has intensified efforts to prosecute remaining Nazi war criminals since a 2011 precedent allowed convictions without proof of direct killings.

Time is critical, as many suspects have died or become unfit for trial, leaving historical accountability as an urgent priority.

Summary

Russian security forces raided three Moscow nightclubs, detaining 12 people on charges of “petty hooliganism” amid anti-LGBTQ enforcement.

The raids occurred a year after Russia’s Supreme Court labeled LGBTQ activism “extremist,” intensifying crackdowns on LGBTQ rights under Putin's regime.

Videos showed clubgoers forced to the ground, with exits blocked and interrogations conducted. Sporadic raids on LGBTQ spaces have been reported since the 2022 ruling.

Russia’s LGBTQ restrictions, including its expanded “gay propaganda law,” have drawn criticism as part of a broader suppression of LGBTQ communities.

Summary

European officials report up to 100 Russian-linked “hybrid attacks” in 2023, including cyber-attacks, sabotage, and espionage.

NATO's Brussels meeting focused on countering these threats, with measures like intelligence sharing and critical infrastructure protection.

Germany warns of heightened risks, including assassination plots, undersea cable sabotage, and incendiary devices. NATO may invoke Article 5 if attacks escalate.

Russia’s reliance on unconventional methods, after losing diplomatic spies in Ukraine war fallout, has intensified tensions. Analysts warn the West’s delayed response has left it vulnerable to Moscow’s increasingly bold tactics.

Summary

U.S. officials revealed a major Chinese hacking campaign targeting American mobile networks, stealing data on over 1 million users, including communications of high-profile individuals such as Biden administration officials and government leaders.

Hackers exploited telecom vulnerabilities, intercepting calls, texts, and location data, and even accessing DOJ-sensitive warrant information.

The operation, active for over a year, remains under investigation as officials struggle to fully expel intrusions.

Telecom companies received security recommendations, but the campaign's scope is still widening, raising fears of further intelligence breaches and ongoing risks.

The decision by the world's largest sovereign fund follows a trend of European financial entities divesting from Israel's firms over its actions in Gaza and the West Bank

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, announced on Tuesday that it has sold all its shares in Israel’s largest telecoms group, Bezeq, as it provides telecommunication services to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

“By doing so, the company is itself contributing to the violation of international law.”

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates posted a statement on X condemning what it called “terrorist settler militias” and saying settlers had been emboldened by the “glaring and unjustifiable failure” of the global community to stop the spiralling Israeli violence.

Throughout the year, Israeli settlers have seized 23.7sq km (9.15sq miles) of Palestinian land, making 2024 the peak year for Israeli land seizures, according to Peace Now, a nonprofit organisation that monitors illegal land confiscation in the occupied territory.

Summary

Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed early Wednesday after its largest power plant, Antonio Guiteras, shut down.

The failure, caused by aging infrastructure and dwindling fuel imports from Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico, left most of the island’s 10 million people, including Havana, without power.

This marks the latest in a series of outages worsened by hurricanes and economic crises.

The government is working to restore the grid, but nationwide blackouts have become increasingly frequent amid the country’s worsening energy challenges.

Summary

Donald Trump’s advisers are proposing plans to end the Ukraine war that involve territorial concessions to Russia and ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine.

These proposals aim to pressure both sides into negotiations, leveraging military aid as a carrot or stick. Plans include freezing current battle lines or creating demilitarized zones.

Analysts doubt the feasibility, citing likely resistance from Ukraine, European allies, and U.S. lawmakers.

Trump’s approach reflects his campaign pledge to resolve the conflict quickly, but critics argue it risks legitimizing Russian aggression and undermining Western alliances.

Summary

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier faces a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, just three months after his appointment by President Emmanuel Macron.

Opposition parties are uniting against Barnier after he used special powers to pass a controversial budget, including €60bn in tax hikes and spending cuts, without parliamentary approval.

France’s divided parliament, stemming from summer elections, has left Barnier’s minority government unable to govern effectively.

If ousted, Barnier will serve as caretaker PM while Macron, under pressure, selects a replacement, potentially prolonging France’s instability.

Summary

Over 300 people have been arrested in Georgia since mass protests erupted six nights ago, with allegations of violent attacks by police.

The government has accused opposition politicians of orchestrating the violence, while the force exercised by police has been described as torture and brutality by Georgia’s human rights ombudsman.

The protests continue, with demands for a re-run of contested elections and a re-start of the country’s EU bid.