Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced a vote of confidence, potentially paving the way for snap elections | Germany’s ‘traffic-light’ coalition has fallen apart, leaving Olaf Scholz at the helm of a minority government consisting solely of his Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens. This follows the chancellor’s dismissal of Free Democratic Party (FDP) leader Christian Lindner as finance minister. ■ In response to Lindner’s dismissal, which came after failed crisis talks on Wednesday night, the FDP’s parliamentary group leader, Christian Durr, announced that the party is withdrawing its ministers from Scholz’s government, formally ending the three-way coalition. ■ The Greens expressed regret over the development, but stated that they wish to remain part of a minority government, emphasizing the need for the EU – and Germany in particular – to demonstrate its capacity for action following Donald Trump’s election as US president.

■ Germany faces uncertainty as Scholz's ruling coalition collapses (Al Mayadeen)

Amira Zaiter, a mother and a nursing student from Nice, France, was sentenced to three years in prison for denouncing the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. | A pro-Palestinian activist in France has been sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly "glorifying terrorism" on social media, according to broadcaster France 3. Amira Zaiter, an activist from Nice, was arrested on September 19 for allegedly "promoting terrorism, glorifying crimes against humanity, and spreading hate speech online," as per the channel.

Thomas Fazi | Tbilisi has been ensnared by Nato hypocrisy | Food. Churches. Chacha. This is what Georgia has long been known for. But now this ancient country, flanked by the mountains and the sea in the heart of the Caucasus, is the battleground in a new Not-So-Cold War. Due to its strategic location — it shares a large border with Russia to the north — the country has found itself caught up in the geopolitical power play between the West and Russia. And just like the Euromaidan revolt in Ukraine a decade ago, Georgia’s domestic politics have been framed in Nato circles as an existential fight. On one side sits the Georgian Dream, the allegedly pro-Russian ruling party, in power since 2012. On the other sits the opposition, avowedly pro-Western and pro-EU. ■ Little wonder, then, that last week’s parliamentary elections have turned into a global event. As predicted by the polls, Georgian Dream won by a wide margin, securing over 53% of the vote. The four major opposition coalitions together managed less than 40%. There is no reason to believe that the vote was fixed: despite raising some concerns about pressure on voters, biased media coverage and an environment of political polarisation, independent observers found no evidence of electoral fraud, let alone of Russian interference.

Nikolay Patrushev said as he met with senior commanders of the Russian Navy and the Black Sea Fleet, and stressed how important it was "to determine not only the promising tactical-technical characteristics of warships and their weapons but also to ensure the balance of forces that make up the combat power of the fleet and means of supporting them" | Pushing Russia away from the Black Sea has always been a key goal of the collective West, Nikolay Patrushev, head of the Maritime Board, said during a working trip to Crimea.

💬 "Historical facts show that driving Russia away from the Black Sea was viewed as a key task pursued in the policies of Anglo-Saxons. Today, too, the collective West led by the United States has plans to establish its own long-term presence in the Black Sea area to the detriment of the legitimate interests of our country."

Onlookers shout ‘Shame on you!’ as Prof Haim Bresheeth taken away by Met Police under Terrorism Act after anti-genocide speech | As Skwawkbox has reported, Professor Haim Bresheeth – an Israeli Jew – was arrested on Friday and is still under investigation, after being accused of hate speech under the Terrorism Act 2000 for a speech (video) to an anti-genocide demonstration outside the residence of far-right extremist ambassador Tzipi Hotovely. ■ Now Skwawkbox can exclusively reveal the arrest itself – part of a campaign of repression and intimidation of pro-Palestinian voices by the Starmer government – and the horror of onlookers, who compared it to the martial law imposed by Israel during the 1990s. ■ Professor Bresheeth, who is in his seventies, was released the following morning without charge but remains under investigation, according to the Metropolitan Police. Skwawkbox is trying to obtain footage of the arrest of a second man, which witnesses described as done with violence.

136-point recovery plan includes direct payments to those affected, reconstruction of industrial areas and infrastructure | Spain's Valencia region requested €31.4 billion ($34 billion) in emergency aid from the central government Monday following devastating floods that killed 217 people. ■ The comprehensive aid request to Madrid includes additional housing support of up to €15,000 per household, €7 billion for industrial reconstruction, €2.6 billion for immediate reconstruction of public infrastructure and €2.2 billion for flood prevention infrastructure, according to information shared by the regional government. ■ Valencia’s president, Carlos Mazon, unveiled a 136-point recovery plan at an extraordinary Cabinet meeting, alongside an immediate regional aid package worth €250 million. The plan includes direct payments of €6,000 to residents whose homes were damaged, with disbursements expected this week. Local municipalities will receive minimum grants of €200,000 for urgent expenses, while the regional government has secured tax payment deferrals for affected residents. ■ The floods and Storm Dana damaged more than 20,000 hectares of agricultural land and destroyed over 100,000 vehicles across 50 municipalities. Some 30% of homes were reportedly damaged along with numerous hospitals, industrial sites and shopping centers.

■ Una semana de horror (CS) + Mazón reclama al Gobierno 31.402 millones en ayudas para los afectados por la DANA
■ DANA, zona cero (V): "Todo lo que estaba a menos de dos metros de altura está destruido" (RTVE)
■ The shattered lives of Paiporta at the epicenter of Spain's floods (11/03/24)

The US is preparing Europe to enter into a direct military conflict with Russia in case of Kyiv fails, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday. | Top diplomat added that conflict with Russia would be a "suicidal adventure" for Europe. 💬 "As a fallback option in case the regime of Zelensky fails, they [the US authorities] are preparing continental Europe to embark on a suicidal adventure and enter into a direct armed conflict with Russia," Lavrov said at the International Symposium "Creating the Future." Moscow is hosting the international symposium from November 4-6. This year, the event is attended representatives from 87 countries, including speakers, delegates, artists, diplomats, and journalists.

■ ‘Anglo-Saxons’ preparing Western Europe for direct clash with Russia – Lavrov (RT.com)
■ Lavrov speaks at ‘Creating the Future’ International Symposium (vk.com) (VIDEO) + (Rumble)
■ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will take part in the International Symposium “Creating the Future” (EL.ru)

Moldova’s Maia Sandu received 55.03% of the votes on Sunday | Moldova’s incumbent pro-EU president, Maia Sandu, declared victory in Sunday’s runoff election after an official tally gave her a 10-point lead over former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo. ■ With over 98% of ballots counted, Sandu had received 55.03% of the votes, while Stoianoglo had 44.97%, news channel TVR reported in the early hours of Monday, citing the Central Electoral Commission. ■ Although early results indicated a slim lead for Stoianoglo, Sandu overtook him at around midnight, and the gap gradually widened as more votes were counted overnight.

Top government officials in Slovakia are moving to ban “dangerous” Covid mRNA shots from the country after an explosive investigation determined that the pandemic was a “fabricated operation” and the “vaccines” were a resulting “act of bioterrorism.” | The findings were revealed in a Slovak government commission report on the nation’s investigations into the Covid pandemic. The investigation was led by Commissioner Peter Kotlár. In releasing his report, Kotlár held a press conference to call for the immediate ban of the Covid mRNA injections and called on governments around the world to do the same. Due to the severity of the findings detailed in the report, Kotlár has called for an emergency “session of the government” to immediately ban the “vaccines” and to cut the nation’s ties with the globalist World Health Organization (WHO).

⚡ How the US gov’t built a shadow structure that enabled COVID vax ‘bioterrorism’ (11/02/24)

Western leaders do not fully appreciate Russia’s readiness to deploy nuclear weapons to protect itself, Dmitry Medvedev told RT | Washington and its allies mistakenly believe that Russia will never cross the line of using nuclear weapons, former President Dmitry Medvedev stated in an exclusive interview with RT on Saturday. ■ Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, suggested that current Western leaders are not as forward-thinking as their predecessors and fail to take into account Russia’s willingness to defend its existence using all means at its disposal.

💬 ”They have made a miscalculation, since they are not of the brightest kind… For some reason they think that Russians will never cross a certain line. They are wrong. If it comes down to the existence of our state, as the president of our country has repeatedly said… we will simply have no choice.” [...] "The political class is degenerating, technocrats are coming in and they cannot understand how politics function. This is a disaster.”

He stressed that any person who serves as president of a nuclear-armed state takes on the obligation to defend their country “to the last man,” and suggested that current Western leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz “lack the acumen and subtlety of mind” of their predecessors.

■ There would be no military op if not for the West’s lack of wisdom – Dmitry Medvedev (RT.com) (VIDEO)
■ Professor Lays Waste To "Ukraine Narrative" - This war solely of U.S. making (11/02/24) (VIDEO)

The pictures of the smiling toddlers on the wall somehow survived. Most everything else in the daycare — the cradles, the highchairs, the toys — was ruined when a crushing wall of water swept through Paiporta, turning the Valencia municipality of 30,000 into the likely epicenter of Spain's deadliest natural disaster in living memory. | Authorities say at least 62 people died in Paiporta, of the 211 confirmed deaths from flash floods in Spain on Tuesday and Wednesday. The majority of those deaths happened in the eastern region of Valencia, and local media have labeled Paiporta the “ground zero” of the floods. ■ Four days have passed since the tsunami-like floods swept through the southern outskirts of Valencia city, covering many communities with sticky, thick mud. The clean-up task ahead remains gargantuan, and the hunt for bodies continues. ■ Many streets in Paiporta remain impassable to all vehicles but bulldozers, stacked as they are with piles of sodden furniture and household items and countless wrecked cars. ■ Every foot is caked with mud. Some people wield poles to steady their steps as if walking these streets is a hike through a marsh.

⚡ Aemet establece aviso rojo en el litoral sur de Valencia por lluvias de 90 l/m2 en 1 hora (RTVE)
■ Gritos de "asesinos" y lanzamiento de barro a la comitiva real, Sánchez y Mazón en su visita a Paiporta (RTVE)
■ 'Get out,' Spain's king told by protesters flinging mud at him after devastating flooding (CBC)
■ Spain orders largest peacetime military deployment over flood crisis (Al Mayadeen)
■ Death toll from Spanish floods climbs to 205 as shock turns to anger and frustration (Castanet)
■ Death toll from Spain floods passes 200 as rescue teams search for missing (11/02/24)

Professor Sachs KNOWS the people involved and speaks what he saw with his own eyes. | We have all been intentionally LIED to by the people who caused this conflict, and who keep it going. We may face a nuclear war because of what we've done, and WE...are in the wrong. WE caused this. (Link to video)

■ Ukraine did negotiate at the beginning of the invasion. It reached the outline of a peace deal with Russia (Aaron Maté)
■ As Russia Advances, U.S. Fears Ukraine Has Entered a Grim Phase (NYT)
■ The US is almost done playing with Ukraine (Andrey Sushentsov)
■ Kamala Harris Told Ukraine's Zelensky to "Prepare for a government in Exile; and Plan for Guerilla War" (H. Turner)

In a letter addressed to BBC Director-General Tim Davie, more than 100 BBC employees called on the corporation to "recommit to fairness, accuracy, and impartiality" in its coverage of Israeli actions in Gaza. | More than 100 BBC employees have accused the British broadcaster of exhibiting a clear bias toward "Israel" while covering the entity's ongoing year-long war against Palestinians in Gaza. ● In a letter addressed to BBC Director-General Tim Davie and signed by over 230 members of the media industry, including 101 anonymous BBC staff, the signatories urged the broadcaster to "recommit to fairness, accuracy, and impartiality" in its reporting on Israeli actions in Gaza. ● The letter criticized the BBC for not meeting its editorial standards, citing a lack of "consistently fair and accurate evidence-based journalism" in its coverage of the situation, as reported by The Independent, which obtained the letter.

A tribunal ruling has found that the student's remarks match views expressed by human rights organizations, concluding that the UK Home Office's allegations were not adequate. | Palestinian student Dana Abu Qamar has won a human rights appeal, revoking the UK Home Office's decision to strip her of her visa for speaking about Gaza and its resistance. ● The Guardian reported that the Home Office claimed that Dana's presence was "not conducive to public good" but subsequently failed to prove it after her visa was revoked in December 2023. ● Dana first caught the attention of authorities during a protest organized at the University of Manchester, where she also leads the Friends of Palestine Society. While speaking to Sky News, Dana explored Gaza's historical resistance against the Israeli "oppressive regime", as well as the 16-year-long blockade the occupation has imposed, calling the Strip's Resistance "a once in a lifetime experience."

Spain’s worst natural disaster in decades leaves many communities without power, water and aid. | Rescuers in Spain are battling to reach areas still cut off due to heavy rains as the death toll from catastrophic floods rose to 205 in Europe’s worst weather disaster in five decades. ● In Valencia, the eastern region that bore the brunt of the devastation this week, hundreds of soldiers were deployed to hunt for the missing and help survivors of the storm, which triggered a new weather alert in Huelva in southwestern Spain. ● Officials said the death toll is likely to keep rising. It is already Spain’s worst flood-related disaster in modern history and the deadliest to hit Europe since the 1970s.

■ Flood deaths hit 205 as Spain reels from worst modern day disaster (PressTV)
■ In photos: At least 95 people killed in flash flooding disaster in Spain as country declares three days of mourning

Adnrew Korybko | He wanted to dispel whatever doubts some undecided voters might still have about his ties to Russia by reminding them that he imposed sanctions against that megaproject, which debunked the Democrats’ Russiagate claims and were even hypocritically waived by Biden for a nine-month period. | Trump boasted during his live interview with Tucker Carlson at a charity event in Arizona on Thursday night that he was responsible for “killing” Nord Stream II. In his words, “The Democrats] love to say that I was a friend of Russia, I worked for Russia, I was a Russian spy. The biggest job Russia ever had [was] Nord Stream 2. This is the biggest pipeline in the world, [it] goes from Russia to Germany and all over Europe. I killed it. Nobody would kill it but me. I stopped it.” He has a point that’ll now be elaborated on. ■ For starters, he clearly wasn’t referring to September 2022’s terrorist attack since he wasn’t in office then and therefore couldn’t have had anything to do with it. Rather, what he wanted to convey is that the Democrats’ false claims of him being a Russian puppet are debunked by the fact that he sanctioned Nord Stream II, which was done in an attempt to poach the European energy market from Russia. In an unexpected turn of events, Biden waived those sanctions in May 2021, one month before meeting Putin.

Von der Leyen Promises to 'Vaccinate' EU Population Against 'Wrong Thinking'

According to Ursula, who is currently facing a criminal case over the EU government's strange contracts with pharmaceutical companies , people in society who hold views that contradict the globalist… pic.twitter.com/fK0wKV6tUQ

— “Sudden And Unexpected” (@toobaffled) October 22, 2024

Tyler Durden | Ursula von der Leyen advocates "pre-bunking" in the public forum to "vaccinate" people against "disinformation"... | EU President Ursula von der Leyen just joined the ranks of former Senator John Kerry and other globalist ghouls in declaring war on free speech by perversely proclaiming that the EU citizenry needs to be “vaccinated against disinformation.” ■ Like every censor in history, she characterizes her censorship program as a means of expunging erroneous information and ideas from public discourse. By using the word “disinformation,” she implies that she and her clique are already the sole possessors of the truth about everything and that everyone who has and shares heterodox ideas is necessarily in error.

■ President of the European Commission Ursula von Der Leyen Likens Free Speech to Infectious Disease (GR)

Foreign funding is used for this purpose, Irakli Kobakhidze noted | Unprecedented foreign interference was observed during Georgia’s latest parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said. [...] Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on October 26, employing the widespread use of electronic ballot boxes for the first time. According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party got 53.93% of the vote. As the winner it has the right to form the government on its own. Four opposition parties cleared the five-percent threshold: Coalition for Change had 11%, Unity-National Movement — 10.16%, Strong Georgia — 8.8%, and Gakharia for Georgia — 7.76%. ● All opposition parties that have entered parliament refuse to recognize the results of the elections, and so does Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili. According to her, the Central Election Commission data is rigged and in reality the opposition received more votes than the Georgian Dream party and therefore has the majority of seats in parliament.

■ Partial recount in Georgia election ‘confirms ruling party win’ (Hürriyet Daily News)
■ Georgia to recount votes after opposition rejects election loss (10/30/24)
■ Georgia’s pro-Western opposition refuses to accept election defeat (10/28/24)
■ This post-Soviet country is too independent for the West. Punishment is at hand (09/28/24)

Households should also be prepared for cyberattacks and the use of chemical weapons, a report has warned | EU citizens should start stockpiling three days’ worth of goods to be ready for various potential disasters, including a nuclear conflict, a report has warned. ● Published on Wednesday by former Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, the initiative is part of the EU’s push to make the bloc more resilient in the face of supposedly mounting threats, ranging from natural disasters to a major military conflict. ● The report encourages EU households to stockpile “basic self-sufficiency” goods that would last for at least 72 hours for fear of potential shortages in case of “armed aggression through conventional means” or other hostile activities such as “cyberattacks or the use of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons.” ● Brussels had tasked Finland’s former president earlier this year with assessing the EU’s security needs following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, “responding in particular to Russia’s intensifying hybrid operations.”

■ EU Commission Urges Citizens "Stock-Up on Emergency Supplies" (Harol Turner) | The EU knows full well what the actual intentions are of NATO with respect to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict, and they know what the results of those intentions will be. I believe THAT is why they're telling people to stock up -- THEY KNOW war is coming because THEY are going to start it!

In short: At least 95 people have been killed during flash flooding in the Valencia region of Spain and authorities expect the death toll to rise. Spain's national weather service said it rained more in eight hours in Valencia than it had in the preceding 20 months, calling the deluge "extraordinary". [Últimas noticias: RTVE y aquí también: El País + Canal Sur]

■ Spain’s warning system under scrutiny as flood death toll nears 100 (South China Morning Post)
■ At least 51 73 95 dead in catastrophic Valencia floods (10/30/24)

Hundreds of people spent the night trapped on rooftops, in vehicles as emergency services failed to reach them | Catastrophic flooding in Spain’s Valencia region has left 51 people dead, according to provisional data reported by the Interior Ministry’s Center for Integrated Operational Coordination. ● The latest death toll comes after an excruciating night of devastating floods, caused by the worst storm of the century, which is comparable only to two others in the 1980s, according to Spain’s meteorology agency. ● The storm began on Tuesday, dropping a year’s worth of rain in hours, causing rivers to quickly burst their banks and even spawning tornadoes. Roads and towns began to flood, prompting authorities to cut off rail service around Valencia, cancel flights, and eventually ask residents to stay inside by Tuesday night. However, by the time the government sent emergency alerts asking people to stay indoors or seek high ground, much of the damage had already been done.

■ Dozens killed as Spain hit by worst floods in decades (VIDEOS) (RT.com)
■ Inundaciones por la DANA, en directo: al menos 51 muertos 73 95 muertos en la provincia de Valencia (RTVE)
■ Imágenes de la DANA en Valencia: Cientos de personas están refugiadas en polideportivos (RTVE)
■ Al menos 51 95 fallecidos y servicios de emergencia al límite en Valencia con el paso de la DANA (CanalSur)

U.S. Marine from Pennsylvania and a US Army Ranger, Killed Fighting for Ukraine | Corey John Nawrocki was born on December 3, 1982 in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA. He joined the Marine Corps in 2001 and served as a gunnery sergeant in the Guard Company at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. In 2021, Corey left the United States Marine Corps. Later he decided to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces, military unit A3449. It was a fatal mistake for Nawrocki to go to war with Russia. Russian FSB Special Forces killed Nawrocki at the border of Bryansk, Russia. He was trying to enter Russia along with other NATO Mercenaries from the US, CANADA, POLAND, and elsewhere, heavily armed with guns, grenades, anti-tank weapons, and SEMTEX plastic explosives, to perpetrate acts of war and sabotage against Russia, Nawrocki and his fellow Mercenaries, are pictured - Dead - below: (WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO)

■ Ukraine to force another 160,000 men into military (RT.com)
■ Over 100,000 Ukrainian Servicemen Deserted From Armed Forces - Lawmaker (Sputnik)

Without any warning, Russian President Vladimir Putin activated a "snap" strategic nuclear deterrence exercise. The drill - happening right now on Tuesday -- involves ballistic and cruise missile launches. | Russia's nuclear triad (land-based, air-launched, sea-launched) remains a reliable guarantor of Russia’s security and sovereignty, Putin stressed, adding that it also helps maintain “nuclear parity and the balance of power in the world.”

💬 “Given the growth of geopolitical tensions as well as the emergence of new external threats and risks, it is important to have modern strategic forces that are constantly ready for combat use,” the president said. Moscow plans to further improve all the “components” of its nuclear triad, he noted. (Russia seeks to maintain its nuclear forces at the) “necessarily sufficient” level, (but it does not intend to be dragged into a new arms race, Putin said.) “Russia reaffirms its principled stance that the use of nuclear weapons is an extreme, exceptional measure to ensure state security,” the president stated.

Moscow’s strategic forces are outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment by 94%, according to Putin. Troops will also receive new stationary and mobile missile systems that have higher precision and shorter launch preparation time compared to previous generations, he added.

■ Russian MOD reveals details of nuclear drills (VIDEO) (RT.com)
■ Putin Oversees Strategic Nuclear Deterrent Drill From Kremlin Situation Room (Sputnik)

Who could've imagined the mass immigration into European countries would end like this? pic.twitter.com/NInFbMzhWB

— Adam Green - Know More News (@Know_More_News) August 4, 2024

■ If a Devil Exists, His Residence Is the Evil State of Israel (Gary D. Barnett)
✅ Why Israel Has No ‘Right to Exist’ (Jeremy R. Hammond)
✅ Excuse Me, But Israel Has No Right To Exist (Sharmine Narwani)

Pro-Western parties are demanding a new poll, promising mass street protests and a boycott of parliament | Georgian election officials intend to recount ballots at five randomly selected polling stations in each voting district on Tuesday. Opposition forces in the post-Soviet country have denounced the outcome of last weekend’s parliamentary election as “fraudulent” after the ruling party secured a fresh majority in parliament. ● In the capital Tbilisi, the repeat tally will begin in the evening, with similar procedures in Georgian regions, according to an announcement made by the central election commission on Monday. Authorized observers will be present, it added. ● Georgian Dream, the conservative populist party currently in charge of the country, received just under 54% of the votes, with over 99.9% ballots counted. The four opposition parties that crossed the 5% threshold to enter parliament are threatening to reject the mandates won by their candidates. ● The pro-Western opposition has accused the government of rigging the poll. During a protest in Tbilisi on Monday, they declared they would accept nothing short of a new internationally-supervised election.

■ Orban blasts West’s ‘useless lecturing’ of Georgia (RT.com)

The tattoo connected the slain mercenary with an elite US Army unit | One member of a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group killed in Russia’s Bryansk Region had a prominent tattoo associated with the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, according to a video released by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). ● The fighter was among four killed in a cross-border raid on Bryansk on Sunday, the FSB said. When searched afterwards, they were found to be equipped with foreign weapons and gear, as well as personal items indicating that they belonged to “third countries,” such as a Canadian flag, a Polish prayer book, and a notepad with notes on tactics in English, the FSB added. ● One of the dead men had a tattoo of an angel holding a rifle, with a banner reading ‘Ranger’ and ‘2d Bn’, apparently a reference to the 2nd Battalion of the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. The tattoo, and the man’s American-made combat fatigues, were displayed in a video published by the FSB on Monday.

💬 “According to law enforcement agencies, among the mercenaries neutralized in Bryansk Region are nationals of the US, Poland, and Canada,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Monday. “This is preliminary information that will be updated.”

As of March, 1,113 American mercenaries had taken up arms for Ukraine, according to a tally released by the Russian Defense Ministry. At least 491 of these had been killed, the ministry stated.

■ Foreign Mercs' Attempt to Violate Russia’s Borders Shows Level of US Meddling in Ukraine Conflict (Sputnik)

The coalition “will fight like never before” to reverse the results of the weekend ballot, one party leader has vowed | Leaders of several opposition parties in Georgia have said they will not recognize the results of this weekend's national parliamentary vote. According to the official results, the ruling Georgian Dream party received almost 54% of the vote, while various opposition forces attracted between 11% and 3%. ● Georgian Dream party chairman Mamuka Mdinaradze has claimed the party is likely to win at least 90 of the national chamber’s 150 seats, up from the 74 it won in the last election. The party will then be able to form the next government since a simple 76-strong majority is needed in Georgia to pick the next prime minister and cabinet.

■ Kremlin slams ‘unprecedented’ Western election interference in Georgia (RT.com)
■ Georgia’s pro-Western president calls for mass street protests (RT.com)
■ Georgia’s Ruling Party Wins Parliamentary Elections Despite Dissatisfaction Of Western-Backed Forces (South Front)

The country is outperforming Japan in terms of purchasing power parity, according to the Washington-based organization | The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has ranked Russia as the world’s fourth-largest economy based on purchasing power parity (PPP). PPP compares economic productivity and standards of living between countries by adjusting for differences in the cost of goods and services. In its World Economic Outlook published on Tuesday, the IMF said Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024 amounts to 3.55% of global GDP in terms of PPP, outperforming Japan, which has 3.38%. According to the report, Russia ranks fourth in terms of PPP after China (18.8%), the US (15%), and India (7.9%). The latest figures show that the world’s leading economies by PPP now include three BRICS countries – China, India, and Russia – the report authors noted, pointing out that Russia’s upgrade has been driven by Western sanctions.

Russia’s president and the global organization’s Secretary-General held a meeting behind closed doors where they discussed the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East | President Vladimir Putin has met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who came to Russia for the first time in over two years to attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan. ● Putin spoke with Guterres behind closed doors on Thursday evening, the final day of the summit, which saw dozens of world leaders gather in Kazan to discuss the multipolar world order advocated by the group. ● The Kremlin has yet to unveil the details of their discussion, but according to the UN chief’s office, Putin and Guterres addressed the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as questions related to global development and the international financial system.

■ Guterres, Putin discuss international financial system — UN secretary-general's office (TASS)

Moscow aims to end the impunity of the US and its allies, the Russian president has said | Moscow has had enough of the West’s impunity and hypocrisy and intends to ensure that there is justice in the world again, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. Putin spoke to journalists, including many from Western outlets, at the end of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia on Thursday.

💬 “Is it just to lie to our faces that NATO will not expand, and then [expand] it?” Putin asked BBC’s Steve Rosenberg, in response to his inquiry. “Is it fair to carry out a coup d’etat, spitting on all principles of law, and funding a coup in Ukraine?” he added, referring to the 2014 Maidan ‘revolution’ backed by Washington. “Is this just? There is no justice here,” Putin said. “We want to change this. And we will.”

The Russian president also dismissed as “nonsense” the claims that Moscow was somehow behind “mayhem” on British streets. Whatever may be happening in the UK is the result of London’s own policies, Putin said.

■ Putin ‘doesn’t remember’ Trump missile threats (RT.com)
■ Everyone wants quick end to Ukraine conflict – Putin (RT.com)