https://www.reuters.com/world/us-basketball-star-griner-released-russian-custody-prisoner-swap-us-official-2022-12-08/ After months of being detained in a Russian penal colony, Brittney Griner has finally been freed through a prisoner swap with arms dealer Victor Bout. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested on February 17 after being caught with marijuana cartridges attempting to board a plane. She was sentenced to nine years for possession and attempted smuggling of illegal… Read more »
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2022/12/5/greece-bulgaria-discuss-oil-pipeline-bypassing-bosphorus-strait Greece and Bulgaria have begun discussing the revival of an old oil pipeline through the Aegean and Black seas and bypassing the Bosphorus Strait. This is following an embargo and price cap of Russian oil on December 5. Russia has been adamant about not selling their oil to any countries that impose the price cap, saying “Starting from this… Read more »
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finnish-parliament-hold-nato-vote-while-awaiting-hungary-turkey-decisions-2022-12-05/ Following Russia’s invasion in February, Finland attempts to join NATO. Finland’s previous aversion to joining the IGO was due to a 1948 agreement of friendship with the Soviet Union, policies of neutrality, and their geographical location. Finland has adopted NATO’s constitution and has all but formally joined, still waiting for Hungary and Turkey to approve their admittance. Hungary has… Read more »
https://www.reuters.com/world/chinese-ambassador-warns-swiss-sanction-us-ties-will-suffer-2022-11-06/ As the EU and many countries worldwide impose sanctions on China, Switzerland continues to stay neutral. Due to the treatment of Uighur Muslims in China, many countries called for punitive measures to be taken. If China invades Taiwan, however, the head of the Swiss agency that implements economic sanctions has promised to take the necessary measures that the rest… Read more »
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/turkey-starts-paying-some-russian-gas-roubles-2022-11-08/ In recent months, Russia has asked energy buyers to purchase it in roubles, rather than in their own country’s currency, in order to boost the value of the rouble. Turkey has agreed to pay for some of the Russian gas in roubles. Following the pipeline explosion in the Baltic Sea, Putin proposed a Turkish natural gas epicenter. Turkish President… Read more »
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/serb-policemen-quit-jobs-anti-kosovo-protest-2022-11-06/ Thousands of Serbian nationalists protesting mandatory Kosovo license plates in North Mitrovica, claiming that the town in northern Kosovo is part of Serbia. Previously, Serbs in Kosovo have been using pre-Kosovan-independence Serbian license plates. Serb Police officers abandoned their posts and resigned to protest the license plate mandate. , This follows Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s proclamation, “I once… Read more »
