Georgia’s governing party set to install former footballer as new president

Georgia's political turmoil deepens as former footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili is named president by the disputed parliament, sparking protests and opposition boycotts over alleged election rigging. Protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party have intensified, with calls for new elections and accusations of democratic backsliding leading to international condemnation and potential sanctions. Kavelashvili, known for anti-Western views, faces opposition from civil society activists and the international community as Georgia's future hangs in the balance amidst escalating...

British actress Gemma Arterton disagrees with the idea of a gender-swapped James Bond, deeming it "outrageous" and stating that the character's legacy should be respected. Despite discussions surrounding potential changes to the franchise following Daniel Craig's final film as Bond, Arterton, who played Strawberry Fields in a previous Bond movie, believes that creating strong female characters in new roles is more important than altering existing male characters like James Bond. Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has...

Over the past two decades, the author has dedicated her career to understanding and addressing the challenges faced by young women, founding ROX and researching the lives of over 50,000 girls. Drawing from personal experiences of struggling with societal expectations and body image issues, she highlights the ongoing struggle girls face to be heard and accepted. The author's recent research reveals troubling trends of girls silencing themselves and experiencing declining confidence, impacting their potential and...

Serbian oil company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) faces financial sanctions from the United States due to its Russian ownership, according to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The U.K. and EU are likely to follow suit, potentially halting oil shipments through a pipeline from Croatia. NIS is mostly owned by Russia's Gazprom and Gazprom Neft, with the U.S. sanctions possibly taking effect by January 1. Full Article

An alleged Chinese spy banned from the UK was reportedly invited to Buckingham Palace by Prince Andrew, visiting the royal residence, St James's Palace, and Windsor Castle. Despite claims of being a "close confidante" of Andrew, the Duke of York insists he cut ties with the individual when concerns arose, stating that their interactions were through official channels and not sensitive in nature. This scandal follows Andrew's previous controversy for his association with Jeffrey Epstein,...

A Dutch court rejected a request by 10 pro-Palestinian NGOs to halt the Netherlands' weapons exports to Israel, citing the state's policy discretion and advising against hasty judicial intervention, as reported by Al Jazeera. The court dismissed the NGOs' claims that the Dutch government, as a Genocide Convention signatory, should prevent genocide by Israel, mentioning civilian casualties in Gaza and alleged use of Dutch weapons by Israel in warfare. The ruling came despite the NGOs'...