Day: January 2, 2024

NPR News: 01-02-2024 7AM EST

Ankara — Turkish police detained 33 people suspected of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service and of targeting foreigners living in Turkey, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said  Tuesday.

Last month, Turkish officials warned Israel of “serious consequences” if it tried to hunt down members of the militant group Hamas living outside Palestinian territories, including in Turkey. President Tayyip Erdogan warned that would be a mistake.

Turkey, unlike most of its Western allies and some Arab nations, does not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Police raided 57 locations in eight provinces as part of an investigation – dubbed “Operation Mole” – launched by the Istanbul prosecutor’s counter-terrorism bureau and the MIT intelligence agency, Yerlikaya said.

He said on social media platform X that the suspects were believed to be aiming to identify, monitor, assault and kidnap foreign nationals living in Turkey. The state-run Anadolu news agency said authorities were seeking 13 others.

Asked about the arrests, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment.

Turkey has harshly criticized Israel for its bombardment of Gaza in its war with Hamas, with Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly exchanging barbs last week.

Yerlikaya said authorities had found large amounts of foreign currency, including around $165,105, an unregistered firearm, and digital materials during the raids. 

He shared footage of the operations showing police raiding homes, handcuffing suspects, and putting them in police vehicles. 

After South Africa formal request for the trial of Israeli War Crimes in Palestine there are increasing speculations of a possibility of issuing the International Warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The move comes in response to allegations of war crimes committed particularly related to the conflict in Gaza. Five countries want to investigation of Israel War Crimes in Gaza.

After the South Africa formal submission of War Crimes on Israel the ICC will have to investigate the actions of Israeli War Crimes in Gaza.

What the Middle East will look like in 2024  The Jerusalem Post

Iraq can’t hold off Gaza’s spillover much longer  Responsible Statecraft

Сегодня, 2 января, в токийском аэропорту «Ханэда» загорелся пассажирский самолет авиакомпании Japan Airlines. По данным авиакомпании, на борту находились 379 пассажиров, которым удалось покинуть самолет без опасных для жизни травм. По предварительным данным, причиной пожара, вероятно, стало столкновение самолета Japan Airlines и самолета береговой охраны Японии. Ведется расследование инцидента. Фото: EPA-EFE

В Эстонии с 1 января вступил в силу закон о равноправии браков. Отныне брак в стране могут заключить двое совершеннолетних людей независимо от пола. Закон о равенстве в браке был принят Эстонией 20 июня 2023 года. Его поддержали 54 депутата, против проголосовали 34. Остальные воздержались или не участвовали в голосовании. Эстония стала первой страной на […]

Georgians support close ties with the EU

According to an Edison Research opinion poll, 90% of citizens believe Georgia should forge close ties with the European Union. 56% feel the country is heading in the wrong direction. The survey reveals that 36% consider unemployment the most pressing issue, while an equal percentage cite poverty, and 34% express concern about rising prices.

The key findings of the Edison Research study are as follows:

When asked, “How closely should Georgia maintain relations with these countries or alliances listed below?” the responses were distributed as follows:

According to Edison Research, 56 percent of people believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 44 percent believe it is heading in the right direction.

In comparison, in November 2023, also according to Edison Research, 40 percent of the population stated that the country is moving in the right direction, and 60 percent expressed the belief that it is moving in the wrong direction.”

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• How is the Georgian government going to implement the recommendations of the European Commission? A concrete plan
• Bidzina Ivanishvili returns to politics in Georgia. What did he say in his first statement?
• In Georgia, employers often can’t find staff, and the unemployed struggle to find jobs. Why?

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In response to the question, ‘If elections were held today, which party would you vote for?’, the answers are as follows:

• Ruling party “Georgian Dream” – 36.6%;
• “National Movement” (created by ex-president Mikheil Saakashili)/ “Strategy Agmashenebeli” – 21.5%;
• “For Georgia” (created by ex-prime-minister Giorgi Gakharia) – 8.8%;
• “Lelo” – 6.7%;
• “Girchi”/”Droa” – 5%;
• Labor Party – 4.7%;
• “For People” – 3.7%;
• “Alt-info” – 3%;
• “Girchi” (Iago Khvichia) – 2.9%;
• “Power of the People” – 2.5%;
• “Citizens” – 1.7%;
• “Alliance of Patriots” – 1.7%;
• “European Georgia” – 0.7%;
• other – 0.5%.

70 percent of voters are confident in their political choice.

According to Edison Research, 50 percent of the public strongly agree that the 2024 election will be one of the most important elections Georgia has ever had, while 26 percent partially agree.

• Strongly agree – 50 percent;
• partially agree – 26%;
• still agree – 12%;
• partially disagree – 6%;
• completely disagree – 6%.

According to the survey, 65 percent of the population believes that other parties should be given a chance to come to power.

When asked, ‘Do you think that the Georgian Dream (the currently ruling party) is effective enough that it is worthy of a new re-election, or is it time to give other parties a chance?’, the answers were distributed as follows:

• worthy of re-election – 35%;
• it is time to give someone else a chance – 65%.

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• Russia is the biggest threat for 77 percent of Georgian citizens. IRI survey
• Georgia’s main problems: unemployment, price growth, poverty. Edison Research

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According to 56 percent of the respondents, the victory of opposition parties in the 2024 elections will be the best result for Georgia.

To the question, “What, in your opinion, should be the best result for Georgia?” the answers were distributed as follows:

• Victory of the Georgian Dream in the 2024 elections – 44%.
• Victory of opposition parties in the 2024 elections – 56%.

According to Edison Research, 36 percent of the population believes that the most important problem facing Georgia today is unemployment, 36 percent name poverty, and 34 percent name rising prices:

• unemployment, 36%;
• poverty – 36%;
• rising prices – 34%;
• occupied territories – 26%;
• emigration – 19%;
• education – 17%;
• pensions – 17%;
• illegal drug use/distribution – 17%;
• health care – 15%;
• migration of Russians to Georgia – 11%;
• crime – 9%;
• corruption – 8%;
• accession to the European Union – 8%;
• war in Ukraine – 7%;
• transportation in Tbilisi – 4%;
• free meals in schools – 4%
• political polarization – 4%;
• environmental protection problems – 3%;
• housing – 3%.

According to the survey, 71 percent of the population fully or partially agrees with the opinion that the government is to blame for the price increase:

• completely agree – 43%;
• partially agree – 28%;
• still agree – 9%;
• completely disagree – 12%;
• partially disagree – 8%.

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• Transparency International: Georgia’s economic dependence on Russia will continue to grow
• Georgia and China: Advantages and risks of friendship

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84 percent of the population supports the idea that debates between the Georgian Dream and opposition parties should be held live during the pre-election period.

According to an Edison Research opinion poll, 57 percent of the population believes that Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili should use her constitutional right and pardon Mikheil Saakashvili, while 43 percent are against it.

• 93% of supporters of the “National Movement”/”Agmashenebeli Strategy” parties;
• 58% of “For Georgia” supporters;
• 82% of “Lelo” supporters;
• 80% of supporters of “Girchi”/”Droa”.