Thursday, September 15, 2022

Six In The Morning Thursday 15 September 2022

 



Zelenskiy condemns ‘vile Russian act’ after strike on dam floods his home city

Inhulets River rises estimated 2.5 metres after cruise missiles strike dam, flooding streets of Kryvyi Rih


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Volodymyr Zelenskiy has lashed out at Moscow for what he said was a “vile” attack on his home city of Kryvyi Rih, parts of which were dramatically flooded after Russian cruise missiles blew up a nearby dam.

In a video address released early on Thursday, the Ukrainian president said “everything is being done to eliminate the consequences of yet another vile Russian act”, referring to the targeting of a hydraulics system in Kryvyi Rih, on the Inhulets River 95 miles (150km) south-west of Dnipro.


City authorities fought to contain the damage to its water system after eight cruise missiles hit a water pumping station there in what Zelenskiy has called an attempt to flood the city, the largest in central Ukraine, with an estimated prewar population of 650,000.



Hungary is no longer a full democracy, says European parliament



MEPs back resolution stating country led by Viktor Orbán has become ‘hybrid regime of electoral autocracy’

 in Brussels


Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy, the European parliament has said in a powerful symbolic vote against Viktor Orbán’s government.

In a resolution backed by 81% of MEPs present to vote, the parliament stated that Hungary had become a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy”, citing a breakdown in democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law.

While the vote has no practical effect, it heightens pressure on EU authorities in Brussels not to disburse billions in EU cash to Hungary that is being withheld over concerns about corruption.


Armenia announces cease-fire with Azerbaijan

Armenian security officials announced a truce after two days of shelling near the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenia said on Thursday that a cease-fire agreed with neighboring Azerbaijan on Wednesday was still holding.

"With the participation of the international community, a cease-fire has been reached," Armen Grigoryan, the secretary of Armenia's Security Council, said in televised remarks from Yerevan late on Wednesday.

He added that the cease-fire came into effect from 8 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on Wednesday. The announcement comes after a previous agreement, which was brokered by Russia as recently as Tuesday, had fallen by the wayside.




Xi says China, Russia should work together as 'great powers'

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met for their first face-to-face talks since the start of the conflict in Ukraine on Thursday, hailing their strategic ties in defiance of the West.

Sitting across from each other at two long rounded tables and flanked by aides, the two leaders met on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in ex-Soviet Uzbekistan. 

The meeting was part of Xi's first trip abroad since the early days of the pandemic and for Putin a chance to show Russia has not been fully isolated despite Western efforts.


Izumi: All CDP executives won’t attend state funeral for Abe


THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

September 15, 2022 at 16:58 JST




Executives of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan decided to skip the state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after receiving no explanation on why tax money is covering the event.

Party leader Kenta Izumi on Sept. 8 asked Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a Diet committee session for the legal basis of holding the Sept. 27 state funeral. But no satisfactory answer was received.

So the CDP submitted a written question on why the Kishida Cabinet was not hosting Abe’s funeral.

CDP officials said a response was received on Sept. 14.



Sweden election: How an ex neo-Nazi movement became kingmakers



By Leo Sands
BBC News


More than one in five Swedes voted for the radical anti-immigration Sweden Democrats (SD) party in elections on Sunday.

Now the second-largest political party in the country, its anticipated 73 MPs are expected to play a crucial role in supporting a ruling right-wing coalition - if not a formal position in the government itself.

It would be the first time the nationalist party has come anywhere close to the levers of power in Stockholm.

A focus during the election campaign on issues around immigration and violent crime have put the SD's agenda at the heart of mainstream Swedish politics like never before.






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