Chancellor Olaf Scholz said there will be a vote of confidence on his government on January 15, 2025. The move could push Germany's parliamentary elections, scheduled for fall of 2025, to March 2025. Scholz said he planned to ask for a vote of confidence so that MPs "can decide whether to clear the way for early elections" which could be held by the end of March -- six months earlier than scheduled. He bitterly attacked Lindner's "petty political tactics" and accused him of a level of egoism that is "completely incomprehensible". Max Hofmann, head of DW News, said that Scholz has been criticized by the opposition for proposing a vote of confidence in January, instead of at an earlier date. Hofmann said that there might be some calculation on behalf of Olaf Scholz and his Social Democrats that "given a little more time" they may be able to "convince voters that they are worth another vote in March." "Scholz wants to introduce laws, get laws passed by the end of the year, and get things done that he still had planned. Whether this is going to be successful or not is a different story, and that lands him on January 15 for a vote of confidence," Hofmann said. "If he loses that vote, which seems extremely likely at this point, that brings us to March for early elections, and probably a new government for Germany," he added. Germany could face snap elections According to the German constitution, a decision to hold early federal elections cannot be made by the members of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, nor by the chancellor. An early dissolution of parliament can only come about in one of two ways: In the first case, if a candidate for chancellor does not win an absolute parliamentary majority — at least 367 votes in the 733-seat Bundestag — the German president can dissolve the parliament. This has never happened in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. In the second case, a chancellor can call for a vote of confidence in the Bundestag to confirm whether he or she still has sufficient parliamentary support. If the chancellor fails to win a majority, he or she can formally ask the President to dissolve the Bundestag within 21 days. Following the dissolution of parliament, new elections must be held within 60 days. They are organized in the same way as normal general elections. The Federal Republic of Germany had three early Bundestag elections in its history. Read more on how they unfolded. Far-right AfD says traffic light collapse is 'liberation' for Germany The opposition far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party says it welcomed the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition as long overdue and a "liberation" for Germany. The AfD leaders in Germany's lower house of parliament, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, accused the coalition of leading the country to an economic abyss. "After months of gridlock and countless self-centered therapy sessions, we now urgently need a fundamental political fresh start to lead the economy and the country as a whole out of the severe crisis into which it has been plunged by the ideology-driven policies of the SPD, Greens and FDP," they added. The leaders urged Scholz to immediately call a vote of confidence. Left Party welcomes potential snap elections After the breakdown of the traffic light coalition, Germany's socialist Left Party has already started its election campaign. "The battle for the seats for the left of center has begun — and that is a good thing," the party leadership and the Left's Bundestag group declared together.  The Left would bring "a fresh left-wing wind into the country," said party leaders Ines Schwerdtner and Jan van Aken, and the chairs of the Bundestag group, Heidi Reichinnek and Sören Pellmann. They accused the traffic light coalition members of causing instability and ruining the country with austerity. "Now it is plunging the country into the next crisis. As democratic parties, the SPD, Greens and FDP have a responsibility to ensure stability," the statement said. It said the traffic light coalition had not only failed recently but had "not managed to create security for the vast majority of the country" throughout its three years in power.

At least 14 people lost their lives on Friday when the concrete roof above the entrance of a railway station in Novi Sad, a city in northern Serbia, collapsed. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic reported, "When we reached eight victims, we knew that five more individuals were still trapped under the debris, though we couldn't confirm whether they were alive or dead." Dacic confirmed that those recovered had died "on the spot." Earlier, he noted that "over 80 rescuers are working on the scene, aided by heavy machinery." Emergency teams, alongside excavation crews, were using heavy equipment to cut and clear through the wreckage in search of any additional survivors. The Blood Transfusion Institute in Novi Sad urged residents to donate blood to aid the response. Station recently renovated It was not immediately clear what caused the partial collapse, but the Novi Sad Railway Station had only reopened in July after three years of renovation work. Construction work was still ongoing in parts of the building. Surveillance footage showed people entering and exiting the building and sitting on benches on a sunny day before the concrete structure suddenly collapsed. Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic described it as "a black Friday for us, for all of Serbia." "We will insist on finding those responsible, those who should have ensured the structure's safety. My condolences to the families of the deceased," he said. The Serbian government has declared Saturday a national day of mourning. (Source: Deutsche Welle)

Key Highlights: Russian drones and missiles killed at least six people including women and children Over seven hours of sustained shelling were reported in Kyiv, Dnipro and a village in Kherson G7 leaders announced that frozen Russian assets would be used to provide $50 billion (€46 billion) in loans to Ukraine Ukraine was subjected to a night of Russian missile and drone strikes that witnesses and authorities say lasted nearly 8 hours. In all, at least six people were killed — including women and children — and dozens more were injured as Russian forces attacked the capital Kyiv, the central city of Dnipro, and a village in the Kherson region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fumed on social media, posting images of burning and bombed-out buildings on X, formerly Twitter. Zelenskyy, referencing the BRICS summit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin posted: "After everything said in Kazan, Russian murderers have resumed their usual business." "In Dnipro," Zelenskyy wrote, "one of Ukraine’s most important hospitals, the Mechnikov Hospital, was damaged, along with ordinary residential buildings. Tragically, three people were killed, including a child." "This war has continued for three years now," the Ukrainian leader added, "and there is only one culprit—Moscow."  G7 leaders finalize $50 billion loan to Ukraine from Russian assets G7 leaders on Friday finalized an agreement to provide some $50 billion (€46 billion) in bilateral loans to Ukraine over the next three years, funded from frozen Russian sovereign assets. The aid is scheduled to begin as early as December 1 and continue until the end of 2027. "These loans will be serviced and repaid by future flows of extraordinary revenues stemming from the immobilization of Russian Sovereign Assets," read a statement from G7 finance ministers. "The loan proceeds will be disbursed through multiple channels to support Ukraine's budgetary, military and reconstruction assistance," the statement added. The US this week promised to contribute $20 billion in loans to Kyiv as part of the package. The timing of the US loan is seemingly meant protect it from Donald Trump potentially reversing aid to Ukraine should he win the upcoming presidential election. Trump, who is seen as a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has repeatedly threatened to cut all support for Ukraine if reelected. Outgoing President Joe Biden said the loans would be repaid with interest earned from frozen Russian assets. He said the plan allows the US to support Ukraine "without burdening taxpayers."

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gave his first public remarks on Tuesday since his release from a UK prison in June. Speaking before the legal affairs and human rights committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, Assange addressed the protracted legal battle that had defined his life for over a decade. "I am not free today because the system worked," Assange told lawmakers from 46 countries. "I am free today after years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism." He added: "I pled guilty to seeking information from a source. I pled guilty to obtaining information from a source. And I pled guilty to informing the public what that information was." Assange said that moving from confinement in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to British prison to addressing the council was a "profound and surreal shift," adding that the last few years had been a "relentless struggle to stay alive, both physically and mentally." Long legal battle After his release three months earlier, his wife Stella Assange said that the famous whistleblower needed time to recuperate physically from his stay in the UK's maximum security Belmarsh Prison, where he was kept in solitary confinement. WikiLeaks became a household name in 2010, when it published top secret files from the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including evidence of potential war crimes on the part of US service members. Being sought in Sweden on sexual assault allegations and by the US for an espionage investigation, Assange took asylum in Ecuador's Embassy in 2012. However, he was dragged out in 2019 following years of souring relations with the Ecuadorian government and what critics called an increasing tendency to peddle conspiracy theories. He was sent to London's Belmarsh prison for skipping bail, and fought US extradition for several years. He was released in June after agreeing to plead guilty to publishing secret US military documents and sentenced to time served in the UK. Following the plea deal, he returned to his native Australia a free man.

Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) has won a national election for the first time, securing 28.8% of the vote. However, the party, known for its Eurosceptic and pro-Russian stance, may struggle to form a coalition government as most other parties have refused to work with it. The ruling conservative People’s Party (OeVP) came in second with 26.3% of the vote. FPOe leader Herbert Kickl, a polarizing figure, declared the victory as a historic moment and expressed his readiness to form a government with any party. “We have opened a door to a new era,” he told supporters in Vienna. Kickl has led the party since 2021 and has gained popularity on issues like migration, economic concerns, and discontent over COVID-19 restrictions. Despite the FPOe’s win, analysts suggest forming a coalition could be difficult. Chancellor Karl Nehammer of the OeVP, who nearly closed the gap on the FPOe in recent polls, acknowledged his party’s defeat but vowed to continue working for the people. Nehammer could remain chancellor if he forms a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPOe), who received 21.1% of the vote, and possibly the liberal NEOS party, which garnered 9.2%. A three-party coalition would be unprecedented but may face challenges in governing due to the country’s rightward shift. The FPOe has previously been part of coalition governments with the conservatives, though these alliances ended in controversy. A government formed in 2000 led to protests and sanctions from the European Union, while a later coalition collapsed in 2019 over a corruption scandal. If Kickl becomes chancellor, experts suggest Austria's relationship with the EU could change, as he has openly admired Hungary’s Viktor Orban and opposes EU sanctions on Russia.

Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war more than two and a half years ago, the Russian military has lost over 70,000 soldiers. BBC and Russian news outlet Mediazona confirmed this information in a report published on Friday. Russian media regularly updates the number of soldiers killed and injured, along with their names and identities. Additionally, Russia’s Ministry of Defense and related agencies also release casualty figures. The names of Russian soldiers buried in cemeteries are also recorded. BBC and Mediazona used these three sources to gather data and contacted the families of the deceased soldiers to verify the information. Key Stats: Russian soldiers killed in the Ukraine war: 70,112 (confirmed by BBC and Mediazona) Volunteer fighters among the deceased: 13,781 (13% of total deaths) Age range of volunteers: Mostly between 42-50 years old Oldest identified volunteer: 71 years old At least 250 volunteers aged: 60 or older According to BBC’s report, “Based on our calculations, 70,112 Russian soldiers have been killed in the war. We have confirmed their names, identities, and deaths. However, the actual death toll is likely much higher, as many families of deceased soldiers and officials have been unwilling to share information with the media. Furthermore, we do not have complete casualty data for those fighting for Russia in Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.” Of the 70,112 identified Russian soldiers, 13,781 were volunteer fighters. These were civilians who later joined the Russian military in response to the state's call. Volunteers make up 13% of Russia's total deaths in the war over the past two and a half years. Most of these volunteer fighters come from economically disadvantaged cities and villages in Russia, where finding satisfactory employment is difficult. Many joined the military out of necessity. Most of these volunteers enlisted willingly, drawn by the fact that current military pay is 5 to 7 times higher than before. Additionally, the Russian government offers various social benefits, such as free medical care for soldiers' children and tax exemptions. Beyond regular pay, volunteers receive a significant lump sum payment upon joining. For those in financial hardship, these benefits are highly appealing. The majority of these volunteers are between 42 and 50 years old, with some being even older. The oldest volunteer fighter identified in BBC’s report was 71 years old. The list also includes at least 250 volunteers aged 60 or older. In addition to Russian citizens, other countries’ volunteers, primarily from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and other Central Asian nations, are also fighting in the Russian military. Despite the high pay and benefits, there have been complaints about the poor quality of the gear issued to the soldiers. According to several soldiers interviewed by BBC and Mediazona, the uniforms, helmets, and bulletproof vests provided by the government are cheap and of poor quality, unsuitable for the harsh winters. One volunteer soldier, speaking anonymously, said, “The uniforms, helmets, and bulletproof vests given by the government are cheap and of poor quality, especially for the severe winters here. There are better quality items available, but you’ll have to buy them yourself.”  (Source: BBC)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Saturday he had signed an agreement for the return of mandatory military service in his country, which abolished it in 2011. The compulsory service would last 75 days, he told cadets being promoted at a ceremony at the country's Military Academy. Serbia abolished compulsory military service 23 years ago, relying since then on a professional army. What did Vucic say? "I hope you all understand how much we need a strong army, how much we need to purchase and manufacture more weapons," he told his audience. "We don't want to attack anyone. Nor will we do so. But we want to deter those who threaten us with savage relentnessness every day," he added. Vucic gave no details on who he thought was threatening his country. For compulsory military service to be reintroduced, both the government and the parliament — where Vucic's party holds a substantial majority — must approve the proposal.       Vucic recently said that the government was considering the introduction of military service lasting 60 plus 15 days. The service would be mandatory for men, while women would still be able to serve voluntarily, he said.  The president has frequently been condemned by rights groups for tending toward authoritarianism as he moved up the ranks of Serbian politics.