Legislatures

Turkey has joined an international diplomatic campaign to defuse tension between the United States and Iran after the assassination of the latter's top military figure with calls on all related parties to act with restraint and common sense to avoid a larger conflict in an already unstable Middle East.

Former parliamentary speaker Anna Benaki-Psarouda will assume the presidency of the Academy of Athens for the year 2020 on January 1, following a decision of its plenary session.
Psarouda, who was the country's first female House speaker from 2004-07, is currently the academy's vice president and will replace Stefanos Immelos.

Thousands of people joined fresh rallies against a contentious citizenship law in India on Dec. 21, with 20 killed so far in the unrest.    

The death toll jumped after demonstrations turned violent on Dec. 20 in the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, leaving at least 11 dead including an eight-year-old boy, who was trampled.    

The drama playing out in the United States is testing the system of checks on power instituted by the Founding Fathers; it has already shown the dead end at which the divided country finds itself.

Berlin stands in solidarity with Athens and Nicosia, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was reported as saying on Thursday during a visit to Cyprus, where she also called on Ankara to respect international law.

President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 18 night, becoming only the third American chief executive to be formally charged under the Constitution's ultimate remedy for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Dec. 17, American sanctions against the Islamic Republic will not last for long. 

Speaking at a press conference before flying to Malaysia, Rouhani said world countries are seeking to establish friendly relations with Iran.

The so-called Rywin affair — named after top film producer Lew Rywin, who was accused of arranging a $17.5 million bribe to influence a new media law, allegedly on behalf of the then prime minister's closest circle — ultimately toppled the government and sent Rywin to prison.

Puigdemont is on a wanted warrant in Spain for holding a referendum on Catalonia's independence two years ago.
The protests against that referendum came not only from Madrid but also from Brussels.

Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has stated on Monday that the Liberals endorse, within the European People's Party (EPP) Congress, Donald Tusk as President and Siegfired Muresan as Vice -President. "We endorse a candidate to the EPP Vice-President office, namely Siegfried Muresan, we endorse the candidacy of Donald Tusk as EPP President.