Republics

The Arab League condemned Brazil on Dec. 19 for opening a trade representation office in Jerusalem.

After convening at the request of Palestine, the regional organization rejected the move in a statement.

Brazil is the latest country to open a trade representation office in Jerusalem following Hungary in March and Honduras in September.

US Congress' approval of a spending package that includes the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 signals a "new day in Greek-American relations," Senator Bob Menendez, one of the authors of the bipartisan legislation, told Greece's Athens-Macedonian News Agency on Thursday.

The powerful storm in the Baltic Sea yesterday left tens of thousands of households in Latvia and Estonia without electricity, DPA reported.

There are over 50,000 households in Estonia without electricity and 17,000 in Latvia.

The wind gust of up to 27 meters per second knocked down trees that fell on parked cars and blocked roads. Navigation in the area was also affected.

Data of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy reveals that between 60 and 70% of young Bulgarians studying and working abroad want to return to their homeland and pursue a career here, BNR reported.   The data was collected during forums held jointly with the embassies of Bulgaria in the capitals of countries with a high concentration of Bulgarian students.

Incumbent President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic said that Croatia would insist on Serbia's meeting all criteria, which, as she said, "must face its past", instead of returning to World War II, in order to "experience the catharsis of what they did to Croatia and to other neighbouring countries".

A devastating earthquake in Albania is the latest wake-up call for Balkan states, but few have learned the lessons of the past.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva met with Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi. The two spoke in Madrid at the 14th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Asia-Europe Forum (ASEM).
 

The share of local capital must increase in the process of economic development, and the authorities must be its "partner and supporter" and not "an obstacle maker", Prime Minister Ludovic Orban stated on Monday, at the Romanian Capital Forum.

The first Global Refugee Forum, co-convened by Turkey, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Germany, and Pakistan, will start on Dec. 16 in Geneva.

China is a world superpower, one of the permanent UN Security Council members and an indispensable strategic partner of the EU's, Cerar said after meeting Wang in Ljubljana.