In Georgia

Otar Berdzenishvili, the Georgian Ambassador to Bulgaria, has announced his resignation in response to the Georgian government's decision to freeze EU membership talks. In a post on social media, Berdzenishvili expressed his disappointment, citing the undermining of Georgia's EU integration efforts.

Protests erupted in Tbilisi after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced a delay in the country's EU accession talks until 2028, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and police. Riot police employed water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray to disperse crowds near Parliament.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Thursday that while Tbilisi remains committed to its goal of European Union membership, it will not pursue accession until 2028, accusing Brussels of "blackmail".

Georgia's new parliament convened for its first session on Monday amid protests over an election the opposition says was rigged and after the pro-European president demanded the result be annulled.

Political turmoil has rocked the Black Sea nation since the Oct. 26 vote, won by the governing Georgian Dream party.

Aslan Bzhania, the president of Abkhazia, has stepped down following discussions with the opposition, according to a Telegram message and a signed document reported by Reuters. His resignation comes after widespread protests in the region, sparked by a controversial investment agreement signed with Moscow.

Georgia has launched a probe into the alleged "falsification" of its parliamentary elections, prosecutors said on Oct. 30, after the pro-Western opposition said the vote was "stolen" and Western countries criticized irregularities.

In this handout picture taken and released by the Georgian presidential press service on October 27, 2024, Georgia's President Salome Zurabishvili, flanked by leaders of opposition parties, speaks during a press conference at the presidential palace in Tbilisi, a day after the parliamentary elections.

Storm-battered Florida braced Tuesday for a direct hit from Hurricane Milton, as U.S. President Joe Biden begged residents to flee what he warned could be the worst natural disaster to hit the U.S. state in a century.

As the second huge hurricane in as many weeks rumbled toward Florida's west coast, a sense of looming catastrophe spread as people raced to board up homes and flee.

Russia has issued a warning to NATO, indicating the potential for a "direct confrontation" in the Black Sea amid an escalation in US drone activities in the region. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has instructed the military to propose operational responses to what Moscow perceives as provocations.

The speaker of Georgia's parliament said on Monday he signed into law a controversial "foreign influence" bill adopted despite mass protests, Western condemnation and a presidential veto.

Georgia's parliament adopted the divisive law last week, overriding a presidential veto on the measure, which critics say is anti-democratic and mirrors Russian legislation used to silence dissent.