Argentina on the roof of the world, the censorship of Elon Musk on Twitter…

UNITED STATES

Libertarian Elon Musk censors Twitter

Less than two months after his takeover of the social network Twitter, the billionaire Elon Musk in love, he said with “freedom of expression” – until restoring the accounts of neo-Nazis and conspirators – starts censorship. The accounts of a dozen American journalists (particularly in the New York Times and at washington post) were removed on December 15.

“They had in common Their tenacity to relentlessly investigate or criticize the billionaire” according to CNN, which adds that these suspensions “raise serious questions about the future of the free press on Twitter”. They were finally reinstated two days later.

BURKINA FASO

Wagner’s shadow

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo threw a stone’s throw in the pond, on December 14, by affirming that neighboring Burkina Faso had “concluded an arrangement to employ forces of Wagner”, the Russian paramilitaries who are already rampant in the Central African Republic, Mali and Libya. If Ouagadougou and Moscow seem to be getting closer – the Burkinabe Prime Minister recently visited Russia – the authorities resulting from the September 30 putsch have not confirmed an agreement with Wagner. But information site The country wonders already: “Doesn’t Burkina Faso run the risk of seeing some of its European and American partners slip away?”

EUROPEAN UNION

After Qatargate, Morocco in turn targeted

The case of alleged corruption of MEPs is only in its infancy. In addition to Qatar, accused of having paid cash to several elected officials to defend positions favorable to the emirate, Morocco is in the sights of Belgian justice, according to La Repubblica and The evening.

Former leftist MP Pier Antonio Panzeri – also involved in Qatargate – is said to have received “gifts” from the kingdom’s secret services in return for a plea in favor of the “Moroccanness” of Western Sahara, a disputed territory. For the Belgian daily The eveningthis “Morocco-connection” reveals that Doha and Rabat are involved in “the same criminal organization“.

JAPAN

Tokyo beefs up its defense

It is a revolution for Japan. The government announced on December 16 a new security strategy which formalizes the exit from its defensive posture in the face of the most dangerous environment since the end of the Second World War. “Depicting the sometimes unprecedented threats from China, North Korea and Russia, Japan’s defense spending over the next five years is expected to total 43 trillion yen ($313 billion) “, specifies theAsahi Shimbun. The military budget would double to about $68 billion in 2027, the third largest in the world after the United States and China.

GERMANY

Gas: first terminal inaugurated

“We are making ourselves independent of Russian pipelines.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not hide his relief during the inauguration, on December 17, of the first German floating LNG terminal, in Wilhelmshaven, in the North Sea, to receive LNG (liquefied natural gas). To compensate for the halt in deliveries by Russia, Germany had to obtain supplies via Dutch, Belgian and French ports, for lack of suitable infrastructure.

Within a few months, it should have four other LNG terminals. “There will probably be too much, experts say, and gas will suddenly become cheap again,” valued Der Spiegel.

ARGENTINA

The World Cup to forget inflation

Thirty-six years they waited to relive that. In the villages, towns and the crowded center of Buenos Aires, the Argentines celebrated with jubilation the victory of their selection, led by Lionel Messi, in the final of the Football World Cup. The party promised to continue for several days in this country where football is a real religion. “The title makes you forget for a moment all the problems, like rising prices, politics”, note the Suddeutsche Zeitung. The Argentine economy suffered an inflation of around 90% over the year 2022.

ARMENIA

Azerbaijan locks access to Nagorno-Karabakh

On December 14, Armenian MPs accused Azerbaijan of blocking the Lachin Corridor, the only road linking Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. This region, populated mainly by Armenians, was attached to Azerbaijan before seceding with the support of Armenia. Since the 12th, it has been occupied by dozens of Azerbaijani demonstrators, who claim to want to fight against mining activities in the region and protect the environment.

A pretext, denounces Yerevan. “Azerbaijan pursues its strategic goal – to expel as many Armenians as possible, underlines the magazine Armenia News. The blockade is part of a set of tools for Azerbaijan, alongside shooting and attacks on the civilian population.”