“I call on my people here. Never give credit to French-labelled goods, don’t buy them,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday joined calls for a boycott of French goods, ramping up a standoff between France and Muslim countries over Islam and freedom of speech. Source The Hindu
The Russian Pacific Fleet has kicked off large-scale drills in the central part of the Pacific Ocean, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday. “In accordance with the plan of training military command centers of the Pacific Fleet’s forces (troops) in 2021, an operational exercise of the Fleet’s combined arms forces is running in the distant maritime zone,” the ministry said in a statement. Source Tass
Lofven says he’ll now talk to his allies in parliament to figure out whether he can still patch together a viable coalition. Failing that, he may call a snap election, he said after losing Monday’s vote. If Swedes are forced to head to the polls early, it would be the first time since 1958. If Lofven resigns, the speaker of parliament will ask the biggest parties to try to form a new government until scheduled elections take place next year. Source Time
A massive car bomb attack targeted France’s Barkhane force in the central Malian town of Gossi on Monday injuring several soldiers, local sources told FRANCE 24. The attack occurred in the Kaigourou neighbourhood of Gossi in central Mali injuring several soldiers operating under France’s Operation Barkhane in Sahel, according to local sources. Witnesses said several military helicopters could be seen heading to the area after the massive explosion to evacuate the wounded. Source France24
