Latvia Prime Minister's New Unity Party Wins General Election

 

Euronews/Reuters: Latvia prime minister's New Unity party wins general election — early results 

RIGA (Reuters) -The centre-right New Unity party of Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins won Saturday's election, according to provisional results, with its 19% of the vote putting him in a position to head another coalition government. 

The results - with 96% of districts counted - mean Latvia should remain a leading voice alongside its Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Estonia in pushing the European Union for a decisive stance against Russia. 

Karins' party was again the party with the most support following the election. Members of the current coalition were on track to receive 42 seats in the 100-seat parliament, so Karins needs to draft additional allies to stay as a prime minister. As many as nine parties could win sufficient votes to secure seats in parliament.

Read more ....  

Update: Latvian premier's party emerges on top in general election (AP)  

WNU Editor: Even though he won about 20% of the vote, being the party that won the most votes means that he will receive 42 seats in the 100-seat parliament. A coalition will need to be formed with other parties. The energy crisis and high inflation will be the first issues the new government will need to face.

US Navy Recruit Found Not Guilty Of 2020 Arson That Destroyed The USS Bonhomme Richard

Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department boats combat a fire on board USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) at Naval Base San Diego, July 12. Lt. John J. Mike/US Navy 

   

Daily Mail: Navy recruit, 21, is found NOT GUILTY of 2020 arson that gutted USS Bonhomme Richard and caused $1.2B in damage - as it's revealed there was a SECOND suspect who was kicked out of service 

 * Seaman Recruit Ryan Mays was found not guilty of setting the fire that destroyed USS Bonhomme Richard in July 2020

* Prosecutors failed to present enough evidence which tied Mays to the arson 

 * The ship burned for more than four days and caused an estimated $1.2 billion in damages 

 * Mays' defense introduced information that the Navy had another suspect they gave up on after the sailor was kicked out of the service 

A 21-year-old Navy recruit was found not guilty of arson in the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard in July 2020. 

Captain Derek Butler ruled that the prosecution against Seaman Recruit Ryan Mays did not present enough hard evidence connecting Mays to the arson. 

Butler added that the evidence presented was primarily circumstantial, according to a CBS8 report.  

Read more .... 

US Navy Recruit Found Not Guilty Of 2020 Arson That Destroyed The USS Bonhomme Richard  

UPDATED: Former Bonhomme Richard Sailor Ryan Sawyer Mays Acquitted of Arson -- USNI News  

Sailor found not guilty of arson fire that destroyed $1.2 billion Navy ship, judge rules -- AP 

U.S. sailor found not guilty of fire that destroyed ship -- Reuters  

Naval sailor acquitted of arson in fire that destroyed USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego -- FOX News  

Sailor charged with starting fire that destroyed Navy ship found not guilty -- CNN  

US navy sailor acquitted of setting fire that destroyed $1.2bn warship -- The Guardian  

Navy sailor found not guilty of setting fire that destroyed ship -- UPI

Coup In Burkina Faso: News Roundup

 

Daily Mail: Military coup overthrows Burkina Faso's junta in the second takeover in eight months after gunfire broke out at presidential palace 

* A military coup has taken place in Burkina Faso for the second time this year 

* The coup overthrew the country's junta - which forcibly took power in January 

* Army Captain Ibrahim Traore says he has deposed leader Paul-Henri Damiba Burkina Faso's government has been overthrown by a military coup, in the second takeover in just eight months. 

Sounds of gunfire were reported at presidential palace earlier today and soldiers were seen blocking main roads in the capital Ouagadougou. 

Appearing on national TV, Burkina Faso army Captain Ibrahim Traore announced he has deposed military leader Paul-Henri Damiba and dissolved the government.  

Read more ....  

WNU editor: This is Burkina Faso's second coup in the past year.  

Update: There are accusations that France is supporting a counterattack .... Burkina coup-makers accuse France of supporting counterattack (Al JAzeera). More here .... Gunfire, confusion grip Burkina Faso day after coup, fire breaks out at French embassy (Reuters), and here .... Burkina Faso's New Leader Says Gunfire in Capital Was Counter-Offensive by Ousted President (Reuters). 

Coup In Burkina Faso: News Roundup  

Burkina Faso coup: Gunshots in capital and roads blocked -- BBC  

Burkina Faso’s military leader ousted in second coup this year -- The Guardian  

Protesters attack French Embassy in Burkina Faso after coup -- ABC News Australia  

Burkina Faso army captain announces overthrow of military government -- France 24  

Burkina Faso Army Announces Overthrow of Military Government -- VOA 

Burkina Faso’s military government ousted: Reports -- Politico

Russia - Ukraine War: Military Summary And Analysis For 1.10.2022

 

WNU Editor: A lot of updates today.

Russia - Ukraine War Maps -- October 1, 2022 (Click on Images to Enlarge)

Tweets On The Russia - Ukraine War

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 1 October 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/MNhzXEbxeJ

🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/NJ7ChUhMTQ

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) October 1, 2022

Lyman has served as a major logistics and transport hub for Russia's occupying forces.

The town is located in the territory that President Putin illegally declared as part of Russia.https://t.co/XQqXup85Y4

— DW News (@dwnews) October 1, 2022

Russia’s withdrawal from the eastern Ukrainian city of Lyman complicates Moscow's internationally vilified declaration just a day earlier that it had annexed four regions of Ukraine. Lyman is in one of those regions, Donetsk. https://t.co/o32AfkT6Av

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 1, 2022

#BREAKING Zelensky pledges more Ukraine flags in eastern Ukraine 'in a week' pic.twitter.com/zyLme3NtH1

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) October 1, 2022

President Biden said the US will never recognize Russia's claims on Ukrainian territory, calling the annexation 'referendums' an absolute sham. pic.twitter.com/BAdPloUGGF

— DW News (@dwnews) October 2, 2022

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant chief detained by Russians, says state nuclear regulator https://t.co/GSnuycu9Qr

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 1, 2022

#URGENT The #NordStream 2 pipeline is no longer leaking under the Baltic Sea because an equilibrium has been reached between the gas and water pressure, a spokesman told @AFP. pic.twitter.com/uMc7H8HW6V

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) October 1, 2022

Tweets Of The Day

Gunfire was heard in Burkina Faso's capital, the day after President Paul-Henri Damiba was ousted in the West African country's second military coup this year https://t.co/SKCdleaFdG pic.twitter.com/F2zqauQ3tK

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 1, 2022

Burkina Faso's new self-declared leader has accused the president he deposed in a military coup of plotting a counteroffensive with French aid. https://t.co/wEt2RqB8qI

— DW News (@dwnews) October 1, 2022

Protesters have attacked the French Embassy in Burkina Faso's capital after supporters of the West African nation's new coup leader accused France of harboring the ousted interim president, a charge French authorities denied. https://t.co/6ALmsegqcO

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 1, 2022

Bolsonaro's political future hangs in balance in this Sunday's general elections in Brazil.

His ideological polar opposite, leftist former President Lula da Silva, hopes to oust the far-right leader 🗳️🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/THstRg8fIF

— DW News (@dwnews) October 1, 2022

Latvians are voting to elect a new parliament against the backdrop of rising energy prices, high inflation, and the war in Ukraine.https://t.co/sqBsG1qmgj

— DW News (@dwnews) October 1, 2022

Bulgarian election: Russia overshadows vote in EU's poorest country https://t.co/vFxLTKB2Ug

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 30, 2022

JUST IN: Indonesian police said on Sunday at least 127 people died after a riot broke out following a football match in the East Java province.https://t.co/bQRhb1HJh1

— DW News (@dwnews) October 1, 2022

It was not immediately clear if the attack was related to nationwide antigovernment protests gripping Iran after the death in police custody of a young woman who had been detained for allegedly wearing her mandatory Islamic headscarf too loosely. https://t.co/ErTWKmwv85

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 1, 2022

Cubans protest in Havana for 2nd night over lack of power https://t.co/cdINew24yA pic.twitter.com/rE0RqVjqYz

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 1, 2022

Picture Of The Day

President Vladimir Putin with Denis Pushilin, Leonid Pasechnik, Vladimir Saldo, and Yevgeny Balitsky, who are the Russian-installed leaders in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia [Sputnik/Dmitry Astakhov/Pool via Reuters]

Editor's Note

I am in Toronto right now. Blogging will return later this evening.

Topics that will be covered are Brazil's, Latvia's and Bulgaria's elections. The encirclement of Russian forces at Lyman and what may end up being the biggest loss for Russian forces. Growing tensions between Russia and NATO/U.S.. Horrible economic numbers. The coup in Burkina Faso. And other news developments.

UN Secretary General Guterres And NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Will Be Issuing An Unprecedented Joint Statement Later Today

WNU Editor: A friend told me this news just a few minutes ago. I have no way to verify its accuracy. The wire services are saying nothing. Both the UN and NATO press offices are quiet.

I also have no information on what will be said. 

My friend thinks it will be an acceptance of Ukraine's application to quickly join NATO. 

I doubt it. 

But if it happens a joint statement from the heads of NATO and the UN on a Friday evening is unprecedented. And if it is support of Ukraine's fast track application to join NATO, war tensions are going to escalate.

I am about to give a presentation to a business group on the current geopolitical situation in the world, and what I see trending in 2023. I will not be in front of a computer until later this evening. 

If this joint statement does come out later today, I will (of course) post and analyze it. If this is all a false alarm. I will be relieved, and will sleep easier tonight.

Update: In separate announcements, N Secretary General Guterres and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg denounced Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory.