Briefly

SOLOMON ISLANDS

PM Sogavare hits out at Western 'agents'

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Wednesday accused "agents of Western powers" and shadowy enemies of trying to "pull down" his government. Accusing the United States of having a "geopolitical superiority complex", he claimed the end of the US hegemony in the Pacific. "We must wake up. Those days are over," he said, while pointing to Chinese investment as a means of breaking his country's dependence on foreign aid. Elections had been expected earlier this year, but were delayed after Sogavare said it was not possible to hold a vote until after Solomon Islands hosted the Pacific Games. Parliament is expected to be dissolved later this month, paving the way for elections in the first quarter of next year. No date has been set yet.

POLAND

Pro-EU Tusk sworn in as new prime minister

Poland's president on Wednesday swore in Donald Tusk as the new pro-European Union prime minister, putting an end to eight years of right-wing populist rule. Tusk, a veteran politician who already served as premier in the past, has pledged to restore Poland's position in the EU and to double down on efforts to provide more aid to neighboring Ukraine. The former European Council president was scheduled to travel to Brussels later on Wednesday to participate in the bloc's summit with fellow EU leaders. Tusk's Civic Coalition together with two smaller political groups forged an alliance that ousted the Law and Justice party from power, winning backing in the parliament in a vote of confidence on Tuesday.

ARGENTINA

'Shock therapy' sees peso sharply devalued

Argentina announced on Tuesday a sharp devaluation of its currency and cuts to energy and transportation subsidies as part of shock measures that new President Javier Milei says are needed to deal with an economic emergency. Economy Minister Luis Caputo said in a televised speech that the Argentine peso will be devalued by 50 percent to 800 to the dollar from 400 pesos to the dollar. Milei said the country does not have time to consider other alternatives. Argentina is suffering 143 percent annual inflation. The nation has also a yawning fiscal deficit, a trade deficit of $43 billion, and a daunting $45 billion debt to the International Monetary Fund, with $10.6 billion due to multilateral and private creditors by April.

GERMANY

Train drivers plan longer strike after Christmas

Germany's GDL train drivers' union said on Wednesday that it was planning a strike that would last several days after the Christmas holiday, as a wage dispute with rail operator Deutsche Bahn continues. "From Jan 8, you should expect longer labor disputes," GDL head Claus Weselsky was quoted as saying by the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. The union held a 24-hour strike last week, its last strike of the year, after negotiations with Deutsche Bahn broke off at the end of November. The GDL is demanding a reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 hours per week for shift workers, as well as an increase of 555 euros ($598) per month and a one-off inflation compensation bonus of 3,000 euros.

Agencies Via Xinhua