Mats Hummels redeemed himself after conceding a first-half penalty by scoring a last-gasp equaliser in an eventful 2-2 draw between Tottenham and Roma in the Europa League.
Fraser Forster kept his spot in the Europa League starting XI and will be Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice goalkeeper moving forward after an ankle injury ruled out Guglielmo Vicario for several months.
Postecoglou put out a strong starting XI after Saturday’s shock 4-0 defeat away to Premier League champions Manchester City.
Tottenham won a penalty inside five minutes when Mats Hummels fouled Pape Matar Sarr.
It took VAR to intervene to award what was a clear foul in the box and captain Heung-min Son stepped up to score.
Italian giants Roma were level 14 minutes later when Evan Ndicka scored a looping header from Paulo Dybala’s free-kick.
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Moments later the visitors thought they had gone ahead courtesy of a wonderful Stephan El Shaarawy volley but it was ruled out for an offside against the winger.
Sarr tried to get Spurs back in front after a good spell from the visitors with a low effort in the 29th minute but it was well saved by Mile Svilar.
In a high octane opening 45 minutes, Spurs took the lead again, this time through Brennan Johnson.
Dejan Kulusevski picked out Johnson with a superb low cross, continuing from where he left off against City on Saturday.
Roma had the ball in the net for the third time and for the second time, it was ruled off for offside. This time, Artem Dovbyk was the unfortunate one.
Hummels avenged his earlier mistake with an equaliser in stoppage time for Roma, smashing the ball into the back of the net from yards out to rescue a draw.
The Australian Senate has approved a law prohibiting children under 16 from using social networks. Companies face fines of up to $32.5 million for violations, and the law will come into force in 12 months.
Australia will ban children under the age of 16 from using social networks after its Senate approved the strictest legislation in the world, writes UNN with reference to the BBC.
Details
The ban, which will take effect no earlier than 12 months from now, could lead to fines for technology companies of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($32.5 million; 25.7 million pounds) if they do not comply with it.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanisi said the legislation was necessary to protect young people from the "harm" of social media, which was supported by many parent groups.
But critics say questions about how the ban will work, and its impact on privacy and social connections, have gone unanswered.
This is not the first attempt to globally restrict children's use of social media, but it implies the highest age limit set by any country and does not provide exceptions for existing users or those with parental consent.
"This is a global problem and we want young Australians to have a childhood, in fact," Albanisi said while introducing the bill in the lower house last week. "We want the parents to be calm.
Passed by the Senate by 34 votes to 19 late on Thursday, the bill will return to the House of Representatives, where the government has a majority, which means that it will definitely be passed to approve amendments before becoming law, the newspaper notes.
The bill does not specify which platforms will be banned. These decisions will be made later by the Australian Minister of Communications, who will seek advice from the Commissioner for Electronic Security, the Internet regulator that will ensure compliance with the rules.
The exceptions are gaming and messaging platforms, as well as sites that can be accessed without an account, i.e. YouTube, for example, will most likely not be affected.
The government says that whether it will rely on some form of age verification technology to implement the restrictions will be tested in the coming months, as will the options. Social media platforms should add these processes themselves.
However, digital researchers cautioned that there is no guarantee that an unspecified technology that may rely on biometric data or identity information will work. Critics also demanded guarantees that privacy would be protected.
They also warned that restrictions can be easily circumvented using tools such as VPNs, which can hide a user's location and make it appear that they are logging in from another country.
However, children who find ways to circumvent the rules will not be penalized.
Polls on the reforms, although limited, show that they are supported by the majority of Australian parents and guardians.
But many experts say the ban is "too crude a tool" to effectively address the risks associated with using social media, and warn that it could eventually push children into less regulated corners of the internet.
During the short consultation period before the bill was passed, Google and Snap criticized the bill for not providing more detailed information, and Meta said the bill would be "ineffective" and would not meet the stated goal of giving children more security.
In a statement, TikTok pointed out that the government's definition of a social media platform was so "broad and unclear" that "almost every online service may fall under [it].
X questioned the "legality" of the bill, saying it could be incompatible with international norms and human rights treaties that Australia has signed.
Some youth rights advocates have also accused the government of not fully understanding the role of social media in their lives and excluding them from the debate.
Albanizi acknowledged that the debate was difficult, but strongly defended the bill.
Addition
Last year, France introduced a law blocking access to social networks for children under 15 without parental consent, although research shows that almost half of users were able to circumvent the ban using a VPN.
The law in the US state of Utah, which was similar to the Australian one, was overturned by a federal judge who found it unconstitutional.
World leaders are following the laws of Australia with great interest.
Norway recently promised to follow in the country's footsteps, and last week the UK's technology minister said a similar ban was "being considered" – although he later added: "not… for now.
With the purchasing power of the Russian ruble hitting the lowest point since March 2022, the economic toll of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine becomes glaring.
Russia's expanding spending on the war has fueled inflation, prompting Russia's Central Bank to hike its interest rate to the highest level since the early 2000s — 21 percent — to rein in consumer prices.
Inflation remained high regardless of the rate hike, speeding up to over 1 percent in the first three weeks of November and pushing the year-to-year numbers to over 8 percent.
In the wake of the economic challenges the country has faced over the past year, the U.S. government's Nov. 21 decision to impose new sanctions on dozens of Russian banks has proven hard for the country's economy to swallow.
"Russia is currently facing an impossible economic conundrum because of the rapid increase in military expenditures and the Western sanctions," Anders Aslund, a Swedish economist specializing in post-Soviet countries, told the Kyiv Independent.
However, economists and analysts are divided on how much of an impact Russia's economic problems will have on its war effort.
Some argue that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Russia to finance its war.
"Undaunted by economic reality, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is raising defense and security costs to officially $176 billion in 2025, 41 percent of the federal budget expenditures," Aslund said.
"Yet, Russia can only finance 2 percent of GDP in budget deficit a year ($40 billion) because its only reserve is the National Wealth Fund," he said.
"At the end of March 2024, its liquid resources amounted to a mere $55 billion. Nobody lends money to Russia."
But others say that, despite all the economic difficulties, the Kremlin will have enough resources to finance the war for a long time at the expense of cutting spending on the country's civilian sector.
Sergei Aleksashenko, a Russian-born economist based in the U.S., said that "Putin's economic problems shouldn't be overestimated."
"He will spend as much money on the war as necessary," he said.
Even so, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's team has shown openness to a potential plan to dramatically increase oil output and drive down oil prices, on which Russia's economy is heavily dependent. As a result, the Kremlin may be in for a bumpy ride.
"2025 will be a moment of truth," Vladimir Milov, a Russian opposition politician who was an economic advisor for the Russian government in the early 2000s, told the Kyiv Independent.
Central Bank between rock and hard place
Due to constant increases in military spending, Russia's budget deficit amounted to 3.2 trillion rubles ($30 billion) in 2023 and is expected to amount to 3.1 trillion rubles ($29 billion) in 2024.
Since 2023, inflation has been speeding up due to the same reason — from 2.3 percent year-on-year in April 2023 to 8.2 percent in November 2024.
Inflation contributed to the decreasing purchasing power of the ruble, which fell to 108 per dollar on Nov. 28, the lowest level since March 2022.
One of the latest blows to the ruble's value was the U.S. government's Nov. 21 decision to sanction dozens of Russian banks, including Gazprombank, which handles oil and gas payments.
To rein in accelerating inflation, Russia's Central Bank has been raising its interest rate — from 7.5 percent in July 2023 to 21 percent in October 2024.
The tight monetary policy of Elvira Nabiullina, the central bank's chief, has prompted a backlash from businesses, including those involved in the military industrial complex.
Sergei Chemezov, CEO of state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec, has lashed out at the Central Bank repeatedly.
"If we continue working this way, most enterprises will essentially go bankrupt," he said in October. "The question today is this: either we cease all high-tech exports — airplanes, air defense systems, ships, and so on, which require production timelines of a year or more — or we need to take some measures."
Elvira Nabiullina, head of the country's Central Bank, in Saint Petersburg, Russia on July 5, 2024. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)A man walks past the Russian Central Bank headquarters in downtown Moscow, Russia on Sep. 6, 2023. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)
Opposition politician Milov said that Chemezov and Nabiullina "are both right" in their own way.
"Chemezov is right that businesses will have to shut down at such a (high interest) rate," he told the Kyiv Independent, "Nabiullina is right that the rate cannot be cut because in that case there will be hyperinflation like in Turkey."
He continued that "there is only one way out — finish the war and withdraw Russian troops" from Ukraine.
"Nabiullina is in a tough spot because of the spending on the war," Torbjörn Becker, director of the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics and a co-author of a recent report on the Russian wartime economy, told the Kyiv Independent. "The whole war effort is creating a headache for Nabiullina. The military-industrial complex wants to spend more money. The military guys don't care about macroeconomic stability."
Is Russia headed for stagflation?
The Central Bank's policy of making credit more expensive may be contributing to a slowdown in economic growth.
Russia's gross domestic product rose 3.6 percent in 2023 amid a boom fueled by military spending, according to the State Statistics Service (RosStat). Russia's economy is expected to grow by 3.5-4 percent in 2024, but the growth is expected to slow down to 0.5-1.5 percent in 2025, according to Russia's Central Bank.
"There are no new investments, and the effectiveness of the fiscal stimulus is decreasing," Milov said. "(Economic growth) is also being killed by high inflation and the Central Bank's high rate. Credit is unbelievably expensive."
Milov believes that Russia's GDP may fall in 2025, and the country may experience stagflation — a combination of stagnation and high inflation.
Alexandra Prokopenko, an economic expert at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, argued that "it's not stagflation yet, but Russia is close."
"Recent data suggests that the overheated Russian economy is starting to cool," she told the Kyiv Independent. "This includes a fall in retail lending, slowing wage increases, and dropping industrial growth. However, it shouldn't be overstated. Despite the signs of cooling, the fundamental drivers of overheating remain in place — growing military production and an intense labor shortage."
"Recent data suggests that the overheated Russian economy is starting to cool."
She added that "in some sectors related to the military (like, for example, finished metal products and optics and computers), there is no sign of any cooling."
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Uralvagonzavod, a Russian tank factory, in Nizhny Tagil, Russia on Feb. 15, 2024. (Alexander Kazakov / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Yulia Pavytska, an economic expert at the Kyiv School of Economics' think-tank, KSE Institute, told the Kyiv Independent that "the current policy of the Russian Central Bank will either lead to stagnation — the absence of economic growth — or the regulator will fail, in which case inflation will continue to rise."
She added, however, that "a combination of stagnation and inflation is currently an unlikely scenario, given the continued fiscal stimulus in the form of war-related expenditures and the significant labor market deficit."
Aleksashenko said that he did not expect a drop in Russia's GDP in 2025. He told the Kyiv Independent that labor market shortages were slowing down economic growth but their impact was relatively small.
Higher inflation on the horizon?
Some analysts predict that pressure from industry, including the military-industrial complex, will lead to Nabiullina's downfall.
"Putin understands that Nabiullina is useful but there is more and more pressure from security forces," Russian political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin told the Kyiv Independent. "In this struggle, the military-industrial complex will inevitably win because Putin is waging a war."
Aslund agreed, saying that "Chemezov and other industrialists will oust her very soon and make the correct point that high interest rates solve none of the (Central Bank's) tasks, which would be correct, but they will push for lower interest rates, which will aggravate the situation."
"Inflation will rise, the capital outflow will accelerate, and the exchange rate will fall," he told the Kyiv Independent.
Aslund also said that he "would not suggest hyperinflation (over 50 percent increase a month) but a substantial increase in inflation, which will cause popular dissatisfaction."
Andrei Movchan, a Russian-born economist and founder of Movchan's Group, told the Kyiv Independent that, if the Central Bank changes its policy and cuts its rate by several percentage points, inflation could rise to 20-25 percent but it would not lead to a "catastrophe" or "destruction of the economy."
Although economists agree that Russia is experiencing economic difficulties, they are split on whether they will make its war effort unsustainable.
Aslund said that "Russia's macroeconomic failures will become a critical factor next year, perhaps rather soon, though these things are always difficult to time."
Anders Olofsgård, a deputy director at the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics, shares these thoughts.
He told the Kyiv Independent that "it is becoming increasingly expensive for Russia to finance the war, with domestic military production at capacity, inflation and wages surging, and them increasingly turning to allies such as Iran and North Korea for military equipment and even soldiers."
"They are also gradually depleting the external reserves they have, and the worse the economic situation, the more they need to turn to those reserves to afford the expansion in military expenditures," he said. "Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that they will run out of money tomorrow, but depending on oil and gas prices, the effectiveness and enforcement of sanctions, and the competence and credibility of their macroeconomic policies, that day is coming."
Milov said that there is less and less money at Russia's Federal Wealth Fund, and it's difficult for the government to borrow at such a high interest rate.
The government has tried to raise money by increasing taxes but the "tax hikes will accelerate the slowing down of the economy and reduce the tax base," Milov continued.
"They'll have to decide something because they can't wage such a high-intensity war anymore," he added.
Milov said that the production of more primitive military products — such as drones, bombs, and artillery shells — is expanding. However, it is more difficult for Russia to produce more complex equipment — tanks, armored vehicles and aircraft, he added.
"They'll have to decide something because they can't wage such a high-intensity war anymore."
Other economists are more cautious.
"Russia is currently not facing serious fiscal challenges," Pavytska said. "It is likely that the Finance Ministry will be able to execute this year's budget as planned."
She said that domestic borrowing would be "costly," but the government would take this step if needed because "the regime needs money for the war now, not in some abstract future."
"In modern Russian realities, the key interest rate is, de facto, irrelevant to the regime," Pavytska added. "Funds for the war will be found in any case, including by cutting other expenditures, as evidenced by the draft budget for next year, or through monetary issuance."
Movchan and Aleksashenko said that the defense sector gets direct funding from the budget, not loans, and it would be funded regardless of high interest rates. They argued that Russia's economic difficulties were not affecting its war effort.
Movchan said that Russia would start experiencing problems with funding the war only if oil prices fell significantly, leading to a major drop in the government's foreign currency earnings. He added, however, that he believed that a major fall in oil prices was unlikely in the near future.
The hope for a drop in oil prices was boosted recently by Trump's plan to issue more permits to drastically increase U.S. oil and liquefied natural gas production. Reuters reported on Nov. 25 that Trump's transition team was working on the plan and would roll it out within days of him taking office in January.
Oreshkin said that Russia's current economic turmoil is unlikely to strengthen Ukraine's hand in potential peace talks. But, if Trump manages to drive down oil prices and cracks down on Russia's evasion of oil sanctions, Ukraine will have a stronger position, he added.
In the Luhansk boarding school, the invaders awarded children the rank of Vice-sergeants after taking the oath of the Russian Federation. The invaders continue to militarize young people in the occupied territories to create a mobilization resource.
Children from the temporarily occupied Luhansk region underwent another military training from the invaders. The invaders introduced service "titles"in a local secondary education institution. This is reported by The Center for National Resistance, reports UNN.
Details
Pupils of the economic and legal boarding Lyceum named after the heroes of the "young guard" in Luhansk were awarded the rank of Vice-sergeants by the invaders. This was preceded by taking the oath of allegiance to the aggressor country. The "event" was held in the premises of the local museum of local lore, which is equipped in the best propaganda traditions of the Kremlin.
Moscow is making big bets on the militarization of children. This is done with one goal – to educate young people loyal to the Russian occupation, who are instilled hatred and intolerance to their roots.
– reports the central nervous system.
The occupiers systematically introduce military-patriotic programs, force children to participate in paramilitary training, take the oath of office and wear military ranks. Such initiatives are aimed at turning the younger generation into a potential mobilization resource of the Russian army. In the future, these children will become a powerful mobilization resource for the Russian army and will be able to fight against their homeland.
recall
Earlier, UNN reported that the occupiers continue to Destroy the national identity of children from the occupied territories and educate them as "cannon fodder" for the Russian Federation through militarization, propaganda and control of their thoughts in schools and youth organizations.
Salome Zurabishvili said that the government's refusal to negotiate with the EU is a constitutional coup. According to her, this means a change in the country's course from Europe to Russia.
Georgian president Salome Zurabishvili regarded the recent events in Georgia, or rather the refusal to negotiate with the EU, as a "constitutional coup", reports UNN with reference to Georgia News.
According to her, the Georgian Dream government is no longer hiding anything, openly announcing its refusal to negotiate with the EU.
"Today, the constitutional coup ended, which has been in progress for several weeks, and maybe even months. The journey from Europe to Russia has ended today. All doubts that people might have had, that perhaps this is not the case, that there may be another explanation, have been dispelled today.
Today, this illegitimate government has declared war on its people, its past, and its future. There is no state sovereignty of Georgia, its independence and other future on this path, except in Russia," Zurabishvili said.
Protests broke out in Georgia over the government's decision to suspend negotiations with the EU: the authorities pull off security forces and water cannonsNov 28 2024, 07:07 PM • 4098 views
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to escalate the war in Ukraine so that U.S. President Donald Trump fails to end the full-scale war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 28.
Zelensky's comments come in response to Putin's fresh threats to target "decision-making centers" in Kyiv and Ukrainian military facilities with Oreshnik, Russia's new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
"(Putin) is aiming to disrupt the efforts of President Trump that are sure to come after his inauguration," Zelensky said in his evening address.
"Putin wants to escalate the situation now so that President Trump fails to end the war."
Speaking at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Astana earlier in the day, Putin said that Russia's military leadership is now "choosing targets" in Ukraine to hit them with Oreshnik.
Zelensky called Putin's actions "pressure" to force Trump to accept Russia's terms.
On the campaign trail, Trump has criticized military support provided to Ukraine by Joe Biden's administration and pledged to get the U.S. "out" of the war. While the details of his plans remain elusive, some reports indicate this would entail forcing Ukraine to cede territory and at least temporarily give up on its NATO accession plans.
Russia first launched Oreshnik in an attack against the city of Dnipro on Nov. 21. Shortly thereafter, Putin claimed that "there are currently no ways of countering this weapon," which later was refuted by Zelensky.
Russia's Oreshnik attack followed Kyiv's first successful strike on a military target on Russian soil using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles. The Russian Defense Ministry admitted more such strikes against targets in Kursk and Bryansk oblasts had followed later.
The president of Ukraine will hold a telephone conversation with Olaf Scholz on November 29. The leaders will discuss the reaction to Russia's attempts to prolong the war and its intentions regarding missile strikes.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will hold a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tomorrow, November 29. Details of the upcoming conversation are still unknown. This was stated by Zelensky in the evening address, reports UNN.
"Today I had a report from the head of the Gur Budanov regarding the intentions of missile strikes in Russia. Yesterday I explained the situation in a conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. I spoke with British Prime Minister Starmer today. The schedule for tomorrow includes a conversation with German Chancellor Scholz. We must respond together to Russia's attempt to make the situation more unbearable and an attempt to prolong this war," Zelensky said.
Recall
On November 6, Social Democrat Olaf Scholz announced the dismissal of Finance Minister Christian Lindner, chairman of the Free Democratic Party (FDP). On the night of November 7, almost all FDP member ministers announced that they would voluntarily resign. Thus, the ruling "traffic light coalition" in Germany, consisting of the SPD, FDP and Greens, collapsed.
Early elections to the Bundestag, which will result in the formation of a new government of Ukraine, will be held in Germany on February 23, 2025.
The candidate for the seat of the Federal Chancellor of Nimechchini in the Social Democratic Party of Nimechchini (STAN) at the final elections to the Bundestag became the highest official in the row Olaf Scholz.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to hold a conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday, 29 November. Zelenskyy had earlier criticised Scholz for his phone call with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
Source: Zelenskyy’s evening address, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Zelenskyy stated that on 28 November, he discussed Russia’s intentions regarding missile strikes with Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence. On the same day, he also spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Zelenskyy stated that a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planned for 29 November.
Quote: "We must respond together to Russia’s attempt to make the situation more unbearable and to prolong this war."
Background:
On 15 November, it was revealed that Scholz had spoken with Putin for the first time in two years.
Zelenskyy referred to the call as "a Pandora's box". Recently, Scholz once again defended his controversial conversation with Putin.
Pep Guardiola has put five players on his Manchester City ‘blacklist’ who will be available for transfer in January, including the ‘big sale’ whose exit has been accelerated by ‘extra-sport scandals’.
City have now failed to win any of their last six games with their draw with Feyenoord on Tuesday breaking a run of five consecutive defeats.
Guardiola’s side have been without key players for much of the season, with Guardiola using that as a caveat for their poor performances and results, but a report in Spain claims the manager is also fed up with five of his players and wants to get rid in the winter window.
Matheus Nunes joined City at the start of last season in a £50m move from Wolves but barely played in his debut campaign and again looked set for a limited role this term before coming into the team in recent weeks.
The Portugal international started four of City’s defeats before being dropped for the 4-0 thrashing by Spurs and the report claims he’s ‘without doubt one of the most serious mistakes’ made in Guardiola’s time at City having ‘never met expectations’.
Mateo Kovacic joined from Chelsea at the same point and has been used at the base of Guardiola’s midfield in the absence of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, but he too is now up for sale having failed to ‘fit into the systems’ of Guardiola.
Nathan Ake will also be sold if an interested party offers £25m for the former Bournemouth defender, while the club also ‘won’t get in the way’ if an offer arrives for John Stones.
But the ‘big sale’ City are planning is that of Jack Grealish. The report adds:
‘He has been very irregular and has had many injuries, in addition to starring in several extra-sport scandals, and Guardiola’s patience has run out. It’s the big sale they’re preparing, and the English star has the doors open.’
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Guardiola sparked concern when City’s draw with Feyenoord he was pictured clawing at his head and face before appearing on camera with scratches and a bloody cut on his nose.
The Spaniard brushed off his appearance in interviews, quipping about “self-harm” caused by a long nail.
And Enric Armengou, professor of psychiatry at the Abat CEU University in Barcelona, was enlisted to ease concerns.
“What happened with Guardiola speaks of the level of anxiety he has, but it is a specific event in moments of maximum tension,” he said.
“His behaviour was that of a man who is at his limit and regulated himself by hurting himself. Others might throw their notebook against the bench or kick a bottle.
“We should not give the matter greater significance because it was a moment of anger, which has no signs, due to the known antecedents, that it is a trend, so it should not be a problem.
“You cannot blame him for lack of sensitivity with problems of this type, he simply expressed himself with irony.
“I don’t think we can talk about a problem of that kind (loss of self-control). It would be excessive, otherwise we would see him with that behaviour in other areas. He is a man who lives the matches with intensity, but we have no evidence that he has ever lost his mind.”
The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov
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