NETHERLANDS: An ally of far-right Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders in charge of negotiating a governing coalition with other parties resigned as “scout,” as the role is known, today over fraud allegations.
Senator Gom van Strien said the allegations, which he denies, were too distracting, while parliament’s lower house president Vera Bergkamp said the interruption was “annoying” for derailing coalition talks.

MYANMAR: China called for a ceasefire between the government and rebel armies today but continued live-fire exercises on the border.
The Three Brotherhood Alliance of ethnic minority guerilla groups has seized three northern towns and several border crossings. There are multiple armed insurgencies against Myanmar’s military dictatorship.
The Chinese military said it was ready for any emergency on the border.

FRANCE: The trial of six teenagers for alleged links to the beheading of their teacher in 2020 began in Paris today.
Samuel Paty was killed by an 18-year-old Islamist of Chechen origin after showing caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed to his class. The killer was shot dead by police, but the six are accused of lying in wait and identifying him in exchange for promises of cash.

EASTERN EUROPE: A storm that pounded the Black Sea region toppled trees, tore down power lines and flooded coastal areas of southern Russia and Ukraine, leaving more than half a million people without power today.

The Moscow region, meanwhile, was blanketed with 10 inches of snow, three times heavier than normal, the Tass news agency said.

The storms were part of a weather system that brought blizzards to Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Serbia on Sunday.