**Georgians Urged to Join Nationwide Strike**
A nationwide strike has been called in Georgia for January 15. The protest, organized by Protest 24, aims to demand the release of detained protesters and new elections.
The three-hour strike will begin at 3 p.m. on January 15. Businesses and employees are expected to halt work during this time.
Organizers want to highlight the potential consequences of political isolation, such as economic stagnation, unemployment, and poverty. The dissatisfaction among citizens has increased since the disputed parliamentary elections in October.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has been criticized for leading Georgia closer to the Kremlin while hindering its accession to the European Union.
**Updates from Ukraine and Russia**
Meanwhile, in Ukraine and Russia:
* Russian commander Konstantin Nagayko is in critical condition after an explosion.
* Ukrainian “kamikaze” drone attacks have killed one of Russia’s freelance reporters and destroyed a building.
* The Russian army has lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops near the village of Makhnovka.
* Slovakia will continue supplying electricity to Ukraine as part of an emergency assistance contract.
**Other Developments**
In other news:
* Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko is expected to visit China for the third time in three years.
* The Helsinki District Court has ruled to keep an oil tanker under seizure, despite an appeal from the ship’s owner.
* European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has canceled engagements due to a severe case of pneumonia.
* Approximately 4,000 people assembled in Bratislava on January 3 to protest Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico‘s pro-Russian policies.