Over the last two decades, Kazakhstan has been one of the fastest-growing transition economies. It has taken steps towards institutional integration in the global economy, joining the World Trade Organization and signing an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union in 2015. The nation has been working to adapt best practices and standards recommended by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks during the debate at the Scottish Parliament on the trade and co-operation agreement between the UK and the EU (European Union) on December 30, 2020 in Edinburgh, Scotland. LEHTIKUVA / AFP

"Scottish Parliament does not give consent to damaging deal."
"The UK Government’s damaging Brexit trade deal does not have the consent of the Scottish Parliament," says a statement by the Scottish government.

Twenty-nine years ago, the Republic of Kazakhstan became an independent country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then sweeping reforms have been made in many areas including state-building, advancing democracy, economic progress, human capital development. New constitution, legal and institutional frameworks have paved the way to a new social order.

Acceptance of Rule of Law “compromise” gives Fidesz more than a year to change Hungarian laws, constitution and to channel public funds into private foundations “controlled by his [Orbán’s] cronies”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has, it appears, “caved to Hungarian and Polish extortion” by brokering a compromise on rule of law at the EU summit that “constitutes the worst of all possible worlds”, according to philanthropist and financier, George Soros.

Vilhelm Junnila in front of a polling station.

TWO FINNISH MEMBERS of parliament participated in the short-term election observation mission organised by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA).

A view of Almaty

Kazakhstan is firm on its path of structural reforms that the country embarked on at the dawn of its independence. At the opening of the Parliament on September 1, 2020, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his State of the Nation Address presented a comprehensive plan of action. It embraces a new form of governance and a new economic course.

In this file photograph taken on January 29, 2020, British members of the European Parliament from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats pose for a group picture wearing scarves depicting the European Union and the Union Jack flags at The Europa Building in Brussels. - EU chief Ursula von der Leyen declared October 1, 2020, that Brussels is taking legal action over the British government's attempt to overturn parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. LEHTIKUVA / AFP

With talks set to continue this coming week between the UK Government and the EU over the Brexit trade deal, Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: “It is beyond belief that in the middle of a deep recession, Scottish firms still have no idea what their trading arrangements will be with the EU in less than three months’ time.

The visa policy of the European Union is changing. From 2022, travellers from third countries who had previously been able to cross an external EU border using just a passport will need to register with ETIAS. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System is being introduced to boost EU border security and reduce the threat of terrorism and other serious crimes. Whilst Finland already ranks as one of the safest places on earth, this additional layer of security provides even greater peace of mind for residents and visitors.

This cave in the Juukan Gorge, dubbed Juukan 2, was destroyed in a mining blast last Sunday. Consent was given through outdated Aboriginal heritage laws drafted in 1972.

Juukan Gorge 1 and 2 in Australia’s Western Pilbara, are Aboriginal rock shelters dating back 46,000 years. These ancient rock shelters are the only inland sites in Australia used for human occupation since the Ice Ages.

This is not the first time industrial development blasts away sites of cultural significance to the Aboriginal people of Australia. Last year, another cultural heritage site was cleared in Sydney to give way to a $2.1 billion railway line. The destroyed site included an excavated area where 2,400 stone artefacts indicating aboriginal occupation of the area between 1788 and 1830 had surfaced.

Asian long-horned beetle has spread to Finland via packaging material / Ville Welling / Evira

“The findings are clear: Our relationship with nature is broken.

Biodiversity – the rich diversity of life on Earth – is being lost at an alarming rate. This loss effects our own health and well-being. Today, catastrophic impacts for people and the planet loom closer than ever,” says the WWF Living Planet Report 2020.

The population sizes of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have seen an alarming average drop of 68% since 1970, and 75% of the planets ice free land surface has been significantly altered by human activity.