Eurotopics.net

The price of the bitcoin has risen by 1,700 percent since the start of the year. In particular its launch on the futures market, which enables investors to speculate on the cryptocurrency's future value without purchasing actual bitcoins, has led to a new surge in its value. But investors will soon be disappointed, analysts predict.

Beijing wants to expand its "New Silk Road" and plans to invest roughly three billion Euros in infrastructural projects in Southeast Europe. A key goal is to speed up the transport of Chinese goods delivered via the Greek port of Piraeus to Central Europe. Journalists believe the cooperation could have drastic consequences for Europe and the existing world order.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is closing in on US President Trump's inner circle in the investigation into alleged Russian influence in Washington. Trump's former security adviser Michael Flynn admitted on Friday that he lied about his contacts with Russia. In the meantime media have reported that Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner encouraged Flynn to seek contact. What do these developments mean for US politics?

A trial in which the Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab is testifying opened on 30 November in New York. Right at the start of the proceedings Zarrab gave evidence that compromises Turkish President Erdoğan and some of his close confidantes, claiming that they benefited or at least approved of transactions that were carried out in violation of the sanctions against Iran. The trial could prove dangerous for Turkey in several respects, commentators stress.

The nationalists have won a clear victory with 45.36 percent of the vote in the first round of the island's territorial election. The French president's La République En Marche! party dragged far behind with just 11.26 percent. If the nationalist alliance also wins the second round next Sunday it plans to secure an unprecedented level of autonomy for the island. Europe's press takes a closer look at the situation in Corsica.