Germany: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gives New Years address

Russia's war on Ukraine is a "tough test for us and our country." He praised the public's efforts amid an unprecedented energy crisis and said Germany would not be blackmailed.

In his New Year's message, Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Germans to continue with the "cohesion and strength...and confidence," they have shown during 2022 into the new year.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

Ukraine war: Russian Barbarism - preliminary data showed that 69 of the missiles targeted energy facilities

Air raid sirens rang out across the country and officials said 120 Russian missiles were fired. Ukraine’s military chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi said preliminary data showed that 69 of the missiles targeted energy facilities and Ukrainian forces shot down 54 of them. 

Anti-aircraft defenses managed to shoot down all 16 Russian missiles that targeted the capital Kyiv, the head of the city's military administration said. 

There were no immediate reports of any deaths.

Russia dispatched explosive drones to selected regions overnight before broadening the barrage with “air and sea-based cruise missiles launched from strategic aircraft and ships” in the morning, the Ukrainian air force reported.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

EU: Exxon Mobil tries to block EU windfall profit legislation against energy companies.

Exxon Mobil is suing the European Union in an attempt to force the bloc to scrap its new windfall tax on oil companies, according to reports on Wednesday. 

The US oil giant argues Brussels has gone beyond its legal authority by imposing the levy. 

Oil companies posted record profits this year, benefiting from  soaringp energy prices that have helped trigger a cost of living crisis across Europe. 

The windfall tax on profits is "counter-productive," discourages investment and undermines investor confidence, Exxon spokesperson Casey Norton said on Wednesday. 

He warned that the oil company will factor the tax into future decisions on whether to channel multi-billion-euro investments into Europe’s energy supply and transition. 

"Whether we invest here primarily depends on how attractive and globally competitive Europe will be," Norton said.

NOTE EU-Digest:  "Poor babies, what BS ! "

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Russia: Local lawmakers in St.Petersburg and Moscow call for the resignation of Putin, following the disasterous Russian military campaign in Ukraine and economic hardship Russìa ìs sufferiñg as a consequence.

Local Russian lawmakers in both St. Petersburg and Moscow issued calls this week for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be removed from power over the war in Ukraine — a potentially risky move in a country where dissent can lead to imprisonment or worse. 

Municipal deputies from the Smolninsky District Council in St. Petersburg, the Russian president's hometown, issued a statement calling on Russia's parliament to remove Putin from power and charge him with high treason for launching the war in Ukraine.

The Council of the Smolninskoye Municipal District decided to appeal to the State Duma deputies with a proposal to bring charges of treason against President Putin in order to remove him from office," Palyuga stated in the tweet with the document, adding, "The decision was supported by the majority of the deputies present."

Read more at: https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-lawmakers-call-for-putin-removal-from-power-over-ukraine-2022-9

Arms Industry: promoting stability or fueling conflict - the impact of US arms sales on National and Global security.

The administration needs to address a number of key issues if U.S. policy on arms sales is to be made consistent with long-term U.S. interests. The key policy consideration is how to restrict sales to those that will help allies defend themselves without provoking arms races or increasing the prospects for conflict. Of particular note, the Australia-UK-U.S., or AUKUS submarine deal will benefit U.S. contractors but risks fueling arms competition and increasing pensions with China  

Aid designed to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia has proceeded at the most rapid pace of any U.S. military assistance program since at least the peak of the Vietnam War. But the United States has failed to offer an accompanying diplomatic strategy aimed at ending the war before it evolves into a long, grinding conflict or escalates into a US -Russian conflict.

Finally, Washington needs to take steps to ensure that the financial interests of a handful of weapons contractors do not drive critical U.S. arms export policy decisions. Of the $101 billion in major arms offers since the Biden administration took office, over 58 percent involved weapons systems produced by four companies: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and General Dynamics. The concentrated lobbying power of these companies — including a “revolving door” from the Pentagon’s arms sales agency and the leveraging of weapons export-related jobs into political influence — has been brought to bear in efforts to expand U.S. weapons exports to as many foreign clients as possible, often by helping to exaggerate threats.

Read more at :https://quincyinst.org/report/promoting-stability-or-fueling-conflict-the-impact-of-u-s-arms-sales-on-national-and-global-security/

Canada US Relations: Canada has long feared the Chaos of US politics

When the nation of Canada was founded in 1867, its people deliberately chose a form of government meant to avoid the mistakes and problems they saw in the U.S. government next door.

That helps explain why Canadian police used emergency powers to arrest hundreds of people and tow dozens of vehicles while ending the trucker protests in Ottawa, Canada’s capital.

Read more at: https://theconversation.com/canada-has-long-feared-the-chaos-of-us-politics-177208

EU: there is no reason why a Democratic Russian Federation, without Putin, could not become a member of the EU, and NATO replaced by a EU military force

Yes indeed, specially if the present regime of dictator President Putin is changed to a democratically elected Russian Federation.

The United States, however, does not even want to entertain that thought .

Mainly because the US wants to keep Europe as a hostage, and use Europeans as cannon fodder to eliminate whatever challenges the American global supremacy. In the present case, such challenge are  Russia and China.

Read more at: https://www.eu-digest.blogspot.com

Ukraine War: It is high time to put an end to "Bully Putin" his reign

The world was not able to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but "the notion somehow that diplomacy is dead is not correct," says Canada's ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae.

"What is true is that when you're dealing with a really aggressive country — like Russia at the moment — it's really difficult to deal with that without resisting forcefully their aggression," Rae told The Current's guest host Mark Kelley.

"When somebody is an aggressor, like when somebody is a bully in a schoolyard, you have to respond. You can't just say, 'I want to make peace with the bully, so I'm going to give in to the bully,'" he said.

Read more at: www.cbc.com

2023: Based on a universal human link and connection with the number 7 our planet and humanity could experience some radical changes this coming year. by Rick Morren

 When we add the 4 numbers of the coming year 2023 together,  we get the number 7.

This could mean that we are  heading into a very interesting year wirh many changes.

The number seven enjoys a long history of positive associations across many different cultures. In fact, if you start looking for reasons why seven is so popular throughout history across various cultures, you'll find that the number seems to appear everywhere.

There are seven days in a week. How many colors are there in a rainbow? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet — that's right…seven!

There are seven continents, and there were seven wonders of the ancient world. How many deadly sins are there? You guessed it: seven! 

Some researchers have found that human memory works best when remembering up to — but not more than — seven items.  

There is also a powerful connection between the number seven and the religions of the world. Biblical scholars point out that the number seven is quite significant in the Bible. In the creation story, God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. Scholars have found that the number seven often represents perfection or completeness in the Bible.

In Judaism, there are seven heavens. The Koran, Islam's holy book, also speaks of seven heavens, and Muslims making the pilgrimage to Mecca walk around the Kaaba seven times. In Chinese culture, seven represents Yin and Yang combined with the Five Elements: water, fire, earth, wood, and metal. This combination represents the concept of harmony in Confucianism.

 And the list of comparisons with the number 7 goes on and on.

 I am not a prophet, or fortuneteller,   so I have no idea what will actually happen in 2023, but I am sure there will be major developments. All I can do now is wish you and your family a happy,  prosperous,and healthy 2023.

https:www.eu-digest.blogspot.com

Ukraine War: Russia warns US on delivering modern air defence weapons - as US gives them the finger

The Kremlin has warned the US that sending more weapons to Ukraine will only aggravate the devastating 10-month war ignited by Russia's illegal invasion.

Speaking during a meeting with his top military brass on Wednesday, Putin said Moscow would use the combat experience from Ukraine to enhance its armed forces. He told the military leaders to analyze the Western weapons used by Ukraine to “develop our armed forces and strengthen the capability of our troops.”

He said the country’s military should learn lessons and modernise based on its experiences, and that special emphasis would go to developing his country’s nuclear forces, which he described as “the main guarantee of Russia’s sovereignty.”

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

EU: Germany requests EU to start monitoring Twitter and Musk

Twitter should be monitored by the European Commission like other tech firms amid free speech concerns, Berlin said. A top official said the company had been behaving erratically since its takeover by Elon Musk.

A senior German official on Thursday told the European Commission that the social media platform Twitter should be regulated under new EU rules on digital markets, saying the company posed a threat to free speech under its new owner, Elon Musk.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

Ukraine war: Belarus has been taken 'hostage' by Russia

The current agenda of Belarus-Russia relations appears to be dominated by a single question: Will the Kremlin manage to drag the Belarusian armed forces into military action against Ukraine? It would seem that nothing less than the survival of Belarus as a sovereign state rests on this question right now.

Read more at: https//www,carnegieendowment.org/politika/88317

The Netherlands: Dutch PM Rutte apologizes Dutch slavery history and promises future discussions on financial restitutions

In a speech this afternoon, Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologised for the past actions of the Dutch State: to enslaved people in the past, everywhere in the world, who suffered as a consequence of those actions, as well as to their daughters and sons, and to all their descendants, up to the present day. The prime minister gave the apology at the National Archives in The Hague, in the presence of representatives of organisations that have pressed for acknowledgement of the effects of slavery. In Suriname and on Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, members of the government will meet with organisations and authorities to discuss what this apology means in each of those places.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-government-apologise-role-colonial-era-slavery-2022-11-04/

Religion'; Why is Religion suffering declining interest

Analysis of religious trends from 1981 to 2007 in 49 countries containing 60% of the world’s population did not find a global resurgence of religion—most high-income countries were becoming less religious—however, it did show that in 33 of the 49 countries studied, people had become more religious (Norris and Inglehart, 2011). But since 2007, things have changed with surprising speed. 

Read more at: https://www.blog.oup.com/

Twitter: UN slams actions taken by Twitter against journalists and EU plans sanctions

The United Nations and the European Union have condemned Twitter's decision to suspend several journalists covering the social media platform and its new owner Elon Musk.

Reporters for The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and Voice of America were among those whose accounts were taken down. The official account for Mastodon, a decentralised social network billed as an alternative to Twitter, was also banned.

"We're very disturbed by the arbitrary suspension of accounts of journalists that we saw on Twitter," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. 

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Our Planet: it's time for a real revolution

There are many corrupt countries in the world today, who go after revolutionaries, who fight against the lack of Democracy and other injustices, in their areas of the world. 

They will, however, never be able to stop a global revolution, which stands for the principal causes that our planet, inhabited by us, the human race, which deserves much better care, and treatment, than it has had so far. 

All this, mainly a result of, tribalism, corrupt politicians, the war industry, the corporate industrial complex, and pollution.

Yes folks, it's wake-up time for the human race. Join the revolution, and help, using the individual skills you each have, io clean up the mess. at every level, in which our planet finds itself today.

Read more at: https//www.eu-digest.blogspot.com

Turkey: Istanbul Major convicted for "insulting" members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council

Ekrem İmamoğlu was convicted of "insulting" members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Counci l    and sentenced to two years and seven months in prison.

The Turkish court also imposed a political ban that prevents him from standing for election over the same period.

Critics have slammed the trial as an attempt to eliminate a key opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before the presidential and parliamentary elections in June 2023

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Ukraine war: Russia using 40 year old ammunition in Ukraine

Russia is turning to decades-old ammunition with high failure rates, a senior US military official said on Monday.

"They [Moscow] have drawn from ageing ammunition stockpiles, which does indicate that they are willing to use older ammunition, some of which was originally produced more than 40 years ago," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 

Their comments indicate that Russian forces are running out of stockpiles as the grinding Ukraine invasion enters its 10th month. 

Read more at : https://www.euronews.com

Bahamas: Crypto Currency CEO FTX Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in the Bahamas

The former CEO of failed crypto currency firm FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, has been arrested in the Bahamas at the request of the U.S. government, the U.S. and Bahamian authorities said Monday.

Bankman-Fried had been under criminal investigation by U.S. and Bahamian authorities following the collapse last month of FTX. The firm filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11, when it ran out of money after the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run.

“Earlier this evening, Bahamian authorities arrested Samuel Bankman-Fried at the request of the U.S. Government, based on a sealed indictment filed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”

Read more at:  https://www.pbs.org/

NATO: Finland and Sweden on the verge of joining NATO says US Secretary of State Blinken

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has said he’s confident that NATO candidates Sweden and Finland will become members very soon. Blinken was speaking at a joint press conference with his Swedish and Finnish Counterparts in Washington DC. 

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Ukraine War: US getting very alarmed by the military Union between Iran and Russia

Russia and Iran are collaborating more closely than ever in the areas of fighter jets and lethal drones, according to US intelligence. Moscow has rebuked Washington's assessment, as the invasion of Ukraine presses on.

The United States warned on Friday that Russia and Iran are ramping up military cooperation to an extent that is "harmful" to Ukraine and Iran's neighbors.

Citing intelligence assessments, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described "an unprecedented level of military and technical support that is transforming their relationship into a full-fledged defense partnership."

Read more at https//www.dw.com

Russia: Legal system in Russia not impartial, as all critcs of Russian war in Ukraine getting lengthy prison sentences

Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin guilty was found guilty on Friday of spreading "fake information" about the army, and sentenced to eight and a half years in prison.

Prosecutors had sought a nine-year sentence for the Moscow district councillor. The outcome is the latest indication of an intensified crackdown on dissent by Russian authorities.

"With that hysterical sentence, the authorities want to scare us all but it effectively shows their weakness," Yashin said in a statement through his lawyers after the judge passed the sentence. "Only the weak want to shut everyone's mouth and eradicate any dissent."

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

EU: the European political and eonomic Union, a powehouse of 27 countries celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2023

The European Union’s single market celebrates its 30th birthday in 2023. 

An economic milestone, it changed lives for businesses and for people right across the continent and is continuing to do so today.

Goods, services and money can easily move around one of the world's largest economies. 

And so can we. You can go abroad and live, study or retire there.

We can buy things online without geographical restrictions and return or cancel them, no questions asked.

Phone calls are cheaper and so are airfares. There are no customs, tariffs or taxes for businesses buying and selling in the EU. Products have the same safety and environmental standards.

The EU has greater clout to negotiate trade agreements with the rest of the world.

Read more at: https://www.euronws.com

China-Saudi relations: China's Xi Jinping visits Riyadh to meet with Arab leaders

China relies heavily on Saudi oil and is expected to sign a number of agreements with Riyadh. This is Xi's third overseas visit since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for a three-day visit.

During the visit, Xi is expected to attend the China-Arab States Summit and a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The trip is Xi’s third overseas visit since the coronavirus pandemic began, and his first trip to Saudi Arabia since 2016.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

USA: More bad news for Donald Trump as Raphael Warnock keeps his Senate seat.for Georgia

While Walker's campaign was consumed with controversy from the beginning, Warnock's once-sizable lead dramatically narrowed later in the year. In the Nov. 8 midterm election, Warnock and Walker came in just below the necessary 50% vote threshold required to win the race outright, forcing a Dec. 6 runoff. 

And the resuli is in, Herschel Walker lost and  Raphael Warnock keeps his Senate seat. 

Read more at: https//www.cnn.com

Christians and war in Ukraine: Isn't it time Christians world-wide stop sitting on their hands, and do something about ending this bloody war ?

Y,es indeed, why have all the practising Christians, knowing that the President of the EU, Ursula  van der Leyen, Vladimir Putin President of Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, and Joe Biden, President of the US, who are all also Christians, not listened to their inner voice, instead of listening to politcal arguments about continuing this deadly war, mainly by  corrupt politicians, financed by the arms industry, and still do nothing about it ?

Indeed,  amazing, whatever Christian denomination you belong to: Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox, Jehova, 7 day Adventists, should keep in mind, specially this December, as Chtistians, celebrating the birth of their saviour, Jesus Christ, and sing about peace on earthn,  continue sitting on their hands, while watching the continuing carnage in Ukraine. What a hypocritical posture.

Could Chtistians therefore just for once, unite as one, and be instrumental in getting all ihe parties involved in this bloody conflict around one table, without strings attached, to end this nightmare?

https://www.eu-digest.com

France: Macron gets critizised for sayng Russia needs quarantees to end the war

French President Emmanuel Macron's statement on Saturday that the West should consider how to address Russia's need for security guarantees to end the war in Ukraine has drawn sharp criticism from some quarters, rejecting the option of making concessions to the Kremlin after nearly 10 months of the war.

In an interview with French TV station TF1 recorded during his state visit to the US last week, Macron said Europe needs to prepare its future security architecture.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

British-Russian Relations: Britain arrest wealthy Russian for money laundering in London

Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Saturday it had arrested a "wealthy Russian businessman" on suspicion of money laundering as the UK attempts to disrupt potential criminal activity by oligarchs linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The unidentified 58-year-old was one of three men detained on Thursday.

The Russian businessman was arrested at a "multi-million-pound residence" in London, according to the NCA.

What do we know so far?

As well as suspicion of money laundering, he was also arrested on conspiracy of defrauding the UK's Interior Ministry and conspiracy to commit perjury, the NCA said.

Read more at:https://www.dw.com

Russia: G7 and Poland agree to follow EU rule to their limit on Russian oil prices

Poland agreed on Friday to the European Union's deal for a $60 (€57) per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne oil.

"Crippling Russia's energy revenues is at the core of stopping Russia's war machine," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas posted on Twitter.

Read more at: https//www.dw.com

Ukraine,war : Ukraine now has its eyes set on the Kinburn Peninsula

After its stunning success in retaking Kherson, Ukraine is now faced with a strategic problem. Russian forces are using the large Dnieper river as a defensive barrier, to protect their positions in the south of Ukraine.

For this reason, Kyiv has its eyes set on the strategic Kinburn peninsula. It’s a piece of land that juts out from the in the Black Sea. Crucially it is connected to territory on the south side of the Dneiper river.

If Ukraine takes the territory, it is possible that they could outflank Russian forces, negating the need for a potentially tricky crossing of the river, with many Russian soldiers dug in nearby.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Climate Crises: Rich Nations reluctant to help pay poor nations for their cleanup.

Sunday, loud cheers from Sharm el-Sheikh greeted the announcement of a new initiative – the global loss and damage fund – to right historical wrongs by compensating climate-hit developing countries. This breakthrough brought back memories of another, the £100bn a year agreed at the 2009 Copenhagen climate summit to help poor countries mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.

That money has never fully materialised. If our 13 years’ experience of the £100bn fund that never was is anything to go by, eulogies of praise will soon turn into allegations of betrayal. The president of next year’s Cop28 will have to answer for yet another fund without funders. Far from the loss and damage fund narrowing the credibility gap on climate action, it is likely to bridge nothing if money fails to flow from rich to poor.

The last decade has been a history of promises made and broken. Before Covid, the cost of financing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) was $2.5tn a year. Now, post-Covid, and with the price of fighting floods, firestorms and droughts – and the debt burden of low-income countries – dramatically escalating, it is $4tn annually. Set against an official development assistance (ODA) budget of only $179bn a year and $130bn on offer mainly in multilateral loans, the SDGs represent yet another unanimous but unfunded pledge of the international community. To make matters worse, the British development aid budget has now been cut from 0.7% of our national income to 0.5% for years ahead, and already our overall contribution to meeting all oom loopur climate and development targets is down from the promised £16bn to just £11.5bn.

Read  more at: https://www.theguardian.com

Ukraine war: Russia uses winter as a weapon of war and could even contemplate using chemical weapons

Biden administration officials have assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin may use chemical weapons in Ukraine first before resorting to a nuclear confrontation with NATO if his troops continue to lose ground..

Read more at:https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/23/russia-chemical-weapons-ukraine-00070743

NATO: The Atlantic military a. lliance strengthens its presence on its eastern European border

ROMANIA, where the foreign ministers of the 30 NATO countries are meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. They are there at the invitation of Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu to show support for the countries on NATO's eastern flank and in the Black Sea region. The area has become the new focus of NATO activity since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine on February 24.

Back in the spring, the alliance decided to establish four new battlegroups in Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania to combat the threat from Russia. Battlegroups have already been in place in the three Baltic states and Poland since 2017 in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Read more at: https//www.dw.com

China: popular uprising against Covid restrictions increase and now also include protests against lack of democracy in China

A protest poster showing a Friedmann equation was purportedly held up by students in Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University - a play on the word "Friedmann", which sounds similar to "free 的 man" - quite literally translated to "a man who is free".

Friedmann is a Russian physicist and mathematician best-known for his work on the theory of relativity and for introducing the possibility of an expanding universe - a concept that may not have been lost on the protesting students.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.com 

Iran - flag: world soccer championship

The U.S. Soccer Federation briefly displayed Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, saying the move supported protesters in Iran ahead of the two nations’ World Cup match Tuesday.

Iran’s government reacted by accusing America of removing the name of God from its national flag. 

Read more at: https://www.metro.us/us-soccer-displays-iran-flag-minus-islamic-republic-emblem/

Ukraine war : Don't underestimate Russia's Putins determination to get out of the trap he is presently in.

Celebrations of Ukraine’s recent military successes are both premature and greatly overdone. Indeed, the cheering could prove to be entirely misplaced and inappropriate. NATO leaders and the Western news media need to realize that they may be celebrating the prelude to a prolonged, extremely bloody war or even an impending nuclear catastrophe.

Read more at: https://www.cato.org/commentary/west-wont-russias-next-move-ukraine#

EU and US trade relations: European trade ministers gathered in Brussels today re: "discriminatory" US Inflation Reduction A'ct,

European trade ministers gathered in Brussels on Friday to discuss the "discriminatory" US Inflation Reduction Act but with just over a month to go before the legislation comes into force, there appears to be no concrete solution on the table yet.

The main issue for Europe is to ensure it doesn't enter into a trade war with the US which could splinter western unity in the face of Russia's illegal war on Ukraine.

"The Inflation Reduction Act as it stands now is quite worrisome, very worrisome, to be honest," Liesje Schreinemacher, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, said upon her arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Canada - US relations: Secret and classifued documents found in Trump's possession at his Florida residence, set off alarm bells in Canada

Vincent Rigby saw a lot over his 30-year career in public service, much of it working with some of the most sensitive and secret intelligence issues in Canada.

But for all that experience, the former national security adviser to the prime minister found himself in a state of disbelief in August when he saw the FBI search the home of former U.S. president Donald Trump and leave with boxes of highly sensitive, classified information.

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

Ukraine war: EU Parliament - Votes and agrees on naming Russia a State sponsor of terrorism

The deliberate attacks and atrocities carried out by the Russian Federation against the civilian population of Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and other serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law amount to acts of terror against the Ukrainian population and constitute war crimes," MEPs said in a non-binding but highly symbolic resolution.

"In the light of the above, (the European Parliament) recognises Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and as a state which uses means of terrorism."

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Ukraine War: Kiyiv orthodox monastery raided by Ukraine security forces

The 11th century Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, located in the south of the Ukrainian capital, cut its ties with the Kremlin soon after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine in February. The seat of a branch of Ukraine's Orthodox Church was formerly under Moscow's jurisdiction.

In a statement, the SBU said "counter-intelligence measures" had been conducted as in order to "counter the subversive activities of the Russian security services in Ukraine."

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince appointment by King as PM, provides him with diplomatic immunity, before visit to US, in relation to his involvement, planning and excecution of journalist Jamal Khashoggi murder

Many experts in international law agreed with the administration — but only because of the king's late September title boost for the crown prince, ahead of a scheduled U.S. decision.

“It would have been just as remarkable for the United States to deny MBS’s head-of-state immunity after his appointment as Prime Minister as it would have been for the United States to recognize MBS’s head-of-state immunity before his appointment,” William S. Dodge, a professor at the University of California-Davis School of Law, wrote, using the prince's initials.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Turkey Bombing; Bulgaria charges 5 persons in connection with Istanbul deadly bombing

Five suspects have been indicted in Bulgaria in connection with a deadly bomb blast in Istanbul on 13 November, which Turkish authorities blamed on Kurdish PKK fighters and their allies in Syria.

"Five people have been charged with helping one of the alleged perpetrators of the attack to flee," said Siyka Mileva, spokeswoman for the Sofia prosecutor general.

Their role was "logistical", she said, adding that the prosecutor's office had requested detention for four of them.

According to local TV stations, three were from Moldova and one from an unspecified Arab country.

Read more at : https://www.euronews.com

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Suriname: interview with Sutiname's new President Santokhi

President Chandrikapersad Santokhi entered office in July 2020 after a historic campaign. That election pitted Santokhi, a longtime police officer and former justice minister between 2005 to 2010, against Suriname’s then-most powerful person: convicted drug trafficker, alleged murderer, and two-time president between 2010 and 2020, Desiré “Dési” Bouterse.

Bouterse had ruled Suriname on and off for 40 years, including as a military dictator (1980-1987). In 1982, he allegedly ordered the murder of 15 political opponents. In 1983, he hosted Pablo Escobar in his presidential palace. In 1999, he was convicted in absentia by a Dutch court for leading the “Suri Cartel,” a cocaine-trafficking organization.

Read more at: https://www.insightcrime.com

COP27: US shamed as the colossal fossil of the climate summit

The US has been named the “colossal fossil” of the Cop27 climate talks by campaigners who criticised the country for its intransigence in providing support to developing countries hit hardest by the climate crisis.

The “award”, unveiled at a ceremony featuring a person dressed as a dinosaur, is an annual event staged by Climate Action Network International to shame the countries deemed to be blocking climate progress.

Read more at: https://www.theguardian.com

USA- US Unions regain strengh as Starbucks werkers strike in mo re then 100 stores

Members of the Starbucks Workers Union are picketing outside more than a hundred stores across the country on what they say is the group's largest single-day strike. The walkout falls on what's known as Red Cup Day, when the coffee giant hands out limited-edition holiday reusable cups. They're considered collector's items and customers line up at the crack of dawn to get their hands on a decorated cup. It's one of the coffee giant's most profitable days on the calendar. 

Read more at: https://www.npr.org/2022/11/17/1137296597/starbucks-strike-red-cup-day

Global population: There are now 8 billion people living on our planet, but they are not the cause of global warming

With Earth's population hitting a projected eight billion, it's easy to draw the conclusion that climate change is the result of too many people consuming energy.

But scientists say it's not that simple. Climate change, they say, is more a matter of overconsumption than overpopulation. And there isn't a neat correlation between between the two.

Read more at:https://www.cbc.com

USA: Donald Trump announces he will enter 2024 US Presidental elections

Former U.S. president Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will mount a third White House campaign, launching an early start to the 2024 contest. The announcement comes just a week after an underwhelming midterm showing for his fellow Republicans and will force the party to decide whether to embrace a candidate whose refusal to accept defeat in 2020 pushed American democracy to the brink.

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

China US relations - G20: Following a three hour meeting with Xi, Biden says he does'nt believe China will invade Taiwan

Speaking after they met on Monday at a luxury resort hotel in Bali, Indonesia, where they are attending the G20 summit, Biden said he and the Chinese leader had been “candid and clear” with each other on subjects ranging from Taiwan to trade.

The meeting, which lasted more than three hours, was seen as an attempt to reduce tensions that have brought US-China relations to their lowest ebb in decades.

Read more at: https://www.theguardian.com

China and US relations: Xi and Biden meet face to face for the first time, experts say the meeting is aimed at preventing competition from spiraling out of contral

As Biden and Xi prepare to meet in person as top leaders for the first time, experts say the meeting is aimed at preventing competition from spiraling and predict there may be no breakthrough in the relationship.

More than two years after he became president of the United States, Joe Biden will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time in Bali on the sideline of the G20 Summit next Monday, as Beijing and Washington try to "build a floor" for their bilateral relationship amid rising tensions.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

US mid-term elections: Democrats stay in control of the Senate with a win of Senator Catherine Cortez Masto

Democrats will stay in control of the U.S. Senate next year after Democratic U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto won re-election in Nevada, Edison Research projected on Saturday, handing a major victory to President Joe Biden.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com

Ukraine Russian Invasion: Ukraine flag flying in center of Kherson

Moscow still considers the entire Kherson region, including its capital, to be part of Russia despite the withdrawal of the Russian army, the Kremlin said on Friday.

Kherson and three other Ukrainian regions were declared to belong to Russia after local "referendums" were held in September – votes that were denounced by Kyiv and Western governments as illegal and coercive.

The Kherson region "is a subject of the Russian Federation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. 

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

USA; Donald Trump - what now, after very poor showing midterm elections of his promoted candidates

Donald Trump's own-party rivals have tossed every rebuke imaginable at him and it's never stuck: Crazy, a kook, a race-baiting bigot, a Russian plant, a narcissist, amoral, a pathological liar, a threat to the republic.

It's never made a dent

Read more at: http://www.cbc.com

 

Ukraine War: Russia orders its troops to withdraw from Kherson

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday ordered Russian troops to withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro River in the face of Ukrainian attacks near the southern city of Kherson.

The announcement marks one of Russia's most significant retreats and a potential turning point in the war, now nearing the end of its ninth month. But it has brought a sceptical response from Ukraine's government.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Suriname: US Multi-National aluminum corporation Alcoa which operated in multi-cultural Suriname since 1916, caused economic crises in the country when they left

In a country just north of the equator that would fit within a combined Pennsylvania and West Virginia — a country that’s already in a downturn locals call “the crisis” — Alcoa’s decision to permanently end mining and refining has delivered a resonating blow.

 A typical example of multi-national corporate power, and domination, not only at its home base, but also on the economies of small countries, like in this case Suriname. Specially when in their ruthless quest for profits, Alcoa suddenly decided to leave that country after exploiting their natural resources since 1916, to go for other locations in Australia and Africa, leaving behind thousands of unemployed poverty stricken people, a  ruined environment, as a result of their open pit bauxite mining and refining, with caustic filled tailing ponds, poisoning local ground water levels.

Read more at: https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/suriname/overview/

Egypt: the world is on a highway to hell when it comes to global warming, if it does not take serious action says UN chief

World leaders and diplomats framed the fight against global warming as a battle for human survival during opening speeches at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt on Monday, with the head of the United Nations declaring a lack of progress so far had the world speeding down a "highway to hell".

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

US Midterm Elections: Florida Republicans call Democrats Socialists, and the global inflation a Biden created inflation -- How stupid can you get ?

On the eve of an election that Republicans believe will affirm their growing popularity in Miami-Dade County, Spanish-language social-media influencer Alex Otaola led another of his patented caravans across the county on Saturday, rallying Republicans on behalf of GOP candidates and against Democrats. Otaola, whose Cubanos por el Mundo YouTube channel has 253,000 subscribers, live-streamed the event, held on the final weekend of early voting before the Nov. 8 election. 

He stood halfway through a sunroof at times, shouting “¡Vamos!” through a bullhorn as a parade of cars adorned with American flags and Trump 2024 banners trailed behind him, blaring their horns in the eastbound lanes of Southwest Eighth Street. Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, running for reelection against Colombian-American state Sen. Annette Taddeo, was among the participants. 

She rode inside a brightly colored Colombian Chiva bus and encouraged her supporters to go out to vote early rather than wait for Election Day to cast a ballot. TOP VIDEOS × “It’s very important that people get out to vote,” she said. “It’s the only way ... to cut off the head of the political class that isn’t doing what you need” to address problems like inflation or the rising cost of housing and gasoline.

Monitoring misinformation: What’s being said on Spanish radio in Miami before election? Otaola, whose caravans became fodder for national news during the pandemic and 2020 election — a contest in which former President Donald Trump significantly improved his standing in Miami-Dade County, particularly in majority-Hispanic neighborhoods — called on his viewers during recent shows to participate in what he described as an effort to “save America from communism and socialism.” 

“Say no to negotiations with dictatorships. Say no to open-border policies implemented by the Biden administration and all the insecurities that are all over the American nation,” Otaola said during a brief interview outside the early voting center at the former museum of science in Coconut Grove, where he stopped to take photos with fans at the caravan’s endpoint. 

Social media, influencers are Cuban Americans’ main source of Cuba news, FIU poll finds Critics have blamed Otaola and politicians like Salazar for exaggerating the influence of socialism on the Democratic party. Otaola has accused Democrats of  spreading hateful rhetoric — a charge often lobbed at him by his own detractors, who accuse him of frequently promoting misinformation. Saturday afternoon’s caravan took place one day before Trump is set to rally with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and other Republican officials at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition in west Miami-Dade. Republicans believe they’ll continue to improve their performance this year in Miami-Dade County, which has in recent history been a Democratic stronghold for top-of-ticket candidates.

 Hundreds of South Florida Residents joined influencer Alex Otaola on a ”Salvemos America” (Let’s save America) caravan along the streets of Miami from Krome Avenue to Coconut Grove, in support of all Republican candidates On Saturday, November 05, 2022. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com As of Saturday morning, state data showed that Republican voters had cast several thousand more votes than Democrats in Miami-Dade County, due to a strong showing at early voting centers. This article is part of a project on misinformation in Spanish-language media by the Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald and researchers at Florida International University. It is funded by Journalism Funding Partners, which received support from the Knight Disinformation Fund at The Miami Foundation. The Miami Herald retains editorial control of the content.

Read the full Miami Herald report at:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article268307547.html

 

EU in crises mode?: Turkish author tells audience at Bruxelles conference that Europe is experiencing similar problems, as the US in safe-guarding democracy

Russia's war in Ukraine and the economic impact it is having on Europe have underscored an ongoing "crisis of democracy" that won't be fixed with small changes, a renowned Turkish political author has warned. 

"There is real panic in Europe and I feel it everywhere I go," Ece Temelkuran, author of "How to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship", told Euronews.

She was speaking on the margin of a conference in Brussels organised by think tank Friends of Europe and entitled "Making sense of transitions in an age of crises: a Renewed Social Contract for a new era."

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

US - midterm elections; Obama tells Democrats, stop moping, go out and vote on Tuesday

Barack Obama warned Democrats on Saturday that abortion rights, Social Security and even democracy itself is at risk should Republicans seize congressional majorities next week. "Sulking and moping is not an option," the former president said in Pennsylvania.

"On Tuesday, let's make sure our country doesn't get set back 50 years," Obama told hundreds of voters on a blustery day in Pittsburgh. "The only way to save democracy is if we, together, fight for it."

He was the opening speaker in a clash of presidents past and present in the battleground state as each party's biggest stars worked to energize voters on the final weekend of campaigning before election day on Tuesday.

Read more at : https//www.cbc.com

US Midterm Elections 2022: will American Democracy be able to survive the onslaught of radical right-wing political forces

With the United States midterm elections just around the corner, three University of Rochester political science professors consider what’s at stake. Through the lens of their respective research focuses, Gerald Gamm, Gretchen Helmke, and James Johnson discuss political hyperpolarization, what happens when losers don’t concede elections, the likelihood of civil war, and the outlook for US democracy.

Read more at:    https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/2022-midterm-elections-us-democracy-539632/    

Britain: major and long recession expected

The Bank of England warned Thursday that the U.K. is facing its longest recession since records began, with the economic downturn expected to extend well into 2024.

The central bank described the outlook for Britain’s economy as “very challenging,” noting that unemployment would likely double to 6.5% during the country’s two-year slump.

Read more at: https;//www.cnbc.com

US Economy repair: and its not comunism or socialism - just realism

If we truly want to stop inflation and corporate greed, Governments should nationalize Healthcare, including the Pharmaceutical industry, and the Energy industry. The Educational sector should be liberalized, and subsidized by the government, making all education free, based on student qualification proficency tests. Putting all of the  above in the hands of the private sector has not worked, and will never work. This is not Communism, or Socialism, this is pure logic.

" 

Read more at: https://www.eu-digest.blogspot.com

China: Canadian broadcasting corporation closes down their offices in China

CBC says it ‘can’t get visas for journalists’ to work in China as permanent correspondents, prompting bureau closure.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/2/canadas-public-broadcaster-shutting-beijing-bureau

Russian invasion Ukraine: Russia rejoins UN grain deal

Russia has performed an abrupt U-turn and again agreed to allow the safe shipment of millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.

Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu told his Turkish counterpart on Wednesday that Moscow has agreed to return to the Turkish and UN-brokered deal.

In a statement, the ministry later confirmed that Ukraine had pledged not to use a designated Black Sea corridor to attack Russian forces.

Read  more at: https;//www.euronews.com

Ukraine Russian invasion:Russia recruits US trained Afghan special forces to fight in Ukraine

Russia is trying to recruit Afghan special forces to fight in Ukraine, reports AP. 

Moscow wants to attract the elite Afghan soldiers, who fought alongside US troops during their 20-year occupation, to join a "foreign legion". 

It is offering lucrative salaries of €1,500 a month and promises safe havens for the ex-servicemen and their families. 

Most of the men fled Afghanistan to neighbouring Iran, following the US's chaotic withdrawal last year. They cannot return home as they risk death at the hands of the Taliban.

Read more at:  https://www.euronews.com

US Democracy in danger': time is ticking as midterm elections are approaching

Less than six weeks before the U.S. midterm elections and after an explosive spring and summer of Jan. 6 congressional hearings, some analysts are sounding the alarm on what they say are serious threats to American democracy.

There's the ongoing impact of disinformation and hyperpolarization, as well as a sizable segment of the public that now questions the results of the 2020 election. Public trust in the government is at a near-historic low, polling shows, and 43 per cent of respondents in one poll said they think a civil war could be likely in the next decade. 

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

 

EU: Record inflation in Europe

Inflation in the UK has surged back up to 10.1 per cent in October, the same figure recorded in July which at the time was a 40-year high.

The Office for National Statistics reported that food prices were creating the biggest upward contribution, at an annual rate of 14.6 per cent.

Eurozone inflation is also continuing to hover around record highs, with the latest estimate predicting annual eurozone inflation of 9.9 per cent - compared to 3.4 per cent a year ago.

Across the wider EU, annual inflation reached 10.9 per cent, according to the bloc's statistics body Eurostat.

Read more at: https://www.ruronews.com

India - Social media: Indian Government thightens grip on Social Media

The Indian government will create a three-person grievance redressal committee to veto moderation decisions made by social media platforms, according to legal changes adopted on Friday. The panel, which will be set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will effectively have the final say on social media content.

https://www.dw.com

Twitter: what will Musk takeover of TWitter mean for users ?

After Elon Musk finally took over Twitter on Thursday night, months after he first announced his $44 billion (€43 billion) bid to buy the company, users of the platform seem split between two factions: those who have declared themselves ready to jump ship, and those who are happy the ship is finally about to go down.

Read more at; https://www.euronews.com

Energy corporations; Amid world crises, ‘grotesque greed’ wins out

For months, spiking inflation has roiled poor and rich nations alike. The rising costs, which have reached 40-year highs, are largely thanks to the cascading global effects of the pandemic combined with the sudden supply chain and energy market disruptions that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as readers of this newsletter are well aware. Their effects have been deep and far-reaching.

Read more at: https://www.washingtonpost.com

China-Netherlands relations:Dutch Foreign Ministry accuses China of setting up illegal police stations in the Netherlands

The Dutch foreign ministry said it was investigating reports that China had set up two "illegal police stations" in the Netherlands to monitor dissidents.

According to Dutch media reports, two Chinese "posts" have been operating in Amsterdam and Rotterdam since 2018.

The "police stations" allegedly claim to offer diplomatic assistance to Chinese nationals but have not been registered with the Dutch government.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

EU: France-Germany tensions 'hamstring EU's capacity to act' by lisa Louis

A recent announcement that a Franco-German ministerial meeting is being pushed back to next January appears to have revealed a deepening rift between the two countries. The alliance between Germany and France is often described as "the engine" of the European Union and analysts say the current spat is undermining the EU's capacity to act.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

China - windfarm: Cbina building the largest windfqrm in the world

China is planning the world’s largest wind farm, a facility so huge it could power the whole of Norway.

Chaozhou - a city in China’s Guangdong province - has revealed ambitious plans for a 43.3 gigawatt facility in the Taiwan Strait.

Operating between 75 and 185 kilometres offshore, the 10km long farm will feature thousands of powerful turbines.

Because of the windy location, these turbines will be able to run between 43 per cent and 49 per cent of the time.

Read more at:https://www.euronews.com

Britain: Rishi Sunak to be Britain’s new prime minister as rivals quit race

Rishi Sunak will be named the U.K.‘s new prime minister, following a fast-tracked Conservative Party leadership race initiated to fill the void left by Liz Truss’ resignation.

Sunak — who will be the country’s first prime minister of color — won the role of Conservative Party leader after his sole competitor, Penny Mordaunt, dropped out of the race moments before votes from members of Parliament (MPs) were due to be announced Monday afternoon.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com

US mid-term election; Why pro-Israel lobby group Aipac is backing election deniers and extremist Republicans

US’s largest pro-Israel lobby group is backing dozens of racists, homophobes and election deniers running for Congress next month because they have pledged to defend Israel against stiffening criticism of its oppression of the Palestinians.

The powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) has justified endorsing Republicans with extremist views, including members of Congress with ties to white supremacist groups and representatives who attempted to block Joe Biden’s election victory, on the grounds that the singular issue of support for Israel trumps other considerations.

But Aipac’s support for rightwing politicians has privately embarrassed some Democrats also endorsed by the powerful group and drawn accusations from more moderate pro-Israel organisations that it is attempting to stifle legitimate criticism of hardline Israeli policies.

Read more at: https://www.jheguardian.com

China: Xi Jinping reelected as head of the ruling Communist Party on Sunday

President Xi Jinping, China’s most powerful leader in decades, has continued his dominance after being reelected as head of the ruling Communist Party on Sunday. 

Xi, who took power in 2012, was awarded a third five-year term as general secretary, discarding a party custom under which his predecessor left after 10 years. 

Xi was chosen as the party's general secretary in a closed-door vote after a week-long congress in which he cemented his grasp on power.

"Confronted with new challenges and tests on the new journey, we must remain on high alert and stay sober-minded and prudent like a student sitting for an exam," Xi said after his reelection.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

USA: Republicans strike again - this time against the Biden student loan forgiveniss progam

With already 22 million former students applying for the Biden student loan forgiveness  program it was suddenly temporarily halted by 6 Republican states for a variety of nebulous reasons. Hopefully,  when these duped students go to vote on November 8, they will remember which political party dealt them this devastating blow.

Read more at: https: //www,eu-digest.blogspot.com

Canada-US relations: Canadiian industry minister in Washington, DC. says we need to decouple from China

Canada's industry minister was in Washington making a pitch for projects north of the border to access U.S. federal funding for critical minerals.

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

Ukraine war: US Secretary of defence speaks with his Russian counterpart - re potential threat of Russians bombing dam near nuclear plant and blaming Ukraine

• Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart Friday morning.
• The last known instance of the two leaders speaking was in May.
• The call comes as the war enters its ninth month and as Ukraine continues a stunning counteroffensive to retake more Russian-occupied territory.
• 
  
• Read more at: https://www.reuters.com

UK: British PM Liz Truss quits after only 44 days as PM

Liz Truss – once compared to Margaret Thatcher – is now the shortest-serving prime minister in British history. Her downfall came swiftly after the markets rejected her sweeping tax cuts.

Read more at:  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp-video/mmvo151187013825

Ukraine war: It is time to stop pussy footing - if Putin wants to play hard ball, so can the West.

Ukraine war: Let us be honest - Putin started this war, and he can end it, If he doesn't, the West should give him an "offer" (ultimatum) he can not refuse. It is time to stop this cruel war and the principal instigator, whatever it takes.

Read more at: https://www.eu-digest.blogspot,com

Ukraine war: iran: promises to continue delivering destrucive drones to Russia to bomb Ukraine.

The US says it agrees with Western allies that Iran's supply of explosive drones to Russia violates UN sanctions.

Kyiv was struck by so-called "kamikaze" drones on Monday, unleashed by Russia but believed to be Iranian-made.

The United States agrees with British and French assessments that Iran supplying drones to Russia would violate a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six powers, U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said on Monday.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com

Oil exploration : Large reserves of black gold, a blessing or curse for Suriname and Guyana

Emerging as potential oil powers while the world seeks to wean itself off planet-warming fossil fuels, poverty-stricken South American neighbors Guyana and Suriname say they have to cash in while they can.   

Read more at :  https://www.france24.com      

US Economy: Is the US economy benefitting from the Ukraine war ?

The beneficiary of all the current turmoil in global markets is the US while the Russia-Ukraine conflict looks to be exactly aligned with US' interests.

The risk aversion of capital markets increased sharply with capital clearly flowing to the US. Foreign financial analysts noted that on the currency front, the US dollar is now the "King" which can provide liquidity and hedge risk at the came time. 

Read more at:

 https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202203/1253787.shtml

Britain-US relations: President Biden critical of Britain's economic policies

The US president said he disagreed with Liz Truss' now-abandoned plan to fight inflation with tax cuts. The embattled UK leader is now scrambling to present a new budget with the help of her new finance minister.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

China: the Chinese communist party holding its party congress

China's ruling Communist Party is holding its five-year national congress starting Sunday, where Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third term as the uncontested head of the country's party, government and military.

The proceedings surrounding the event are shrouded in secrecy, as is typical in China's authoritarian one-party state. 

But the weeklong congress — the 20th in its more than 100-year history — is expected to produce a new set of leaders handpicked by Xi, who faces no term limits and has yet to indicate a successor after a decade in the top spot.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Turkey: The Turkish Parltament passes disinformation law

Turkey's parliament on Thursday passed a law proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that would make it possible to jail journalists and social media users for up to three years for spreading "disinformation."

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

EU: Russia will be annihilated if they use nucleair weapons, says Borrell

 A nuclear attack nn Ukraine would trigger "such a powerful answer" from the West that the Russian army would be "annihilated," said Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief.

His comments come in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's increasingly combative rhetoric. 

After signing a partial mobilisation decree to boost the Russian army ranks on 21 September, Putin warned NATO that his country had "various means of destruction" at its disposal to defend its "territorial integrity."

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

IMF: the worst still lies ahead

The International Monetary Fund downgraded its 2023 outlook for the world economy, suggesting that next year "will feel like a recession" for many thanks to central bank reactions around the world.   

The lending agency of 190 countries said Tuesday morning that global economic growth would be a meagre 2.7 per cent in 2023, down from the 2.9 per cent they'd estimated in July. For comparison, the world economy grew by six per cent in 2021. The IMF cited Russia's war in Ukraine, chronic inflation pressures, punishing interest rates and the lingering consequences of the global pandemic.

"The worst is yet to come," said IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas.

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

Ukraine war: increased missile attacks work of a psychopat

Russia's biggest air strikes against Ukraine since the start of the war killed at least 19 people Monday, drove thousands of Ukrainians back into air raid shelters and knocked out electricity in hundreds of towns and villages.

The strikes — denounced in the West for deliberately hitting civilian targets — have been hailed by hawks in Moscow as a turning point that demonstrates Russia's resolve in what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

But Western military analysts say the strikes came at a staggering cost, depleted a dwindling supply of long-range missiles, hit no major military targets and are unlikely to change the course of a war going badly for Moscow.

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

Ukraine War: NATO vows to improvove air defenses Ukraine

NATO members and allies meeting in Brussels on Wednesday are likely to focus on providing additional air defence systems to Ukraine, the U.S. ambassador to NATO said.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/news/archive/worldNews

Human Rights Prize: Russian dissident Vadimir Kara-Murza

Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is currently in jail facing charges of treason, won the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize on Monday.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

Ukraine : Time to start negotiating and stop all this death qnd destruction and making the weapons industry richer by the minute,

The EU should take the lead to bring this long  lasting, not only costly in human lives, but also in economic terms, conflict to a peaceful end.

If this means disolving NATO and the Warshow Pact, in exchange for free and deomocratic elections in countries which never had them, and even offering Russia a membership in the EU, why not, evering else has not worked. 

Obviously it won't be an easy task, but the alternative  would be more  suffering and economic disaster.

https://www.eu-digest.com

UKRAINE: NATO must do more to counter Putin's threats

The NATO military alliance must "do more" to protect itself from Russia, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Saturday.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

Ukraine war: Huge blast destroys main btidge connecting Ctimea with mainland

An explosion on Saturday morning hit a controversial bridge linking Crimea with Russia, causing it to partially collapse. 

The blast happened at around 6 am local time, sparking a large fire and badly damaging one section of the road bridge which fell into the water.

Russia attributed the explosion to a truck bomb. Moscow has not said who it thought was behind the blast, though Russian-backed authorities in Crimea have denounced Ukrainian sabotage.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

USA-Russia relations: White House reasures Biden warnings on nucleair confrontation was not a threat, but a risk

The White House has sought to clarify remarks by US President Joe Biden who declared that the risk of nuclear “Armageddon” is at the highest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre underscored that there are no indications "that Russia is preparing to imminently use nuclear weapons".

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

A new European United Nations ?

Prague on Thursday for the inaugural meeting of the European Political Community to discuss the continent's challenges, with leaders insisting on common values.

The new club of nations has been billed as an opportunity for European leaders to have political discussions and was initially pitched as a community of democratic nations in response to Russia's war in Ukraine.

But some of the heads of state in Prague have questioned the presence of some of their counterparts including the Turkish and Azerbaijani leaders, according to an EU official quizzed on the issue.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

OPEC lowering oil production

The OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries on Wednesday decided to sharply cut production to support sagging oil prices, a move that could deal the struggling global economy another blow and raise politically sensitive pump prices for U.S. drivers just ahead of key national elections.

Read more at: https://www.cbc.com

Turkey's economy is in deep trouble

Turkey’s economy is in tatters.

Runaway inflation and a collapsing lira are pushing millions of Turks to the brink of financial ruin and slamming factories, farmers and retailers across the country.

More than two-thirds of people in Turkey are struggling to pay for food and cover their rent, according to a survey by Yöneylem Social Research Centre, fuelling a surge in mental illness and debt.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Ukraine: Kyiv made a major military breakthrough in south Ukraine on Monday.

Ukrainian troops recaptured villages along the banks of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, creating a large front that is forcing Moscow to abandon ground it annexed only days ago.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Ukraine: Russia’s annexation puts world ‘two or three steps away’ from nuclear war

President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of the annexation of four regions in eastern and southern Ukraine signals the onset of a new and highly dangerous phase in the seven-month war, one that Western officials and analysts fear could escalate to the use of nuclear weapons for the first time in 77 years.

Read more at: https://www.washingtonpost.com

Ukraine War: Biden says US will not be intimidated by Putin's reckless threats

President Joe Biden has warned Russia that the United States will not be intimidated by reckless threats after Vladimir Putin declared the annexation of four occupied regions of Ukraine.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.com

Ukraine war: Putin announces annexation of Donesk region after Russia's scam referendum

Putin and leaders of the four regions signed treaties to annex Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia – a move which has been denounced as illegal by Ukraine and Western powers.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/30/russia-ukraine-war-putins-annexation-speech-what-did-he-say

German Russian relations: Angela Merkel warns EU to take Putin's threats seriously

 Germany's former chancellor Angela Merkel warned that taking Vladimir Putin's words seriously is "a sign of political wisdom" not weakness. 

Merkel, who left office two months before the Ukraine war began, was speaking about an answer she had given in June about Putin's character. 

"I replied that one should take his words seriously," said Merkel, while speaking at the inauguration of the Helmut Kohl Foundation.

"And today, in view of the developments of the last few days, I would like to add: taking words seriously, not dismissing them out of hand as just a bluff, but dealing with them seriously is by no means a sign of weakness or appeasement, but a sign of political wisdom."

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

UKRAINE: Russian Sham referendums - EU proposes sanctions

The European Union has proposed a raft of new sanctions against Russia in response to the so-called referendums in four Ukrainian regions. 

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

Carbon Bombs: UK and US banks among biggest backers of Russian ‘carbon bombs’, data shows

US and UK financial institutions have been among the leading investors in Russian “carbon bomb” fossil fuel projects, according to a new database of holdings from recent years.

Campaigners in Ukraine said these institutions must immediately end such investments, to limit the funding of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to avoid climate breakdown.

Read more at: https://www.theguardian.com/international

Nucleair war: the return of the Nucleair war

"Our country also has various means of destruction, and, in some cases, they are more modern than those of NATO countries," President Vladimir Putin told Russians on Wednesday. "If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will, of course, use all means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people," he said.

Read more at:https: //www.dw.com

Italy: Hare is wat a Meloni Government could mean for the EU

The far-right victory in Italy's elections is likely to translate into Rome joining Poland and Hungary by adopting a eurosceptic stance on European Union affairs, experts have told Euronews.

"There will be definitely a shift in the positioning of the Italian government compared to the past two Mario Draghi governments," Luca Tomini, a political scientist from Free Brussels University, told Euronews.

"I think what we need to expect is a more Eurosceptic position of the Italian government on several issues. There will be probably a realignment of Italy along with the government of Poland especially," he added.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

The Netherlands: Sitting on top of major gas reserves.

Despite skyrocketing energy prices and a shortage of natural gas supply in the European Union, the Dutch government has taken the decision to proceed with the closure of natural gas wells in the Groningen region. The field is one of the biggest in the world, worth up to 1000 billion Euros. But for now, it's a treasure that will remain untapped for the forseeable future.

The reason the decision was taken was because of seismic shocks triggered by the gas extraction in the area. Some 1200 earthquakes have been recorded so far, with around 27,000 homes being severely damaged and deemed unsafe to live in. That's according Jan Wigboldus, president of the Groningen Gas Council, an umbrella group representing civil society organisations in the impacted region.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Vatican: Pope calls on young Italian economists to drop their dependance on fossil fuels

Pope Francis on Saturday called for the world to abandon fossil fuels while speaking in the town of Assisi in central Italy.

Read more at: https://m.dw.com/de/themen/s-9077

Ukraine war: Russia mobilisation plan risky, to make Ukraine run out of bullets before Russia runs out of soldiers

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a partial mobilization to shore up armed forces for his invasion of Ukraine. DW spoke with security expert Gustav Gressel about the strength of the Russian military and its chances for success in light of the partial mobin.

 Read more at: https://m.dw.com/de/themen/s-9077

EU to prepare new sanctions against Russia after they delared a partial mobilisation

Vladimir Putin's plans to order a partial mobilisation of reserved army forces to bolster the war in Ukraine and organise "sham referenda" in the country's occupied territories are grounds for a new round of EU sanctions, Ursula von der Leyen has said.

Western leaders fear Putin will use the referenda as an excuse to claim Ukraine's eastern and southern fronts as integral parts of Russia, mirroring the 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea.

At the same time, the Russian leader intends to bring up to 300,000 reserved forces into the Russian army through a decree of partial mobilisation, a move that experts see as a reaction to the lightning counteroffensive recently launched by Ukraine.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Russia: Putin declares Partial mobilisation to beef up troops Ukraine

Russia will enforce a partial mobilisation of its citizens to further support the war in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said in a much-expected pre-recorded speech on Wednesday morning.

The mobilisation, effective immediately, will affect army reserves and those who had previously served in Russia's armed forces.

Read more at: https://www.euronews.com

Technology: Google loses appeal over record EU anti-trust Android fine

An EU court has largely upheld a record fine against Google for using the Android platform to cement its search engine's dominance.

The €4.125bn (£3.5bn) penalty is the largest anti-trust fine ever handed down by the European Commission.

Read more at; https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/es/MEMO_17_1785

The Netherlands: Health insurance to rise by €10 a month, government sources say

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The paper bases its claim on government sources, who suggest the €10 monthly rise will be included in the health ministry budget, due to be announced next Tuesday. The government determines the make-up of the basic healthcare insurance policy and insurers are free to compete on price, top up premiums and other issues such as choice of hospital.

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

more at: Health insurance to rise by €10 a month, government sources say - DutchNews.nl

Ukraine - Round-up: Zelensky in freed city, while Scholz says Putin remains undaunted

As Ukraine continued to wage its counter-offensive against Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky went to the newly recaptured north-eastern city of Izyum on Wednesday.

During his visit to the city, a key logistics hub, Mr Zelensky thanked troops and oversaw a flag-raising ceremony.

He pledged that the Ukrainian flag would return to every city and village in the country.

 Read more at: Round-up: Zelensky in freed city, while Scholz says Putin remains undaunted - BBC News

E.U. lawmakers advance plan to ban products linked to deforestation

European Union lawmakers have backed a proposal for a law that would ban the sale in the 27-nation bloc of agriculture products linked to the destruction of forests.Read more at: E.U. lawmakers advance plan to ban products linked to deforestation. 

Read more at: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/e-u-lawmakers-advance-plan-to-ban-products-linked-to-deforestation 

 

 

CUBA: Cubans flee island's economic woes by air, land and sea

Cubans are fleeing their country in the largest numbers in more than four decades, choosing to stake their lives and futures on a dangerous journey to the United States by air, land and sea to escape economic and political woes.

Most fly to Nicaragua as tourists and slowly make their way to the U.S. border, often to Texas or Arizona. A smaller number gamble on an ocean voyage. Three men who survived the odyssey spoke to The Associated Press about it.

Read more at: Cubans flee island's economic woes by air, land and sea | AP News

US Corporations: 76% of Americans Say Corporations "Have Too Much Power"

Open Markets Institute has underwritten a poll with Public Policy Polling gauging public opinion concerning corporate power in America. According to the poll, 76 percent of Americans stated they were "somewhat" or "very concerned" that corporations have too much power over their families and communities. 71 percent of Americans also claimed they were "very concerned" that big corporations too much power over politicians and 65 percent agreed that the government "should do more to break up corporate monopolies."

Read more at: 76% of Americans Say Corporations "Have Too Much Power" — Open Markets Institute

Germany must accept leading military role, says defense minister

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German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Monday she believed Germany was obliged to play a leading global role, including in the military sphere, and that the country should not be afraid of the responsibilty.

"Germany's size, its geographical situation, its economic power — in short, its clout — makes us a leading power whether or not we want to be one. Militarily as well," she said in a keynote security address in Berlin.

Her remarks come as Europe is struggling to come to terms with the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Germany rethinking its defense strategy after decades of major dependence on Washington for its security. 

"The war in Ukraine has shown everyone, even us Germans who are used to peace, that states need armed forces as a last resort — that is, whenever an enemy is determined to use invasion, destruction, murder and forced displacement" as means to serve its interests, she said.

Read more at: ermany must accept leading military role, says defense minister | News | DW | 12.09.2022

Russian nationalists rage after stunning setback in Ukraine

Thousands pf Russian Nationalisr demonstrated in Moscow on Sunday for President Vladimir Putin to make immediate changes to ensure ultimate victory in the Ukraine war, a day after Moscow was forced to abandon its main bastion in Ukraine.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-nationalists-rage-after-stunning-setback-ukraine-2022-09-11/

As the cost of living soars, defending the living standards of workers and their families has become the primary concern of trade unions.

  On Friday, European Union energy ministers will meet in emergency session, to discuss measures to mitigate high energy prices and the state of preparedness for the winter. They must take decisive steps to tackle this crisis: immediate action is needed to support families unable to buy food or heat their homes.

Read more at: https://socialeurope.eu/trade-unions-on-the-frontline-in-the-cost-of-living-crisis

Netherlands Inflation Rate

The Netherlands information rate as of the end of August

The Netherlands' annual inflation rate surged to 12.0% in August 2022 from 10.3% a month earlier. It was the quickest rise in consumer prices since the series began in 1971, mainly boosted by higher prices in energy (151.4% vs 108%), largely due to electricity (149.6%), gas (170.1%). Also, prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rising the most on record for second month (13.0% vs 12.2% in July), largely due to oils & fats, milk, cheese and eggs; and coffee, tea, and cocoa. Additional upward pressures also came from prices of housing (22.7% vs 16.8%), clothing and footwear (3.3% vs 1.9%), furnishings & household equipment (8.8% vs 8.6%), and recreation & culture (4.0% vs 4.3%). The annual core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco climbed to a new record high of 5.0% in August from July’s of 4.9%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices were up by 2.0% in August, following a 2.1% rise in July, which was the highest inflation rate since April 1976. source: Statistics Netherlands

Read more at: https://tradingeconomics.com/netherlands/inflation-cpi

  

   

France says ready to deliver gas to Germany

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that his country was ready to deliver gas to Germany this coming winter should the energy crisis make such a move necessary.

This would allow Germany to produce more electricity which, in turn, would allow Germany to contribute electricity to the  French power grid during peak hours, he told reporters after a video call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Turkey wildfires: Aid workers rescue tortoise from blaze

Amid scorching heat, low humidity and constantly shifting winds, the wildfires have swept through forests in Turkey's southern and southwestern coasts.

Eight people have died due to the blazes, along with countless animals — but one tortoise emerged unscathed.

Read more at: Turkey wildfires: Aid workers rescue tortoise from blaze | News | DW | 07.08.2021

Taiwan: US greenlights $1.1 billion arms deal with Taiwan

The United States on Friday announced a potential $1.1 billion (€1.1 billion) arms sale to Taiwan, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The State Department said the arms package aims to boost Taiwan's defense capabilities and includes $355 million for Harpoon air-to-sea missiles and $85 million for Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. 

An amount of $655 million would go toward a surveillance radar system to help Taiwan track incoming missiles.

Read more at:US greenlights $1.1 billion arms deal with Taiwan | News | DW | 02.09.2022

Russia: Thousands pay last respects to Gorbachev in Moscow, Putin a no-show

Thousands of mourners lined up Saturday to pay tribute to the eighth and final Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, lauded in the West for helping end the Cold War, in a farewell burial snubbed by Russian President

The Kremlin's refusal to declare a state funeral reflects its uneasiness about the legacy of Gorbachev, who remains reviled by many at home for the Soviet collapse.

On Thursday, Putin privately laid flowers at Gorbachev's coffin at a Moscow hospital where he died. The Kremlin said the president's busy schedule would prevent him from attending the funeral.

Read more at: housands pay last respects to Gorbachev in Moscow, Putin a no-show | Euronews

COVID: EU warns ′completely new′ strains possible this winter

European Union officials and health experts urged governments on Friday to step up measures to curb an expected spike in COVID-19 infections this winter.

The urging comes after the EU's medicines agency approved vaccines from Moderna and BioNTech-Pfizer that have been updated to tackle the omicron subvariant.

The European Commission published a set of concrete measures and strategies for national governments to adopt as the 27-member bloc heads into autumn and winter. 

Read more at:COVID: EU warns ′completely new′ strains possible this winter | News | DW | 02.09.2022

USA: Twitter and Meta take down pro-US propaganda campaign

Twitter and Meta have removed from their platforms an online propaganda campaign aimed at promoting US interests abroad, researchers say.

This is the first major covert pro-US propaganda operation taken down by the tech giants, says a report by social media analytics firm Graphika and the Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO).

They removed dozens of accounts used in the campaign in July and August.

It is not clear who is behind the propaganda operation.

The researchers say Twitter has identified the US and the UK as the "presumptive countries of origin", while Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the US was "the country of origin".

Read more at:Twitter and Meta take down pro-US propaganda campaign - BBC News

USA: U.S. House committee reaches deal to get Trump financial records from accounting firm

A U.S. House committee seeking financial records from former president Donald Trump has reached an agreement that ends litigation on the matter and requires an accounting firm to turn over some of the material, the panel's leader announced Thursday.

The long-running case began in April 2019, when the House Committee on Oversight and Reform first subpoenaed a wealth of records from Trump's then-accounting firm, Mazars USA. The committee cited testimony from Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, that it said raised questions about the president's representation of his financial affairs when it came to seeking loans and paying taxes.

Read More at: U.S. House committee reaches deal to get Trump financial records from accounting firm | CBC News

EU-Russian relations: EU foreign ministers agree to suspend Russian visa accord

EU foreign ministers have agreed to suspend a 2007 visa facilitation agreement with Russia over the country's war in Ukraine, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell announced on Wednesday.

"This will significantly reduce the number of new visas issued by the EU member states. It's going to be more difficult, it's going to take longer," Borrell said at the end of a two-day meeting of foreign ministers in Prague.

He also said there had been a substantial increase in border crossings from Russia into neighboring states since mid-July.

"This has become a security risk for these neighboring states," Borrell added. "In addition to that, we have seen many Russians traveling for leisure and shopping as if no war was raging in Ukraine."

Read more at: EU foreign ministers agree to suspend Russian visa accord | News | DW | 31.08.2022

Pakistan In pictures: Historic Pakistan floods leave thousands homeless and almost €100 billion of damage

Officials estimate that 33 million Pakistanis - one in seven - have been affected by the climate-driven catastrophe, which has claimed the lives of at least 1,136 people since the “monster” monsoon began in June.

Pakistan is dealing with “climate blow upon climate blow,” says Arif Jabbar Khan, country director of WaterAid, noting the country faced scorching heatwaves earlier this year.

"It's all one big ocean, there's no dry land to pump the water out," climate minister Sherry Rehman told AFP. “Literally, one-third of Pakistan is underwater right now, which has exceeded every boundary, every norm we've seen in the past.”

Read more at: In pictures: Historic Pakistan floods leave thousands homeless and almost €100 billion of damage | Euronews

Germany: Olaf Scholz dreams of a larger Europe - Opinion

It was a typical Olaf Scholz speech: the chancellor spoke very calmly, almost emotionlessly. And yet there was a great deal of content: the European Union should become a powerful global player, a top region for business and technology, a large, sovereign, and pragmatic community of values that can defend itself. Who wouldn't agree with that?

Scholz clearly declared his support for further rounds of enlargement. Above all, the states of the Western Balkans, but also Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine should all become members of the European Union, according to Scholz. In the foreseeable future, this could mean 36 EU countries

Read more at: Opinion: Olaf Scholz dreams of a larger Europe | Opinion | DW | 30.08.2022