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7/31/22

EU Energy: What is the EU doing to cut energy consumption and avoid blackouts this winter?

Energy saving measures across the country are in line with the EU’s plan to gradually reduce the demand for gas and avoid blackouts this winter. The aim is to bring down energy consumption by 15 per cent by next <br><br>This reduction would enable countries to keep the lights on in the worst case scenario if Russia were to totally cut off suppli <br><br 

Read more at:

is the EU doing to cut energy consumption and avoid blackouts this winter? | Euronews

7/30/22

The Pharmaceutical Cartel: Drug firms poised to make billions of dollars from Covid booster jabs

Drug firms poised to make billions of dollars from Covid booster jabs | Pharmaceuticals industry | The Guardian

Ukraine War: Russia expert: Putin 'cornered like a rat' and will do whatever necessary to lash out

Rebekah Koffler, a former U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency agent and author of "Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America", told Fox News Digital on Saturday that an excerpt from Putin’s 2000 autobiography "First Person" detailing growing up in a dilapidated Leningrad apartment can be applied to his record as the Russian leader and his current invasion of Ukraine.

Read more at: Russia expert: Putin 'cornered like a rat' and will do whatever necessary to lash out | Fox News

EU Inflation: Eurozone inflation hits record 8.9% despite better-than-expected growth

Annual inflation in the eurozone’s 19 countries rose to 8.9% in July, an increase from 8.6% in June, according to numbers published Friday by the European Union statistics agency.

For months, inflation has been running at its highest levels since 1997, when record-keeping for the euro began, leading the European Central Bank to raise interest rates last week for the first time in 11 years and signal another boost in September.

Energy prices surged in July by 3%

Read more at: Eurozone inflation hits record 8.9% despite better-than-expected growth

7/29/22

China-Russia ties turn icy in a sweet way as Vladimir Putin gifts Xi Jinping his favourite treat - by Liu Zhen Liu Zhen |

Chinese President Xi Jinping celebrated his 66th birthday on Saturday with a gift of his favourite Russian ice cream from Vladimir Putin, state media reported.

The two leaders got together for the second time in just over a week in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, where they were attending the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

A confessed fan of the frozen treat, Xi thanked Putin for the gift and reciprocated with some Chinese tea, China National Radio reported. The two leaders were later photographed drinking champagne together and toasting their countries’ strong ties.

Read more at: China-Russia ties turn icy in a sweet way as Vladimir Putin gifts Xi Jinping his favourite treat | South China Morning Post

Taiwan: China's Xi warns Biden over Taiwan, calls for cooperation

President Xi Jinping warned against meddling in China’s dealings with Taiwan during a phone call with his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, that gave no indication of progress on trade, technology or other irritants, including Beijing’s opposition to a top American lawmaker’s possible visit to the island that the mainland claims as its own territory.

Xi also warned against splitting the world’s two biggest economies, according to a Chinese government summary of Thursday’s unusually lengthy, three-hour call. Businesspeople and economists warn such a change, brought on by Chinese industrial policy and U.S. curbs on technology exports, might hurt the global economy by slowing innovation and increasing costs.

Meanwhile, Xi and Biden are looking at the possibility of meeting in person, according to a U.S. official who declined to be identified further. Xi has been invited to Indonesia in November for a meeting of the Group of 20 major economies, making it a potential location for a face-to-face meeting.

Read more at: China's Xi warns Biden over Taiwan, calls for cooperation - ABC News

USA: Why Trump Is Losing His Grip on the GOP

It strains memory now to recall that when Donald Trump first shoved his way into presidential politics seven years ago this spring, and soon after humiliated a long parade of establishment Republicans, his appeal to voters had a coherent dimension.

That is, it was based on a sustained argument that many Americans regarded as credible. The most powerful part of that argument was about the nature of establishment politics in both parties: It was the province of weak and contemptible people. Conventional politicians were calculating, careerist, cowardly — willing to sacrifice principle and the interests of ordinary Americans to suit their own interests. In short, the problem with American politics was that it was dominated by phonies.

Read more at: Why Trump Is Losing His Grip on the GOP - POLITICO

7/28/22

Russia Ukraine War: Yale study shows sanctions are crippling Russia′s economy

Yale study shows sanctions are crippling Russia's economy

Researchers at Yale University say the Russian economy is suffering massive damage due to Western sanctions, despite Moscow downplaying the effect.

Russian coins and notes

Russia insists that, despite setbacks, its economy remains robust

Sanctions on Russia are taking a heavy toll on the economy, despite Moscow's assertion that the country is not feeling the pinch, according to a new study from Yale University.

The authors claim their work casts doubt on Moscow's claims that the economy remains robust and that the West is suffering more through "a war of economic attrition."

Read more at Yale study shows sanctions are crippling Russia′s economy | News | DW | 28.07.2022

7/27/22

France: Macron calls Russia a 'colonial power' during visit to ex-French colony

Macron poses with young women in traditional costumes as they celebrate the Abomey Treasures, during his visit to the French College in Benin, 27 July 2022.

- The French president vilified Russia as a "colonial imperial power" during a visit to Benin, which France ruled for more than 150 years.

Read more at: Macron calls Russia a 'colonial power' during visit to ex-French colony | Euronews

Ukraine Russian Invasion: Ukrainian army destroys key bridge in Russian-held Kherson region

Ukrainian troops have struck a strategic bridge essential for Moscow to supply its forces occupying the country's south, as Russia pounded several areas in Ukraine with rocket and artillery strikes.

Read More at: Ukrainian army destroys key bridge in Russian-held Kherson region | Euronews

Russia: Bread and Autocracy in Putin’s Russia

Food has been crucial to the survival of regimes since the emergence of early states. Yet despite its significance, until recently food availability was rarely discussed as a principal political issue outside the global South. This essay centers on the political role of food in Putin’s Russia and the Kremlin’s long­­­­­­standing goal of establishing nutritional autarky that would insulate the regime from dependence on food imports. We present the origins of Putin’s food policies, their ideological basis and the forms that they have taken since early 2000s. We also discuss Russia’s use of food as a weapon during the 2022 war in Ukraine.

Read More at: Bread and Autocracy in Putin’s Russia | Journal of Democracy

Capitalism: Why The Rich Are Getting Richer And The Poor Poorer?: 3 Facts...

Why The Rich Are Getting Richer And The Poor Poorer???. It sounds like a mystery to many of us why the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Money seems to rule the world today. Who doesn’t like money?. Sarcastically, not a day old baby will even say “No“.

Before anything else, do you think God created everyone to become rich?. Hell No!. This is the first thing you should understand. Then, you must also know this; There is no need to complain about life if you have something to eat, a place to sleep, something to wear. My dear learn how to be grateful.

Read more at: Why The Rich Are Getting Richer And The Poor Poorer?: 3 Facts...

7/26/22

War in Ukraine: latest developments

Russia says its missiles had destroyed a Ukrainian warship and weapons from the United States after a strike on Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa, crucial for grain exports.

Read more at: War in Ukraine: latest developments

US-Russia Relations: What does the Trump/Putin kiss really mean? - BBC Culture

What does the Trump/Putin kiss really mean? - BBC Culture

EU agrees to cut gas use over Russia supply fears - by Michael Race

EU members, locked in negotiations since the idea was suggested last week, have now agreed to a voluntary of 15% between August and March.

"This was not a Mission Impossible!", tweeted the Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency.

However, documents seen by the BBC suggest the deal had been watered down, with countries able to have exemptions.

Read More at: EU agrees to cut gas use over Russia supply fears - BBC News

7/25/22

Russia's Gazprom further cuts gas flow to Europe by half amid turbine dispute

he logo of Russia's energy giant Gazprom is pictured at one of its petrol stations in Moscow on July 11. The Russian state-run energy company said supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany would drop to just 20 per cent of capacity. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)

Russia tightened its gas squeeze on Europe on Monday as Gazprom, Russia's state-owned energy corporation, said supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany would drop to just 20 per cent of capacity.

Read more at: Russia's Gazprom further cuts gas flow to Europe by half amid turbine dispute | CBC News

Netherlands poised to make work-from-home a legal right, says report

As US companies struggle to entice workers back to offices, the Dutch parliament approved legislation to establish home working as a legal right, setting the Netherlands up to be one of the first countries to enshrine such flexibility in law.

Last week, the Dutch Parliament's lower house passed legislation in this regard. The European country now needs to wait for approval from the Senate.

Read more at: Netherlands poised to make work-from-home a legal right, says report | Business Standard News

EU-British Relations: Are the French really to blame for Dover travel chaos?

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss laid the blame squarely on Paris as thousands of holidaymakers faced long delays trying to reach Europe via the English Channel port of Dover, but unions, port officials and the French authorities blamed Brexit. Truss told her French counterpart Catherine Colonna that "the French authorities have not put enough people on the border."

The situation has added to the bad blood between London and Paris in the wake of Brexit, scotching hopes of a reset after Boris Johnson said earlier this month he was stepping down as premier.

"We need to see action from them (the French) to resolve the terrible situation which travellers, including families, are facing," said Truss, who is currently fighting to succeed Johnson as prime minister.

But Paris has rejected claims that the gridlock was caused by under-staffing and Colonna in her tweet took a more sanguine view of their conversation, describing the talks as "good" and welcoming the "cooperation" to reduce the delays.

Read more at :The Local

Global warming: France orders air-conditioned shops to close their doors - with fines if they leave them open

The French government is set to force all air-conditioned shops to close their doors and switch off illuminated advertising overnight, in a bid to cut energy use.

Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher says it's "absurd" that leaving doors open while the air conditioning is running can lead to 20% more energy consumption.

Businesses which break the ban, due to come into force in the next few days when Pannier-Runacher issues new decrees, will face a €750 fin

Note EU-Digest: Same should be done in other countries of Europe, and in America, where people are completely addicted to airconditioning. and In some areas even keep their car engine running with airconditioning full blast on, while they shop. We better all start taking global warming serious as the clock keeps ticking towards the final curtain,🇪🇺🇺🇸

Read more at France orders air-conditioned shops to close their doors - with fines if they leave them open | Euronews

7/24/22

Canada: Trudeau says he has no faith Russia will uphold deal to export Ukrainian grain

Servicemen of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic work to defuse a Ukrainian mine in the Mariupol Sea Port in April. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defence. Agreements signed Friday by Russia and Ukraine with the United Nations and Turkey clear the way to export Ukrainian grain through a Russian blockade of Black Sea ports. (The Associated Press)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's not convinced that Russia will hold up its end of a deal to reopen Ukrainian Black Sea ports to grain exports.

Russia and Ukraine signed separate agreements Friday with Turkey and the United Nations clearing the way to export millions of tonnes of desperately needed Ukrainian grain, as well as Russian grain and fertilizer — ending a wartime standoff that had threatened food security around the globe.

. Read more at: Trudeau says he has no faith Russia will uphold deal to export Ukrainian grain | CBC News

USA: US democracy will not survive for long’: how January 6 hearings plot a roadmap to autocracy | January 6 hearings - by Ed Pilkington

They promised the January 6 hearings would “blow the roof off the house”, presenting America with the truth about Donald Trump’s attack on democracy culminating in the US Capitol insurrection. In the end, the roof of the House, where the summer season of hearings reached their finale on Thursday night, remained intact, though mightily shaken.

It will take time for historians to assess whether the eight public sessions were comparable to the 1973 Watergate hearings, as Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the January 6 committee, predicted. Yet it’s already clear that after 19 hours and 11 minutes of testimony, filmed depositions, documentary evidence and raw footage of the Capitol attack the hearings have generated a mountain of words and images that will linger long in the collective memory.

We know now that on the day that the United States suffered the worst assault on the Capitol since the British ravaged it in 1814, Trump tried to grab the steering wheel from a secret service agent to turn his presidential SUV in the direction of the violent mob so he could join them. We know that when he exhorted his followers to march on the Capitol and “fight like hell” he was aware that many of them were armed with guns and wearing body armor.

Read more at: ‘US democracy will not survive for long’: how January 6 hearings plot a roadmap to autocracy | January 6 hearings | The Guardian

7/23/22

Multi-Nationals: How the Allied multinationals supplied Nazi Germany throughout World War II

The following excerpts thoroughly document how capitalists really acted during the Second World War. Behind the patriotic propaganda that encouraged the working class to slaughter each other in the interests of competing national interests, international capital quietly kept the commodity circuits flowing and profits growing across all borders

Trading with the Enemy - war means business as usual for international capital.

Excerpts from "Trading With the Enemy: An Exposé of The Nazi-American Money-Plot 1933-1949" by Charles Higham; The Coca Cola Company under the Nazis" by Eleanor Jones and Florian Ritzmann Charles Higham is the son of a former UK MP and Cabinet member.

We begin with some excerpts from "Trading With the Enemy: An Exposé of The Nazi-American Money-Plot 1933-1949" by Charles Higham; Hale, London, 1983.

Read more at: How the Allied multinationals supplied Nazi Germany throughout World War II | libcom.org

Russia-Ukraine war: missile strikes on Odesa threaten grain deal, says Ukraine; US calls Russian attack ‘outrageous’

The US ambassador to Kyiv said Moscow should be held to account for what she said was an “outrageous” Russian strike on the port city of Odesa on Saturday.

Russian missiles hit infrastructure in Odesa a day after Russia and Ukraine, with mediation by the United Nations and Turkey, signed a deal to reopen Black Sea ports and resume grain exports.

Read more at: Russia-Ukraine war: missile strikes on Odesa threaten grain deal, says Ukraine; US calls Russian attack ‘outrageous’ – live

7/22/22

Ukraine can feed the world again. But at what cost? - byYevgeniya Gaber

The world’s breadbasket is back. Russia and Ukraine signed separate deals with the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul today that will unblock commercial exports from three southern Ukrainian ports including Odesa—where more than twenty million tons of grain have been held up amid Russia’s invasion of its neighbor. It’s a promising development far beyond just the Black Sea, allowing countries dependent on Ukrainian grain to breathe a sigh of relief following fears of a mounting global food crisis. But how fragile is this wartime deal? And what did Ukraine really gain? Our experts shipped off their takes.

Read more at: Ukraine can feed the world again. But at what cost? - Atlantic Council

EU trade relations with China. Facts, figures and latest developments.

The EU is committed to open trading relations with China. China is expected to conform to fair trade practices, to respect intellectual property rights, and to meet its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

On 30 December 2020, the EU and China concluded in principle the negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). The agreement grants EU investors a greater level of access to China’s market. The CAI has not yet been ratified. It has therefore not yet entered into force.

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

A single market for the future –by Philippe Pochet

A single market for the future – Philippe Pochet

EU trade relations with China. Facts, figures and latest developments.

The EU is committed to open trading relations with China. China is expected to conform to fair trade practices, to respect intellectual property rights, and to meet its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

On 30 December 2020, the EU and China concluded in principle the negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). The agreement grants EU investors a greater level of access to China’s market. The CAI has not yet been ratified. It has therefore not yet entered into force.

Read More at: EU trade relations with China

EU: A stronger Europe in the world

The European Commission champions multilateralism and a rules-based global order through a more active role and stronger voice for the EU in the world.

A strong, fair and open trade agenda, makes Europe an attractive place for business. This is key to strengthening the EU’s role as a global leader while ensuring the highest standards of climate, environmental and labour protections. European leadership also means working closely with neighbouring countries, introducing a comprehensive strategy on Africa and reaffirming the European perspective of the countries of the Western Balkans.

The Commission seeks a coordinated approach to external action - from development aid to the Common Foreign and Security Policy - that secures a stronger and more united voice for Europe in the world.

Read more at: A stronger Europe in the world | European Commission

7/21/22

USA: How Corporate Power Killed Democracy - by Richard Moser

The rise of Corporate Power was the fall of democracy. Over the long haul, US politics has revolved around a deep tension between democracy and an unrelenting drive for plunder, power and empire. Granted that our democracy has been seriously flawed and only rarely revolutionary, yet the democratic movements are the source of every good thing America has ever stood for.

Since the mid-1970s, when the corporations fused with the state, a new imperial order emerged that killed what remained of representative democracy. Not only would corporations exercise public authority as only government once had, but government would coordinate and serve corporate activity. Power and profits became one and the same. Corporate power has replaced democracy with oligarchy and justice with a vast militarized penal system. Instead of innovative production, they plunder people and planet.

To achieve this new order, elections and the economy had to be drained of any remaining democratic content. Both Democrats and Republicans were eager to have at it.

By the 1990s “Third Way” Democrats like Bill Clinton abandoned what was left of the New Deal to try to outdo the Republicans as the party of Wall Street. The Republicans pioneered election fraud on a national scale in 2000, 2004, and 2016; a lesson the Democrats learned all too well by the 2016 Primary. Neither major party wants election reform since free and fair elections would threaten the system itself.

So-called private corporations like Facebook, Google and Twitter control information and manage the 1st Amendment. The corporate media now broadcast propaganda and play the role of censor once monopolized by the FBI and CIA. The migration of propaganda work to civilian organizations began under Ronald Reagan.

Read more at: How Corporate Power Killed Democracy - CounterPunch.org

The Netherlands: The Dutch Rethink the Welfare State

When the Netherlands’ newly coronated king made his first annual appearance before parliament, he turned some heads when he addressed the deficiencies of the Dutch welfare state. “Due to social developments such as globalisation and an ageing population, our labour market and public services are no longer suited to the demands of the times”, the king said in a speech written by Liberal prime minister Mark Ruttes cabinet. “The classical welfare state is slowly but surely evolving into a ‘participation society’”, Willem-Alexander continued. By this he meant that the public systems should start encouraging self-reliance over government dependency.

It is worthwhile to reflect on the challenges faced by the Dutch welfare system. In a knowledge based economy, influenced by strong global competition and dynamic economic development, public policy must encourage thrift, education and build-up of social capital. Discouragingly high taxes and encouragingly high benefits are no way of doing so. Such policies are therefore likely to become even greater obstacles to social and economic development as they are today.

Read more at: The Dutch Rethink the Welfare State | Newgeography.com

Russia: Social security and welfare in Russia: rates and benefits

Are you eligible for social security in Russia? Learn about the Russian social security system and contributions, plus how to get a Russian social security number and claim social welfare in Russia.

The Russia social security system is the responsibility of the state. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection oversees most aspects of it. In some cases, expats with residency can claim benefits from social security in Russia if they paid the necessary payments into government funds.

If you are living in Russia or working in Russia for more than 183 days in a calendar year, you are obliged to pay contributions towards the Russian social security system. The funds you pay entitle you to claim certain Russian social welfare benefits, such as unemployment benefits, basic healthcare in Russia, maternity and child benefits, and a Russian pension, although conditions apply.

READ MORE AT: Social security and welfare in Russia: rates and benefits | Expatica

Social Services listing: Which countries spend the most and least on social services? - by Katharina Buchholz

The facts are: Social spending as a share of GDP has generally declined in OECD countries over the past decade. "France remains the country most committed to social benefits, with almost a third of French GDP spent on social services by the government in 2019. "Scandinavian countries appear high up on the ranking, with Denmark, Sweden and Norway all spending more than 25%. "The OECD average was 20%.

Read more at: Which countries spend the most and least on social services? | World Economic Forum

Corporate Capitalism: Trickle-Down Economics: Theory, Effect, Results

Trickle-down economics assumes that investors, savers, and company owners are the real drivers of growth. It expects these entities will use any extra cash from tax cuts to expand businesses. Investors will buy more companies or stocks. Banks will increase lending. Owners will invest in their operations and hire workers. All of this expansion will trickle down to workers. They will spend their wages to drive demand and economic growth.1

NOTE EU-Digest: Trickle down economy is a total scam, and has given Corporations far too much economic and political power. This trend can only be turned around today, by a revigorised, strong, organized, and unionizsc, labour force.

Read more at Trickle-Down Economics: Theory, Effect, Results

7/20/22

USA Presidential Eleciiions: Biden-Trump 2024 Rematch Is Almost Certain. Polls Indicate Different Result - by Darragh Rochet

2024 rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump seems almost certain as both men have indicated their intention to run again in two years. But recent polling suggests there could be a different result.

While neither Biden nor Trump has made any official announcement about a presidential campaign, Trump has all but confirmed that he will seek another term in the Oval Office.

"Well, in my own mind, I've already made that decision, so nothing factors in anymore. In my own mind, I've already made that decision," Trump told New York magazine on July 14.

Read more at: Biden-Trump 2024 Rematch Is Almost Certain. Polls Indicate Different Result

Russia versus Nato: The real military balance between Russia and NATO - by Anatol Lieven

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the atrocities that have accompanied it, have naturally caused deep anxiety throughout Europe. NATO’s new Strategic Concept for the next decade calls Russia “the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.”

But before devoting huge additional resources to confront Russia, it would be a good idea to take a level-headed look at Russian military resources and the nature and extent of the Russian military threat to NATO. We should not forget how, after the USSR’s collapse, Western intelligence agencies concluded that their Cold War estimates of Soviet military power were greatly exaggerated (just as, it’s worth noting, were Western predictions of an easy Russian victory over Ukraine this year). After all, U.S. and Western resources are not unlimited, and devoting them to defend against Russia means limiting them elsewhere.

In terms of military spending, the United States and NATO are overwhelmingly superior to Russia. In 2021, Russia spent around $66 billion on its military. NATO’s European members alone spent more than four times that. The United States spent more than eleven times that much ($801 billion), though of course it has huge military commitments outside Europe. Moreover, European governments, including Germany, have promised steep increases in military spending, though the details are still far from clear.

Read more at The real military balance between Russia and NATO - Responsible Statecraft

7/19/22

The Netherlands: Dutch police are being infiltrated by criminal gangs, report says

Dutch police unions have called for extra training in resisting approaches from criminal gangs after a report concluded that the recent firing of dozens of officers for corruption and security breaches could prove “the tip of the iceberg”.

The Algemeen Dagblad (AD) newspaper said the confidential police report confirmed suspicions that forces around the country were being infiltrated by organised crime, with 19 officers from the mid-Netherlands force alone found to have underworld connections.

Netherlands becoming a narco-state, warn Dutch police

The paper said dozens of officers had been suspended or dismissed in recent weeks over offences and allegations of corruption in office, fraud, professional misconduct, breach of official secrecy, dereliction of duty and misuse of police computers.

Note EU-Digest: Even though the article attached is three years old, problems remain as do cost overruns in the Dutch government's efforts to re9rganize the Dutch police force

Read more at: Dutch police are being infiltrated by criminal gangs, report says | Netherlands | The Guardian

7/18/22

Russian Invasion Ukraine: Putin Unable to Match People to Equipment in Ukraine War: UK Defense Chief says

Russian President Vladimir Putin is struggling to match troops to equipment as his military suffers from low morale and recruitment struggles amid its invasion of Ukraine, said United Kingdom Defense Chief Sir Tony Radakin on Sunday.

Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in late February, initially hoping for a quick victory. However, the Russian military was met with a stronger than expected defense from Ukraine, who has largely held its own during the war.

Fighting has been concentrated in only the easternmost region of the country in recent months, and Russia has not achieved its stated goal to "liberate" Donbas, a separatist region in Eastern Ukraine. Military experts have given a myriad of potential reasons for Russia's failure to quickly take Ukraine, with many citing weaknesses within Russian troops.

Read more at: Putin Unable to Match People to Equipment in Ukraine War: UK Defense Chief

EU Weather: Wildfires continue to rage in France and Spain

Thousands have been evacuated from their homes by authorities in France and Spain. More than 1,200 firefighters are deployed in Gironde, a prefecture in Bordeaux, France. Thousands of hectares have burned in Portugal. Two huge blazes have burned their way through pine forests for six days just south of the city of Bordeaux in southwestern France. The fires have forced the evacuation of some 14,000 people, including many who were on holiday in the area.

Firefighters in Spain were supported by the armed forces' emergency brigades in trying to extinguish more than 30 fires consuming forests across the country.

Wildfires continue to rage in France and Spain | News | DW | 18.07.2022

Netherlands heatwawave:Holland to Introduce Orange Weather Alert on Tuesday Due to Heatwave

msterdam- The Netherlands will issue an orange weather alert code due to a heatwave on July 19, the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute said on Monday.

“Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 19, the weather will be very hot. An orange weather code will be introduced throughout the centre and south of the country due to high temperatures,” the Dutch national weather forecasting service said on Twitter​​​.

Temperature in the Netherlands is expected to reach up to 38-39 degrees Celsius, according to the weather service.

Read more at: Netherlands to Introduce Orange Weather Alert on Tuesday Due to Heatwave - Map Ecology

7/17/22

The Western System: Lies and Desperation as the Collapse of the Western System is Near - ( or is this Russian propaganda?)by Sarah Westall

We are all witnessing lies and propaganda like never before. It is very disconcerting that the United States and the West has devolved into a full blown propaganda machine, fueled by their media puppets. When it comes to war and economic collapse, it is even more important that we have sources of information that are not feeding us lies or a narrative that only serves the interest of the global elite and not the truth. Silver-Serum-Antibiotic_300x250-1 Lies and Desperation as the Collapse of the Western System is Near

The mainstream media because they want you to think Russia is the only instigator of war. While I do not claim Russia is completely innocent and even more so, it’s important to not be naive; But, it’s also important to find information sources that can zoom out and look at the entire chess board and share their perspective

Below is Harley Schlanger’s current assessment of what is going on internationally and with the economic collapse of the west. He communicates a broader perspective, and more importantly, a different perspective than what you have been fed by the local media in the United States. Having a different and more honest perspective of the world’s current circumstances will help you be more prepared for what is coming.

Note EU-Digest: Facts proof today that the above article video clip was pure Russian propaganda, coming from a British Communist :-(

Read more at: Lies and Desperation as the Collapse of the Western System is Near - Business Game Changers

Turkey: Erdogan and his wife are infected with Omicron

urkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he is infected with Covid-19, but has no severe symptoms.

“After experiencing mild symptoms, my wife and I tested positive for Covid-19. Fortunately, we have a mild infection that we learned was the Omicron variant,” the 67-year-old president said on Twitter.

“We will continue our work from home. We look forward to your prayers,” Erdogan added.

Read more at: https://darik.news/en/erdogan-and-his-wife-are-infected-with-omicron.html

7/15/22

China will 'eat our lunch,' Biden warns after clashing with Xi on most fronts | Reuters

While Xi has called for “win-win” cooperation, Biden has called China America’s “most serious competitor” and vowed to “out compete” Beijing.

On Thursday, Biden told a bipartisan group of U.S. senators at a meeting on the need to upgrade U.S. infrastructure the United States must raise its game in the face of the Chinese challenge.

Read more at: China will 'eat our lunch,' Biden warns after clashing with Xi on most fronts | Reuters

Russia Ukraine Invasion:EU seeks to ban Russian gold in seventh sanctions package

The European Commission formally announced its proposal for a seventh package of sanctions against Russia on Friday in light of its monthslong war against Ukraine.

The sanctions are expected to target Russian gold imports into the EU and "to close exit routes" for actors

trying to get around earlier sanctions, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic said. The EU is looking for ways to "slap a sanction regime on gold, which is an important commodity for exports from Russia" following the announced ban of Russian gold imports by G7 members in June, Sefcovic said.

Read more: EU seeks to ban Russian gold in seventh sanctions package | News | DW | 15.07.2022

7/14/22

Signs of the End Times - 2022 Biblical End Time Prophecy

When Noah and Lot warned their respective people of God's coming judgment and destruction, the people would not listen. Instead they treated Noah and Lot as "extremists". Then the destruction that DID come found the people unprepared. Thus it will be when Jesus Christ returns. As in the days of Noah and Lot, the soon return of our Lord Jesus will be a snare unto the people who do not heed the warning and surrender their lives to Him who knows all. (Luke 17:26-30)

This world is hearing and seeing the last warning message from God. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! (Joel 3:14)

Read more at: Signs of the End Times - 2022 Biblical End Time Prophecy

7/13/22

Car Industry: Electric Car Companies: Here’s Who Makes All the EVs

The electrics are coming! Hardly a month goes by now where we don't hear about several new electric cars and crossovers on the way to the U.S. from all manner of automakers big and small. Everyone's hoping to get a piece of Tesla's action, all while betting big that car buyers are getting ready to move away from combustion and hybrid-powered vehicles to full EVs. Maybe you've even been considering making just such a switch yourself.

Many of those very same (especially European) automakers have also set calendar dates for when they'll start or finish phasing out internal combustion engines entirely. We already told you about all the EVs you can buy in 2021, plus the electric SUVs available, and now it's time to run down all the electric car companies who make them. Who's making what, right now and in the foreseeable future? Read on for a list of every company and brand already building or planning EVs for the U.S. market, organized in alphabetical order and accompanied by a list of their current and future electric cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Read more at: Electric Car Companies: Here’s Who Makes All the EVs

EU: Electric car sales accelerate as Europe turns away from diesel

Europeans bought as many hybrid cars as they did diesel in Europe in 2021 for the first time as the European Commission presses forward with its intention to ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035.

Sales of non-rechargeable hybrids - vehicles that run on fuel but also have an electric component that reduces consumption - were up 60% on the previous year and amounted to almost 20% of the total market share.

That is on a par with ordinary diesel vehicles, sales of which fell by 31% across the continent, according to the Association of European Manufacturers (ACEA).

Read more at: Electric car sales accelerate as Europe turns away from diesel | Euronews

Soaring gas and food prices catapult US inflation to 40-year-high

US inflation accelerated in June by more than forecast, led by elevated prices for gasoline, food and housing costs and resulting in the largest annual increase in inflation in more than 40 years.

The news virtually guarantees that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates by another three-quarters of a point this month. Biden is trying to rebuild America’s middle class. Our lopsided economy needs it Heather Cox Richardson Read more

The consumer price index increased 1.3% last month after advancing 1% in May, the US labor department said, pushing inflation to 9.1% from 8.6%. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI would rise 1.1%.

Read mmore at Soaring gas and food prices catapult US inflation to 40-year-high | US economy | The Guardian

7/12/22

Curency Exchange Rates: Dollar-euro parity: What a one-to-one exchange means

As the euro’s value sinks, the dollar-euro parity could affect your plans: whether you are investing in foreign markets or just planning a spring vacation in the south of France.

The strong greenback against plunging euro prices means there could soon be a one-to-one exchange rate between the currencies. And the magical state of parity is a significant marker not only because it reduces the cost of exchanging money—but also because it is a rare occurrence.

The last parity moment was in November 2002. Parity also occurred when the euro was introduced in 1999, and in 2000. So why now? The two currencies getting cozy signifies an ongoing trend in changing money supplies and disparate central bank policies between the United States and the European Union.

Read more at: Dollar-euro parity: What a one-to-one exchange means

The Netherlands: Dutch government to tackle shortage of workers with national plan

The Cabinet will come up with a course of action to combat the shortage of workers personnel, including Tunspecified "further measures.” But most plans will only take effect in the future, with new policies enacted by the government expected to remain in place for a longer period of time. The shortage on the labor market will still be felt for quite some time as a result.

On Friday, Minister of Social Affairs Karien van Gennip and colleagues wrote an extensive letter to the Tweede Kamer about the shortage of workers. This shortage is acutely visible in everyday life, such as in public transport and at Schiphol Airport. The government must also act, in addition to the important role employers play, the minister acknowledged.

Read more at: Dutch government to tackle shortage of workers with national plan | NL Times

7/11/22

USA-Florida: Hundreds of giant snails take over Florida, killing plants and wildlife in their wake - by Maeve Campbell

Swathes of Giant African land snails have suddenly appeared on Florida's Gulf Coast, say local officials.

Not only do the animals threaten to destroy a vast array of plants and trees, they pose the risk of transmitting a rare type of meningitis to humans.

The snail, native to East Africa, is one of the most damaging in the world, eating at least 500 different types of plants, tree bark, and even paint and stucco on houses, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Read more at: Hundreds of giant snails take over Florida, killing plants and wildlife in their wake | Euronews

EU-Russia Relations: Russia shuts down Nord Stream gas pipeline for repairs

Russia has reduced Nord Stream gas exports to Europe as the pipeline enters a scheduled 10-day maintenance period.

Although the routine repairs had been long-planned, some officials fear Russia might not restart the flow of gas in an attempt to destabilize Europe. Other repairs have missed deadlines in the past and now, Germany is bracing for a winter of limited gas supplies.

"As expected, Nord Stream 1 is at zero since this morning," Klaus Müller, the head of Germany's energy regulator, told Reuters on Monday.

"What happens at the end of the maintenance, nobody is able to say at this moment," he added. "We won't know any time sooner than a day before its scheduled end."

Read more at: Russia shuts down Nord Stream gas pipeline for repairs | News | DW | 11.07.2022

USA: Biden celebration of new gun law clouded by latest shooting

President Joe Biden on Monday hailed a new bipartisan law meant to reduce gun violence as “real progress,” but said “more has to be done” after just 16 days in effect, that legislation already has been overshadowed by yet another mass shooting.

The bill, passed after recent gun rampages in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, incrementally toughens requirements for young people to buy guns, denies firearms to more domestic abusers, and helps local authorities temporarily take weapons from people judged to be dangerous.

Read more at: Biden celebration of new gun law clouded by latest shooting | AP News

EU population shrinks for second year in a row in 2021, partly due to the pandemic

The EU's population declined in 2021 for the second year in a row, in part due to the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest figures released by Eurostat, the EU.

The total population of the 27 EU member states fell from 447 million on 1 January 2021 to 446.8 on 1 January 2022, the European statistics office said in a note, a net decline of about 172,000 people.

The only other time since the 1960s that the EU registered a fall in population was in 2011, but it picked up the following year due to net migration.

Read more at: EU population shrinks for second year in a row in 2021, partly due to the pandemic | Euronews

Russian Ukraine Invasion: Ukraine investigates, attacks those who collaborate with Russia - by Mansur Mirovalev

Volodymyr Saldo claimed that in 2016, he was handcuffed to a metal bed for 59 days in the Dominican Republic, almost 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) away from home.

He alleged that the kidnapper, Igor Pashchenko, his former business partner from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, electrocuted him so he would read certain phrases into a dictaphone.

Some 480 people – from Kherson to Kharkiv in Ukraine’s northeast – are being investigated for collaboration with the Russian invaders, Ukrainian prosecutors said on June 10.

The turncoats surrender cities, towns and districts, snitch on pro-Kyiv activists, tell Russians the location of Ukrainian forces, arms depots and minefields, and even coordinate Russian artillery fire, prosecutors said.

Read more at: Ukraine investigates, attacks those who collaborate with Russia | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera

7/10/22

Ukraine War: Could Ukraine be the beginning of the end for Putin? - by NAOYA YOSHINO,

Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people. We're united in imposing a cost on Russia for its actions so far."

These remarks were delivered not by U.S. President Joe Biden on the current war in Ukraine, but by President Barack Obama about eight years ago.

Obama was at the emergency meeting by Group of Seven leaders in The Hague following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. The gathering marked the end of the Group of Eight framework including Russia, which officially launched in 1998.

Read more at: Could Ukraine be the beginning of the end for Putin? - Nikkei Asia

7/9/22

China-US Relations: Where Is the US-China Relationship Heading in 2022?

The U.S. and China disagree about most things these days. But both have a strong interest in cooperating where they can and avoiding open conflict. Despite fierce economic and trade disputes, there remains a deep interdependence between the Chinese and American economies and societies. China is still the U.S.’s largest supplier of merchandise imports and the third-largest market for U.S. merchandise exports.

And despite increasing restrictions applied by the U.S. government, the U.S. remains a very important destination for China’s outbound investment, which helps Chinese companies to acquire technology, knowhow and brands, and penetrate U.S. markets.

The ascension of President Xi Jinping to China’s leadership in 2012/13 marked a much more aggressive Chinese foreign policy, which became evident in an array of initiatives and actions: Its occupation and militarization of the South China Sea. Its harassment of Japan’s administration of the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands. Its increasing pressure applied toward Taiwan, and Beijing’s impatience for Taiwan’s unification with the People’s Republic. Its violation of the “One country, two systems” principle for Hong Kong’s governance. Its state-sponsored cyber intrusions. Its massive investments in military hardware, like its recently tested nuclear-capable hypersonic missile.

Read more at: Where Is the US-China Relationship Heading in 2022? – BRINK – Conversations and Insights on Global Business

China by numbers: 10 facts to help you understand the superpower today - by Douglas Broom

China, home to almost a fifth of the world’s population, is a country of superlatives. Forty years of economic growth, at an average of nearly 10% a year, has transformed the country into a global leader in technology and manufacturing.

Its economy is now second only in size to the United States - larger if trade is taken into account - and it is home to six of the world’s megacities.
,br> Despite its trade dispute with the US, China enjoyed first-quarter growth of 6.4% this year, more than double the UN’s forecast for the rest of the world.

Read more at: China by numbers: 10 facts to help you understand the superpower today | World Economic Forum

7/8/22

EU -Monkeypox: Here are the EU member states that have received vaccine doses

More than 13,600 doses of vaccines against Monkeypox have now been delivered to European Union member states, the Commission announced on Friday.
Spain was the first country to get a delivery, receiving 5,300 doses in late June.

Since then Germany has also received 5,300 doses, while Portugal and Belgium have had deliveries of 2,700 and 340 doses respectively, a spokesman for the Commission has confirmed.

Read more at: Monkeypox: Here are the EU member states that have received vaccine doses | Euronews

Canada: Massive Rogers outage snarling telecom, banking and government services continues

A massive outage at Rogers has brought down internet and cellular service across Canada, and has also interrupted government services and payment systems for businesses and individuals.

The outage began some time early Friday morning, and as of 5 p.m. ET had not been fixed.

The company does not have an estimate when the day-long outage will be fixed, said Kye Prigg, Rogers' senior vice-president of access networks and operations, on CBC's Power & Politics.

Read more at: Massive Rogers outage snarling telecom, banking and government services continues | CBC News

Ukraine war: Accept our terms or brace for the worst, Putin tells Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned Kyiv that it should quickly accept Moscow's terms or brace for the worst, adding ominously that Russia has barely started its action in the country.

Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the Kremlin-controlled Russian parliament, Putin accused Western allies of fueling the hostilities, charging that "the West wants to fight us until the last Ukrainian.”

“It's a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it looks like it's heading in that direction,” he added. Negotiation table

Read more at: Ukraine war: Accept our terms or brace for the worst, Putin tells Kyiv | Euronews

JAPAN: Shinzo Abe: Assassinated former PM leaves divided legacy for Japan

Shinzo Abe was a political blueblood groomed for power. Japan's longest serving prime minister, he was also perhaps the most polarizing, complex politician in recent Japanese history.

Abe, who was assassinated Friday, angered both liberals at home and World War II victims in Asia with his hawkish push to revamp the military and his revisionist view that Japan was given an unfair verdict by history for its brutal past.

At the same time, he revitalized Japan’s economy, led efforts for the nation to take a stronger role in Asia and served as a rare beacon of political stability before stepping down two years ago for health reasons.

Read more at: Shinzo Abe: Assassinated former PM leaves divided legacy for Japan | Euronews

Britain: Rishi Sunak launches bid to be new Conservative leader

British former finance minister Rishi Sunak has announced he is running to replace Boris Johnson, three days after helping to launch the cascade of resignations that brought the prime minister down.

Johnson’s imminent departure has added political uncertainty to an already difficult mix of soaring inflation, slowing growth and industrial unrest, set against a backdrop of war in Ukraine and the United Kingdom’s continuing struggle to adapt to life after Brexit.

Read more at: UK: Rishi Sunak launches bid to be new Conservative leader | News | Al Jazeera

7/7/22

Democracy in decline: How Corporate Power Killed Democracy - the Fusion of the Corporation and the State

The rise of Corporate Power was the fall of democracy. Over the long haul, US politics has revolved around a deep tension between democracy and an unrelenting drive for plunder, power and empire. Granted that our democracy has been seriously flawed and only rarely revolutionary, yet the democratic movements are the source of every good thing America has ever stood for.

Since the mid-1970s, when the corporations fused with the state, a new imperial order emerged that killed what remained of representative democracy. Not only would corporations exercise public authority as only government once had, but government would coordinate and serve corporate activity. Power and profits became one and the same. Corporate power has replaced democracy with oligarchy and justice with a vast militarized penal system. Instead of innovative production, they plunder people and planet. To achieve this new order, elections and the economy had to be drained of any remaining democratic content. Both Democrats and Republicans were eager to have at it.

By the 1990s “Third Way” Democrats like Bill Clinton abandoned what was left of the New Deal to try to outdo the Republicans as the party of Wall Street. The Republicans pioneered election fraud on a national scale in 2000, 2004, and 2016; a lesson the Democrats learned all too well by the 2016 Primary. Neither major party wants election reform since free and fair elections would threaten the system itself.

So-called private corporations like Facebook, Google and Twitter control information and manage the 1st Amendment. The corporate media now broadcast propaganda and play the role of censor once monopolized by the FBI and CIA. The migration of propaganda work to civilian organizations began under Ronald Reagan.

Read more at: How Corporate Power Killed Democracy - CounterPunch.org

Russia: efiant Putin warns the west: your sanctions are akin to an act of war

ladimir Putin delivered a chilling warning to the west over the imposition of sanctions on Russia on Saturday, warning that measures designed to cripple his country’s economy were “akin to an act of war”.

In comments that were both defiant and threatening, the Russian president also told Ukraine’s leaders that their nation risked being dismantled as an independent sovereign state if they continued to resist Russia’s invasion.

“The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood,” Putin said. “If that happens they will have to be blamed for that.”

Read more at Defiant Putin warns the west: your sanctions are akin to an act of war | Ukraine | The Guardian

Britain: Boris Johnson’s resignation: what is going on in UK politics? - by Ben Quinn

Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, announced on Thursday that he would be stepping down as leader of the ruling Conservatives in the face of a torrent of resignations by ministers and mounting pressure from within the party.

For now he is still prime minister, but his resignation triggers a contest to replace him as head of his party. The winner will become both party leader and prime minister, without the need for a national election.

Johnson had faced growing calls to go, after claims that he lied about the circumstances in which he gave a key role to an ally who was forced to quit last month over accusations that he had groped men.

Johnson’s premiership has been embroiled in months of turmoil – last month he survived a vote of confidence among Conservative MPs – but the prime minister’s undoing was ultimately prompted by the scandal surrounding one of their number.

Read more at: Boris Johnson’s resignation: what is going on in UK politics? | Boris Johnson | The Guardian

7/6/22

USA: Its Time For America To Wake Up

We’re still going strong, but have you noticed where we are? We’re seemingly lost and confused. Our country is only 241 years old, practically a baby compared to many other historic countries such as Rome, Greece, India, or Egypt. We still have a lot of growing to do and we must understand exactly that means for us. America, land of the free and home of the brave, yet we hold consistent tragedy in our hands. We spend excessive time trying to maintain the sanctity and outdated values that have been set that we neglect the country that we’re steadily growing into. Roses are gold, but what’s in the heart of the unknown? It’s time that we speak; speak easily, speak clearly, and speak incredibly!

At the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we were nothing but a caterpillar. The caterpillar utilized a system of oppression to conquer and build the land that we call home today. During The Great Depression, Jim Crow, and The Civil Rights Movement, we found our way into a cocoon. In our cocoon, we dealt with planes taking down two of our most precious treasures. It was in 2008 that a progressive butterfly released itself with the game changing presidential election race. We as a country came together and let our land be what it was meant to be, beautifully diverse. Our butterfly consists of black, white, brown and many shades and tints in between. Some eat sashimi for breakfast, others like eggs benedict for lunch. Some prefer Giuseppe Zanotti for their shoe style, others prefer a pair of Chuck Taylors for their comfort. Yet we refuse to embrace that which makes us individuals. Instead, we constantly sting each other like vengeful wasps. Our diversity is what tears us apart.

READ MORE AT: It’s Time For America To Wake Up | Thought Catalog

7/5/22

Canada: Air Canada Announces Major Reduction In Flights Due To Unprecedented Travel Chaos

Air Canada announced on Friday that it “is now making meaningful reductions to our schedule in July and August in order to reduce passenger volumes and flows to a level we believe the air transport system can accommodate.” These reductions will significantly impact summer travel in July and August.

The announcement was in response to growing national and international news reports that put Air Canada’s record of flight cancellations and delays among some of the worst on record in the world currently.

Read more at: Air Canada Announces Major Reduction In Flights Due To Unprecedented Travel Chaos

7/4/22

TCB - US Economy: Economic Forecast for the US Economy

The Conference Board does not believe that the US economy is currently in a recession. We forecast that US Real GDP growth will rise to 1.9 percent (quarter-over-quarter, annualized rate) in Q2 2022, vs. -1.5 percent growth in Q1 2022. At present, US economic activity continues to expand, and the labor market remains robust, despite headwinds from inflation and interest rates. However, these forces are likely to significantly curb consumer spending and business investment over the coming quarters. Annual growth in 2022 should come in at 2.0 percent (year-over-year) and we expect growth of 0.6 percent (year-over-year) in 2023.

Read more at:Economic Forecast for the US Economy

The Netherlands: Farmers blockade supermarket distribution in protest at sustainability policy

Dutch farmers have blocked multiple supermarket distribution centres, in the latest protest against forced farm closures. Police yesterday advised people to work from home after farmers threatened to bring the entire country ‘to a standstill

Protests are also expected around Schiphol airport on Monday, which has called for travellers to come by public transport.

Read more at: Farmers blockade supermarket distribution in protest at sustainability policy - DutchNews.nl

7/3/22

Our Planet: Has Earth Moved Into the 4th/5th Dimension? - by Alan Lew

FOR the past decade, at least, New Age spiritualists and channeled beings have talked about how Earth is transitioning or “ascending” from the 3rd Dimension to the 4th or 5th Dimension. Some said we are already there, but for most it was as if each year was “the year” that this ascension would happen.

But the “New Earth” that people envisioned never quite materialized as predicted — or at least it is hard for most of us to see.

The dramatic worldwide impact of the COVID-19 pandemic increased convictions for many that such a transition was taking place in 2020. A growing interests in spirituality shows they may be right.

“There are intersections, changes, of spiritual direction, say, of course, occurring constantly in your world. There are also certain times when these are taken advantage of, where change is in the air, for example, for those with courage and good intent.

-Deplorable as world conditions seem, for example, as man’s desperate need for self-understanding is made known to himself, so in that world also there is a time of sensed change: new values that “will take this time.”… These periods involve accelerations, sensed while they may still be invisible, and it is this kind of period that you have just now entered into.” What Kind of Shift?

Throughout 2020, some held the belief that the Earth will shift completely from being a 3rd Dimensional (3D) planet to being a 4th or 5th Dimensional one (4D/5D). This was the same belief that disappointed so many on December 21, 2012, which marked the end of the Mayan Calendar.

A few predicted the Earth would physically split, with some going to the 4D/5D version, and other staying on the 3D version. Some said alien spaceships would facilitate this split.

But most spiritually oriented teachers and commentators had learned from the 2012 event and were more cautious in their predictions of a sudden and complete change. Instead, in a more nuanced way, they emphasize how we 3D Earth humans are learning, using, and applying more 4D and 5D practices, abilities, beliefs, and perceptions in our lives. Some of these include: — using our more feminine intuition and creativity — practicing forms of meditation and yoga — having lucid dreaming and out-of-body experiences (OBEs) — channeling and other ways of communicating with higher dimensional beings and aliens/ETs — working with past life regression, hypnosis, and psychic abilities

These modalities enable the practitioner to experience the 4D and higher dimensions. They also bring those dimensions into our 3rd Dimension. Most of the time, those cross-dimensional experiences are temporary.

Eventually, we will reach a tipping point, after which we will consider 4D/5D things “normal”. To me, that is how we will know the New Earth has arrived:

It will be a 4D New Earth if we still focus us on learning and mastering psychic and spiritual practices, abilities, beliefs, and perceptions. This is how we expand to higher levels of 4D. It will be a 5D New Earth when most everyone regularly uses psychic and spiritual skills as part of their daily life. Those abilities expand into a growing sense of oneness and unconditional love for all existence. Some say upper 5D is when we leave our physical bodies behind and become light bodies.

“5D” is the New “Heaven” The spiritual 5th Dimension feels a lot like religion. experience to embrace the 4D/5D reality that already surrounds us.

In the short to medium term (the next 20 years), this is what I see: 4th and 5th Dimensional technologies will rapidly develop and become commonplace, including energy healing, alternative sources of almost free electricity, and new forms of interplanetary and dream travel; dreams will be more lucid and remembered by everyone, and group dreaming will be more common; time travel is probably further away; science and medicine will develop new dominant paradigms that merge objective and subjective realities; both will become quantum-based and medicine, in particular, will become individualized, with treatments tailored to the unique conditions of each person.
(2) 4th and 5th Dimensional thinking will expand and eventually become common, including awareness of universal oneness and respect for human diversity and our natural environments, along with greater international cooperation to end wars, conflicts, and poverty; because of these shifts, locally oriented economic systems will expand as global economies become less pronounced; and alternative forms of government will emerge to reflect these new values, perhaps similar to more idealistic and compassionate forms of libertarian thought.

(3) Communication with 4th and 5th Dimensional beings (ETs/galactics, spirit guides, etc.) will become more common as intuitive communication skills (including telepathy) and inner spirituality develop; religions, and we will completely redefine moral behavior because of this shift, with both becoming more tolerant and even encouraging a wider and more colorful range of “normal” human behavior and beliefs.

(4) Along with enhanced and alternate ways of communicating, individual humans will increasingly exhibit a wider range of psychic skills, including knowledge from their Higher Self, which will be normal (this is already happening); we will teach psychic skills from elementary schools through universities, and education will change in major ways because of this, toward more cooperative learning rather than top-down teaching.

This is how I understand the planet’s ascension taking place, based on the diverse and sometimes conflicting messages I have heard from channeled higher dimensional beings. [6.2] Keep Calm & Enjoy the Ride

THE 3RD Dimensional physical Earth is not going anywhere. It will not flip suddenly into a different dimension. Instead, it is integrating with 4th and 5th dimensional densities. That is what the ascension or transformation is all about. I think having a more heart-centered planet can o

Read more at: Has Earth Moved Into the 4th/5th Dimension? | by Alan Lew | New Earth Consciousness | Medium

7/2/22

EU: Minimum wages in 2022: Annual review

While minimum wages increased substantially between 1 January 2021 and 1 January 2022 in nominal terms, the real-life impact does not signify a boost to living standards when rising inflation is taken into account. During the same period, minimum wage workers in 15 out of the 21 Member States with a statutory minimum wage saw a decline in their wages in real terms.

If present inflation trends continue, minimum wages will barely grow in real terms in any country in 2022, and significant losses in the purchasing capacity of minimum wage earners will become a dominant theme unless the issue is addressed by additional uprates or other support measures for low-paid employees during the year. Countries with automatic indexation mechanisms, such as Belgium, France and Luxembourg, were quicker in uprating wages in line with inflation; but additional increases can be also introduced ad hoc, as in Greece. The proposed EU directive on adequate minimum wages is already prompting a few Member States to refocus debates on the topic and prepare for change in areas such as setting the criteria for wage setting or raising wages in line with the ‘international reference values’ mentioned in the proposal. Germany, for example, has decided to uprate its minimum wage to €12 per hour, or about 60% of median wages, in October 2022.

New findings indicate that substantial debates among national actors on how to promote collective bargaining and increase bargaining coverage are taking place in only Denmark, Latvia and Norway. Establishing action plans to promote collective bargaining is an important element of the new EU directive on adequate minimum wages and will be a key requirement for Member States.

Read more at: Minimum wages in 2022: Annual review | Eurofound

7/1/22

NATO says Russia poses ‘direct threat’, invites Sweden, Finland

NATO leaders have called Russia the “most significant and direct threat” to the alliance’s peace and security, while officially inviting Sweden and Finland to join bloc.

The leaders of the 30-country bloc, in a joint declaration after meeting in Madrid, Spain on Wednesday, endorsed a new strategic framework and launch the largest revamp of its defence and deterrence capabilities since the end of the Cold War, strengthening its forces on its eastern flank and massively ramping up the number of troops it has at high readiness. The declaration also addressed the growing military and economic reach of China.

Read more at: NATO says Russia poses ‘direct threat’, invites Sweden, Finland | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera

EU Global Wrming: EU countries reach climate crisis deal after late-night talks

EU countries clinched deals on proposed laws to combat the climate crisis in the early hours of Wednesday, backing a 2035 phase-out of new fossil-fuel car sales and a multibillion-euro fund to shield poorer citizens from the costs of carbon dioxide emissions.

After more than 16 hours of negotiations, environment ministers from the 27 member states agreed their joint positions on five laws, part of a broader package of measures to slash planet-heating emissions this decade.

“The climate crisis and its consequences are clear, and so policy is unavoidable,” EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said, adding that he thought the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, a major supplier of gas, was spurring countries to quit fossil fuels faster.

Read more at: EU countries reach climate crisis deal after late-night talks | European Union | The Guardian

Crypto Currency: EU agrees on landmark crypto regulation in wake of Terra meltdown and Bitcoin plunge

The European Union has agreed on landmark rules for regulating the cryptocurrency industry, whose meltdown has been wiping out fortunes and sparking calls for tighter scrutiny worldwide.

EU negotiators hammered out the final details for a provisional agreement late on Thursday on a sweeping package of crypto regulations for the bloc’s 27 nations, known as Markets in Crypto Assets, or MiCA.

"Today, we put order in the Wild West of crypto assets and set clear rules for a harmonised market,” said Stefan Berger, the lead lawmaker negotiating the rules.

Read more at: EU agrees on landmark crypto regulation in wake of Terra meltdown and Bitcoin plunge | Euronews