EU-DIGEST: 8/1/22

8/31/22

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."

8/30/22

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.”

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

Russia: Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet leader who ended the Cold War, has died

Mikhail Gorbachev, who ended the Cold War without bloodshed but failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union, has died at the age of 92, Russian news agencies cited hospital officials as saying on Tuesday.

8/29/22

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

One Cuban man endured a trek through eight countries that lasted more than a month. Another man paid a small fortune for a furtive speedboat trip. A third decided to risk a perilous passage aboard a homemade raft rather than stay a moment longer on the island.

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.

USA - Lack of proper Gun Control: Dutch commando dies after US street shooting

In a statement rom the Dutch Defense Ministry said the two other soldiers were both conscious and able to speak

A Dutch Defense Ministry statement on Monday said a special forces commando had died of his injuries after he and two colleagues were gunned down outside a hotel in the US.

The media said the shooting in Indiana appeared to have followed an earlier altercation and was not random.

Trump: Good or Bad for the Republican Party?

There has been much debate about the current front runner in the Republican Party. Some believe Trump would is the ideal candidate for Presidency, while others cringe at the thought that he is leading the race by over 20 percent.

Many of us can agree that Trump doesn't have the most traditional Republican views. Take healthcare, for example. The Republican platform does not believe in Obamacare, and does not find it to be beneficial to our country. Trump, on the other hand, believes that single-payer health care has worked well in the past for countries such as Canada and Scotland. However, he did argue in the first debate that the time for that has come and gone in America, and that in this day and age, we should be implementing a private system.

US Politics: Is Donald Trump ultimately more of an asset or a liability to the Republican Party?

He’s great for the Republican Party… He provides them cover to do all sorts of stuff to further the conservative right agenda and all the media pays attention to is his petty narcissistic crap.

Read more at:: Is Donald Trump ultimately more of an asset or a liability to the Republican Party? - Quora

8/28/22

USA Afghan Debacle: Afghans adrift on US ′lily pad′ in Kosovo

Two weeks after the Taliban reclaimed Kabul in 2021, diplomats and US soldiers in Kosovo welcomed with open arms and newly built accommodations Afghans who had been evacuated because of their work with the United States and allied governments. Camp Liya, constructed alongside the US Army base Camp Bondsteel, would briefly be their home — a "lily pad," they were told — while Washington arranged their resettlement in the United States or a third country.

"We are honored to be able to help Afghan refugees who worked for NATO,” Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on August 29, 2021, greeting the first arrivals at the airport. "They left their homes and their country in desperation. But we will do everything to make sure that they will be safe, secure here.”

John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman at the time, said the agreement signed with Kosovo pledged the US to relocate Afghans that are housed in the camp "to the United States or a third country within 365 days.”

The Netherlands: Six dead in Netherlands as truck crashes into community barbecue

Ae least six people were killed and seven more wounded in the Netherlands when a truck drove off a dike and slammed into a community barbecue.

It happened on Saturday evening in the village of Nieuw-Beijerlanda south of Rotterdam, when police say a large truck left a small rural road and careered down the bank of the dike, and ploughed into the village gathering.

The exact cause of the crash is now under investigation, but police spokesperson Mirjam Boers said the truck driver was a 46-year-old Spanish man, and that he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

“For the time being, we are keeping all scenarios about the facts open,” the police said in a statement.

Belarus' Claims recently made by the German chancellor Olaf Scholz have been rebuffed by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

While speaking to reporters at the premises of the Minsk Mechanical Plant, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that Belarus’ independence is unshakeable. This remark came in response to a comment made by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to Belarusian publication belta.by.

Scholz had previously quoted Vladimir Putin as allegedly denying Belarus’ and Ukraine’s independence status. Lukashenko made it perfectly clear that he does not pay attention to such things, claiming that he had heard too much fake news already.

Turkey hits back at Macron's 'unacceptable' criticism

Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic slammed what he described as the French leader’s “extremely unfortunate” comments.

“It is unacceptable that… Macron, who has difficulties in confronting his colonial past in Africa, especially Algeria, tries to get rid of his colonial past by accusing other countries, including our country,” he said in a
statement.

8/27/22

Politics: Karl Marx: Five reasons why the thinker was ahead of his time

Without his wife Jenny Marx (1814-1881), Marx's accomplishments would not have been possible. Born Johanna Bertha Julie Jenny von Westphalen, Marx's better half was not only a journalist but also his first critical reader. She debated with him and the publicist and philosopher Friedrich Engels and collaborated on the creation of the "Communist Manifesto." In the only handwritten version of the booklet that has survived the years, the first lines are written by her.

As a journalist, she wrote texts about the 1848 March Revolution in Germany and reviews of William Shakespeare for the renowned Frankfurter Zeitung newspaper, negotiated with publishers and spoke a number of foreign languages — better than her husband. Her skills came in handy, since the Marx family was forced to spend most of their lives in exile. Friedrich Engels called her and her husband the two "highly gifted natures" and said of Jenny after her death that "her bold and wise counsel" would be bitterly missed.

In 1866, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels helped make the eight-hour day an official demand of the International Workers Association. As early as the 1810s, Welshman Robert Owen is said to have coined the slogan in Britain: "Eight hours work, eight hours sleep, and eight hours leisure and recreation."

The eight-hour day was introduced by law in Germany, for the first time in 1918. Since then, however, the law is changing: Six-hour days are now being tested in several European countries.

R ead more at : https://www.dw.com/en/karl-marx-five-reasons-why-the-thinker-was-ahead-of-his-time/a-60716738

Britain: Why Does The Commonwealth Still Exist?

It exists to foster international co-operation and trade links between people all over the world. After 70 years of its existence, the Commonwealth is a remarkable organisation which remains a major force for change in the world today.

8/26/22

Russia faces deep recession that will 'only get deeper,' Treasury official says - by Matt Egan

Sanctions leveled on Russia have pushed the country toward becoming a closed economy, a status the country is ill-equipped to handle, a senior Treasury official said on Friday.

"The economic consequences Russia is facing are severe: high inflation that will only get higher, and deep recession that will only get deeper," the official told reporters during a conference call.

Among other steps, Western powers have frozen about half of Russia's foreign reserves, banned certain Russian banks from the high security SWIFT banking network and blocked exports of key technology to Russia. States has also prohibited the import of Russian oil, natural gas and petroleum products.

8/25/22

Italy: You could get paid €15,000 to move to this stunning island. But here's the catch.

If you’ve ever fantasised about moving to a sunny island, now’s your chance: Sardinia is offering people a mammoth €15,000 to relocate.

The Italian island - the second largest in the Mediterranean - boasts sandy beaches, blue skies and turquoise waters.

But the island paradise faces dwindling rural population numbers, as young locals move abroad for work.To combat this exodus, the government has set aside €45 million for the relocation grant, enough to cover 3,000 grants.

So if you’re already packing yours ?

Canada - German Cooperation: Scholz says Germany wants more natural gas from Canada but lacks infrastructure, business backing

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he wants Canada to increase its shipments of liquefied natural gas to Europe but admits a lack of infrastructure and an unproven business case for the Canadian export stands in the way of any boost in supply.

Scholz also told CBC News that the war in Ukraine will not end until Russian President Vladimir Putin realizes that his strategy is destined to fail.

"We would really like Canada to export more (liquefied natural gas, LNG) to Europe," Scholz told host Vassy Kapelos on CBC News Network's Power & Politics Tuesday.

"We are creating the atmosphere for very direct talks between the business sectors of Canada and Germany [to see] If there is something which could be done now in this very crisis … but this is part of the follow-up between the businesspeople of the two countries."

8/23/22

The Netherlands: Hoekstra under fire as cracks grow in coalition over nitrogen policy

Foreign affairs minister Wopke Hoekstra is expected to come under fire from MPs on all sides over his recent remarks on the government’s plans to cut nitrogen emissions. Hoekstra drew a sharp rebuke from the prime minister, Mark Rutte, and his colleague responsible for nitrogen policy, Christianne van der Wal, for breaking ranks in an interview with the AD newspaper on Saturday. The Christian Democrat leader said the deadline of 2030 to achieve a 50% reduction in nitrogen compound emissions – primarily by cutting livestock farming – was ‘not sacred’ and he supported pushing it back to enable farmers to ‘earn a fair living’.

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

Ukraine war: Country-by-country guide on how Russia's invasion has changed Europe

Russia's war has brought death, destruction and misery to Ukraine over the last six months. But how has the conflict changed the rest of Europe?

Read more: Ukraine war: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/08/23/ukraine-war-country-by-country-guide-on-how-russias-invasion-has-changed-europe

8/22/22

EU-British Relations: Will Britain Rejoin the EU? - by Tom McTague

Remainers and leavers don’t exist in Britain anymore, a friend noted the other day. You can’t be in favor of remaining or leaving something you have already left. That ship has sailed. The new divide, he said, must surely be whether you are in favor of Britain rejoining the European Union or staying out.

This observation, made somewhat in jest, contains a number of truths. The first, most obviously, is that Brexit has happened—it is no longer a proposition but a living, breathing project. Fundamentally, now that Britain has left the EU, those seeking to lead the country must offer more than opposition to Brexit, but a program that seeks to make it work. This leads to the second truth, which is largely unacknowledged but no less real: The very fact of Brexit has turned many erstwhile pro-Remain members of Parliament into de facto Brexiteers—the more they succeed, the more they are able to help grow the economy, the more they improve conditions for ordinary people, the more they make their opponents’ case that Brexit was worth it. Only in Britons’ collective failure do the old remainers win, and actively seeking national failure is not a vote winner.

EU-China Relations factsheet

Over the past year, EU-China bilateral relations have deteriorated, notably related to a growing number of iritants (i.e., China’s counter-measures to EU sanctions on human rights, economic coercion and trade measures against the single market, and China’s positioning on the war in Ukraine). The balance of challenges and opportunities presented by China has shifted over time. At the same time, the EU has remained committed to engagement and cooperation given China’s crucial role in addressing global and regional challenges. In that regard, the EU’s current approach towards China set out in the “Strategic Outlook” Joint Communication of 12 March 2019 remains valid. The EU continues to deal with China simultaneously as a partner for cooperation and negotiation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival.

Germany and Canada hold energy supply talks

New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his deputy, Economic Affairs and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck, kicked off a three-day trip to Canada on Monday, seeking to arrange short-term gas-based energy solutions and to explore longer-term, cleaner options, such as green hydrogen.

In a joint press conference in Montreal, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed his German counterpart Scholz as an "extremely important progressive voice," and expressed optimism about mutually beneficial business investments and cooperation defending Ukraine from Russian aggression.

8/21/22

Corona Vaccine: What are the long-term side effects of COVID vaccines? 3 things to know

With nearly 30 years studying vaccines, UAB’s Paul Goepfert, M.D., director of the Alabama Vaccine Research Clinic, has never seen anything as effective as the three COVID-19 vaccines — from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — available in the United States. “A 90% decrease in risk of infections and 94% effectiveness against hospitalization for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is fantastic,” he said.

But what makes vaccine experts such as Goepfert confident that COVID vaccines are safe in the long-term? We all have seen billboards and TV infomercials from law firms seeking people harmed by diet drugs or acid-reflux medicines for class-action lawsuits. What makes Goepfert think that scientists won’t discover previously unsuspected problems caused by COVID vaccines in the years ahead?

Vaccines, given in one- or two-shot doses, are very different from medicines that people take every day, potentially for years, Goepfert says. And decades of vaccine history — plus data from more than a billion people who have received COVID vaccines since December 2020 — both provide powerful proof that there is little chance that any new dangers will emerge from COVID vaccines.

The majority of Americans who haven't been vaccinated — or who say they are hesitant about vaccinating their children — report that safety is their main concern. Nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents in Gallup surveys in March and April 2021 said they wanted to confirm the vaccine was safe before getting the shot. And 26% of respondents in a survey of parents with children ages 12-15 by the Kaiser Family Foundation in April 2021 said they wanted to “wait a while to see how the vaccine is working” before deciding to get their child vaccinated.

8/20/22

US Politics: Trump Reportedly Now Fuming He Endorsed Dr. Oz For Senate

He’s going to “f**king lose” unless something drastically changes, Trump has complained about his pick, two sources who have discussed November’s midterm elections with Trump told the publication.

North Korea: Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong promoted in North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s influential sister Kim Yo Jong has become even more powerful — after being promoted to the Hermit Kingdom’s top decision-making body.

The 34-year-old woman — who served as a deputy director in the ruling party — was named Thursday to the State Affairs Commission, the country’s top government body headed by her older brother, CNN reported, citing the state-run KCNA.

Russian Invasion Ukraine: Macron calls Putin over fears Russia is weaponising captured nuclear plant - by E. Graham - Harrison, S. Koshiw and D.Sabbagh

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has said Russia may plan to decouple the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant from the Ukrainian power grid, backing up warnings from Ukraine’s own nuclear power firm.

Macron spoke to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on Friday and said the call was necessary because of the urgent nuclear threat to Europe. Putin agreed to allow independent inspectors to go to the plant, Macron’s office said, and had “reconsidered” allowing the mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency to travel to the facility from Ukrainian territory

Russian Invasion Ukraine: Blasts, fresh drone attacks rock Russian-held areas far from Ukraine war front - by Tom Balmforth and Max Hunder

Russia reported fresh Ukrainian drone attacks on Friday evening, a day after eexplosions erupted in Russian held areas far from the Ukraine war front as a result of drone attacks. This as half of the Russian Black sea Airforce is destroyed.

Re ad more at: Blasts, fresh drone attacks rock Russian-held areas far from Ukraine war front | Reuters

8/19/22

Russia-Ukraine invasion: UN chief warns grain woes not over

UN chief warns grain woes not over. Ukraine Nuclear Power plant belomg to Ukriane and that turning the Nuclear Power plant into a Russian armed base presents a nuclear radiation threat to Europe and Russia.

R ead more at: Russia-Ukraine live news: UN chief warns grain woes not over | News | Al Jazeera

8/18/22

Russian Invasion Ukraine: Ukraine: Attacks on nuclear plants not banned by international law

Since March, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been under Russian occupation. Since late July, the largest nuclear plant in Europe has been shelled repeatedly, with Kyiv and Moscow blaming each other for the attacks. This has sparked fears of a nuclear disaster. Last week, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation without getting any closer to a solution.

It is not the first time in this war that the question of nuclear safety and security has been raised. This is not only about the potential use of nuclear weapons — Russian President Vladimir Putin has openly expressed this thought — but also about nuclear power stations being used as military targets.

US Banking Industry:Overdraft as a Handy Facility or a Protection Racket

There are many reasons why this happens, and one is merchant error. Overdraft may occur if a retailer debits an account by mistake. For example, the client authorizes a payment of $10 which is posted as $100. In this case, the account holder can use chargeback to get his money back. There are other reasons why holders may be overdrawn. These include bank error, authorization holds, and return check deposits. With authorization holds, funds are transferred from your debit card to a retailer. Authorization is required to complete the transaction, with funds released by your financial institution. The hold will fall off in 1 to 5 days, but the funds won’t be available in the account. The problem is that retailers are not allowed to cancel transactions in many cases. Even if cancellation is possible, the money is still held for up to 5 days. If you or a merchant swipes your card twice by mistake this will result in a double hold. Other reasons for overdraft include electronic withdrawals, short-term loans, fraud, playing the float, and bank fees. Withdrawing more money from an ATM than what is available in the account often results in penalty fees. This is possible if your financial institution has your consent. The account holder is allowed to revoke the service and is offered a notice that describes the conditions.

8/17/22

EU considers Iran's response on nuclear deal talks

EU has been the go-between in the indirect talks as Iran refused to negotiate directly with America since then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the accord in 2018.

8/16/22

The Netherlands: Record number of vacancies as staff shortages in Netherlands grow

At the end of December, there were 387,000 unfilled vacancies in the Netherlands - 105 vacancies per 100 unemployed. In the third quarter, there were 372,000 vacancies or 93 per 100 unemployed. As in previous quarters, most vacancies were in trade, business services, and care. Together, these three sectors account for half of the open vacancies.

The number of employees with a permanent contract increased by 34,000 to 5.3 million - the highest since 2013. According to CBS chief economist Peter Hein van Mulligen, this clearly shows the storage in the labor market. "Coronavirus hardly had any effect on permanent contracts. The number of people with permanent jobs has been growing for some time. It may be a strategy of employers to bind people to them if higher wages are not an option. The risk is now limited for them too," he said, according to NOS.

The number of employees with a flexible contract also increased in the fourth quarter, by about 38,000 compared to the previous quarter.

Van Mulligen called the increasing staff shortages striking. "Over 70 percent of the Dutch population between 15 and 75 currently have paid work. That has never been so high, and it is higher every month. We will have to get used to it.

Russians Scramble for Visas as EU Mulls Travel Restrictions

“I don’t believe the EU will stop issuing all visas to Russians. However, I will feel more comfortable with a Schengen visa, even if I'm not going anywhere right now,” said one Moscow resident who applied for an EU visa after the start of the ban discussions.

The idea of a European ban on Russian tourists has caused heated debate since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky backed it earlier this month, with supporters saying Russians must be held accountable for their government’s actions and opponents questioning the validity of policy making based on the idea of collective responsibility.

Finland said Tuesday it will reduce the number of visas issued to Russians by 90% starting next month and Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have recently also announced restrictions on tourist visas for Russians.

The three Baltic states and Finland, which share land borders with Russia, have reported an increase in the numbers of Russians using their airports to transit further into the EU as a workaround to the bloc’s ban on Russian travelers.

China - US Relations: Are China and the United States on a Collision Course to War? - by Kevin Peraino

Here is one way the American era could end: China, on a pretext or piqued by some provocation, orchestrates an invasion of Taiwan. Beijing launches a shower of missiles toward Taipei, crippling its American-supplied military, followed by attacks on Okinawa and Guam. More than 200,000 People’s Liberation Army troops climb ashore at 20 different beachheads along the Taiwanese coast. American submarines sink some Chinese ships; still, it’s not enough to slow the onslaught of paratroopers and helicopters. Slowly — then swiftly — the pitched fighting tilts in favor of the Middle Kingdom, altering the military and political balance in East Asia. The result, which ultimately reduces a world superpower to one weakened player among many, comes to be seen by historians as the “American Waterloo.”

8/15/22

USA: Police shootings and voter suppression underscore abysmal human rights in US

A new report examining human rights in the United States and around the world has just been released, and its findings are disturbing: The US is doing abysmally in several key categories, including the right to freedom from extrajudicial killing, the right to participate in government, and the right to be safe from the state.

China's grand Indo-Pacific strategy

The genesis of China’s grand Indo-Pacific strategy could be seen in what has been called as its four successive grand strategies since the modern country was formed in 1949: the ‘Revolution’ (1949-77); recovery (1978-89); building comprehensive national power (1990-2003); and rejuvenation (2004 to the present). All through these phases of strategies, three core interests can be discerned security, sovereignty and development. The current being “National Rejuvenation” is the grand strategy of President Xi Jinping is designed to advance China to glory via his “China Dream”. Xi has the desire for a Communist-controlled China that is well-governed, socially stable, economically prosperous, technologically advanced and militarily powerful by 2050 even though it is based on “socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.”

In recent years, Beijing has been more overtly ambitious and bolder in pursuing its grand strategy with greater attention to the global context. Nevertheless the Chinese Communist Party’s primary goal remains focused in the domestic arena, on China’s periphery and in the Indo-Pacific. In other words, the regime’s priorities continue to be largely regional. It is within the Indo-Pacific that Beijing looks to establish spheres of influence and create what amount to “no-go” areas where the military forces of other great powers – notably US Armed Forces – are unable to deploy or employ without exposing themselves to grave risk.

Global Politics - China’s Dangerous Double Game in North Korea

A new administration in Washington faces a familiar problem: North Korea is once again testing missiles, including ballistic missiles, in contravention of a UN Security Council resolution. Rather than retread dead-end paths, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has pledged to think anew on North Korea, and it has already distinguished itself from its predecessor by signaling that it will consult with U.S. allies and partners to formulate a strong response to Pyongyang that does not rule out diplomacy.

Such a reorientation is welcome. But if the new administration really wants to move the needle on North Korea, it will need to rethink the assumptions it has inherited about China’s role there. So far, the Biden team has cleaved to the long-held view that the United States and China share a common interest in the nuclear disarmament of North Korea and that U.S. policy there must make use of Beijing’s tremendous influence over the government in Pyongyang. During his visit to Seoul last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that “Beijing has an interest, a clear self-interest, in helping to pursue the denuclearization of [North Korea] because it is a source of instability.” Blinken further paid tribute to China’s “critical role" and “unique relationship" with North Korea.

8/14/22

USA: Trump and Evangelical Christianity Are An American Disgrace - by Shannon Ashley

What was once the inspiring dream of living in America has now become a living nightmare. But guess what? I am not surprised. Our country has been ripped apart by a white evangelical Christian agenda: power at any price. And a price paid by anyone but them.

They willingly and happily aligned themselves with what is undoubtedly one of the most sleazy men in American history, and they call him good. They even call him chosen by God.

People like me were skeptical from the start. We asked what “good fruit” exists in Trump’s life. They told us to be kind because Donald Trump is just a baby Christian. We asked about his foul and hateful tongue which routinely lashes out at women, black and brown folks, or anyone else he doesn’t like and they told us it was old news.

Fake news. That he had somehow changed, but they never gave us any proof.

They said God was doing good things through Donald Trump. What good things?

Were the evangelicals lying or wilfully ignorant? Did they ever really believe the garbage excuses they made for this bully of a president? The shoddy businessman with a history of forcing the poor out of their homes?

NATO: Atlantic Alliance — Foreign Policy for America

77% of Americans say NATO should be maintained
66% say the United Nations plays a necessary role in the world
44% say the U.N. does a good job of trying to solve problems it has faced

President Donald Trump, who has questioned U.S. support for international organizations with his "America First" foreign policy, has been particularly skeptical of NATO, openly questioning the need for the alliance and expressing his wish to pull the U.S. out of it. A clear majority of Americans (currently 77%) continue to say the alliance should be maintained.

USA: Kissinger believes US at the edge of war with Russia and China

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger believes that Washington is currently on the brink of war with Moscow and Beijing, he said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

"We are at the edge of war with Russia and China on issues which we partly created, without any concept of how this is going to end or what it’s supposed to lead to," he said.

"You can’t just now say we’re going to split them off and turn them against each other. All you can do is not to accelerate the tensions and to create options, and for that you have to have some purpose," Kissinger added.

Salman Rushdie: author 'on the road to recovery' after stabbing

Salman Rushdie is "on the road to recovery" according to his agent, two days after he was stabbed on stage.

The author of "Satanic Verses" -- which landed him with death threats -- is now able to talk and joke, after being on a ventilator in hospital.

Andrew Wylie, the British writer's agent, made the announcement Sunday afternoon, having said Rushdie will "probably lose an eye" and that his nerves and liver were damaged.

“Though his life-changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty and defiant sense of humour remains intact,” Rushdie's son Zafar said in a Sunday statement, thanking police, doctors and the "outpouring of love and support from around the world."

8/13/22

Supersonic Mach 4.5 Aircraft According to Airbus – just hold your breath for 30-40 years.

Over the past week, there has been a lot of press about a new Mach 4.5 supersonic aircraft, invented by Airbus, that will fly from London to NYC in one hour. Mach 4.5 translates to a speed of over 3,000 mph (at 50,000 ft), which means you could fly from NYC or London to Shanghai in just over two hours. That means getting fresh dumplings in Shanghai can be a wonderful Sunday brunch.

Who is Salman Rushdie? The writer who emerged from hiding -

Over a literary career spanning five decades, Sir Salman Rushdie has been no stranger to death threats arising due to the nature of his work.

The novelist is one of the most celebrated and successful British authors of all time, with his second novel, Midnight's Children, winning the illustrious Booker Prize in 1981.

But it was his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, published in 1988, which became his most controversial work - bringing about international turmoil unprecedented in its scale.

In the Islamic world, many Muslims reacted with fury to the book's publication, arguing that the portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad was a grave insult to their faith.

Death threats were made against Rushdie, 75, who was forced to go into hiding, and the British government placed him under police protection.

USA: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes

Uber has been using a complex tax shelter involving around 50 Dutch shell companies to reduce its global tax bill, according to recent research from the Center for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research.

In 2019, Uber claimed $4.5 billion in global operating losses (excluding the US and China) for tax purposes — in reality, it brought in $5.8 billion in operating revenue, according to CICTAR, an Australia-based research group.

Uber had previously disclosed details about its Dutch tax haven in 2019, when it moved its intellectual property from Bermuda to the Netherlands, but CICTAR's research sheds more light on how the company has structured its network of shell companies.

Crimea: Watch as Ukraine warns Russians it's 'big mistake' to visit Crimea in mock ad with Bananarama song after airbase blast

RUSSIAN tourists have been warned not to visit Crimea in a mock advert released by Ukraine featuring the Bananarama soundtrack.

The video comes after blasts hit an airbase on the peninsula, sending holiday makers fleeing from a nearby beach, in an area which is popular with Russian visitors.

Grain Deal: Putin thanks Erdoğan for mediating Ukraine grain exports

Putin thanks Erdoğan for mediating Ukraine grain exports | Daily Sabah

Grain Deal: Putin thanks Erdoğan for mediating Ukraine grain exports

Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his efforts to mediate discussions on the export of grain from Ukraine. "With your mediation, we have moved forward," Putin told Erdoğan in Tehran on Tuesday, according to the Kremlin.

"All issues about Ukrainian grain exports out of Black Sea ports have not yet been resolved, but having progress is already a good sign," Putin said.

8/11/22

Dutch gas prices are now the most expensive in Europe

The Netherlands now has the highest gas price in Europe, having overtaken Sweden in the past few weeks, according to an analysis by website Energievergelijk.nl.

The Netherlands now has the highest gas price in Europe, having overtaken Sweden in the past few weeks, according to an analysis by website Energievergelijk.nl.

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

Russia: Putin Is No Strongman: He’s Leading Russia into Ruin |

tt’s no surprise that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to make nice with Vladimir Putin later thi week. The Russian president sure does look like a winner these days. Of course, there’s the obvious: In just two months, the United States—Moscow’s main competitor on the world stage—will be led by an incompetent demagogue whose most consistent foreign policy view is admiration for the Russian strongman. Even more impressively, this week Washington is convulsing with hysteria at the prospect that it was that very same strongman who put Donald Trump into the White House in the first place

8/10/22

Russian Ukraine invasion: Russia establishes new ground forces formation to support Ukraine operation, UK says

This unit, called the 3rd Army Corps, is based out of the city of Mulino, east of Russia's capital Moscow, the British Defence Ministry said in its daily intelligence bulletin on Twitter.

USA: Trump FBI raid: the far-right conspiracy theory about the Mar-a-lago search.

The GOP’s meltdown after the FBI raided Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort was swift and fevered, with calls for investigations of the Justice Department and increasingly mainstream whispers of “civil war.” The right-wing corners of the internet mobilized in kind. The fertile far-right media ecosystem was more animated than it’s been in months, and the loose network of YouTube and podcast stars posted multiple shows filled with doomsday punditry within hours.

China-Taiwan: How are Taiwanese dealing with China′s military threat?

As China's large-scale military exercises encircling Taiwan enter the sixth day, the world is anxiously assessing how the latest aggression from Beijing might change the security environment in the region.

In Taiwan, however, many people remain largely calm in the face of what many political analysts describe as an escalated threat level for the self-governed democratic island.

"I think many Taiwanese people, including myself, are vigilantly following China's military exercises around Taiwan, but we have a measurement in our mind regarding how much threat this is towards Taiwan," said Jeremy Chiang, a young professional working in the tech industry.

Read morte at:https://www.dw.com/en/how-are-taiwanese-dealing-with-chinas-military-threat/a-62755391

8/9/22

Ukraine war: Huge explosions rock Russian military base in Crimea

Powerful explosions rocked an air base in Russian-occupied Crimea on Tuesday, leaving at least one person dead and nine others injured, according to authorities.

Russia's defence ministry said that munitions blew up at the Saki base but insisted the installation had not been shelled.

8/8/22

Extraterrestrial evidence: 10 incredible findings about aliens from 2020

Here on the little space rock we call Earth, humans often wonder whether or not we are alone in this universe. Though that question was not answered in 2020, many discoveries seemed to increase the prospect of extraterrestrial entities existing. Findings on the closest planet to us, in the outer solar system and the far beyond seemed to point to the possibility that other worlds could host organisms ranging from bacteria to technological beings. Perhaps, new results in the coming year will finally reveal who else might be out there.

Read more at: extraterrestrial evidence:https://www.coasttocoastam.com/article/extraterrestrial-evidence-10-incredible-findings-about-aliens-from-2020/

8/7/22

US Senate adopts sweeping climate and health plan, in major victory for Biden |

Senator Joe Manchin (R), a Democrat from West Virginia, had held out support for a major spending plan but ultimately agreed to a compromise with lead Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer

8/5/22

USA - gun crazy: 1.2 Million Guns Sold: Why Firearms Sales Keep Busting Records

Gun Sales Remain Strong for the 36th Straight Month – As lawmakers debated how to place new restrictions on firearms, many Americans opted to show their support for the Second Amendment by purchasing a new gun. Just last Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted narrowly, largely on party lines, to ban the sale and manufacture of some semi-automatic firearms. Democrats argued that the Constitution does not protect such guns, which they contend have become a favored tool used by mass shooters to kill large numbers of people.

“The assault weapons ban would take the weapons of war off our streets and save countless lives,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.).

Republicans countered that the firearms were among the most popular in the country among law-abiding gun owners, and stressed that semi-automatic firearms are still fully protected by the Second Amendment. Clearly, many Americans seemed to agree with the latter sentiment, as gun sales hit a new record in July – becoming the 36th consecutive month to see firearms purchases exceed a million units.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine: The Shocking Truth About Russia

The Russian drama seems to intensify with each passing hour.

I certainly have my opinion on the matter, as, no doubt, do you. But it’s not my opinion that I want to share with you today. Instead, I want to share two charts that may well shed new light on recent events…

Read more at: The Shocking Truth About Russia

China summons European diplomats over statement on Taiwan

China says it summoned European diplomats in the country to protest statements issued by the Group of Seven nations and the EU criticising Chinese military exercises surrounding Taiwan.

8/4/22

Is Russia Ripe for a Coup?

Is a coup possible in Russia? Several months ago, most analysts would have dismissed the idea as absurd. Today, with the war in Ukraine going badly for Russia and President Vladimir Putin, the question is relevant. It might even be urgent.

Indeed, that question has been supplemented by another: Can a leader who has created such an immense catastrophe for his regime and his country possibly survive?

Russian contract soldiers increasingly jailed in occupied Donbas

Russian military personnel are increasingly refusing to take part in its invasion of Ukraine, human rights activists say. Contract soldiers who no longer want to fight in Ukraine or want leave for family reasons are being denied their wish to leave the country. The so-called "refuseniks," as relatives and activists tell DW, are being held in camps and prisons in several locations in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic; that is, in areas that are in Ukraine but not controllessian contract soldiers increasingly jailed in occupied Donbas |

Read more at: https://www.dw.com/en/russian-contract-soldiers

8/3/22

USA: Trump’s attempted coup continues – even after January 6 hearings are over for now

The House of Representatives’ select committee investigating the January 6 attack has finished its hearings, at least for now.

But Trump’s attempted coup continues.

He has not stopped giving speeches to stir up angry mobs with his big lie that the 2020 election was stolen. He gave another fiery address Friday evening in Arizona.

8/2/22

Ukrainian Grain Shipment Hailed As A “Relief For The World”

Ukraine and Russia signed agreements with Turkey and the United Nations on July 22 in Istanbul to free up three of Ukraine's ports -- Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdenniy -- which had been blockaded since Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine in late February.

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the Razoni cargo ship, flying the flag of Sierra Leone, left Odesa on the morning of August 1, and Turkey's Defense Ministry said in a statement that the vessel was expected in Istanbul on August 2.

The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain was on its way to Istanbul after it set off from the Black Sea port of Odesa on August 1 under a UN-brokered deal, raising moderate hope that a looming global food crisis could be averted.

8/1/22

Isolation complication? US finds it’s hard to shun Russia

The Biden administration likes to say Russia has become isolated internationally because of its invasion of Biden administration likes to say Russia has become isolated internationally because of its invasion of Moscow’s top officials have hardly been cloistered in the Kremlin. And now, even the U.S. Is talking to them.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been meeting with world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is a NATO member. Meanwhile, his top diplomat, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, is jetting around the world, smiling, shaking hands and posing for photos with foreign leaders — including some friends of the U.S.<br><br>

And on Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about American detainees and Ukraine.

Read More at: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-nato-africa-23b1655316a7ebadf66f96cf9f30b08a

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