Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

May 2022

by Bernard Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:18:06 PM EST

Your take on this month's news

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Display:
May 2022 | 195 comments (195 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
EUROPE
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:18:27 PM EST
Re: May 2022 trouble in paradise (none / 1)
VOLdAmoRT | Russia's neighbor set to announce NATO bid - media, 2 May
Earlier media reports suggest that Sweden and Finland were planning to simultaneously submit membership applications to NATO in mid-May. The Swedish parliament is now conducting an overview of its security policy.

In early April, the alliance's head, Jens Stoltenberg, said NATO "will warmly welcome" Finland and Sweden if they apply to join, and is prepared to make a decision on membership "quite quickly."

reference
NATO | Article 10
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 02:34:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 marry in haste (none / 1)
Draghi calls for EU treaties change amid 'ideal' and 'pragmatic' federalism
Speaking before European lawmakers in Strasbourg on Tuesday (3 May), Draghi said that both the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine forced EU institutions to take on UNPRECEDENTED levels of responsibility.
wut could go wrong?
For this reason, he called for a change in the EU treaties for an effective ["]decision-making mechanism["] to get over the principle of unanimity, "which leads to a logic of intergovernmental decision," and move towards decisions taken based on a qualified majority.
details: Supranational decision-making procedures
The ["]integration process["] would benefit from this new mechanism, according to Draghi. "To fully integrate countries that have ["]European aspirations["] is not a threat to the European project. This is part of its implementation," he said.

Italy's prime minister said the country is in favour of "opening up of accession negotiations with Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia", boosting negotiations "with Serbia and Montenegro" and "supporting the legitimate expectations of Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina."

archived Primacy of EU Law and its implications, "United States of Europe"
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 06:53:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 friends like these (none / 1)
Carnegie Europe | Europe is Struggling, Thirty Years After the Maastricht Treaty, 8 Feb 2022
Today, the EU reform agenda resembles a series of loosely connected building sites, including the monetary union, economic governance, climate, digital innovation, migration, and defense.

The Conference on the Future of Europe was meant to mark a return to a comprehensive approach to EU reforms in addition to being an experiment in deliberative democracy. The citizens' panels brought forth numerous ideas, but many will not survive scrutiny by governments. The final report in May 2022 might give an impetus to reforms but will not change the dynamic described above. Progress is likely to remain compartmentalized and piecemeal.

The constellation of political forces appears more favorable to EU reforms in 2022 than in recent years. If Emmanuel Macron is reelected as president of France, the four biggest countries will all have strongly pro-European leaders. The group of so-called frugals (Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden), which previously fought for restrictive fiscal policies, might be less of a constraint, as the Netherlands and Austria have softened their stances. The time between the French parliamentary election in June 2022 and Italian general elections in 2023 could thus become a window of opportunity ...

(popped into IndiaPunchline criticism of vdL's drive-by)
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 10:59:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 friends like these (none / 0)
ORF | Modi in Denmark: Russia-Ukraine Crisis Offers a Unique Opportunity to India, 5 May
The joint statement after the second India-Nordic summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday contains a strong condemnation by the Nordic Prime Ministers of the "unlawful and unprovoked aggression" by Russia in Ukraine. India is not party to the phrase, but its inclusion in the joint statement and the tenor of the statement itself in relation to Ukraine serve to underscore India's increasingly shaky position on the issue.
[...]
Otherwise, the summit dealt with issues of deepening cooperation between the Nordic countries - Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. It pledged to press ahead with multilateral cooperation, green transition and climate change, the blue economy, innovation and digitisation.

The second leg of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit took him to Copenhagen, where he participated in the second India-Nordic summit and had bilateral meetings with all the attending Prime Ministers.

India Offers a Large Market
With Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Modi reviewed India's unique "Green Partnership"....

India, Ministry of External Affairs | English translation of the Press Statement by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in Denmark, 3 May
pmindia.gov | 2nd India-Nordic Summit, 4 May
Prime Minister invited the sovereign wealth funds of the Nordic countries to invest in India.
India, Ministry of External Affairs | Joint Statement: 2nd India-Nordic Summit, 4 May
by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 07:40:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 friends like these (none / 1)
Thinking about it, the one country that really benefits from being a NATO member apart from the USA is... Turkey
https:/www.indianpunchline.com/assad-renews-syrias-bonds-with-iran
by Tom2 on Tue May 10th, 2022 at 07:11:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 friends like these (none / 1)
Isn't is crazy to realize that when a diplomat reads Bhadhrakumar's paper, he can't click on the reference to the source of the declaration of the Middle East and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov?
It doesn't augur well to their planning capacities, as usual. They could bypassing with Tor, but how many of them know that? I would bet most are still using out-dated browsers. A generation issue once again.
by Tom2 on Tue May 10th, 2022 at 07:19:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 friends like these (none / 0)
by Cat on Thu May 26th, 2022 at 06:50:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 friends like these (none / 0)
by Cat on Fri May 27th, 2022 at 01:10:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 pirate guidelines (none / 1)
euractiv | The EU works - when it ignores its rules, 5 May SGP booty call
Pro-Europeans are right to be afraid of countries unilaterally ignoring EU rules, since the level playing field created by the common rules is the basis of a functioning internal market.

Fiscal rules and state aid

Nevertheless, it should be remembered that the EU as a whole is currently not applying many of its most basic rules, and is arguably all the better for it.

The fiscal rules mandating low budget deficits and low debt levels have been suspended for the third year in a row now, and, looking at the insecure economic outlook, it is not at all clear that they will be reimposed next year.

Likewise, the rules on state aid, normally a centerpiece of EU law to prevent unequal treatment of companies, have been temporarily and partially suspended. First, it was to help companies get over the effects of the pandemic, and now, it is to help them weather the economic consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
[...]
Adherents of the rules would argue that the rules were not ignored but that they had merely proven their flexibility.

It's true that the general escape clause that allowed for the suspension of the fiscal rules, for example, is, strictly speaking, part of the fiscal rules. But if the main selling point of a rule becomes the fact that it can be ignored, one should probably start to wonder about how sensible the rule is in the first place.

Another EU principle that was interpreted very widely, if not ignored, is the mandate of the European Central Bank (ECB), which should, in theory, be primarily focused on ensuring price stability, i.e. keeping inflation (or deflation) *flation under control.

Charles Michel: Sell seized Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine, 5 May
"Personally, I am absolutely convinced that this is extremely important not only to ["]freeze["] assets, but also to make possible to confiscate it, to make it available for the rebuilding of the country (Ukraine)," Michel, president of the European Council, told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

He was the first high-ranking EU official to propose the confiscation of oligarchs' assets, his spokesman confirmed to AFP.

Ukraine's government in April estimated the cost of rebuilding after the war to be at least $600 billion (€565 billion).

archived "ignoring constraints of the SuicideStability and Growth pact" in Leaving the Euro

reference
EU Countries and the euro
Ukraine GDP 1987-2022, book value

by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 01:35:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pirate *flation (none / 1)
euronews | 'It will get worse, you'll see': Euro inflation adds to Lithuania's economic woes, 28 Apr
In March, Lithuania had the highest inflation rate in the EU of 15.7%, according to Eurostat, driven by energy costs that surged by almost 13% in Europe in the last month alone.
[...]
"The sanctions mean we will not see Russian and Belarusian tourists anymore and the Ukrainians, who flooded the city, are penny-pinching. That's the new reality."
[...]
"Lithuania's decision before the accession to the EU to shut down its nuclear power plant has been the biggest mistake," [Darius Antanaitis] said. Not building new ones was another mistake, Antanaitis insisted.
[...]
The consumption of Russian gas has been declining in the country over the last couple of years -- from 32% in 2019 to 26% in 2021. But Lithuania's energy dependence on Russia was one of the highest among European countries before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
archived a liquefied natural gas terminal in Lithuania 2022
CAMPAIGN 2019 2019, EHCR appeal
nothing about Lithuania and Latvia 2018, Three Seas Initiative summit
Escape Tunnel 2016
thousands of permanent troops 2015, concern over emigration
Lithuania hopes euro zone membership will be worth the wait 2014
August 27 1991

wrong side of history
Inflation in Turkey rises to 70%, according to official data, a 20-year high, 5 May
"The Turkish lira lost 44% of its value against the US dollar last year."

by Cat on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 12:12:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]
SIDEBAR US perpetual sanctions (none / 0)
yahoo! SkyNews finance | Turkey: US trying to 'stab us in the back' as currency tanks, 13 Aug 2018
The lira plunged as much as 18% at one point on Friday - the biggest one-day drop since Turkey's 2001 financial crisis - as US President Donald Trump announced he had doubled steel and aluminium tariffs.

The fallout has been sparked by a number of issues - including Turkey's detention of an American pastor - while Ankara has demanded the extradition of a Turkish cleric who is blamed by Mr Erdogan for masterminding the failed 2016 coup against him.

The US has also been irritated by Turkey's decision to buy a Russian [S-400] missile defence system earlier this year, while Ankara has hit out at Washington's backing of Kurdish rebels in Syria. Turkey regards the Kurdish fighters as terrorists.

archived parity watch: Bloomberg rallies FX speculators, Russia backs non-dollar trade with Turkey

REUTERS | U.S. suggested Turkey transfer Russian-made [S-400] missile system to Ukraine, 19 Mar 2022

Washington has repeatedly asked Ankara to get rid of the Russian-built surface-to-air missile batteries since the first delivery arrived in July 2019. The United States has imposed sanctions on a Turkey's defence industry and removed NATO member Turkey from the F-35 [BWAH!] fighter jet programme as a result.
archived Turkey "means business", payment for oil shipments to 'friendly' countries in Ruble and Rupee, sensitivity training, unitization
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 07:48:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pirate guidelines (none / 0)
by Cat on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 03:48:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pirate guidelines (none / 0)
Bloomberg | Ten More European Gas Buyers Open Ruble Accounts for Payments, 12 May
A total of twenty European companies have opened accounts, with another 14 clients asking for the paperwork needed to set them up, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential matters. He declined to identify the companies.
by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 04:16:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pirate guidelines (none / 0)
euractiv | Zelenskyy loses patience with EU divisions over new Russia sanctions, 27 May
"Of course I am grateful to those friends who are advocating new sanctions. But where do the people blocking this sixth package get their power from? Why are they allowed to hold such power?" he asked.
[...]
EU leaders will discuss Ukraine, defense, food and energy security at a special summit on 30-31 May.
archived memos EUCO 1/22, CO EUR1, CONCIL1 25 Mar 2022 Agenda
by Cat on Fri May 27th, 2022 at 09:35:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 repent in leisure (none / 0)
DW | Racism in Germany is part of everyday life, 6 May info-graphics
Researchers from the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) conducted 5,000 telephone interviews from April to August 2021. They also analyzed media coverage, academic papers and legal documents.

Their findings were published in the institute's first nationwide study entitled "Racist Realities -- How Germany Deals with Racism." It is part of theNational Discrimination and Racism Monitor (NaDiRa) and was presented by DeZIM director Naika Foroutan on Thursday in Berlin.

"We were really surprised that 90% said there is racism in Germany," she said, adding that the researchers were also surprised that about half agreed with the statement "We live in a racist society."

wut
Family Minister Lisa Paus, a Green party politician, described the results of the report as in part "shocking." The study found that a higher level of formal education does not protect against racist discrimination.

"So racism has nothing to do with successful integration," the family minister concluded.

reference
rassismusmonitor.de | Rassistische Realitäten
four pdf docs
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 05:35:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
SIDEBAR publicity (none / 0)
PRESSTV | Institutional racism, discrimination seen as serious issue in Germany: Survey, 7 May
The survey was unveiled nearly two weeks after US-based press reports said that Germany is evicting hundreds of Afghans to make way for a large flood of Ukrainian war refugees who are arriving in the country. US-based Foreign Policy magazine recounted the story of helpless Afghan families which arrived in Germany as refugees fleeing the Taliban rule but were quite recently expelled by the German government to make room for incoming Ukrainian refugees.
"We regret that this caused additional hardships to the Afghan families [and that] the affected people had to move out of their familiar surroundings and now possibly have to keep up with their social connections with great difficulty," said Stefan Strauss, the department's press secretary. He said Berlin had a total of 83 different accommodations for refugees, already housing some 22,000 people, but that arriving Ukrainians needed to be consolidated to a few defined arrival centers to simplify processing. Strauss said evicted Afghans were given other "permanent" accommodation of equivalent quality, excluding shared bathrooms and kitchens.
Even German social workers voiced frustration at Berlin's treatment of Afghan refugees, the report added.
oh
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 05:57:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 possessed by Ahmadinejad (none / 1)
EC | Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP Plenary on the social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine - reinforcing the EU's capacity to act, 4 May
Putin wanted to wipe Ukraine from the map.

reference
EU Sanctions Map
Overview of sanctions and related tools
"An essential tool through which the EU can intervene where necessary to prevent conflict or respond to emerging or current crises"

by Cat on Fri May 13th, 2022 at 08:20:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 child soldiers (none / 1)
Nebenzya cited a Ukrainian textbook on geography at a meeting of the Security Council, 12 May
Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya brought a Ukrainian geography textbook for the eighth grade to the meeting of the Security Council. He quoted several strange facts invented by Ukrainian authors: "If you believe it [the textbook], then the ancestors of the French, Spaniards, Portuguese, Turks and even Jews came from Ukraine. I would like to address my French colleague. Nicolas, did you know that you are actually Ukrainian? If you don't believe me, read the textbook. It has iron logic. Since the ancestors of the French are Gauls, they came from Galicia." Nebenzya quotes.
Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine - Security Council, 9032nd meeting, 12 May
@01:15:38
by Cat on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 09:09:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 4 hrs, 236 km (none / 0)
South Front | New secrets of Azov regiment revealed (VIDEOS)
It was earlier reported that a flash drive of one of the journalists of the Ukrainian Nazi Azov regiment was found in the city of Mariupol.  The content of the flash drive is shared online by German reporters in parts, revealing the essence of the young corpses [sic] linked to the Azov regiment.

The first videos shared online by foreign reporters show Ukrainian children, some about 8-years old, and teenagers being trained to become the decent fighters of Ukrainian nazi formations, i.e. make Nazi salut, yelling Nazi slogans, and take drugs. LINK

AP | Russians storm city, shell [Sievierodonetsk/Sieverodonetsk/Severodonetsk] as Zelenskyy visits [Kharkiv]
Ukrainian regional officials reported Russian forces "storming" Sievierodonetsk after trying unsuccessfully to encircle the city. The fighting knocked out power and cellphone service, and a humanitarian relief center could not operate because of the danger, the mayor said.
[...]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a rare frontline visit to the city of Kharkiv as he sought to assert the strength of Ukraine's position there. Ukrainian fighters pushed Russian forces back from positions near the city, Ukraine's [NEW!] second-largest, several weeks ago.
[...]
An aide to Mariupol's Ukrainian mayor alleged Sunday that after Russia's forces gained complete control of Mariupol, they piled bodies of dead people inside a supermarket.
Institute for the Study of War (ISW) itinerary questions
by Cat on Sun May 29th, 2022 at 06:13:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
[NEW!] ? (none / 0)
Cities in Ukraine, by population

The biggest cities (2021 figures) held by Russia are Donetsk (5), Mariupol (11)[NEW!], and Luhansk (12).

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Mon May 30th, 2022 at 11:14:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]
in APsplainin language (none / 0)
Ukraine's 2nd largest city is either enbattled Sievierodonetsk/Sieverodonetsk/Severodonetsk or Kharkiv, because ... Kharkiv's were Uncle Volody appeared to reporters.

Also, Kharkiv is the principal cultural and intellectual repository of the contemporary Ukrainian nationalist movement (according to Stanford U. and other sources)

APsplainin doesn't differentiate Ukraine's cities by army occupations. Which is as it should be, right? Ukraine "territorial integrity" MUST DEFY wikiwtf insinuation that the Donbas is not < reckless eyeballin > part of Ukraine.

by Cat on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 03:19:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: in APsplainin language (none / 0)
I know that facts mean whatever Cat wants them to mean.

But Sievierodonetsk plus Lysychansk make less than 200 000 people, so even if considered as a single city, they wouldn't make the top 30 cities in Ukraine.

So where are your alternative facts Cat? Did you slip a decimal?

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 03:57:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
in APsplainin language (none / 0)
I have not "slipped a decimal". What I have done many times beside this instance is comment on AP spurious representations of fact.
by Cat on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 04:20:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: in APsplainin language (none / 0)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a rare frontline visit to the city of Kharkiv as he sought to assert the strength of Ukraine's position there. Ukrainian fighters pushed Russian forces back from positions near the city, Ukraine's [NEW!] second-largest, several weeks ago.

Ukraine's 2nd largest city is either enbattled Sievierodonetsk/Sieverodonetsk/Severodonetsk or Kharkiv

Factual error: I omitted Sevastopol (10) in the list of major Ukrainian cities held by Russia.

But in any case, even if Sievierodonetsk had been Ukraine's second biggest city, international borders are not generally recognised as having changed until the dust has settled and international treaties signed; so AP would not even be wrong in that hypothetical case.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 at 07:58:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 wut (none / 0)
Politico.eu.com | Abortion rights in Europe vary widely -- and are getting squeezed, 3 May
A divided Europe grapples with a renewed debate over abortion after US move.

Restrictions as to Reasons® "2021 European Abortion Policies Atlas -- a ranking compiled by pro-abortion rights groups -- allowing for an abortion up until the 18th week of pregnancy" (microscope not included)
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 10:47:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut (none / 1)
I hadn't realised that Poland was the first of the current EU countries to legalise abortion. It makes the current regression, a frenzied religious backlash, all the more appalling. And it's a big country, so the logistics of getting a train or bus to abort in Germany or Czech republic or wherever are daunting.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 06:35:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut (4.00 / 3)
My student union made a book of its history, including an article about the semi-secret fund where female students in the need could borrow for a discreet trip to Poland. I don't remember when it was instituted (and given its discreet nature there wouldn't be a grand opening), but presumably some time after 1956 when abortion was legalised in Poland.

The fund was folded into a more general support fund when in 1975 abortion became legal in Sweden.

by fjallstrom on Sun May 22nd, 2022 at 09:08:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut (4.00 / 2)
I have met people who organised bus trips to Belgium in the late 60s, early 70s. Not illegal, but very controversial at the time.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Mon May 23rd, 2022 at 09:35:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut (none / 1)
In Germany one of the slogans in the campaigns for legalisation of abortion was "Stop the Holland-tourism", pointing out that abortion was already legal for the well-informed and better off. The ban hit women who could not afford to travel to the Netherlands, and had not enough information how to access abortion there.
by Katrin on Mon May 23rd, 2022 at 11:44:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Nazi Party Promoting Abortion a War Crime (none / 0)
Nuremberg and the Crime of Abortion

The crime of abortion played prominently in two international trials held at Nuremberg following World War li-the Goering and Greifelt cases. Allied prosecutors made the case that voluntary and involuntary abortion were war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Goering judgment identified the Political Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party as a criminal organization, in part because of its policies promoting abortion.

The Greifelt indictment charged ten defendants with voluntary and involuntary abortion. The prosecution's case focused in part on the Nazis' removal of the protection of law from unborn children in occupied Poland and unborn children of Eastern workers in Germany that the Nazis considered racially non-valuable. The prosecution argued that voluntary abortion was punishable because it was a crime against the unborn child.

Polish anti-abortion activists shock with a giant billboard poster with Adolf Hitler - 1943 legalization

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 04:26:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 0)
GTInvest.com.ua | Ukraine and Poland Can Give Up Borders, 7 May US Lend-Lease promo
On 5 May, in an open address, Polish President Ajay Duda announced the strengthening of a new geopolitical force. The politician hinted at the need to combine efforts to build a peaceful life and confront the enemies.

"Between our countries -- Poland and Ukraine -- there will be no more border. This border will not be! To live together on this earth, building and restoring together our common happiness and common power, which will allow us to repel any danger or any possible threat," said Duda.

Ukrainians and residents of Poland considered this statement positive. However, several Russian propagandists [A/V (UA, PL)] presented this information differently. The Russian Federation declares that Poland intends to annex the western part of Ukraine -- "to return the historical borders".

US Army Europe and Africa | DEFENDER-Europe 22 activities begin this month, includes more than 11 nations, 3 May
"V Corps will command and control DEFENDER-Europe 22 forces. Exercise activities include multiple live fire exercises, road marches and river crossings."
Poland, Ministry of National Defence | Exercises Defender Europe 2022 and Swift Response 2022 begin, 1 May
"DE22 and SR 22 belong to a series of regular, defensive trainings. They are not aimed against any country and are not related to the current geopolitical situation in the region."
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 12:18:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Land Lease Conquer (none / 1)
Read this suggestion a few days ago @MofA ...

Galicia ("Małopolska" or Lesser Poland) will "return" in the fold of mother Poland ... a strong Poland-Lithuanian empire ... eating up the small Baltic States ...
A return to the geographical situation at the end of the 19th century ... long live #lithuania 🇱🇹 🇵🇱

A bit earlier ...

In the Shadows of Poland and Russia

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Sweden in the European Crisis of the mid-17th Century

As I have written ... the end of the European Union ... a split of New Europe and Old Europe was just a new beginning.

In the Shadows of Poland and Russia

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Sweden in the European Crisis of the mid-17th Century

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 04:19:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Land Lease Conquer (none / 0)
The last link has wrong title ...

The Reconstruction of Nations
Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569-1999

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 02:26:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
< wipes tears > (none / 1)
I'll read that after you read this, The Most Unsordid Act, Lend-Lease 1939-1941 (only 295 pp cover to cover!)
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 04:53:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 0)
euractiv | Polish Parliament approves judicial reforms to unblock [€35B] EU funds
"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Warsaw on 2 June to mark the approval of the plan."
by Cat on Fri May 27th, 2022 at 09:27:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Commission rules today (none / 0)
Several commissioners have reservations
COMMISSION TO UNLOCK RECOVERY CASH FOR POLAND: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is today set to approve Poland's national recovery plan, under which the country can receive around €24 billion in grants €12 billion in ultra-cheap loans.

Unusual: The College of Commissioners, meeting today, will discuss the step in person -- a first, as all other national plans were approved via written procedure without discussion, a senior official told us. That alone is a sign of the scruples this is causing to some commissioners.

Big objectors: Playbook hears four commissioners -- including heavyweights First Vice President Frans Timmermans, Vice President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová and competition chief Margrethe Vestager -- will today raise objections to the plan, as Poland still hasn't reinstated the judges it illegally fired, despite a Court of Justice of the EU ruling. Their argument is not that Poland shouldn't get EU cash, but rather that it hasn't taken the necessary legal steps to meet basic preconditions for the Commission to approve its plan.

Rule of law concerns: Warsaw suspended critical judges under a provision illegal under its own law, but also ruled illegal by the EU's highest court, which ordered the Euroskeptic government to immediately reverse the decision. The Commission held up approving Warsaw's spending plan as long as Poland did not comply with the ruling. But today, Brussels will give in, essentially admitting defeat. Why is the Commission ceding that crucial leverage, you ask?

Yes, Poland is making the most of the war to get off very lightly indeed over separation of powers and rule of law... they are also blocking the minimum tax of 15 percent for multinationals. And press freedoms seem to have disappeared from the agenda.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 at 09:17:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 0)
UKRINFORM | Ukraine, Poland sign eight cooperation agreements - Shmyhal, 1 June
[Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said] that the issue concerned energy, defense, cross-border and customs cooperation, environmental policy, rebuilding of Ukraine, as well as cooperation on national memory.

"Our governments made a joint statement after intergovernmental consultations. Among the important points is that Poland supports Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO and will make efforts for Ukraine to obtain EU candidate status this June," Shmyhal added.

In addition, both parties agreed to strengthen defense cooperation, develop a Polish-Ukrainian-British alliance and work to strengthen sanctions against Russia and develop cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and Poland.

UKRINFORM | Poland to sell 60 Krab self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, 2 June
That's according to the Polish news site Dzennik, Ukrinform reports. The contract for the supply of artillery pieces worth PLN 3 billion [UAH 20.8B] (USD 700 million) has become the largest military export order in Poland in the last 20 years, the statement said.
[...]
Usually, one of the problems with this type of contracts with other countries, apart from a good offer, was also the lack of involvement of government agencies. This time, officials from the Ministry of State Assets, the Ministry of National Defense[,] and the Chancellery of the Prime Minister acted in unison and -- even more importantly -- effectively.

"It is a kind of breakthrough for the Polish defense industry, because we have not had such a large export contract for several dozen years," Dzennik said.

oxford comma
by Cat on Thu Jun 2nd, 2022 at 10:43:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 1)
APsplainin Poles get OK to gather firewood as energy prices soar, 3 June Green Deal
"After yesterday's visit, I can say that theoretically we are billionaires, but in practice we will all be collecting brushwood," said Donald Tusk, the leader of the largest opposition party, the pro-market Civic Platform, on Friday. "Because this seems to be the latest idea to prevent Polish poverty that Law and Justice has prepared for all of us."

archived Europe COMISH 2019 Wojciechowski, PL minimum wages 2022
by Cat on Fri Jun 3rd, 2022 at 04:36:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 uh oh (none / 0)
Former Polish President Walesa Proposes EU Dissolution, 4 June Reconstruction Acts
According to Walesa, "The EU, instead of compromising with Poland, should disintegrate and create a new community in a few minutes."

Germany and France should become its basis, but "already without Poland and Hungary." The idea, according to him, is simple: "if we wanted to join a new union, then at the entrance, in addition to rights, we would have to accept obligations," Walesa explained. And then these duties should be established in such a way that "the antics that occur today will no longer be repeated," the politician said.

Walesa's remarks concern the approval by the European Commission of a national plan for the restoration of Poland, which, in his opinion, would be a mistake: "this money will still be squandered and stolen."

The former Polish president said that "without the rule of law, it makes no sense to donate billions of euros for nothing." ...

Poland does not belong in EU - Polish ex-president
In an interview with the Polish portal Interia about the European Commission finally approving the National Reconstruction Plan for Ukraine Poland, Walesa, who was president between 1990 and 1995, said that sending billions of euros in investments to Warsaw would be a "failure" for the EU.
by Cat on Sat Jun 4th, 2022 at 06:36:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 1)
NATO rehabilitated Axis allies PROBE standing armies

consitutional crisis in Germany d/b/a
DE | Coalition government, CDU agree €100 billion military boost
Lambrecht, Scholz, Baerbock FDL pre-approved eurobond issue: "the country's constitution -- will be amended to allow the creation of a new fund that will help strengthen the country's defense capability; A new separate law will be drafted, setting out details of the fund and the financing of the Bundeswehr (armed forces)"
U.S. News | Germany to Change Constitution to Enable $110 Billion Defense Fund
"to change its constitution to allow for a credit-based special defense fund of 100 billion euros ($107.35 billion) proposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the German finance ministry announced on Sunday."
reference Germany's Basic Law and the Use of Force a/o 2010

eurobond carry trade in Japan
HANKYOREH | US endorses Japan's pursuit of enemy base strike capabilities
"Japan's decision to start full-scale rearmament and expand its military role will likely lead to tensions over the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere"

NATO crisis d/b/a EUR LEX referendum
euractiv | Denmark votes on scrapping EU defence opt-out, 1 June

Denmark is the only country to have negotiated a defence opt-out, though Malta remains de facto outside as well. Copenhagen has exercised its opt-out 235 times in 29 years, according to a tally by the Europa think tank.
[...]
Eleven of Denmark's 14 parties have urged voters to say "yes" to dropping the opt-out, representing more than three-quarters of seats in parliament. Two far-right eurosceptic parties - the Danish People's Party and The New Right - as well as the far-left Unity List, have meanwhile called for Danes to say "no".
What is the question?
26 Mar: Do you vote yes or no to Denmark participating in the European collaboration on security and defense?
8 Apr: Do you vote yes or no to Denmark in European collaboration by revoking the EU defense opt-out?
by Cat on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 03:50:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 0)
"NATO rehabilitated Axis allies"

Yeah, well maybe in 75 years or so, Russia will be due for rehabilitation

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 04:00:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
Basic definitions AXIS Powers and Allied Powers were led by Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. These countries were led by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin.

US Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy, send by FDR to London (in exile). Kennedy wanted the US to stay neutral, close to appeasement with Nazi Germany.

American Big Business in Britain and Germany : A Comparative History of Two "Special Relationships" in the 20th Century

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 06:08:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 0)
Denmark votes to scrap EU defense opt-out, 1 June
"When there is war again on our continent, then you cannot be neutral. Tonight, Denmark has sent a very, very important signal to Putin and to our allies," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a speech after the exit polls were released.
by Cat on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 at 11:15:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 marry in haste (none / 0)
Politico.eu.com | Germany approves constitutional change to boost military ["makeover fund"], 3 June Axis rehabilitation
"We are facing up to our historical responsibility," [FDP Finance Minister Christian] Lindner proclaimed, noting that negotiations to strengthen the military were occurring at the premises of the former Reich Aviation Ministry, where "Germany's aggressive militarism was advanced decades ago."

"At that time, Germany's military strength in Europe was feared," he added, speaking on behalf of his governing coalition partners, Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens. "Today it is feared in Europe that Germany has military deficits and that is exactly what we ended in this historic place," he said.
[...]
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, from the SPD, said the war had shown Germany must be able to have a military that can defend its values -- and aid its allies. "We also owe that to our allies in EU and NATO now that PUTIN! has destroyed the European peace order," she said, adding that beyond the special fund, Germany would now live up to its NATO commitments.

by Cat on Sat Jun 4th, 2022 at 02:57:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]
ill-conceived advice of the w/e 7 May (none / 1)
Politico.eu.com | EU targets head of the Russian church in new sanctions
In an interview published Tuesday, the Catholic Church's Pope Francis said he had warned Kirill not to "turn himself into Putin's altar boy."
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 05:11:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 european aspiration (none / 1)
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 09:07:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
$600B (none / 0)
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 09:48:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 Ukraine EMBARGO (none / 1)
UA Transmission System Operator | The actions of the occupiers led to the suspension of gas transit through the Sokhranivka DHW, 10 May
• "Sokhranivka DHW and the Novopskov Border Compressor Station (CS) located in the occupied territories. Novopskov is the first compressor station of the Ukrainian GTS in Luhansk region

• "it is possible to temporarily transfer unavailable capacity from the physical point of Sokhranivka connection to the physical point of Sudzha connection located in the territory controlled by Ukraine"

euractive | Ukraine to halt key Russian gas transit to Europe, use alternative, 11 May

But Gazprom, which has a monopoly[!] on Russian gas exports[!] by pipeline, said it was "technologically impossible" to shift all volumes to the Sudzha interconnection point, as GTSOU proposed. Ukraine has remained a major transit route for Russian gas to Europe even after Russia's invasion on 24 February.
Possession is 9/10 the law.
Gazprom said it had received notification from Ukraine that the country would stop the transit of gas to Europe via the Sokhranivka interconnector from 0700 local time on Wednesday. The Russian company said it saw no proof of force majeure or obstacles to continuing as before. Gazprom added that it was meeting all obligations to buyers of gas in Europe.
European Court of Auditors | Special Report 23: Reducing grand corruption in Ukraine, 2021
by Cat on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 02:17:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 Ukraine EMBARGO (none / 1)
Belgian news yesterday announcing the cut explained that tankers with Russian oil would continue arriving to the port.

b at MoA has penned a masterpiece today

quoting strong antiwar voices from the NYT (!!) and (retired) US military
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/05/ukraine-congress-passes-the-bucks-realism-sneaks-in-poland-pla ns-for-more-war.html

by Tom2 on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 04:56:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 Ukraine EMBARGO (none / 0)
Someone elsewhere said 'The US etc. is using Poland (and the UK) as cover to try to claim they aren't responsible in any way and even that they were against it.

That's why the NYT have those articles. Purely to control the narrative.

Meanwhile the money and arms flow from the US & co. to Ukraine.

It is not in any way a sign of deescalation lest anyone mistake it for such.'

I agree that this is certainly the tone I hear in Kirby's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhcA8M2QBcM

by Tom2 on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 05:14:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 european aspiration (none / 0)
Can you give us a summary?

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 07:14:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 european aspiration (none / 0)
social economy has entered the room.
Admittedly, companies whose goal is not primarily to make money, do not look like the most attractive targets for investment. This is one of the reasons why the Commission presented an action plan on the social economy in December 2021, with access to finance being one of the key concerns that the plan should address.

Admittedly, companies whose goal is not primarily to make money, do not look like the most attractive targets for investment. This is one of the reasons why the Commission presented an action plan on the social economy in December 2021, with access to finance being one of the key concerns that the plan should address.
[...]
Moreover, work is being done on a "social taxonomy" that would define what kind of investments can be considered social.

archived People have formed and dissolved corporations, like, forever. Why?
by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 04:27:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
Conference on the Future of Europe : EU tries deliberative democracy

Members of European Parliament passed a resolution on Wednesday (4 May) supporting the outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe and changing EU treaties to facilitate the implementation of citizens' proposals.

The resolution relates to the follow up of finalised proposals made by citizens as a part of the EU's first deliberative democracy experiment, acknowledging the need for a more transparent, democratic and accountable EU.

As a result of the resolution, the Parliament "is asking the Committee on Constitutional Affairs to prepare proposals to reform the EU Treaties, which would happen through a Convention in line with Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union."

This would see the EU shift towards a "sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth model, with special attention paid to SMEs,"  as well as "climate change, protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainability globally," MEPs said.

In addition, they highlighted that "deeper political integration and genuine democracy can be achieved through a right of legislative initiative for Parliament and by ending unanimity in Council." At the end of April, the CoFoE conference's plenary, composed of 363 EU and national politicians and 108 citizens, reached an agreement on a draft proposal containing 49 recommendations.

They include contributions from European citizens' panels, which approved 178 proposals between December and February, input from national panels and events, ideas from the European youth event, and 43,734 contributions on 16,274 ideas gathered from the multilingual platform.

From the 178 proposals, they have been whittled down to 49 that the EU will follow up.

The fact that MEPs voted by a large majority makes me suspect that it will be buried... but it's a pretty nice start.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 03:40:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Double negative (none / 0)
Incredible Boris

British prime minister Boris Johnson has lauded Ukraine's president Zelenskiy as "truly one of the most incredible leaders of modern times" during a fundraising event in London.

An ambiguous compliment, from someone who is truly one of the least credible leaders of modern times.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 12:50:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 Indo-Macron take away (none / 0)

reference
India-France Joint Statement during the Visit of Prime Minister to France, 4 May

by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 03:53:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
I'm so shocked!
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/europe/20220507-drogue-parmi-les-premiers-march%C3%A9s-l-europe-est-une-plaque -tournante-pour-la-coca%C3%AFne
Belgium and The Netherlands in the top 3 of cocaine producers!? Is it first and foremost for the local markets? Could it be related to the well-paid civil servants of international organisations, including the EU, that inhabit these two countries?
by Tom2 on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 11:00:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
Et ça ne pollue pas que la tête....
https:/www.dutchnews.nl/news/2022/02/row-over-drugs-waste-cleanup-bill-continues-as-pollution-sprea ds
by Tom2 on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 01:54:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 supply chain discipline (none / 0)
Drogue: parmi les premiers marchés, l'Europe est aussi une plaque tournante du trafic de cocaïne
Au premier plan, il y a la Belgique. C'est le pays qui a saisi les plus grandes quantités de cocaïne en 2020. Soixante dix tonnes selon Europol et l'agence anti-drogue de l'Union européenne, qui ont présenté un rapport lors d'une conférence de presse à Bruxelles.

Après la Belgique, viennent les Pays-Bas et l'Espagne. Dans ces trois pays, d'importantes quantités de produits chimiques pour produire de la cocaïne ont été saisies, dans des laboratoires clandestins ou aux frontières.

Transformation sur son sol ["value added"]
Si l'Europe importe toujours la drogue d'Amérique du sud, la transformation a désormais lieu sur son sol. Elle est aussi de plus en plus réexportée vers d'autres régions du monde, comme le Moyen-Orient ou l'Asie. L'autre marché, mais en forte hausse bien que plus petit : les métamphétamines. Entre 2010 et 2020, les quantités saisies ont augmenté de 477% selon le rapport.

by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 04:45:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 supply chain discipline (none / 0)
Yeah, it's called EU economic 'strength' I guess.
Add that to the EU fiscal paradises and to Gibraltar, number 1 in spreading online gambling to the four quarters of the world, including the poorest.
by Tom2 on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 05:52:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 supply chain discipline (none / 0)
Gibraltar is the UK's problem, not the EU's.
Like the Virgin Islands, among other useful embarassments.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 06:48:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
ELECTION 2022 (none / 0)
The Ukraine card has entered das Zimmer.
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 10:34:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 supply chain discipline (none / 0)
Rossiyskaya Gazeta | Nord Stream-2 will provide gas to the North-West of Russia, 5 May EU "embargo" FAIL
According to the deputy head of the National Energy Security Fund, Alexei Grivach, Gazprom's decision does not mean a final rejection of the Nord Stream 2 project. Just in the face of uncertainty with the timing of the commissioning of the gas pipeline by Germany, it was decided to use the Russian part of its infrastructure for the development of domestic consumption, gasification and gas processing enterprises.
[...]
At the same time, it is specified that the commissioning of the second offshore string of the gas pipeline for supplies to Europe will now be possible no earlier than 2028.
[...]
reformatting the Nord Stream 2 infrastructure will be a significant help for the Russian market and gasification of the regions. About 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year is released for domestic consumption, Grivach notes. This is a significant amount that opens up opportunities for launching new gas projects. As for the pace of gasification, some local changes in the timing are possible, but the president has already set the task of completing the country's network gasification by 2030, the expert believes.
archived Possession is 9/10 the law
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 05:39:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 supply chain discipline (none / 0)
ΑΛΗΘΩΣ | Qatar, Germany in deadlock on LNG supply deal
According to the outlet, Berlin will not agree to Qatar's demand to sign deals for a duration of at least 20 years.
[...]
Qatar also wants to contractually prevent Germany from rerouting the LNG deliveries to other European states, and this measure is not welcome by the EU, the sources said.
[...]
Qatar is the world's largest LNG supplier. Major German power producer RWE already has a deal with Qatargas dating back to 2016 for 1.1 million tons of LNG annually until the end of 2023.
REUTERS | EXCLUSIVE Germany, Qatar at odds over terms in talks on LNG supply deal -sources®

archived Tue Mar 22nd, 2022 "divertible" mission

by Cat on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 02:07:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 supply chain discipline (none / 0)
euractiv | German government agrees on law to speed up LNG terminal construction, 11 May
Germany had set out a timeline of achieving independence from Russian gas by the middle of 2024. Previously, vice-chancellor Robert Habeck had called for "unrealistic" efforts to speed up the process. Habeck unveiled his law meant to cut red tape on Tuesday (10 May), following consultations with the justice and environment ministries.

The new law would allow public authorities to "waive certain procedural requirements" made mandatory by EU law, like environmental impact assessments. The ministry added that it considered this to be compliant with the law, given the exceptional circumstances. Other licensing requirements, like an assessment as per water law, would not be changed, the ministry said in a statement. Therefore, "a comprehensive substantive examination by the authorities will continue to be guaranteed."

Germany's environmental NGOs, incensed by the rushed construction of LNG terminals they deem to be unnecessary and climate-damaging, are already preparing lawsuits to challenge the government's push for additional fossil fuel infrastructure.

by Cat on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 02:28:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The truth : Nestlé is behind it (none / 0)
It's the real thing : what else?

Swiss police say they have seized 500kg of cocaine from a shipment of coffee that was sent to a Nespresso factory.

Workers at the plant in Romont alerted the authorities after finding white powder in sacks of coffee beans.

Police later found more of the drug in five shipping containers. An initial investigation suggested the shipment had come from Brazil.

A Nespresso statement said claimed production of coffee capsules at the plant had not been contaminated by the drug.



It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 06:46:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Macron : Ukraine's adhesion is decades away (none / 0)
Speech to EU parliament in Strasbourg

Pour Emmanuel Macron, l'Ukraine ne peut pas devenir membre de l'Union avant « plusieurs décennies »

Devant le Parlement européen, à Strasbourg, le chef de l'Etat évoque une éventuelle adhésion de l'Ukraine à l'Union européenne :

    L'Ukraine, par son combat et son courage, est d'ores et déjà aujourd'hui membre de coeur de notre Europe, de notre famille, de notre union. Mais même si nous lui accordions demain le statut de candidat (...) à l'adhésion (...), nous savons tous parfaitement que le processus (...) prendrait plusieurs années, en vérité sans doute plusieurs décennies, sauf à ce que nous décidions de baisser les standards de cette adhésion et donc de complètement repenser l'unité de notre Europe, et parfois les principes au nom desquels nous sommes exigeants à l'égard de certains de nos propres membres. Et nous y tenons tous.

Ainsi, pour Emmanuel Macron, « l'Union européenne, compte tenu de son niveau d'intégration et d'ambition, ne peut pas être à court terme le seul moyen de structurer le continent européen ».

So. Ukraine is already a "membre de coeur" of the EU (sort of like an in-law, I suppose) but raises the usual objections of convergence, as discussed here in another diary.


It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 01:29:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
"and we know that previous infections and vaccines don't offer sufficient protection against renewed infection"

As per physician and health minister Kuipers

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2022/05/kuipers-calls-on-business-and-society-to-come-up-with-their-ow n-corona-plans

by Oosterbeek on Tue May 17th, 2022 at 07:32:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Poland still doesn't understand captalism (none / 1)
Notes from Poland
Poland's prime minister has called on Norway to share the huge profits it has been making from oil and gas as a result of the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to a youth forum in Warsaw, Mateusz Morawiecki noted that profits from oil and gas this year for Norway, "a small country of five million [people], will be over €100 billion" higher than in recent years.

"This is not normal, this is not fair" and Norway "should share this excess, gigantic profit", continued the prime minister.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Mon May 23rd, 2022 at 07:17:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Poland still doesn't understand captalism (none / 0)
Of course they do ... cash cow years of US AID slash CIA - EU of Brussels - just looking for more resources as Poland is at the forefront to defend our Democracy from an expansive Union of Belarus and Russia. Poland has signed quite some contracts for military goodies which maybe somewhat offset by accepting a FOB Trump.

Cancel culture in Southern States: Braxton Bragg, George Edward Pickett, Henry Benning, A.P. Hill and Leonidas Polk, John Brown Gordon, John Bell Hood, Robert E. Lee, Edmund Rucker and Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Mon May 23rd, 2022 at 08:09:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Poland still doesn't understand captalism (none / 0)
Germany 'flabbergasted' at Poland's accusation of broken promise on tanks
to replace them wut were sent to K*v
by Cat on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 04:16:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pillars (4.00 / 2)
NJV.nl | Coalition of providers and internet and press freedom organizations asks for judgment on blocking RT and Sputnik, 23 May
The coalition argues that the Council of Ministers of the European Union is not part of the EU. An application to that effect will be submitted to the European Court in Luxembourg on 24 May.


by Cat on Mon May 23rd, 2022 at 07:36:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pillars (none / 1)
"a new confiscation possibility" and "dark numbers" have entered the room.
Asset seizures would generally require a conviction, but under the draft law, they could be allowed pending trial in some cases for suspected criminals, and also when they are "transferred by a suspected or accused person to third parties," including family members.
oh
by Cat on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 07:21:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pillars (none / 0)
Already standard procedure in France, legislated 15 years ago? Big drug dealers' assets routinely seized before trial. (Not sure there's a measurable impact on the trade, but it makes them more careful)

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 08:10:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 pillars (none / 0)
The ECJ is not part of the EU or the Council of the EU
So there's that.
by Cat on Fri Jun 3rd, 2022 at 02:40:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
PFEFFLE'S BREXIT
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:18:45 PM EST
Re: May 2022 post-colonial hijinks (none / 1)
Guardian | Plan for direct UK rule of British Virgin Islands opposed by acting premier, 30 Apr
Natalio Wheatley, the acting BVI premier elevated to the office after the former premier Andrew Fahie, 51, was arrested on drug running charges in Miami on Thursday, said he opposed the plan for direct rule for two years, with the British appointed governor taking charge and being advised by a council of local politicians.
[...]
An inquiry into corruption in the territory, led by Sir Gary Hickinbottom, whose report was hurriedly published by the Foreign Office in the immediate wake of the premier's shock arrest, argued direct rule is necessary because the allegations of systematic rule-breaking, stretching back over one or more administrations, were so serious that time was needed for constitutional reform to be introduced, and investigations to be held into specific examples of corruption.
[...]
Fahie was also resisting plans to introduce a public register of beneficial ownership, a means of lifting the veil of secrecy over the BVI's tax haven status. The Foreign Office believes corruption on the islands is linked more to drugs than money laundering. Yet more than half the shell companies identified in the Panama Papers are registered in the BVI, Hickinbottom's report found.
[...]
The string of islands inhabited by 35,000 people, east of Puerto Rico, operates under a 2007 constitution that gives the islands limited self-governance under a governor who is the ultimate executive authority as the representative of the Queen.
archived a raft of documents addressing tax avoidance 2017, Panama Papers source breaks silence 2016

reference
British Virgin Islands Commission of Inquiry Report, 946 pp

by Cat on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 09:45:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
More Irish than UK passports issued in Northern Ireland for first time
The number of Irish passports being issued in the North has surpassed their UK counterparts for the first time on record, newly obtained figures reveal.

Her Majesty's Passport Office in London has confirmed 48,555 citizens in Northern Ireland applied for a UK passport in 2020 - at least 356 fewer than those who opted for an Irish passport the same year (48,911).

Official figures on Irish passports in the region are only available for those issued through Northern Ireland Passport Express (NIPX), available through post offices, and do not include citizens who apply for their passports directly from Dublin.

The fresh records, released under Freedom of Information laws, confirm an escalating trend over recent years in rising applications for Irish passports, as numbers opting to carry a UK passport wane.

by Bernard (bernard) on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 06:40:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
North Britons (none / 0)
I know what West Britons are, of course. But I've never heard of North britons before. Has anybody else?

The National

1 week ago, I gave this Time for Reflection - a moment of immense pride for me and my family. The reaction was positive from people who actually watched it & extremely negative from North Britons who act like snarlin dugs when exposed to Scots
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 07:49:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: North Britons (none / 0)
At the time when the stones were carved (9th to 11th centuries AD) Govan was the royal capital of the kingdom of Strathclyde, the last surviving realm of the Cumbri or North Britons.

The Govan Stones: new discoveries

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 09:15:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: North Britons (none / 1)
No surprise when you've got Supreme Courts in the US--which is CLEARLY a part of the UK (just like NI)--quoting from legal decisions of the 13th century. The wars in the Border region were barely even getting started then, but obviously all modern agreements between states must account for every single legal decision that has ever happened in history.

Luckily, the history of England/Scotland/Wales/Ireland/USA/Canada/Australia/India/etc. only goes back to 1066, so there's only one millennium of legal precedent to deal with.  (Ignoring previous residents.)

by asdf on Tue May 17th, 2022 at 05:26:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Wandsworth, Barnet, Westminster to Labour (none / 0)
Conservative chair sees positive sign and supports leadership of Boris ... captain of a Titanic.

Labour takes Westminster from Tories for first time in more than 50 years.

Tory council leaders point finger at Johnson after election losses blamed on Partygate

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 07:27:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]
ELECTION 2022 (none / 0)
LOCAL ELECTIONS: WHO'S UP, WHO'S DOWN?
"Scottish Tories blame Partygate as they suffer big losses. ... The only party to have a worse day than the Scottish Tories was the Alba Party, led by former first minister Alex Salmond as a vehicle for nationalists dissatisfied with the SNP."
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 10:37:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Greens and Lib Dems are Big Gainers (none / 0)

Hull: Lib Dems end Labour's 10-year rule

Labour during poorly in Midlands and North. Keith Starmer is seen as a metropolist out of touch with people in need across the nation.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 07:30:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Benefits of Brexit (none / 0)


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 10:05:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 universal credit (none / 1)
Politico.eu.com | UK pledges [£1.3B] fresh military aid for Ukraine ahead of G7 talks, 8 May
"Putin's brutal attack is not only causing untold devastation in Ukraine -- it is also threatening peace and security across Europe," Johnson said in a statement to media to announce the extra support.
[...]
Zelenskyy said in a video posted on Sunday to commemorate the end of World War II that "evil has returned to Europe."
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 05:44:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
BREXIT lend-lease (none / 1)
Russian forces captured British-made Brimstone Missile in Ukraine's Zaporizhia/Zaporizhzhia, 8 May
The missile reportedly failed seconds after being launched by Kiev forces. The missile sustained very little damage.
[...]
The UK is one of the main military backers of Kiev forces. On May 7, Britain said it would provide a further 1.3 billion pounds [$1.60 billion] in military support and aid to Kiev.

The captured Brimstone missile will likely be sent to Russia for research. The Russian military could learn how jam the missile's millimetric-wave radar seeker, or even reverse-engineer it.

by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 12:12:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Thank Goodness for Cold War 2.0 (none / 1)
Dual-Mode Brimstone Missile Proves Itself in Combat

During the Cold War, the threat posed by tens of thousands of Soviet armored vehicles massed on the borders of Eastern Europe stimulated intensive development of antitank weaponry by NATO powers, including Great Britain. Particularly in the 1980s, NATO nations worked hard to develop anti-armor systems capable of killing hundreds of Warsaw Pact armored vehicles per hour - weapons like the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire and BLU-108/CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon. The British entry into this family of weapons was to have been a missile called "Brimstone," though a protracted development meant it arrived too late for Cold War service. The rebirth of Brimstone as "Dual Mode Brimstone" shows how creative engineering can adapt old weapon designs to new threats.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 05:30:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 oeconomics (none / 0)
Boris Johnson calls for 90,000 civil service jobs to be cut to free up cash to spend on tax cuts, 12 May
"We have got to cut the cost of government to reduce the cost of living," he told the Daily Mail..."Every pound the government pre-empts from the taxpayer is money they can spend on their own priorities, on their own lives," he said.
by Cat on Fri May 13th, 2022 at 01:16:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 devolving capitulation (none / 0)
UK to make Irish an official language in Northern Ireland
"Sinn Féin lauds bill as long overdue, but unionists warn that Irish-speakers will use new powers `to make a real pest of themselves.'"
by Cat on Thu May 26th, 2022 at 12:47:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Satire (none / 0)
The US has The Onion. Germany has Der Postillon. Fortunately, the English, with their reputation for humour, is far ahead. They have the Daily Telegraph.
Wake up, Tory loyalists, for time has almost run out to save the Conservative Party from its drift into incompetent, unprincipled oblivion, and prevent the nightmare of a hard-left Government.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Fri May 27th, 2022 at 08:09:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
26 May 2022 amenities Q&A (none / 1)

euronews | YouTube removes video of Ukraine war prisoner Aiden Aslin amid claim it breaks Geneva Convention, 23 May

In the 44-minute video published on the video sharing platform on Tuesday, a handcuffed Aslin is questioned by Graham Phillips, a British blogger who has previously freelanced for the Russian state-backed broadcaster RT and Russian defence ministry-run Zvezda. Phillips begins the interview by stating that Aslin is not appearing under duress, which he [Aslin] confirms, saying "I wanted this".
[...]
"The video of Aiden speaking under duress and having clearly suffered physical injuries is deeply distressing. Using images and videos of prisoners of war is in contravention of the Geneva Convention and must stop," Aslin's family said in a statement tweeted by their local member of parliament, Robert Jenrick.
[...]
Guidance from the UK government and British Red Cross published in 2007 recommends that images of PoWs "should not be transmitted, published or broadcast," on the basis of Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention, which protects prisoners against "acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity".
[...]
"Whilst pictures or video of prisoners of war are an important part of the story of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, journalists should ensure that individual prisoners are not identifiable in pictures or videos and that if necessary, faces, badges or other identifying symbols should be pixelated to protect the identity of individuals," Professor Chris Frost, chair of the NUJ's Ethics Council said.
free u*ghur SIM cards NOW!
by Cat on Mon May 30th, 2022 at 01:09:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The Queen (4.00 / 2)
The Telegraph
Britain is a better country thanks to the Queen

The Platinum Jubilee is a chance to celebrate our extraordinary monarch and the values she represents

KEIR STARMER

The rest is fortunately behind a paywall.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 at 09:02:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
tabloid Express | Biden takes aim at Britain - US threatens to STOP sharing intelligence over UK 'obstacles', 27 May antitrust farce
Washington's warning was prompted by a row over the takeover of British firm Ultra Electronics, a supplier of secret tech to nuclear submarines. Cobham, the private equity-backed buyer, is another UK defence business. However, if the deal goes ahead, it will in effect put Ultra under the control of the American Advent International, which has owned Cobham for the past 18 months and has already sold off most of its assets.
[...]
Intelligence sources said Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will jeopardise future partnerships between the UK and US if he blocks the £2.6billion sale of Ultra to Boston-based Advent. They accused Mr Kwarteng of unfairly discriminating against US companies after he ordered the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate whether the deal poses a national security risk.
by Cat on Thu Jun 2nd, 2022 at 04:22:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
POST-TRUMP'S USA
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:19:04 PM EST
public property (none / 1)
Read Justice Alito's initial 98-page draft abortion opinion which would overturn Roe v. Wade, Griswold, Casey, et seq., state sovereignty, "our nation's scheme of ordered liberty," Appendix
The underlying theory on which this argument rests--that the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause provides substanative, as well as procedural, protection for "liberty"--has long been controversial. But our decisions have held that the Due Process Clause protects two categories of substantive rights.

The first consists of rights guaranteed by the first eight amendments. Those amendments originally applied only to the federal government, Barron ex rel. Tiernan v. Mayor of motherfucking Baltimore, 7 Pet. 242, 247-251 (1833) (opinion of Marshall, C.J.), but this Court has held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment "incorporates" the great majority of those rights and thus makes them equally applicable to the States [...] The second category--which is the one in question here--comprises a select list of fundamental rights that are not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution.
[...]
The Constitution does not prohibit  the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogate that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives.

The judgment of the Fifth Circuit is reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings consisten with this opinion.

archived Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health
by Cat on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 03:55:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
public property peanut gallery THREAD (none / 1)
by Cat on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 04:01:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Hang 'em High (none / 1)
Will the Supreme Court survive the stench of overturning Roe?, 4 May
"We don't have a neutral judiciary anymore, an independent judiciary, what we have is a monarchy made up of unelected judges."
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 11:36:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: public property (none / 0)
tabloid USA | Senate to vote Wednesday on bill that would make abortion legal nationally, 5 May JimCrowFusionFilibuster event
Senate Democrats will vote on Wednesday [11 May] on a bill that would make Roe v. Wade the law of the land and head off a Supreme Court decision that could leave states the sole authority on whether to restrict abortion. ... The bill - introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., late Tuesday evening - does not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the 50-50 Senate, but marks Democrats' first [NO] legislative attempt to enshrine the right to abortion into law since the leak [BWAH!].

The Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 would make abortion legal nationally

(7) VIABILITY.--The term "viability" means the point in a pregnancy at which, in the good-faith medical judgment of the treating health care provider, based on the particular facts of the case before the health care provider, there is a reasonable likelihood of sustained fetal survival outside the uterus with or without [!] artificial support.
superseding legislation passed by a number of states recently to severely restrict or completely ban the procedure.
archived Women's Health Protection Act for < checks watch >
by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 06:40:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: public property (none / 0)
The absurdity of basing your legal system on a bunch of judges who are expected to read the runes written by a bunch of eighteenth-century Anglo gentlemen. Moses and the tables of law. Kabbalah.

Obviously, all men are "created", equal. Non-whites are, implicitly, not even human, so no rights there. Women, similarly, are chattels. And you want to derive their rights over their own bodies from that?

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 07:13:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]
The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Now let's go kill some RUSSIANS!
by Cat on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 04:11:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Mother Nancy Pelosi | Transcript of U.S. Congressional Delegation Press Conference in Rzeszów, Poland, 1 May
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 09:11:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
"a touch of ambiguity"

The keynote address at the Peterson Institute on July 7, 2011, at the conference "Ukraine's Future: The Challenges and Impact of Governance in Ukraine," cohosted by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings, and the Atlantic Council.

by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 11:04:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
top counterterrorism official John Cohen "noted it's no secret that the department has long grappled with how to fight disinformation, going as far back as" ... 2009

archived 7 days ago, Cass Sunstein, who "cruised through Tuesday's Senate confirmation hearing, Wed Jan 14th, 2009

by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 07:20:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
CNN | Retired US major general: What it will take for the Ukrainians to win, 5 May
The former commander of the US Special Operations Command in Europe, retired US Army Maj. Gen. Mike Repass, says the international community has to greatly increase its support for Ukraine if the embattled nation is ever going to be able to drive the Russians out.

Repass has advised the Ukrainian military for the past six years on a US government contract. Last month he visited Poland and western Ukraine to get a better feel for the trajectory of the war in Ukraine
[...]
To win the war in Ukraine, Repass advocates that the US and its allies build up a Ukrainian strategic force amounting to five brigades of up to 40,000 soldiers capable of mounting offensive operations to force the Russians out of their country.
[...]
REPASS: You need to have the US, French, Poles, UK and the Germans each build a brigade's worth of Ukrainian combat power. Those nations have significant military capacity and could generate forces by equipping Ukrainian units and then training them in their own nations. So, that would be five brigades, in five operational sectors. And you would need probably six to eight months to implement that. These five brigades would have Western equipment fighting in Western ways, an integrated air-land battle approach where you have all the means available to you, to include NATO-interoperable tanks, close-air support and air defense.

by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 05:42:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
U.S. EXPOSES What It Says Is Russian Effort to Fabricate Pretext for Invasion, 3 Feb
.
.
.

8 May, Your Mother's Day edition for just $4.99/mo!

archived deploying declassified intelligence as part of an information war against Russia, Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2022

by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 03:40:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 12:24:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
double-header

Breakthrough deaths has entered the room.

"These data should not be interpreted as vaccines not working," one expert said. [...] Experts said the increase in breakthrough deaths is expected with more Americans reaching full vaccination status.
Why the Fed wants corporate America to have a hiring freeze
"[FRB Chair Jerome Powell is] talking to corporate America, and his goal is to have companies essentially institute a hiring freeze and end the cycle of paying up for new hires."
reference
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) | home
JOLTS | March 2022, 3 May Release in a period of "full employment" (FKA U-3, or 3.6% unemployment rate)
estimates in a range: openings, hires, separations (quits, layoffs, discharges, retirement, deaths, disability charge offs, and transfers)
by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 01:49:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
fun with numbers (none / 0)
Over the 12 months ending in March, hires totaled 77.7 million and separations totaled 71.4 million, yielding a net employment gain of 6.3 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.
archived My question is who is counting how many jobs any one respondent claims.
by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 02:00:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
Dreamer fatalities
"What we know about the suspect, his motive, and more"

Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend
"Bad night for Trump: Kemp, Raffensperger win GA primaries"

by Cat on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 05:37:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Justice Information Sharing, 2001-present

2014 Sec. 213: "The Patriot Act continues to wreak its havoc on civil liberties...."

2022 Sec. 213: "geofence warrants, a technique where law enforcement agencies request tech companies to turn over all data on devices that have passed through a certain area during a certain period."

by Cat on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 04:48:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
H.R.7311 - Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act
Strategy And Implementation Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy and implementation plan outlining United States efforts to counter the malign influence and activities of the Russian Federation and its ["]proxies["] in Africa, including programs and other initiatives designed to--
wut
(1) strengthen democratic institutions, improve government transparency and accountability, improve standards related to human rights, labor, anti-corruption initiatives, fiscal transparency, monitor natural resources and extractive industries [BWAH!], and other tenets of good governance; and

(2) monitor and report on Russian political influence and disinformation operations and the activities of Russian, Russia-connected, or Russian-funded private military contractors in Africa.

possibly Russian-linked predatory Chinese FDI
by Cat on Sat May 28th, 2022 at 03:58:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
innocuous web publisher alarmed
US State Dept-Affiliated NewsGuard Targets Consortium News
It calls "false" essential facts about Ukraine that have been suppressed in mainstream media: 1) that there was a U.S.-backed coup in 2014 and 2) that neo-Nazism is a significant force in Ukraine. Reporting crucial information left out of corporate media is Consortium News` essential mission.

But NewsGuard considers these facts to be "myths" and is demanding Consortium News "correct" these "errors."

Who is NewsGuard?

"Nutrition Label" dispenser
by Cat on Fri Jun 3rd, 2022 at 12:17:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
PropOrNot Returns As NewsGuard (none / 1)
PropOrNot Returns As NewsGuard

From my earlier diaries @BooMan ... PropOrNot

UK Issued a DA-Notice On My Diary Result

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Jun 3rd, 2022 at 04:03:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
The events in Kiev in February 2014 were a revolution, not a coup d'état. Perhaps you need to revise your European history to understand the difference.
Or just check a dictionary.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Wed Jun 8th, 2022 at 02:00:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
ill-conceived advice of the w/e 4 June (none / 0)
"Clergy of color face unprecedented mental health challenges"
by Cat on Fri Jun 3rd, 2022 at 04:06:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
de jokes (none / 1)
Statement by President Joe Biden, 3 May
if the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation's elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman's right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.
Poll smoke | Americans' Opinions on Abortion, Jan 2022 restictions as to Reasons®
by Cat on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 05:18:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., provided the following statement
by Cat on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 05:26:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)

making abortion "less necessary" since 1977
by Cat on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 11:24:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)

the steepest inflation rate since June 1947

by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 01:07:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
"The US share selloff [- 1000 pts] comes hot on the heels of a major price rally [+ 900 pts] experienced on 4 May"
by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 06:51:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
"moving in the wrong direction", 6 May
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 01:10:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 12:23:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 09:16:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
Job interest in Twitter skyrocket more than 250%
by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 07:49:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 1)
by Cat on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 04:59:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
CUE Evil pinkie

150 MILLION DOLLARS

by Cat on Fri May 13th, 2022 at 05:17:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
"The actions taken by Putin were an attempt, to use my phrase, to Finland-ize all of Europe, to make it all neutral. Instead, he NATO-ized all of Europe.
by Cat on Sat May 28th, 2022 at 12:16:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
Europe dominated Catholic hierarchy for most of the church's history
by Cat on Sun May 29th, 2022 at 04:38:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
"their very raisin deter, was about to fold."
by Cat on Mon May 30th, 2022 at 12:41:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Living (?) with COVID (none / 1)
Washington Post
The Biden administration is warning the United States could see 100 million coronavirus infections and a potentially significant wave of deaths this fall and winter, driven by new omicron subvariants that have shown a remarkable ability to escape immunity.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 07:07:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: COVID (none / 0)
On my phone I've started to see small ads where Bill Gates explains that he will set up a task force with WHO so that clusters of any new viruses can be identified and the states could react upon the information. Get ready to be boosted as cyclists are.
by Tom2 on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 08:03:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
 WORLD 
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:19:21 PM EST
World POWs summit for democracy UPDATE (none / 1)
Panic in Kooyong: The Threat to the Australian Liberal Party, 3 May
the more moderate in an otherwise conservative Liberal Party, which has governed Australia since 2013 in an at times troubled alliance with the Nationals.
< wipes tears >
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 12:50:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs "messaging system" (none / 0)
Asian Exporters Scramble To Access Russian Consumer Markets
Try to act surprised.

parity watch, off-shore (AE) FX
UR:RUB, 1:71.81
USD:RUB, 1:68.25

SGD:RUB, 1:49.33

BRL:RUB, 1:13.76 / BRL:USD, 1:0.20
RMB:RUB, 1:10.34 / RMB:USD, 1:0.15
ZAR:RUB, 1:4.33  / ZAR:USD, 1:0.06
INR:RUB, 1:0.89  / INR:USD, 1:0.01

PKR:RUB, 1:0.36  / PKR:USD, 1:0.005

by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 03:19:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs estimates in a range (none / 0)
US war of "attrition," 2014-2022

USIP | Ukraine's 'Invisible Crisis': 1.5 Million [?] Who Fled War With Russia, 23 Nov 2015

about 2.6 million Ukrainians have fled the war in the east initiated by Russian-backed separatists, and more than 1.4 million of them are still in the country ["internally displaced persons" (IDP)?].
UNHCR | Number of displaced inside Ukraine more than doubles since early August to 260,000, 2 Sep 2014

Most of the displaced - 94 per cent - are from eastern Ukraine and are remaining in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions. UNHCR believes the actual number of people displaced is higher as many are staying with families and friends and choose not to register with the authorities. [...] The Ukrainian authorities say that 2.2 million people currently remain in conflict areas. [...] A larger number of Ukrainians are arriving in Russia under the visa-free regime. The Russian authorities say around 814,000 Ukrainians have entered Russia since the start of the year. This figure includes people who have applied for refugee/temporary asylum and other residence options.

"What does it mean to be internally displaced? For some of the people I met, it meant that they got on a train in Donetsk and they wound up in Mariupol in their pajamas."
UNHCR, Last updated 04 May 2022
Total Refugees fleeing Ukraine since 24 February 2022: 5,707,967; table: distribution by Europe destination; bar chart: distribution by month
An additional 105,000 people moved to the Russian Federation from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions between 18 and 23 February.
[...]
Ukrainians entering Ukraine since 28 February 2022: 1,436,500
wikiwtf In'tl: Other countries which have received more than 10,000 Ukrainian refugees
A study by the UN agency International Organization for Migration released on 21 March [2022] found that 13.5% of displaced people had also been displaced in 2014-2015.[77] The study found that 60% of refugee households were traveling with children, and of the nearly 10 million people displaced within and outside Ukraine on that date, 186,000 were nationals of a third country.[77]
Sputnik | Russian Troops Continue to Block Azovstal Plant, Humanitarian Corridors Operational, 5 May
Russian forces and Donbass militias are advancing amid the special op in Ukraine. In the meantime, mass evacuations from the frontline continue: according to the Russian defence ministry, 1.1 mln people have been evacuated from Ukraine and Donbass to Russia since the beginning of the op [24 Feb 2022].
archived Mariupol was the 2nd largest in Donetsk
by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 03:55:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Mariupol POWs urban renewal (none / 0)
by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 07:59:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs estimates in a range (none / 1)
All women, children and elderly civilians evacuated from Mariupol's Azovstal, Ukraine says, 7 May
All women, children and elderly people have been evacuated from  the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Saturday. "This part of the Mariupol humanitarian operation is over," Vereshchuk wrote on the Telegram [!] messaging service.

Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk region said earlier Saturday that 50 civilians had been evacuated from the plant. Reuters had not seen any evidence of their arrival at a nearby [?] separatist-controlled reception point as of 1600 GMT.

[Whataboutism Alert]
#azovstal Last Stand
FRANCE 24 is SUCH rubbish
alrighty then
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 06:44:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs estimates in a range (none / 1)
Helmer | DID UN SECRETARY-GENERAL GUTERRES COMMIT A WAR CRIME AT AZOVSTAL?, 5 May rentier math, illustrated
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, is refusing this week to answer questions on the role he played in the recent attempt by US, British, Canadian and other foreign combatants to escape the bunkers under the Azovstal plant, using the human shield of civilians trying to evacuate.

In Guterres's meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on April 26 (lead image), Putin warned Guterres he had been "misled" in his efforts. "The simplest thing", Putin told Guterres in the recorded part of their meeting, "for military personnel or members of the nationalist battalions is to release the civilians. It is a crime to keep civilians, if there are any there, as human shields [hostages]."  
[...]
[Guterres' spokesman Stéphane] Dujarric (right) is a veteran reporter for the US television network ABC; before that he was a US foreign service trainee in Washington and a member of the Paris branch of the Rothschild banking family. In follow-up email he was asked to "correct the error of fact in your comment. The UN and Red Cross evacuation of 'civilians' did not `focus' on the civilians who opted not to go to the Kiev side at Zaporozhye; the ICRC statement makes explicit that 'other people...went elsewhere'. Dujarric refused to answer.
[...]
[UN Humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, Osnat] Lubrani's official statement, cleared by UN headquarters in New York and by the Ukrainians in Kiev, confirmed  there had been 101 [?] evacuees, and that 32 of them had opted for the Donetsk or Russian side. "The operation started on Friday 29 April," Lubrani declared, "and was agreed with the parties to the conflict, following engagements by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres during his recent visits to Moscow and Kyiv."  Note how the UN official ignored the large number of evacuees who opted against the Kiev side. She omitted altogether the discrepancy between the number of buses ordered and the number of civilian evacuees.  
[...]
The bus capacity at Azovstal which had been delivered by the UN and Red Cross was more than 2,100. This was several magnitudes larger than the estimated total of civilians in the bunkers; it was roughly equal to the count of both civilians and combatants in the bunkers.

archived
defense.gouv.fr, 3 questions; evacuation and deportation candidates, 27 Mar
by Cat on Sun May 8th, 2022 at 04:44:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs "stress test" (none / 0)
Guardian | Beijing orders 'stress test' as fears of Russia-style sanctions mount, 4 May recap
According to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, an extensive exercise began around late February and early March when western allies imposed unprecedented sanctions against Moscow. Several key Chinese government agencies - from banking regulation to international trade - have been asked to come up with responses if the west imposed the same embargos [sic] on to China.
y'all mean "freeze and seize" sanctions dontcha
"Those involved in this exercise use how Russia was treated as a baseline for China's own policy response should it be treated in a same fashion by the west," the person added. "This stress test involves a range of methodology, including modelling."

Beijing did not specify why it had asked its vast bureaucracy to carry out such an exercise, the person said. They said that it was a "natural reaction" from Beijing given its close relationship with Moscow. A second source, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that Chinese diplomats had in the past few weeks also been meeting experts to understand the trajectory of this conflict.
[...]
But Edward Fishman, a former adviser to John Kerry on economic sanctions at the US state department, said that no economy - not even China - was immune to the types of financial sanctions that the west has wielded against Russia. "There is no good alternative to the western financial system, and that's likely to remain the case for a long time," he said.
[...]
On 22 April, officials from China's finance ministry and the central bank held a meeting with domestic and foreign banks, including HSBC [!], to discuss how they could protect China's overseas assets should Russia-style sanctions led by the US and its western allies also be imposed, according to a recent report by the Financial Times [!].

REUTERS | China central bank pledges to support economy amid crippling COVID outbreaks, 22 Apr
"BOAO, China, April 22 (Reuters) - China's central bank chief pledged on Friday to keep policy accommodative ..."
(8 days later)
REUTERS | China discusses protecting assets from U.S. sanctions with banks, Financial Times reports, 30 Apr
"The internal conference, held on April 22..."
PBOC | Governor Yi Gang Attended the "Global Inflation, Interest Rate Hikes and Economic Stability" session organized by Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference and delivered a keynote speech, 22 Apr
PBOC | Governor Yi Gang Attended the Forty-fifth Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee Virtually, 22 Apr
-- IMF | Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, Speech by Kristalina Georgieva for the Opening Plenary
PBOC | BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Met in First Virtual Meeting in 2022, 8 Apr
-- Liu Kun, China's Minister of Finance, and Yi Gang, Governor of the People's Bank of China, co-chaired the meeting
by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 05:11:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs "stress test" (none / 0)
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 5, 2022
Anadolu Agency>: I want to ask you about Michele Bachelet's planned visit to Xinjiang. Is the date determined? How is the preparation work by the UN delegation going? Do you have any updates?

Zhao Lijian: China welcomes the visit to China, including Xinjiang, by High Commissioner Ms. Bachelet in May. The two sides are having consultations over the specific arrangements. The preparatory team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights arrived in China on April 25 to prepare for the visit. They entered through Guangzhou and went into quarantine according to relevant COVID-19 prevention protocols.

by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 01:48:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs game theory (none / 1)
ATTN homicidal maniacs of the IMF imperial persuasion

Besides quantum encryption and space stations, tactical terrestrial EMP defense: Air and Space Power with Chinese Characteristics, 2020

The Chinese have exhaustively studied the American way of war. They have concluded that it is immensely powerful but potentially brittle, meaning it has a variety of key vulnerabilities that, if attacked, could severely cripple or even collapse the entire system.3 They have heavily concentrated their strategy and systems to target these vulnerabilities. Since American military strategy is critically dependent on air, space, and naval power, the central requirement of Chinese wartime military strategy will undoubtedly be the neutralization of that power....
China May Have Tested New Electromagnetic Weapon: Report, 2021
The latest experiment was reportedly conducted by the China Electronics Technology Group. The aircraft that was brought down was flying at 1,500 meters (4,920ft) above sea level when it was neutralized by the EMP attack.
[...]
The US Navy had been developing an electromagnetic railgun for 15 years now but has halted work on the project indefinitely.

Russia is also working on electromagnetic technology. Dubbed "doomsday" planes, new units based on the Ilyushin Il-96-400M long-range airliner are expected to be resistant to nuclear shock waves and electromagnetic pulses.

Collision? Really>, 2021
No further details about the circumstances of the collision or the extent of damage to the fast-attack submarine Connecticut were available, but China's Foreign Ministry expressed "serious concern" about what happened.

As the party involved, the U.S. should clarify in detail the situation of the accident, including the location, the intention of the sailing, details of the accident, such as what exactly it collided with, whether it caused a nuclear leak, and whether it damaged the local marine environment," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters Friday.

by Cat on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 06:08:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs UNSC reconnaissance (none / 0)
rfi | Guerre en Ukraine: le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU se prononce à l'unanimité pour la paix, 6 May
La Russie s'inquiétant du maintien de la paix et de la sécurité de l'Ukraine, aux côtés des 14 autres membres du Conseil pour la première fois : est-ce que cela signifierait un tournant diplomatique majeur ? Pour certains observateurs, cela confirmerait un mouvement d'amorce vers la diplomatie onusienne, alors que les canaux de négociations turc et israélien ne fonctionneraient pas si bien que cela.

Prudence des diplomates
D'autres diplomates restent prudents, étant donné comme la Russie a piétiné ses engagements auprès de l'ONU et de sa charte depuis son invasion de l'Ukraine le 24 février, et confient rester vigilants après cette déclaration. Quant aux diplomates russes, ils assurent que cela ne modifie en rien l'approche de Moscou : ils ont une interprétation diamétralement opposée du camp occidental des mots utilisés dans le texte, tout simplement. Et rappellent la rhétorique officielle de « bataille pour la paix » en Ukraine depuis 8 ans dans le Donbass.

Security Council Presidential Statement Expresses Strong Support for Efforts by Secretary-General in Seeking Peaceful Solution to Ukraine Conflict, 6 May
In a presidential statement (to be issued as document S/PRST/2022/3)[OOPS] presented by the United States, Council President for May, the 15-member organ requested that he deliver a briefing in due course.
UNSC Arria-formula meeting organized by Russian Federation, 6 Apr A/V
"Threats to international peace and security emanating from military biological activities in regions across the globe"
UNSC Arria-formula meeting organized by Russian Federation, 6 May A/V
"Systematic and mass grave violations of the international humanitarian law as well as other war crimes committed by the Ukrainian military personnel and militia and discovered in the course of ongoing special military operation of the Russian armed forces"

archived press encounter with Russian Foreign Minister, 26 Mar + Wang Wenbin, 26 Apr

by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 05:18:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs procedural crime show (none / 0)
NY Yella Cake | Why Ukraine War Crimes Trials Could Take Many Years, 15 Apr
"The Russian authorities have denied all responsibility for civilian killings and abuse, and Mr. Putin has falsely depicted the troves of evidence as fabricated smears."

Al Mayadeen OpEd | Why we need war crime tribunals in Donbass, 4 May
"The guilty must be punished; the innocent must have justice; the dead must be remembered; and the living must be held to account."

archived Who is Fra Hughes?, UA.gov ICC, ICJ railroad

by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 07:17:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs procedural crime show (none / 0)
HRW | Ukraine: Apparent War Crimes in Russia-Controlled Areas3 Apr
These include a case of repeated rape; two cases of summary execution, one of six men, the other of one man; and other cases of unlawful violence and threats against civilians between February 27 and March 14, 2022. Soldiers were also implicated in looting civilian property, including food, clothing, and firewood. Those who carried out these abuses are responsible for war crimes.
[...]
Human Rights Watch interviewed 10 people, including witnesses, victims, and local residents of Russia-occupied territories, in person or by telephone. Some people asked to be identified only by their first names or by pseudonyms for their protection. ...
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 09:49:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs procedural crime show (none / 1)
17 Feb
 RFERL | Shelling Strikes Two Schools In [Luhansk region], Including Kindergarten
"There were 53 children and 16 adults in the building when the attack occurred but none was injured."
8 May
euronews BBC | Authorities fear 60 dead after Russia bombs Ukrainian school ... in Luhansk?
"'The fire was extinguished after nearly four hours, then the rubble was cleared, and, unfortunately, the bodies of two people were found,' [Governor Serhiy] Gaidai wrote on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday, confirming the first two fatalities.'"
Readovka | In Kramatorsk, Ukrainian units equipped firing positions at a school and kindergarten
"civilians are being held in basements, and all approaches to buildings are mined. This is reported in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation"

8 Apr
APsplainin | Doctors, crater disprove Russia's airstrik misinfo
"Three doctors and a paramedic spoke with The Associated Press to offer new details from March 9 airstrike that happened when communications were all but severed."
7 May euronews | WHO begins gathering war crimes evidence of Russian attacks on health facilities

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Russian troops had destroyed or damaged nearly 400 healthcare institutions in Ukraine.

"My message to all the people of Ukraine is this: 'WHO stands by you'... We continue to call on the Russian Federation to stop this war," Tedros told the same news conference. WHO member states will on Tuesday consider a resolution against Russia that includes the possible closure of a major regional office in Moscow, a document obtained by Reuters showed on Thursday.


by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 12:03:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs procedural crime show (none / 0)

not those tatoos, the other ones, 9 May
Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office said Monday that it had recorded 10,464 cases of "crimes of aggression and war crimes" allegedly committed by Russian troops since Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. The office announced on April 29 that it had filed the first war crimes charges against 10 Russian soldiers from the 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Ground Forces Brigade, accused of holding civilians hostage, starving them, raping them, carrying out mock executions and eventually real executions with gunshots to people's heads in the town of Bucha, the district center that encompasses the villages of Kolonshchyna and Kalynivka.

Andriy Nebytov, a top National Police official for the Kyiv region, said on April 30 that investigators had examined more than 1,200 bodies of civilians killed by Russian troops in the area. The number of cases is expected to grow.

A majority of the alleged war crimes have been recorded in the suburban towns of Bucha, Hostomel, Irpin, and Borodyanka outside of Kyiv, where large mass graves first emerged. But similar acts of barbarity were carried out in the smaller villages in between; many of them are just now being unearthed.

by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 08:49:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs procedural crime show (none / 1)
Where's muh patent waiver?

REUTERS | No agreement yet on WTO vaccine patent waiver compromise, U.S. says, 30 Mar

[U.S. Trade Representative Katherine] Tai said, "On your question of whether or not we are working to give away American IP, no, we are not."
REUTERS | Mexico says WTO COVID vaccine deal should go beyond IP waiver, 12 Apr
[Mexico's WTO representative Angel Villalobos] told Reuters ...  "I must stress, the commercial side, that's very important."

WTO | TRIPS COVID-19, 3 May draft (IP/C/W/688), 4 pp

OCHA | MSF urges governments to reject the draft COVID-19 text tabled at WTO today, that would set a negative precedent, 4 May

"If the WTO moves forward with this draft text and calls it a day, the world will have missed a major opportunity to agree a meaningful intellectual property Waiver that could have helped overcome the gross inequity in access to COVID-19 medical tools that we have seen in many of the low- and middle-income countries where we work. Adopting this draft text would demonstrate a failed response on behalf of the WTO and global solidarity, and would clearly set a negative precedent for future global health challenges." said [Lat. Am MSF Access Campaign Coordinator Felipe] de Carvalho.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 09:39:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs reconnaissance (none / 0)
Approximately 9,000 military personnel and civilian Department of Defence employees are stationed at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. The base also hosts US Naval Forces Central Command at the Khalifa Bin Salman port. The US Fifth Fleet's area of operations include the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the north-western Indian Ocean. In addition to at least one forward deployed carrier strike group, it typically includes expeditionary amphibious strike units, mining ships, replenishment vessels, subs, and a range of patrol, surveillance, and reconnaissance forces.
by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 07:29:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Bush tells the truth (4.00 / 2)
Twitter
Former President George W. Bush: "The decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean of Ukraine."
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Thu May 19th, 2022 at 11:22:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs "pandemic treaty" (none / 0)

WHA | A potential framework convention for pandemic preparedness and response, 18 Mar 2021 *.ppt
Why now? Relationship with international health regulations (2005)
COVID-19 shows why united action is needed for more robust international health architecture, 30 Mar 2021

The main goal of this treaty would be to foster an all-of-government and all-of-society approach, strengthening national, regional and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics. This includes greatly enhancing international cooperation to improve, for example, alert systems, data-sharing, research, and local, regional and global production and distribution of medical and public health counter measures, such as vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and personal protective equipment.
WHO | Global leaders unite in urgent call for international pandemic treaty, 30 Mar 2021
EU, (FR, DE, GR, HR NL, PT, IT, RO, ES, NO), UK, AL, RS, UA, CL, CR, TT, KY, SN, ZA, TN, ID, FJ, TH, KR

consilium.europa.eu | Council gives green light to start negotiations on international pandemic treaty, 3 Mar 2022
Why are you doing this? WHY?

WHO | Public hearings regarding a new international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response, 12-13 Apr 2022
WaPoo | Global health talks clouded by conspiracy theories about pandemic treaty, 22 May 2022

The United States drafted amendments to the International Health Regulations, a legal framework last updated in 2005 that details how countries should respond to any public health emergency that could cross borders. The amendments seek to tighten the requirements for sending information about such an emergency to the WHO, though most of the negotiations about reforms are now expected to take place in later years.
by Cat on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 05:38:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
POWs SIDEBAR: "provisional agenda item" (none / 0)
WHO | Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies, 23 May report by WHO director general, 58 pp conspiracy to amend international health regulations and governance
by Cat on Tue May 31st, 2022 at 05:47:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"provisional agenda item" (none / 0)
Time constraints prompt a request from non-conspiracy-minded reader for an explanation, in a few lines, on why the proposed amendments are problematic.

In particular, I am intrigued by the POW reference.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 at 08:10:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
LIVING OFF THE PLANET
Environment, Energy, Agriculture, Food
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:19:37 PM EST
May 2022 wut crops? (4.00 / 2)
"The whole place used to be all vineyards, orange trees. It was all green. It was beautiful.", 13 Feb


Welcome to the European Drought Observatory! "2nd ten-day period of April 2022"

First Ukrainian corn cargo leaves Romanian Black Sea port and stolen grain, 29 Apr

Water so low in massive reservoir that an intake valve is now exposed, 1 May

New Mexico wildfire menaces historic Las Vegas

NEW! survey conducted by Forbes Home, updated 3 May

by Cat on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 06:29:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut crops? (none / 0)
Readovka | Deliveries of Russian agricultural machinery abroad increased by 30 percent, 8 May
The main foreign buyers were Egypt and Mongolia. Hungarians are also actively interested in our harvesters - shipments in monetary terms increased by 360%. To Egypt - by 320%, to Moldova - by 230%, to Uzbekistan - by 87%, to Mongolia - by 81%, to Azerbaijan - by 65%. European buyers are also actively buying our agricultural machinery, but experts predict that in the future these volumes will be redirected to Africa.

Among the goods that are successful are domestic shipments of forage harvesters. The number of equipment supplied over the past few months has increased by 2.9 times. Interest in grain harvesters increased 2.7 times. Mowers also showed an increase in exports - by 90%, machines for applying fertilizers - by 62%, sprayers - by 54%.

by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 07:20:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut crops? (none / 0)
25 million tonnes of grains are stuck in Ukraine ...

Ukraine exported 1.090 million tonnes of grain in April ...

CNN Reports: "... sharp increase in grain exports from Sevastopol - to about 100,000 tonnes in both March and April."

Shocking, truly shocking ...

From Sevastopol, according to satellite imagery and tracking data. the Matros Pozynich was loaded with about 30,000 tons of grain.

Russian harvest of wheat per yearend 79.1 million mt ...

Could Russian wheat exports reach new records in the coming 2021/22 season? | Refinitiv - June 2021 |

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 05:39:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut crops? (none / 0)
Sevastopol is in Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. Are we talking about Russian wheat or wheat grain stolen in Ukraine?
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri May 13th, 2022 at 06:34:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut crops? (none / 0)
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri May 13th, 2022 at 08:07:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 wut crops? (none / 0)
Farmers on the Brink, March 2022
by Cat on Sun May 15th, 2022 at 01:43:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 classified rations (none / 0)
Drastic Water Rationing Restrictions In Chile As Drought Enters 13th Year, 5 May
The new plan involves a four-tier alert system, from green to red, beginning with public service announcements and expanding mandatory water restrictions
[...]
Each region, which will consist of about 1.7 million customers, will then face a water cut for up to 24 hours at once.
[...]
The city is also divided. Wealthy areas have more green meadows and leafy tree-lined avenues, which are little seen in less-affluent boroughs. But everyone is making changes, incorporating native vegetation and modernized irrigation to avoid waste.

Economics student Aracely Rodriguez, 26, lives in Pudahuel, a lower-middle-class area in the northwest of Santiago.

"Where I live there are no parks or green areas nearby, there is not much to water," Rodriguez said. "We try to take care of the water. We have a conscience."

by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 10:45:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 (none / 1)
TASS | Roscosmos, Energia space firm ink deal on conceptual design of new orbital outpost, 5 May
"The general contractor shall undertake on an assignment from the customer to carry out R&D work titled: 'Creating the Russian Orbital Station's Space Complex,'" the state contract says.

The work under the state contract is required to be completed on March 31, 2024. The contract is worth almost 2.69 billion rubles (about $41 million).
[...]
The work on the conceptual designing of a future Russian orbital station will include two stages. The first stage envisages analyzing the scenarios of the target orbit's deployment and inclination, including the scenario of undocking operational modules of the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS).
[...]
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov announced in April 2021 that the condition of the International Space Station (ISS) left much to be desired and Russia might focus on creating its own orbital outpost. Russia's Energia Space Rocket Corporation was assigned the task of making the first basic module for a new Russian orbital station ready in 2025. The new module will be based on a research and power unit that was previously intended for launch to the International Space Station in 2024.

aerotime | ROSS, the new Russian space station: when and why?, 7 May 2021
Roscosmos, Russia's equivalent to NASA, still owns approximately a quarter of ISS, known as the Russian segment. It is responsible for navigation and control of the entire spacecraft, and without it, the station would not be able to function. The agency was also yet to launch station's final component, the Nauka module, which is intended to provide the station with auxiliary power, additional airlock, engines and research equipment.
archived US Extends Cooperation ISS Project to 2030, China set to send first crew to new space station, You can't fix stupid, "analyzing the sanctions against our space industry" 2019, SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
by Cat on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 07:46:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 1)
Global Times | China launches Tianzhou-4 cargo resupply mission to help build space station, 10 May UPDATE
Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft riding atop the Long March-7 Y5 carrier rocket took off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in South China's tropical island province of Hainan on Tuesday early morning around 1:56 am.
[...]
According to the spacecraft developer, the China Academy of Spacecraft Technology (CAST), Tianzhou-4 carries more than 200 parcels of cargo weighing some 6.2 tons in the delivery run, supplying the astronauts, space station systems and space application domains. Propellants of 750 kilograms are also onboard.
[...]
The Tuesday mission marked the first of the six space station-building-tasked launch missions in 2022 by the end of which China Space Station would complete construction and become operational. ...The six flights are the Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft, another supply run for the next shift, launched today; the Shenzhou-14 manned mission in June; the Wentian experimental module in July; the Mengtian experimental module in October; another cargo mission, the Tianzhou-5, and a manned mission, the Shenzhou-15.
by Cat on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 02:25:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Superconductor Chips: Super-fast, Super-green (none / 1)

Breakthrough Discovery of the One-Way Superconductor - Thought To Be Impossible

Discovery of the one-way superconductor, thought to be impossible | TU Delft |

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 09:40:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 fart of MODEST PROPORTIONS (none / 1)
tabloid USA | At least 8 dead after possible gas  leakcauses explosion at Hotel Saratoga in downtown Havana, 6 May
Taxi cabs outside the hotel were pancaked by slabs of concrete that fell in the blast, photos show. Nearby, dust and other rubble also covered iconic vintage cars, which Cuba is known for.
[...]
Havana Gov. Reinaldo García Zapata said the hotel was undergoing renovations and no tourists were staying there, according to Granma.
[...]
The 96-room hotel has two bars, two restaurants and a rooftop pool, according to its website.
by Cat on Fri May 6th, 2022 at 06:56:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 stretch goals (none / 0)

"Moving to a carbonless world will take time, and the oil industry can shrink faster than renewables can grow. ...The era of high fuel prices is here to stay."

Azerbaijani oil price increased by 7.5% during the w/e 7 May
Azeri Light - USD 115.05/bbl

land-locked and blocked alternatives


euractiv | EU tweaks Russia oil sanctions plan in bid to win over reluctant states, 6 may

The tweaked proposal - which EU envoys discussed on Friday morning without reaching an agreement - would give the three countries [Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic] help to upgrade their oil infrastructure, the sources said. There would also be a three-month transition before banning EU shipping services from transporting Russian oil, instead of the initial one month - to address concerns raised by Greece, Malta and Cyprus about their shipping companies, one of the sources added.
by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 03:54:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 stretch goals (none / 0)
Moving to a carbonless world will take time, and the oil industry can shrink faster than renewables can grow. ...The era of high fuel prices is here to stay. [unattributed]

Sez who?

Actually, I've been saying the same thing since 2008.
I've been wrong several times since then (2009, 2015 to 2020).

Maybe this time it's really different.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 10:45:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 stretch goals (none / 0)

RFERL | Russia Nearly Doubled Its Income From Energy Sales To The EU During Wartime, Study Shows, 28 Apr
by Cat on Mon May 9th, 2022 at 06:58:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 stretch goals (none / 0)

National minority card has entered the room, again.
Azerbaijan's being a multinational, multi-religious country has always had a special place in plans of separatist centers and circles against our country. They have always thought that they will be able to realize a policy of dividing Azerbaijan by sowing discord among representatives of different nations and establishing confrontations among religions. However, the realization of the policy, which has lasted for centuries, has not been possible. Because Azerbaijan is a multinational and multi-religious country, which has been established on basis of traditional tolerance, harmonic co-existence of different ethnic and religious groups, in which a wise national policy is pursued.
[...]
But Azerbaijan's glorious victory in the Patriotic war [2020] has created new realities in our country, alongside knocking out the forces dreaming of separatism in the republic and abroad. At the same time, the active participation of the representatives of the national minority living compactly in our north region in the Patriotic War has put the separatist forces face to face with a desperate situation. During 44 days of the war, criminal and separatist elements calling themselves "leaders" on the internet platforms broadcasting from Armenia, different countries, especially from Russia, have called the representatives of the minority peoples with the clear text to stand up and support the Armenians. While the country was at war, there were calls for armed resistance. Despite all attempts, forces trying to sow the seeds of separatism in Azerbaijan have faced a shameful defeat.
[...]
The 44-day war was a clear example of how all peoples, including the Lezgins, stood by the Azerbaijani state. Therefore, we would advise anti-Azerbaijani circles and separatist centers to refrain from their intentions and plans, which will already fail. As before, it will not be taken again.


Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
by Cat on Tue May 10th, 2022 at 11:21:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 "communicating vessels" (none / 1)
Politico.eu.com | EU drafts plans to send cash to Hungary if Orbán agrees to Russian oil ban, 10 May
Talks between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Orbán on Monday ended without a deal and a follow-up video conference planned for Tuesday was canceled. The most recent EU sanctions plan, circulated on Sunday and seen by POLITICO, envisaged giving landlocked Hungary and Slovakia -- which rely heavily on Russian oil -- until the end of 2024 to comply with the oil ban. That's two years longer than the rest of the EU. The Czech Republic would have until the end of June 2024.
[...]
The Commission is looking to use the payment mechanisms in its upcoming energy strategy announcement, called REPowerEU, which will be announced on May 18 and is set to have funds available for EU countries including Hungary. The REPowerEU strategy aims to phase out the bloc's reliance on Russian fossil fuels well before 2030.

One of the officials described time and money as "communicating vessels."

by Cat on Tue May 10th, 2022 at 05:05:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 "communicating vessels" (none / 0)
oil and gas infrastructure of eastern Europe, principal and planned pipelines, satellite view

EU considers more cash for eastern states in bid for deal on Russia oil ban

EU officials say their concerns are legitimate and are now considering spending more than initially planned to upgrade and extend pipelines that would deliver oil from other EU countries. The source declined to comment on the size of the investment, but noted it was not to be calculated in billions of euros, rather far less.
than $900K/km?
The EU is withholding €7.2 billion in EU post-COVID recovery funds to Hungary over concerns about the rule of law, and diplomats have said that Budapest may be trying to link the oil embargo [sic] talks with disbursement of the blocked funds.
possibly US Lend-Lease and Ukraine Solidarity Trust Fund financing
Dismissing this, the source said additional funding would be provided for pipeline investment and there was still a debate about whether such money could also be used to upgrade oil refineries in eastern European countries, many of which can currently only process Russian oil.
ICIS | Russian urals grade crude oil, benchmark price, producing region
archived Tue Mar 29th, 2022
by Cat on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 03:56:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 stretch goals (none / 1)
REUTERS | Oil market volatility not linked to OPEC+, UAE says, 10 May WORLDEST BIGGEST Net-EXPORTER farce
Ignoring calls from Western nations for accelerating output hikes, the group agreed to raise its June production target by 432,000 barrels per day, in line with an existing plan to unwind curbs made in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hammered demand.
[...]
Higher oil refining margins, rather than simply the price of crude, are driving fuel costs for consumers, said [UAE, Minister of Energy Suhail Mohamed Al] Mazrouei.
[...]
Asked about a U.S. bill, dubbed NOPEC, that could open members of OPEC and its partners to antitrust lawsuits for orchestrating supply cuts that raise global crude prices, [UAE, Minister of Energy Suhail Mohamed Al] Mazrouei said it was not wise to raise the issue now.

"I'm not concerned about it for a basic reason there is a debate on NOPEC in the U.S., we need to wait and see," he said. If signed into law, the U.S. attorney general would gain the ability to sue the oil cartel or its members, such as Saudi Arabia, in federal court. Other producers such as Russia could also be sued.

by Cat on Wed May 11th, 2022 at 01:54:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 stretch goals (none / 1)
US News | Russia Puts Sanctions on Gazprom Units in Europe and U.S.,[Gaz-System, PGNiG, EuRoPol Gaz], 11 May "entities"
The entities on a list of affected firms on a Russian government website  on Wednesday were largely based in countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, most of them members of the European Union.
[...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed on May 3 that no Russian entity would be allowed to make deals with those on the sanctions list, or even fulfil its obligations under existing deals. The decree explicitly forbids the expor of products and raw materials to people and entities on the list.

Russia's Interfax news agency said these comprised Polish pipeline owner EuRoPol Gaz, Gazprom Germania, and 29 [twenty-nine] Gazprom Germania subsidiaries in Switzerland, Hungary, Britain, France, Bulgaria, the Benelux [BE, NL, LU] region, the United States, Switzerland, Romania, and Singapore.
[...]
The German economy ministry said it was examining the Russian announcement on Gazprom Germania but still had no details. The supply of gas is currently guaranteed and is being constantly checked, the ministry said.

"The German government and Federal Network Agency, as ["]trustees["] of Gazprom Germania, are already in the process of taking the necessary precautions and preparing for various scenarios," the spokesperson said in a statement.
[...]
Gaz-System, the operator of the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe pipeline, could not immediately be reached for comment. EuRoPol Gaz, jointly owned by Gazprom and Poland's biggest gas company, PGNiG, and earns transit fees for Russian gas crossing Poland. PGNiG had no immediate comment. Wingas, a Gazprom Germania subsidiary and one of Germany's biggest gas traders, said after the takeover by the German regulator that it would continue operating under the changed parameters.

archived Hurry With Embargo Before Gazprom Cuts Delivery
by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 04:05:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
[INCONTINENCE ALERT] (none / 0)
euractive | Berlin inches closer to expropriating Gazprom assets
The Council of the European Union is getting ready to sanction seizure of some empty pipelines.

Which will truly distinguish EU27 contract terms from those of that unreliable, rat bastid Kremlin.

by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 10:10:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: [INCONTINENCE ALERT] (none / 0)
My gott, if this action to liberate Ukraine's harvest doesn't save starving children in Africa, nothing will!

by Cat on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 10:14:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
pipelines (none / 0)
Why pipelines? The article you link to does not mention pipelines. Where do they come from?
by Katrin on Fri May 13th, 2022 at 06:40:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Saving the world from famine (none / 0)
From the Guardian
A Russian ship carrying grain stolen in Ukraine has been seen in the Syrian port of Latakia after being turned away from at least one Mediterranean port, according to reports.

CNN reports that the vessel, Matros Pozynich, weighed anchor off the coast of Crimea on 27 April and turned off its transponder. Photographs and satellite images show the bulk carrier at the port of Sevastopol, the main port in Crimea, the following day.

The Matros Pozynich is one of three ships involved in the trade of stolen grain, according to open-source research and Ukrainian officials.



It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Thu May 12th, 2022 at 04:07:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Bees are fish (none / 0)
In California, anyway
A trio of judges in California said on Tuesday that bees could be legally classified as a type of fish as part of a ruling that gave added conservation protections to the endangered species.

"The issue presented here is whether the bumble bee, a terrestrial invertebrate, falls within the definition of fish," the judges wrote in their ruling. And, they concluded, it does.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Sat Jun 4th, 2022 at 04:21:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
< wipes tears > (none / 0)
by Cat on Sat Jun 4th, 2022 at 06:26:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
 LIVING ON THE PLANET 
 Society, Culture, History, Information 
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:19:56 PM EST
May 2022 disturbance in the antitrust farce (none / 0)
Amazon One. One way to unlock the world, powered by your palm.
by Cat on Wed May 4th, 2022 at 02:38:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
ON THIS DATE
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:20:14 PM EST
7 May 1922 Yella Cake edition (none / 0)
Of domed teapots, lynchings, pictures of France as painted in Los Angeles, and hot thief chases
Suspicious senators disbelieve Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall Guy's claim that oil companies were draining oil; three black men are burned at the stake one at a time; The Genoa Conference is widely believed to be about to fail. Everyone plans to blame Russia; and some French newspapers are demanding the suppression of the Rex Ingram-directed, Rudolph Valentino-starring World War I film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse because it puts too much emphasis on the American military role and depicts the German soldiers as "strong and splendid.
by Cat on Sat May 7th, 2022 at 06:50:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
 PEOPLE AND KLATSCH 
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 08:20:31 PM EST
Re: May 2022 (none / 0)
Still nothing about health... Here is Raoult lately
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c80ELzCNmec
by Tom2 on Tue May 10th, 2022 at 09:11:14 PM EST
24 May 2022 HUMANITARIAN CRISIS (none / 0)
Dr Adrian Zenz, a scholar at the US-based Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
reveals CACHE of 2,884 of ONE MILLION Xinjiang mugshots to Autie Beeb.

"The photos provide a unique visual record of the way whole swathes of Uyghur society have been swept up - into both camps and prisons - person by person."

by Cat on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 06:56:26 AM EST
25 May 2022 1,660,001 km2 (none / 0)
Politico.eu.com | Xinjiang leaks greet UN chief
"IT'S A TRAP": "Western diplomats covering Geneva, speaking to POLITICO anonymously, lambasted Bachelet for ignoring their advice against going to Xinjiang. 'She's been delaying a report on Xinjiang, citing the need for this trip to Xinjiang. With the latest cache of files and photos, can she credibly say she can find information to prove or disprove them?' a Western diplomat said."

Global Times | UN human rights chief called to see Xinjiang's dev[elopmen]t objectively despite US pressure
"COUNTERFEIT": "The US State Department spokesman Ned Price told a press briefing on Tuesday that it was a 'mistake' for Bachelet to visit China, saying that the US has no expectation that China will grant necessary access to 'conduct a complete and non-manipulated assessment of the human rights environment" in Xinjiang.'"

by Cat on Wed May 25th, 2022 at 05:02:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
[INCONTINENCE ALERT] (none / 0)
feat. Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation-PWC cabal HQ in Foggy Bottom


running time 01:28:18

by Cat on Sat May 28th, 2022 at 04:23:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
22-28 May 2022 1,660,001 km2 fly-over (none / 0)
DE-English translation
supply chain discipline: "That worked so well that, in 2021, China remained Germany's biggest trading partner for the sixth year in a row."

China (EUR:USD, 1:1.18; EUR:RMB, 1:7.62)
DE export €104 ($122B, RMB 792B)
DE import €98B ($115B, RMB 12B)

US
DE export $65B (€55B)
DE import $135B(€114B)

Intra-EU trade in goods
DE exports €751B
DE imports €7.6B

by Cat on Sun May 29th, 2022 at 03:35:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]
June 2022 politico.eu.com gift set (none / 0)
by Cat on Thu Jun 2nd, 2022 at 11:29:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
22-28 May 2022 1,660,001 km2 fly-over (none / 0)
APsplainin Bachelet's empty-hand debrief
Michelle Bachelet, who visited the northwestern region as part of a six-day trip to China, said the visit was not an investigation but a chance to have direct talks with senior Chinese leaders and pave the way for more regular interactions to support China in fulfilling its obligations under international human rights law.

"It provides an opportunity for me to better understand the situation in China, but also for the authorities in China to better understand our concerns and to potentially rethink policies that we believe may impact negatively on human rights," she said in a video news conference before leaving the country.

Bachelet's measured words, while expected, did not satisfy activists and likely will not sit well with governments such as the United States, which have been critical of her decision to visit Xinjiang.

LIVE: United Nations rights chief Michelle Bachelet holds a news conference, 28 May , "women and minorities" counter-terrorisms mechanisms (A/V, EN) running time 00:43:50

Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu briefs the media on the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to China, 28 May "readout"

archived Xinjiang's counter-terrorism methods not different from the West 2020, Well, I Don't Know About That, UN rapporteurs

by Cat on Sat May 28th, 2022 at 09:25:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: 22-28 May 30.3 million km2 fly-over (none / 0)
Remarks by Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, 28 May
Excellencies, Terrorist and violent extremist views often appeal to those who feel marginalized or alienated from their governments or societies, whether because of inequality, injustice or a lack of opportunity. That is why prevention and counter-terrorism strategies and responses require an integrated and comprehensive approach.

Ladies and gentlemen, Despite setbacks, we must recognize important gains in countering terrorism in Africa.

2. In the Secretary-General's recent visit to Nigeria, he saw first-hand the positive results obtained from a combination of successful action against Boko Haram and socio-economic initiatives aimed at reintegration and reconciliation.

Through similar approaches, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) has supported at their request Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Somalia with the <b?prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals formerly associated with terrorist groups</b>.

We have also worked with Tunisia and Uganda on initiatives focused on the management of violent extremists in prisons and detention facilities, with the aim of preventing terrorist radicalization in those environments.

UNOCT's new offices in Kenya and Morocco will play an important role in helping African Member States build the capacities they need to prevent and counter violent extremism. I call on your continued support to ensure the impact and sustainability of these Offices moving forward.

We are also continuing our work on the preparations for the United Nations - African Union Working Group Meeting on Countering Terrorism and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, which will help us further improve our coordination.

Nigeria and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism are planning to organize an African High-Level International Conference on Counter-Terrorism, in Abuja, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. More details will be shared with you in due course.

DW | German prosecutors halt probe into KKK group, 2 June
"Despite seizing dozens of weapons in 2019 raids, German prosecutors were unable to definitively prove the group related to the Ku Klux Klan intended to commit crimes."
DW | Climate change puts agrivoltaic projects in Northern Africa in the spotlight, 30 May Desertec
"We only had the first harvest of potatoes so far. Early data had some promising results"
by Cat on Fri Jun 3rd, 2022 at 02:07:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
22-28 May 2022 1,660,001 km2 fly-over (none / 0)
UK-English translation, 28 May
free Peng Shuai
by Cat on Sun May 29th, 2022 at 12:54:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]
22-28 May 2022 1,660,001 km2 fly-over (none / 0)
TR-English translation
wut African Americans?
by Cat on Sun May 29th, 2022 at 01:01:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
22-28 May 2022 1,660,001 km2 fly-over (none / 0)
BLINKEN-English translation
inscrutible confidential informants

OHCR | Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet after official visit to China, 28 May

by Cat on Sun May 29th, 2022 at 05:52:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
May 2022 | 195 comments (195 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)


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