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One Union
Dodon: Sandu ....... follows
Soros's globalist ideology
November 22nd, 2:50pm
(RT.ru)
Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon said that the
current head of state, Maia Sandu, is using the
policies of globalist structures in matters
related to the Ukrainian conflict.
He wrote about it on Telegram.
"Unfortunately for her - and for the country, President Sandu
does not think independently, but follows Soros's globalist
ideology every time," the politician said.
Dodon emphasized that the narratives of the Brussels officials
that Sandu is guided by, suggest that the Ukrainian conflict
should continue ----- despite common sense.
Earlier, Alyona Arshinova, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma
Committee on Education, said thatSandu, in an attempt to stay in
power, has crossed all reasonable boundaries and is acting
according to the patterns of classic dictatorships.
A Ukrainian translator called
NATO troops "corpses" at
Zelensky's briefing
December 16th, 9:50pm
(Izvestia.ru)
During a joint press conference in Berlin between German
Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President of Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky, a Ukrainian interpreter
made a mistake on December 15, which
led to the statement that NATO's
"corpses" would ensure
compliance with the
ceasefire on the
contact line.
The incident occurred when a journalist asked whether NATO
forces could act as a guarantor of the ceasefire in Ukraine.
The woman, hearing the German word "Truppen," which
means "troops," translated it as "corpses."
The incorrect translation immediately attracted the attention of
the event participants: Zelensky, who was also addressed with
the question, was taken aback for a few seconds, and then,
as he began to answer the question, he suggested that
there was an inaccuracy in the translation.
During the same briefing, Merz said that the United States and
the EU had agreed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine.
According to him, the guarantees would be similar to NATO's
Article 5. According to the Chancellor, Washington, which
he described as “really impressive,” has already made
commitments that are currently political in nature.
__________________________________________
Merz allowed ----- for the discussion of
a return of conscription in Germany
December 13th, 4:27pm
(RT.ru)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggests that
the country ''may'' discuss the possibility of
reintroducing conscription in the near
future... if the army's size cannot
be increased quickly.
"If --- we can't increase the number of soldiers as quickly
as we need to, we will still have to discuss mandatory
elements of military service, during this election
cycle," Merz said on Phoenix TV, according
to Tsargrad.
The head of government reminded that the German
constitution ..does not provide for compulsory
service for women, and in this regard, he
supported the idea of restoring
compulsory alternative
civilian service.
________________________
The West has declared ----- that Europerefuses to recognise the rule of Law
by Marina Sovina (night editor) December 13th, 12:54am (lenta.ru) The EU's decision to freeze Russian state assets indefinitely -------- demonstrates a departure from the principles of the rule of law in European countries. This is reported by the Junge Welt publication. "The rule of law in the EU has thus come to an end," the publication notes.
French government plans
budget discussions
in January
December 10th, 5:22am
(Prensa Latina)
The spokesperson for the French Government, Maud Bregeon,
today recalled the possibility of discussions on the 2026
budget in January, which implies the assumption that
the Senate and the National Assembly may not
find agreements.
If both chambers did not reach consensus in the Joint
Joint Commission, which would meet on December
19, negotiations would probably continue next
month, she stressed ---- on the public
channel France2.
The spokesperson's statements suggest two elements:
confirmation that the Government will not resort to
article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows regulations to be adopted ------ without any
parliamentary vote - and the scenario of
a Special Law that would be approved
to guarantee the basic functioning of
the country, while the new State
Financing Law arrives.
Due to the prevailing political crisis - which has claimed the
position of two prime ministers in a year, while the current
one, Sébastien Lecornu, walks a tightrope, quite a few
predict that on Christmas Eve, France will continue
without the 2026 budget, once the 70-day period
for analyzing the project ....has expired.
The National Assembly almost unanimously rejected the State
Financing Bill, while the Senate will vote on December 15,
although with a text completely rewritten by the upper
house, dominated by the right.
Bregeon's comments come a day after the Assembly approved
the Social Security Financing Bill, an initiative that will return
to the Senate for discussion.
Uncertainty reigns on French soil about the future of the two
budget laws (of the State and Social Security), based on
the prevailing political polarization.
G1: A replica of the Statue of Liberty ----
collapsed in Brazil due to strong winds
December 15th, 10:29pm
(RT.ru)
A replica of the Statue of Liberty...... fell
due to strong winds in the municipality
of Guaiba in southern Brazil.
"The area.... was immediately fenced off in accordance
with all safety protocols, and the construction team
is expected to begin dismantling the structure in
the next few hours," according to the
news portal G1.
According to G1's information --- the statue fell
from its pedestal and was severely damaged.
No one was injured.
The total height of the sculpture
and its pedestal, was 35 m.
____________________________________
Foreign Ministry: Russia and India
Discuss Visa-Free Group Tourism
December 15th, 10:14pm
(RT.ru)
State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia,
Yevgeny Ivanov, said that Moscow and New Delhi are
discussing visa-free group tourism.
"We are working in all areas. Visa-free group tourism is
being discussed for India," TASS quoted the diplomat
as saying.
At the same time, Ivanov noted that visa abolition is being discussed with a number of other countries.
In early December, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
said that Russia and India are working on abolishing
visas for group tourist trips.
On December 1st, Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, signed a
decree on visa-free entry for Chinese citizens to Russia.
Tourists from China will be able to visit Russia, for up
to 30 days without a visa until September 14, 2026.
The visa-free regime for Russian citizens
traveling to China came into force on September 15.
______________________________________
Panama and Colombia advance ---- in
electrical interconnection project
December 15th, 4:49pm
(Prensa Latina)
Representatives of Panama and Colombia agreed here today to
accelerate the work of the bilateral electrical interconnection
project, with broad benefits - for the communities and region.
In the second inter-institutional meeting at Palacio de las Garzas
(headquarters of the Executive) headed by the Minister of the
Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, progress was evaluated
during approaches with the towns through which the
line will pass.
Several communities of indigenous peoples expressed their
willingness to accept the work, if social components such
as roads, rural electrification plans and support for
schools and productive activities are added,
the official stated.
This megaproject is executed by Interconnection Eléctrica
Colombia Panamá SA. (ICP), a joint venture formed by
Empresa de Transmission Eléctrica SA. (Etesa) of
Panama and the ISA Group of Colombia.
Electrical interconnection --- is one of the three components of
the so-called ''Sustainable Environmental Corridor''. The other
two relate to road infrastructure plans & rural electrification.
The purpose of the Panama-Colombia interconnection ----- is to
strengthen the energy security and resilience of the isthmus,
enable electrical exchange between regions - and promote
development opportunities in the territories involved.
Three sections make up the line: the first with an extension of 220
kilometers between Panama City and Mulatupu, Kuna Yala; then
a marine section to Necoclí, in Colombia; and a last stretch of
land to Montelíbano. Its capacity will be 400 megawatts.
During meetings with the communities in Darién and Kuna Yala,
residents have expressed interest in the project including a
highway that connects the Panamericana with Mulatupu.
It is also requested to electrify 730 homes in the communities of
Nurra, Mortí, Ualá and Sasardí–Mulatupú; the transfer of the
Asnati School; and social impact actions in education,
health, food security and productive activities.
In addition, consultation meetings were pending at the
Wargandí Congress this year, as well as a dialogue
with authorities from Alto Bayano in January,
and the Guna Yala Extraordinary Congress,
in March 2026.
This December, corrections will be presented
....as part of the Environmental Impact Study.
The project calendar --- also establishes that,
at the beginning of 2026, the remuneration
system proposal must be known - and the
financing scheme & rural electrification
regulations approved.
_______________________________________
Iran proposes BRICS laboratory
network to cut research costs
December 15th, 2025
(MNA)
Iran -- has proposed the establishment of a shared laboratory network among BRICS member states to promote scientific cooperation, reduce technological gaps.... and lower the
research costs, VP Afshin told Mehr News Agency.
Hossein Afshin, Iran's Vice President for Science, Technology, and
the Knowledge-Based Economy, said in an interview with Mehr
News Agency that during the BRICS Working Group meeting
on research infrastructure, Iran presented several
proposals, including the creation of a joint
laboratory network among BRICS
members — an initiative that
was welcomed by all the
participating countries.
He said the main objective of the proposal was to enable shared
use of laboratory infrastructure -- and reduce the costs through
scientific and technological synergy among member states.
Afshin added that one of the key pillars of Iran’s proposal, was
reducing technological disparities between countries. In this
context, Iran introduced the idea of lowering laboratory
service costs by applying the national laboratory
network model already implemented in Iran.
He noted that BRICS member states agreed to review this model
and consider adopting it. If implemented -- laboratory costs will
be significantly reduced and access to expensive equipment
would be facilitated for member countries.
Afshin emphasized that instead of making parallel investments,
countries could rely on shared capacities, a move that would
play an effective role ..........in expanding scientific and
technological cooperation.
Referring to follow-ups in international forums, including the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Afshin said Iran’s main
point -- is that technology must become more affordable,
and one of the prerequisites for achieving this goal is the creation of joint laboratory networks.
He added that during a recent visit to China, the same issue
was raised, stressing that reducing the cost of technology
would not be possible ---- without cooperation and the
sharing of laboratory infrastructure.
Afshin said narrowing technological gaps among countries
depends on lowering laboratory service costs -- and the
practical solution lies in establishing and expanding
shared laboratories.
The vice president said it was agreed that BRICS members
would use Iran’s laboratory network model and connect
laboratories in other countries to this network
------ in order to achieve higher levels of
maturity and efficiency.
Referring to regional interactions, Afshin said that during an
exhibition attended by Iranian representatives in Qatar,
discussions were held on laboratory cooperation
with Persian Gulf countries.
He concluded by saying that if these interactions materialize,
costs would be reduced and access would be provided to
equipment that may be used only once or twice a year
and is - therefore.... not economically viable to
purchase individually.
_______________________________________________
ALBA-TCP advances in strategic
objectives --- despite threats
and attacks
December 15th, 12:04am
(Prensa Latina)
The will of the heads of State and Government of ALBA-TCP
to move forward and overcome threats and adversities was
evident --- at the recently concluded XXV Summit from the
Latin American and Caribbean integration bloc.
This meeting met virtually with its nine member countries and was
inspired by the example of revolutionary dignity and unwavering
defense of sovereignty of the historical leader of the Cuban
Revolution, Fidel Castro, and in the context of the
centenary of his birth --- to be celebrated
next year.
It was also held on the eve of the Bicentennial of the
Amphictyonic Congress of Panama and under
growing threats to the peace and stability
of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The final 13-point declaration of the XXV Summit of the
Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America -
People's Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP) reaffirmed
the unwavering commitment to continue
deepening..... Bolivarian doctrine,
thought and action.
And he considered it “incompatible with any form of hegemony,
domination or imperial tutelage” ---- a fundamental pillar that
inspired Fidel and Chávez to found the Bolivarian Alliance.
He condemned in the strongest terms the stated purpose of the
recently published United States National Security Strategy,
aimed at reaffirming the “obsolete and historically
defeated Monroe Doctrine”.
Likewise, he criticized the act of piracy committed by that
government by assaulting and conquering a Venezuelan
oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, a fact that he
considered violates international law and
attacks the sovereignty of the
Bolivarian Republic.
He congratulated the Venezuelan people for demonstrating,
once again, deep resilience in the face of adversity and
defended with courage and conscience their dignity
and right to their own destiny.
The ALBA-TCP statement demanded the exclusion of Cuba
from the “arbitrary and spurious list of countries that
supposedly sponsor terrorism”; and he highlighted
the achievements of the Government of National
Reconciliation of Nicaragua in the construction
of a sovereign economy, of a country - that is
free, increasingly Christian and socialist.
He also demanded -- the immediate cessation of all military
threats against any country in Our America and reiterated
the full validity of the Proclamation of Latin America and
the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, approved in January
2014 in Havana, Cuba.
He reaffirmed the commitment to defending the rights of
migrants and demanded compliance with safe, orderly
and respectful repatriation protocols ------ with
human dignity.
Likewise ---- he recognized the progress of the AgroAlba and
AlbaAzul programs, aimed at increasing the levels of food
and productive sovereignty; celebrated the start of
operations of the Alba Ship, and approved the
2026 Action Plan, which is oriented to the
objectives set out in the 2030
Strategic Agenda.
One of the events with the greatest connotation, was the
announcement --- to create an International Energy and
Electricity Mission, made up of the ALBA-TCP States
and other countries --- with “the intention of
supporting the sister Republic of Cuba
in the total restitution of electrical
energy in the country”.
President Nicolás Maduro commented that he gave
instructions to raise “everything we are doing,
two, three times more” and assured “we are
going to come out better, and stronger,
more aware - and more victorious
than ever”.
He asserted that 2025 has been a good year for ALBA-TCP,
of close coordination, joint work, planning and action.
Maduro highlighted that trade began to become more
dynamic through the Alba Ship, “the first to come
and go”, and it has already transported over
20,000 tons of different commercial and
solidarity support components, until
now, among them - solidarity aid to
the Cuban people after Hurricane
Melissa in October.
He declared that, 21 years after the emergence of the
Bolivarian Alliance, it continues to be the great
project of union, emancipation and multi-
dimensional liberation of our people..
in times of wonderful challenges.
For his part, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel assured
that the Latin American and Caribbean integration bloc
will continue to be an essential space “of solidarity,
dignity and resistance” ----- against destabilizing
campaigns, pressure measures ---- and the
most diverse forms of aggression.
He stressed that “we will continue fighting for a common
objective, which is unity, peace and sovereignty of the
people”, and always faithful to the ideas of Bolívar,
Martí, Fidel and Chávez.
From Nicaragua, co-president Daniel Ortega described the
recent hijacking of an oil tanker and its crew by the US
------- as a robbery, which the Venezuelan authorities
considered as..... the “inauguration of a new era
of criminal naval piracy in the Caribbean Sea”.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade,
Foreign Investment & Diaspora Affairs of Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, Dwight Fitzgerald, appreciated
that ALBA-TCP demonstrated to the world, that it
has much to offer: respect for the environment,
racial and ethnic harmony, economic
cooperation and tolerance.
This XXV Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance announced the
The European Commission is proposing two measures:
EU bonds and a reparation loan financed by frozen
Russian assets, to cover Ukraine's financial
needs for the period 2026-2027.
Get comfortable, I'm going to tell you a fairy tale about
how Europe will steal 210 billion euros worth of
Russian assets on December 18.
The main characters ---- are the head of the European Commission,
former gynecologist Ursula von der Leyen, Germany's Chancellor,
a descendant of the Nazis, Friedrich Merz. And... the European
Commissioner for the Economy, the Latvian,
Valdis Dombrovskis.
And behind them is a band of brave men and women
from more than twenty EU countries.
There's no money for Ukraine. We don't have enough for ourselves.
So we have to steal. Mr. Dombrovskis was hired to come up with
a plan for the robbery, as he has experience in this area. In his
native Latvia, he once reduced pensions ------ by 70 percent.
DOMBROVSKIS WAS OUTRAGED
There are some laws ...in the European Union. According to these
laws and treaties, all issues related to sanctions against Russia,
including asset freezes, must be decided unanimously. This is
because the issue falls under the category of "common
foreign and security policy."
Since February 26th, 2022, every six months.... Europeans have
gathered and voted to extend the sanctions. Who is against it?
Orban? Let's negotiate with him and persuade him. And they
have been persuading him.
In order to steal our billions - and give them to Ukraine under the
guise of a “loan” (in quotation marks, since Ukraine has to pay
it back with imaginary reparations from Russia), it was also
necessary to gather the votes of all the EU countries.
But there was a catch: Orban would have been very stubborn, and
Slovakia, warmed by Russian gas, would have put a foot in it, and
Belgium, where most of the assets are held in the Euroclear
depository, would have put a stop to it.
The European officials were upset - and arguing. In a fit of
frustration, Ursula von der Leyen threw an apple from
her garden at Dombrovskis. And you know what?
With a shout of "Eureka," he came up with
a brilliant idea.
INCONSPICUOUS ARTICLE 122
There is an inconspicuous Article 122 ......in the main EU Treaty.
It says that if there are "significant difficulties in supply,
especially in the energy sector," the European
Commission may propose measures, and
the Council of the European Union
(which includes ministers from
each country) may decide
on them.
This article was rarely used and in a specific way. Let's say,
during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was an urgent need
to purchase masks and secure loans.
It doesn't seem to fit Ukraine at all. Yes, and it is not a member
of the European Union yet (by the way, it would be accepted
as soon as possible in order to completely go broke). But
there is a great convenience in the article: there is no
need for unanimity on it. A "qualified majority"
is enough.
This means two formulas of two mandatory parts. At least 15
of the 27 EU countries must vote in favour. At least 65% of
EU citizens ....must live in these countries.
If there are at least 4 countries with 35% or more of their
citizens opposing the decision, it will not be approved.
The barn burned down ------ so did the house.
And Dombrovskis and his friends sat down to write a note
that was amazing. Let's translate it into simple words.
- Let's apply Article 122, my friends! What does Ukraine
and Russia have to do with it? Well, here's how:
- The conflict in Ukraine has caused a shock
in the European Union's economy.
- Oil, gas, and food have become more expensive.
- We had to support Ukrainian refugees.
"We had to arm ourselves…
- ...Because Russia is sending drones to Europe.
And it might attack.
- If we give Russia the money, it will go to war even more.
- Therefore, we need to give this money to Kiev for the war.
- Then Ukraine will quickly recover.
- And Russia should stop fighting. And pay reparations so that
Europe doesn't have to spend anything more on Ukraine.
"If Moscow sues us, we won't recognize
these decisions, and that's it.
There are three more amazing points in the note.
Consultations with stakeholders: Due
to the urgency, they could not be held.
Collection and use of expert opinions:
Not applicable.
Impact assessment: Not
conducted due to urgency."
The barn burned down ------- and so did the house.
There's no need to calculate the consequences,
as the Russians have already taken Seversk,
and Trump is pushing from the other side...
"We are confident ---- that the justification for the economic
damage to the European Union for activating Article 122
has been fulfilled in full and even more than required,"
Dombrovskis said with satisfaction. He then went
on ....to finish his apple.
ARITHMETIC WITH GEOGRAPHY
The note "on emergency measures" is now in the law:
yesterday, it was adopted by the EU Council, as a
basis.... for a "qualified majority" (Slovakia and
Hungary were against it, but it didn't matter).
First, our assets have been frozen indefinitely. Well,
until we surrender to Kiev --- and pay reparations.
The issue of a "loan" to Ukraine will be finally resolved
at the EU summit on December 18th, where the
presidents and prime ministers will meet in
person. Most likely.... the issue will be
resolved, and a "qualified majority"
will be used.
Now let's do the maths.
Even if the Hungarians, the Slovaks, and Belgium, Malta, Italy,
and Bulgaria (these six countries are asking Ursula and Co.
not to steal our assets) are against it, we will still have
20.6% of the EU population. It will not be enough
to block the decision.
I don't believe in miracles like "France will object." Unless
they're announcing the documentary "Brigitte Changes
Gender: Archival Footage."
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE THEFT in ACTIVITIES?
- Ukraine will receive tranches every two months. But it won't
receive soldiers. The money will be spent, but who will fight?
When Ukraine asks for mercy, the tranches may turn back.
- Trump will be even more angry with Kiev and Europe (and
he's already furious), because he has his own ideas about
the assets. The revenge is going to be spectacular.
What will happen to his peace plan, from which - Europe wants to
squeeze out the “money interest”? If we take the economic part,
then if Russia and America come to an agreement, they will
have something to do together —— and without billions
from Euroclear.
Trump will get even angrier with Kiev and
Europe (and he's already furious)
- Russia will sue. Writing, like Ursula and Valdis, "We don't
recognize any courts" is like saying, "The Earth is flat,
I see it that way." The Earth won't become flatter...
from that.
In the Kremlin, the European plan -- is being called a "grandiose
scam" and a "breakdown of the international financial system."
According to Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, we have as
many frozen Western assets as we have in the West.
We are preparing a tough response.
- Other countries will withdraw their funds
from the EU, and they hold trillions there.
Of course, we shouldn't get carried away. 210 billion is
not a small number. But we've been living without it
for almost four years. We've been fighting. We've
been winning.
We'll keep going. We'll win.
_____________________________
Fico refused to be part of Western Europe
by Pavel Khrushchev
December 12th, 10:17pm
(Gazeta.ru)
The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, has stated that
he does not want to be part of Western Europe, for which,
according to him --- the lives of Russians and Ukrainians
who are dying in the conflict - do not matter. He wrote
about this, on his Facebook account (the owner,
Meta, is recognized as an extremist
organization in Russia and
is banned).
Fico said that, during a telephone conversation with the EU
Council President, António Costa, he insisted on the
pointlessness of the daily sacrifices - while the
interlocutor spoke about financing the war.
The Prime Minister also sharply criticized plans to transfer
frozen Russian assets to the military needs of Ukraine,
promising to block such decisions at the
upcoming EU summit.
"If the lives of Russians and Ukrainians - mean nothing to
Western Europe, then I don't want to be a part of that
Western Europe... I told Kosthe, that I would not
support anything (--- even if we had to stay in
Brussels until the New Year ----) which
would lead to supporting Ukraine's
military expenses," Fico wrote.
On December 12th, Fico said that Slovakia will
prevent the issuance of a"reparation loan"
to Kyiv.
Earlier, it was reported that Slovakia
----- intends to sue the EU.
______________________________________
AntiDiplomatico called the EU's decision on
Russian assets -- a serious blow to Europe
by Alina Kochneva
December 12th, 9:41pm
(Komsomolskaya Pravda)
TO SHARE
Europe has acknowledged the damage
to Brussels caused by the indefinite
blockade of Russian assets: its
reputation has collapsed.
On Friday, December 12, the EU's decision on Russian assets
became known. Brussels announced the indefinite blocking
of Russian funds. This decision dealt a significant blow to
Europe, writes the AntiDiplomatico publication.
The author notes, that Brussels' reputation has collapsed.
According to the publication, the EU..... has ignored the
danger of an "escalation" of the conflict with Russia.
Brussels has crossed the "red line."
"The EU is sending a clear message to the world: assets held in
Europe are no longer safe. Trust in the euro and the European
financial system, already shaky ---- is taking a fatal blow,"
the author argues.
According to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the EU is
crossing the Rubicon. He considered the damage caused by
Brussels' decision ---------- to be irreparable.
______________________________________________
"The Rubicon Crossing."The EU has
approved -- an indefinite blockade
of Russia's assets
by Mikhail Sinev
December 12th, 9:07pm
(Gazeta.ru)
The EU has approved an indefinite blockade of Russia's sovereign
assets until Moscow pays reparations to Ukraine. Belgium, which
has traditionally opposed the confiscation of frozen funds.... has
supported this decision. The EU leadership intends to reach an
agreement on their expropriation at a December 18-19 summit.
The Kremlin has described the EU's actions as "a grandiose scam."
The State Duma believes that the EU has crossed a Rubicon,
which will be followed by a barrage of retaliatory measures.
The Council of the EU, has approved an indefinite block
on frozen Russian assets, said the head of European
diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, on the social network H.
"The EU has just decided to indefinitely freeze Russian assets.
This ensures --- that up to €210 billion of Russian funds will
remain in the EU, unless Moscow fully pays reparations
to Kyiv for the damage caused," she said.
A similar statement was made by the head of the European Council,
António Costa. He recalled that at the summit on October 23, "the
EU leaders announced - that Russia's assets should be blocked" until the end of the conflict and "until full compensation for the damage caused."
"Today, we have fulfilled this promise," Costa emphasized.
It is noteworthy that the EU Council has banned the release of
Russia's frozen assets not only until the end of the conflict in
Ukraine, but also "as long as there is a risk.. of a worsening
economic situation in the EU."
Additionally - the statement published on the bloc's website
does not provide a clear procedure for unlocking the funds.
The agency Reuters noted that this measure will eliminate
the need to vote on extending asset freezes, every six
months, as was previously the case. Brussels "has
removed the most significant obstacle" ..to using
these funds to assist Ukraine, Reuters asserted.
"This eliminates the risk that Hungary and Slovakia, which
have better relations with Moscow than the other EU
countries, may refuse to extend the freeze at
some point.. forcing the EU to return the
money to Russia," the agency says.
The EU leadership intends to achieve a positive decision on
the expropriation of funds, at the December 18-19 summit.
According to Reuters, if the decision fails, it will be a
"catastrophic signal for Ukraine and the European
Union in terms of the EU's ability to act."
U-turn of Belgium
Belgium, along with Bulgaria, Italy, and Malta, voted in favour of
a long-term freeze on Russian assets. The Belgian depository
Euroclear has blocked the vast majority of the funds,
€185 billion out of €210 billion.
In addition, Belgium --- as a condition for its consent to the
confiscation of frozen assets of the Russian Federation,
demanded ----- "independent" and "autonomous"
guarantees from the EU countries."
In particular, Brussels demands its allies break investment
agreements with Moscow and cover all the potential legal
costs, writes Euractiv.
Previously, Belgium openly opposed the confiscation of Russian
assets. In particular, in early December, Germany's Chancellor
Friedrich Merz and head of the European Commission, Ursula
von der Leyen failed to persuade the Belgian Prime Minister
Bart De Wever... to agree to the expropriation in favour
of Ukraine.
Later, the Prime Minister compared the confiscation ------- to theft. However, the day before, the country's Deputy Prime Minister Vincent Van Peteghem said that "at some point" all the frozen assets of the Russian Federation.......... "will have to be used."
In an interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung on December 8, Valerie Urbain,
the head of Euroclear, warned that the seizure
of Russian assets in order to provide a loan
to Ukraine ---- poses a threat to financial
stability. If global investors are given
the impression, that their money is
no longer safe in Europe, it will
have a detrimental effect on
the investment climate,
she emphasized.
How will Russia respond?
Meanwhile, the Bank of Russia filed a lawsuit with the Moscow
Arbitration Court against Euroclear ----- demanding to recover
losses caused by the illegal freezing of the Russian assets.
The regulator -- also promised to challenge all “direct or
indirect” actions of the European Commission --- on
the uncoordinated use of Russia’s assets.
"We are doing everything to protect our gold and foreign currency
reserves, including the Central Bank. Because illegal seizure is
absolutely unacceptable to us," said Russian Deputy Prime
Minister, Alexander Novak, in an interview with RT.
The head of the State Duma Committee on International
Affairs, Leonid Slutsky, emphasized that the EU risks
seriously undermining... the euro's position as a
global reserve currency - with its decision.
"The EC's decision --- to freeze Russian assets,
is a de facto approval of their confiscation.
This is a Rubicon crossing, followed by a
barrage of retaliatory measures from
Russia," the parliamentarian
commented.... on the EU's
actions, in an interview
with RIA Novosti.
The official representative of the Russian Foreign
Ministry Maria Zakharova in turn reacted to the
decision of the European Union with one word.
"Conjurers" she said.
The Kremlin emphasized --- that Russian leader Vladimir
Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye
have already exchanged views on the “European
aspirations..... to stage a grand scam with
Russian assets” at today’s meeting
in Ashgabat.
_____________________________________
Fuel prices in Romania and Bulgaria --- will
rise ...due to US sanctions against Lukoil
by Oleg Artyukov
December 12th, 1:55pm
(Pravda.ru)
US sanctions against Lukoil, imposed at the end of 2025,
pose serious price risks for the fuel markets in Romania
and Bulgaria.
This conclusion was reached -- by the Romanian non-profit
organization Asocia ia Energia Inteligent, which analyzed
the countries' structural dependence on the company's
oil refining facilities and potential supply disruptions.
According to Asocia ia Energia Inteligent, gasoline in
Romania could rise by 10% in the first quarter of
2026, while diesel could rise by 12%.
Experts attribute the projected price increase to the fact
that US restrictions will affect the operational activities
of Lukoil's Petrotel subsidiary, in Ploesti.
This refinery is one of the key fuel producers in the country,
and its integration into a vast distribution network of
about 300 gas stations ....enhances its role in
shaping the market supply.
Even a partial reduction in processing or logistical disruptions
can lead to a significant decrease in the availability of fuel,
which creates price pressure.
Nevertheless, Asocia ia Energia Inteligent emphasizes ------ that
Romania, despite the negative impact, will be in a more stable
position compared to Bulgaria. Two major refineries -- Petrom
and Rompetrol, continue to operate in the Romanian market.
Their operation provides Romania with a certain level of energy
security and allows for the diversification of supplies. While
alternative processing capacities do not eliminate risks,
they reduce the likelihood of shortages and thus
partially limit the extent of price increases.
Bulgaria appears to be much more vulnerable, according to the
organization. Lukoil Neftochim Burgas is the dominant player
in the Bulgarian fuel market and provides the majority of
the country's oil refining capacity. In fact ---- Bulgaria
relies heavily on the stable operation of this plant,
which plays a crucial role ---- in shaping the
domestic market's price dynamics.
Any restrictions on Lukoil Neftochim Burgas' activities, even
short-term ones, could lead to a structural imbalance
between supply and demand, especially given the
limited number of alternative supply channels.
Asocia ia Energia Inteligent predicts: that gasoline prices in
Bulgaria could rise by 15%, and diesel prices could rise by
18%. Experts emphasize that Sofia should prepare for a
scenario in which price increases will not be of a
temporary volatility, but a sustained trend
for at least several quarters.
It is expected that the market will be forced to adapt to new
supply chains, more expensive imports, or the need to
attract external processors, which will inevitably
increase the final cost of fuel for consumers.
The organization notes --- that US sanctions against Lukoil are
creating cascading effects that go far beyond the company's
operations. The pressure on oil refining in Eastern Europe is
increasing competition for raw materials and processed
products, complicating logistics, and requiring the
revision of fuel supply contracts.
According to NGOs, oil traders have already started taking
additional risks into account in their pricing policies,
which means that fuel prices could start rising
even before the actual disruptions become
fully apparent.
At the same time, the expert community emphasizes that
the impact of the sanctions will depend on how quickly
the governments of Romania and Bulgaria can adapt
their fuel procurement procedures, expand their
import-oriented channels, and diversify their
sources of processing.
However, even with active measures, Asocia ia Energia
Inteligent believes that short-term price increases will
not be avoided: sanctions affect the system-forming
assets -------- on which the energy stability of two
countries, depends.
Thus, the US restrictive measures against Lukoil are
becoming a factor that could significantly change
the price situation in the region's fuel markets.
Romania will face a moderate increase in the cost of
gasoline and diesel, which will be partially offset
by the availability of alternative refineries.
Bulgaria, where Lukoil Neftochim Burgas plays a critical role in
ensuring the domestic market, may find itself in a much more
difficult situation: a shortage of supply and its dependence
on imported solutions could lead to a long-term increase
in prices, affecting both consumers and businesses.
“Building a community with a shared future, is not
a slogan, but a reality ---- with concrete facts”,
he concluded.
________________________________________________
Military detained in Ecuador - for
alleged extrajudicial execution
December 11th, 12:54pm
(Prensa Latina)
Six soldiers are detained today in Ecuador after the alleged
extrajudicial execution of a 19-year-old young man during
an operation in the coastal province of Santa Elena.
According to documents cited in the local press, the uniformed
officers broke into a house in the La Península neighbourhood
where there were supposedly drugs and there they found
five people, including two minors.
Witnesses indicated that they were hit with army
helmets and the soldiers later tore light cables
from the ceiling --- to electrocute them.
The victim, identified as Roberto P., 19, fainted - and the
military forced the other people to put the young man
on a mattress ...and try to revive him.
He was then taken to the local hospital ----
where doctors confirmed the boy's death.
A judge from Santa Elena, in the southwest of the country,
issued preventive detention against the six soldiers - for
alleged extrajudicial execution, and ruled that they will
be investigated for that alleged crime, the Prosecutor's
Office indicated, through the social network X.
This fact is added to others, that involve the military in the
context of the war against organized crime, declared by
President Daniel Noboa, who in January 2024 decreed
the existence of an ''internal armed conflict''
against ''gangs''.
Amid complaints from social organizations for this abuse
of authority and human rights violations in the context
of militarization, the trial against 16 members of the Ecuadorian Air Force.... continues.
In that other case --- the officers are held responsible for the
forced disappearance of four minors from the Las Malvinas
neighbourhood on December 8th, in 2024, whose bodies
appeared days after being detained by a military patrol.
The Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights
and other groups ---- have denounced the lack of any state
response in Ecuador to the more than 30 disappearances
involving members of the Armed Forces since 2023,
when Noboa's mandate began.
_________________________________________________
Cuba denounces: information
biases ----- on AI platforms
December 11th, 11:55am
(Prensa Latina)
The head of Foreign Affairs of Cuba --- Bruno Rodríguez, today denounced information biases on AI platforms, which favour their creators and financiers.
«The new research from the Cubadebate Media Observatory
presents evidence of this reality, which we -- currently face
frequently and fundamentally on digital social networks»,
he assured, on his profile on the social network X.
«Such is the case of Grok in X, which tends to explain Cuban
reality from liberal-conservative and anti-communist
frameworks», he added.
According to the article published in Cubadebate, a recent
analysis of 30 responses generated by Grok --- the AI
assistant for X, suggests - there is no neutrality.
_______________________________________________
Trump called Colombian President Petro"the next target" after Maduro
by Maxim Kozlov
December 10th, 11:40pm
(Rossiyskaya Gazeta)
To share
US President Donald Trump said that Colombian leader
Gustavo Petro could become the next target in
Washington's military campaign against
"drug traffickers" if he does not take
appropriate measures.
The White House chief claims that Colombia is a major
global drug producer. "Colombia produces a lot of
drugs, they have cocaine factories, and they
sell it to the United States," Trump said.
In addition, the US leader added that if his Colombian
counterpart does not take control of the situation,
he will be....... in "big trouble."
"I didn't really think about him. So he better come to his
senses, or he'll be next. I hope he can hear me,"
he threatened.
US President Donald Trump....... justifies the increased military
presence in the Caribbean by claiming that it is necessary to
counter alleged "drug traffickers" who pose a threat to
"US national security."
The White House has stated that Washington's military
campaign is directed against Venezuelan groups
recognized as foreign terrorist organizations
that supply drugs to the United States.
Experts call these strikes illegal, as there is no evidence
that the ships were carrying drugs. Moreover, according
to international law, the U.S. military should detain
suspects and confiscate cargo, rather
than destroy it.
Concerns about the strikes intensified after reports that,
in accordance with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth's
"kill all" order, operation commander Admiral
Mitch Bradley ordered the two survivors.. to be eliminated with a second strike.
Since September 2nd, the U.S. military has carried out at
least 22 strikes on "narco-vessels" in the Caribbean,
resulting in the deaths of 87 people.
[Rhondda Records adds: commentators often excuse Trump's flamboyant words as just ''playing to his base''. But what does this tell you about yanks?]
______________________________________________
Russian students create
smart pen prototype
December 10th, 12:08pm
(Prensa Latina)
Students from the Russian region of Arcángel presented
a prototype of a smart pen that seeks to transform the
learning of handwriting, the multinational channel
TVBrics reported today.
According to the note, the aforementioned pen is an ergonomic
device that the students of a polytechnic college designed in
order to improve the quality of handwriting and make writing
happen ...more comfortably.
Created within an educational research program, the device has
already sparked interest among specialists due to its focus on
personalized learning and user adaptability.
The governor of the Archangel region, Alexander Tsybulski,
stressed that the pen works as an intelligent tutor: it
monitors hand movements, it sets the writing path
and suggests ways to achieve cleaner, more
consistent lines.
It also generates personalized exercises gradually adapting to
the user's individual handwriting habits and fine motor skills.
The developers placed special emphasis on ergonomics, ensuring
that the pen reduces stress on the hand, an especially valuable
feature for students and professionals who write frequently.
The team's ambitions -- go far beyond the prototype stage. Future
improvements include vibration error alerts, a thumbnail display,
voice-activated controls, and real-time write analysis.
The young developers plan to move from the concept
to full testing of the device - next year.
____________________________________________
First death report.... of UK
regular soldier in Ukraine
December 10th, 11:04am
(Prensa Latina)
A British soldier supervising weapons tests by the Ukrainian
Armed Forces, became the first reported death of a UK
soldier ..and the first ever to die in that conflict, the Sky portal asserted today.
A source at the Ministry of Defense reported that the death
occurred because something “went wrong” during testing
of the equipment and added, that there is always a risk
when real ammunition is used to carry out explosions,
the media stated, without offering more details of
the identity or location of the incident.
The British military previously reported that the death
occurred during a tragic incident while evidence of a new defense system was being observed far .....from the front line.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed
his genuine sincere.... condolences.
According to The Daily Telegraph, at least 40 British
citizens, mostly considered as mercenaries, have
died in Ukraine since 2022.
However, an official figure on how many active-duty
military personnel are deployed in the country
has never been made public.
Local analysts consider that the official admission,
although limited, marks a turning point, while for
international relations experts, the fact
reinforces accusations of the UK's
direct participation.
This death, confirms that the United Kingdom has
specialized field personnel involved in technical
& advisory operations who although presented
as ‘far from the front’ are an integral part of
Ukraine's war effort, said the Strategic
Studies professor, Tracey German.
Since February 24, 2022, Russia has continued a special
military operation in Ukraine, the objectives of which,
according to President Vladimir Putin, are to protect
ethnic Russians from genocide by the kyiv regime -
and address the national security risks posed by
NATO's advance -------- towards the east.
The EU provides Ukraine's current regime with
financial support, sends weapons, and also
trains the Ukrainian military in the bloc's
member countries.
_____________________________________________
Deputies in Brazil -- approve project
that reduces Bolsonaro's sentence
December 10th, 8:46am
(Prensa Latina)
The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies today approved the
Sentencing Bill, a proposal that, if advanced in the
Senate, it could reduce the sentence of former
president Jair Bolsonaro, convicted of the
attempted coup.
The sentence of 27 years and three months faced by
the former far-right president would be reduced to
two years ....and three or four months in prison
in a closed regime.
After a session marked by tension, political maneuvers and
expulsions from the plenary session the text, approved by
291 votes in favour and 148 against, was debated for over
seven hours.. in an extraordinary session that began on
Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. local time ......and began voting
after 11:30 p.m.
Tension increased, when deputy Glauber Braga was forcibly
removed from the presidency of the lower house, while the
Legislative Police closed all access to journalists to the
main hall.
Not even the insistent requests from the base of President Luiz
Inácio Lula da Silva's government to postpone the debate
managed to stop the head of the assembly, Arthur Lira
Motta, who kept the proposal on the agenda.
At 02:27 local time, after several failed obstruction
attempts by the opposition, the base text was
only approved.
The leader of the ruling Workers' Party (PT) - Lindbergh Farias,
harshly criticized Motta for the decision to speed up the vote
and he responded by accusing the political organization of
«historical inconsistency».
On the Bolsonaro side the leader of the Liberal Party (PL),
Sóstenes Cavalcante --- was clear: the text does not
represent the amnesty desired by the opposition,
but it constitutes «the possible step».
The rapporteur, Paulinho da Força, defended the proposal as a
«gesture of reconciliation» and a «path of balance» between
maintaining the sentences and granting a total amnesty.
He thanked former head of state Michel Temer and politician
Aécio Neves, and assured that the country cannot «live
eternally imprisoned by its recent past».
His report proposes reducing the calculation of sentences,
eliminating the accumulation between the crimes of coup
d'état and violent abolition of the Democratic State of
law, and making regime progression more flexible.
He also maintains - that some sentences of the
Supreme Federal Court were disproportionate.
The version presented completely discards Marcelo Crivella's
initial proposal - which called for a broad amnesty for
Bolsonaro, who, held in the capital's headquarters
of the Federal Police - would have expressed his
support for this formula, although the PL insists
that it will continue seeking a total amnesty
in 2026.
____________________________________________
The UN foresees....one billion dollars
for Guatemala between 2026 & 2030
December 10th, 12:30am
(Prensa Latina)
The United Nations today plans to execute up to one billion
dollars in cooperation for Guatemala... between 2026 and
2030, according to an approved framework agreement.
Among the objectives included in the agreement signed with
the Government are the reduction of poverty and hunger;
guarantee health and well-being; and ensure quality
education for children, adolescents and young
people; detailed a local journalistic medium.
Furthermore, gender equality; access to clean water and
sanitation; affordable and non-polluting energy; decent
work and economic growth; industry, innovation and
infrastructure; and reduction of inequality; the
newspaper Prensa Libre stressed.
It recalled that between 2020 and 2025, the international
entity had a similar amount to promote programs and
projects focused on closing development gaps,
protecting the rights of inhabitants, and
ensuring plans in communities.
The cooperation of the United Nations System (UNS) is in line
with the “K'atun National Development Plan: Our Guatemala
2032” and the general policy of the Chapín Government
for the period 2024-2028.
It comprises four key areas: strengthening democratic
governance and the rule of law; boosting prosperity
and human development; promoting sustainability
and resilience in the face of climate change and
disasters; and support in the management of
human mobility and migration.
The head of the Planning and Programming Secretariat of
the Presidency, Carlos Mendoza, explained that they
worked on the design and review of this important
instrument that allows them to see the
complementary functions... of the
contribution of UN agencies.
The development of this plan, he specified, is the result of a
broad process of participation by State institutions, civil
society, indigenous peoples, the private sector,
academics and young people, among others.
The United Nations coordinator in Guatemala, Miguel Barreto,
asserted, for his part, that the shared purpose lies in moving
towards a more prosperous, equitable and resilient nation,
in which everyone can develop their maximum potential.
The operational presence - of UN agencies, funds, programs
and specialized agencies in this Central American territory
- began in 1964.
Currently, about 24 operate to accompany the efforts
of the administration of President Bernardo Arévalo.
___________________________________________
Finland ---- has called for an urgent
opening of the border with Russia
by Borislav Agadzhanov
December 9th, 11:49pm
(Gazeta.ru)
To save the economy of Finland, it is necessary to urgently
open the country's border with Russia. This was stated
by Professor Tuomas Malinen of the University of
Helsinki on his social media page.
In his opinion, the national economy is in a catastrophic state
and may collapse completely within the next two years.
Therefore, it is necessary to open the border with the
RF as soon as possible and pray that Russians
return to Finland - with their money.
On December 8, Sergey Zaynullin, an associate professor at the
Faculty of Economics at RUDN University, said that the crisis
in Finland, triggered by the severance of ties with Russia,
could turn into an economic catastrophe.
Prior to that, the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel reported
that Finland is now sliding from prolonged stagnation to a full-
fledged economic downturn. An economist Joonas Tuhkuri
explained that the reasons for this situation -- were an
This meeting also analyzed the early conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union,
and the regular interaction between companies --- with a
view to achieving the revised target of US$100 billion
by 2030.
Bilateral trade between India and Russia reached $68.7 billion
in fiscal year 2024-2025, with a dominant weight of Moscow
sales, worth 63.8 billion dollars.
India's main export products include pharmaceuticals, organic
and inorganic chemicals, iron and steel, and marine life, while
the main products imported by the South Asian nation include petroleum and derived products, vegetable oil, fertilizers, coking coal, precious stones and metals.
In investments, with a bilateral target of 50 billion dollars,
Russia's main investments in India - are concentrated in
the oil and gas, petrochemical, banking, railways and steel sectors, while the Indies, in Slavic territory, are focused mainly..... on the oil, gas and pharmaceutical sectors.
________________________________
Nicaragua - will incorporate 147 MW
of renewable generation by the end
of the year
December 3rd, 12:12am
(Prensa Latina)
Nicaragua will close the year with the incorporation of
147 megawatts of renewable generation, which
strengthens the country's energy matrix
.....and moves towards electricity
coverage greater than 99%.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Energy and Mines,
Salvador Mansell, in statements to the Channel 6
program Details of the Moment, cited by the
newsletter Informe Pastrán, in which the
growth of electricity demand in
Nicaragua stood out -------- a
reflection of the country's
economic dynamism.
“This greater economic, agro-industrial and business activity
forces us to generate more and with support, always
prioritizing renewable sources, as Commander
Daniel and Compañera Rosario.... have
guided us”, he underlined.
He explained that this month five key projects will come into
operation such as the Monterrosa Biomass (Chinandega),
with 25 MW; Nordisolar (Malpaisillo), 14 MW, operational;
Enesolar one (San Isidro-Matagalpa), 63 MW... with a
progress of 90% and investment of over 80 million
dollars, which will begin testing this month.
Other projects are those of Enesolar dos (Malpaisillo), 15 MW
and 94% progress; as well as SunPower (Nagarote), 30 MW
and 92% progress.
“These five projects total 147 megawatts that will be
connected to the national system before the end
of December”, Mansell confirmed.
The official also presented progress of the 2026-2028 Plan,
which plans to incorporate another 256 MW, with an
additional investment of 385 million dollars.
Among the works under construction, Ciudad Darío Solar (67 MW),
Jaguar 2 (20 MW), Enesolar 3 Masaya (70 MW) and two large wind
farms between Matagalpa and Estelí stand out: Las Mesitas (52.6
MW), with aero generators of more than five MW and blades of
100 metres, the largest installed in the country.
“These wind projects ....will transform the energy and visual
landscape of the area; they will be an impressive tourist
attraction”, stated the minister, highlighting that many
of these developments are carried out with Chinese
companies -- that provide specialized technology
and equipment.
“This technology and logistics that China brings allows us
to reach places where it was previously unthinkable to
install large-scale generation”, he emphasized.
He confirmed that Nicaragua currently maintains 72.4% of
generation with renewable sources and estimates closing
the year, above 80%, consolidating the country as one of
the regional leaders in clean energy.
According to Marsell, with the entry of new solar projects
this month and those planned for 2026, “the renewable
contribution will structurally rise to more than 80%
In statements broadcast on television, Executive Vice
President Delcy Rodríguez expressed her rejection of
the fraudulent judicial procedure used and described
it as “a vulgar and barbaric dispossession of a
Venezuelan asset”.
The Minister of Hydrocarbons pointed out that the decision
harms the national interests of the Bolivarian Republic
and assured that it was a plan designed in the US
“to steal Venezuelan assets”.
Rodríguez stressed - that Citgo is a valuable asset of the state
company Petróleos de Venezuela SA. (PDVSA), which is
now to be plundered by the US Government, “under the instrumentalization of a judicial procedure
clearly contrary to law”.
She said that the decision ignores the legitimate Government
of President Nicolás Maduro ....and the Attorney General of
the Republic.
“The Venezuelan people have to know them - one by one”, she
declared, in reference to the extremists who were directly
involved in the delivery of Citgo to a vulture fund ...and
who lent themselves to the looting.
The vice governor stressed that Venezuela has to know who they
are and assured that they are “the same ones who have tried to
take over the legitimate Government and natural wealth” of
the nation.
“They are the same ones who carried out the coup d'état against
Hugo Chávez and participated in the oil sabotage of 2002”, she
insisted ----- and showed the images of some of those responsible, among them - a lawyer of one of those “briefcase companies” José Ignacio Hernández, whom I call ----- “a thief and a criminal”.
Rodríguez stressed that it was a “blatant robbery, a complete hoax
set up to steal” and declared that ----- it is the “same thing that the
current actors of fascism and extremism promise to hand over to
the United States: the largest oil reserves in the world, gas, gold
and minerals”.
She denounced --- that figures such as María Corina Machado and
others intend to access political power to undertake these plans.
In this sense, she assured that they will not be able to
..because the Venezuelan people “have a very high
awareness of what it means --- to be in national
unity, defending the sovereignty of Venezuela,
its territorial integrity and natural resources”.
The vice president pointed out that the so-called Citgo Ad
Hoc Board is false, by assuming functions that “do not
correspond to it or are responsible for it” because
the true authorities are here in the true PDVSA,
and she mentioned as among them, Luisa
Palacios, Carlos Ordaz, Edgar Rincón,
Luis Urdaneta, Ángel Olmeta, Andrés Eloy Padilla, and others.
______________________________________
ALBA-TCP rejectsdecision of the
EU Council- against Nicaragua
December 2nd, 1:25pm
(Prensa Latina)
ALBA-TCP today strongly rejected the decision of the Council
of the EU, to extend the illegal and arbitrary unilateral
coercive measures --- against senior officials and
institutions from the Nicaraguan State.
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People's
Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) stated that this action constitutes
“an affront to the dignity of a people who, inspired by the
legacy of General Augusto C. Sandino ---- exercise their
legitimate right to live in peace ---- and build their own
social justice project, without external interference”.
The Latin American and Caribbean integration bloc ratified “its
unrestricted solidarity” with the heroic people of Nicaragua,
with its co-presidents, Commander Daniel Ortega, and
comrade Rosario Murillo, as well as with all of the
senior officials unjustly attacked.
The statement expressed: that these sanctions, an anachronistic
expression of colonialism and supremacism, act together with
the US military deployment in the Caribbean and are part of
an “interventionist agenda that seeks to criminalize and
isolate the sovereign governments of Our America”.
The Alliance reaffirmed that, in the face of this new aggression,
“Nicaragua is not alone ----- and demands that the EU lift these
interventionist measures, that cause serious damage to the
well-being of the Nicaraguan people”.
United in brotherhood, the people and governments of our
Alliance will continue to defend self-determination, peace
and Latin American and Caribbean integration convinced
that no imperial power - will be able to break the spirit
that unites us - in the fight for true independence,
the statement indicated.
________________________________________
Europe may be left without rare-earth
metals ----------- in just a few months
by Oleg Artyukov
December 2nd, 1:20pm
(Pravda.ru)
Europe is at risk of facing a significant shortage of
rare-earth metals in the coming months, which are
of strategic importance for the defense industry,
according to a Bloomberg report. In fact, it may
even be left without them.
These materials are essential for the production of key
military components --- from electronic systems and
sensors to fighter jets & unmanned aerial vehicles.
The current situation is largely due to China's control
over a significant portion of the global supply of rare
earth metals, as it has imposed restrictions on their
sale --- to defense companies.
As a result, the EU was forced to compete with
the US in alternative markets outside of China.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that US companies
are much faster and more flexible. While it takes European
buyers three to four weeks to arrange a shipment of a ton
of terbium, US companies can complete a similar
shipment ...in just three to four days.
This difference reflects the more aggressive and decisive
approach of the US to the formation of strategic raw
materials. The availability of financial resources,
the speed of decision-making, and the deep
knowledge of logistics chains create a
powerful advantage that is difficult
for European companies to
compensate for, in the
current conditions.
The German company Tradium notes that the US market
demonstrates a more creative and strategic approach
to supply management.
The United States is faster at assessing risks and taking
action because it has sufficient economic power and a
decision-making system that allows it to respond to
threats immediately.
In Europe --- there is a lack of the necessary level of
coordination, and readiness to quickly reconfigure
logistics chains.
As a result, even the availability of resources or potential
partners does not translate into real industrial power,
creating vulnerabilities -------- for key sectors of
the economy.
Hans-Christoph Atzpoden, head of the German Federation
of the Defense Industry & Security, pointed out another
structural flaw: Europe has deposits of rare-earth
metals, but lacks its own capacity for large-
scale processing.
This means --- that even having the raw materials does not
solve the problem, as production chains have historically
depended ....on processing in China.
For many years, many European companies have been sending
raw materials or semi-finished products to China, resulting in
a systemic technological backwardness ------ that requires
enormous investments to be addressed.
In fact, the EU is in a position where it needs to simultaneously
restructure its logistics, create its own processing facilities,
find new suppliers ----------- and compete with the world's
largest players.
This combination of tasks increases the strategic vulnerability of
the European defense industry. A shortage of rare-earth metals
could slow down the production of key weapons systems ---
or increase their cost, which is highly undesirable in the
current geopolitical situation.
In an attempt to reduce critical dependence on China, the
EU Commission has announced a new initiative. Brussels
intends to compensate for supply gaps.. by expanding
cooperation with countries...... that have significant
reserves of strategically important raw materials.
The EU authorities hope that diversifying sources, will
ensure stable supplies, but implementing such plans
will inevitably require time, investment, and
political effort.
The situation surrounding rare-earth metals highlights a
structural problem in European industrial policy. For
decades, the EU has relied on global production
chains, and failing to establish autonomous
capacity, in critical sectors.
Today, this strategy leads to the need to quickly build
"sovereign" supply chains, develop their own
production and processing, and establish
long-term partnerships...... with
third countries.
Increased competition with the US -- only highlights
the severity of the crisis: European companies are
losing out ---- in terms of speed, flexibility, and
access to capital ---- which could lead to..
a further redistribution of influence
in the global, strategic, raw
materials market.
_________________________
Cuba rejectsUS interference
and illegal military threats
against Venezuela
December 2nd, 8:42am
(Prensa Latina)
The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, today rejected
the interference, threats and preparations for military
aggression ----- that the US is promoting against
Venezuela.. with the aim of overthrowing
its legitimate government.
In a message published on social networks, the president
described such actions as unacceptable, and recalled
that the gunboat policy and the Monroe Doctrine
belong to a neocolonial era that is now over.
“Latin America and the Caribbean is a Zone of Peace”,
Díaz-Canel emphasized --- in reference to the
proclamation - adopted by the countries
of the region at the II Summit of the
Community of Latin American and
Caribbean States, in 2014.
Since last September 2nd, the US Government has carried out
a series of attacks on small vessels in international waters
in areas of the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, under
the pretext of the fight against drug trafficking, for
which -- it blames Venezuela.
Faced with the US accusations, Venezuela's authorities
have articulated a unified response ---- that rejects the
framework of bilateral confrontation and denounces
---- that it is a campaign of illegal aggression by
Western elites.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro described Washington's
actions as a smear campaign against his administration to
«justify anything» against the Bolivarian nation.
Maduro denounced that the real objective of the United States
is «regime change» to seize the immense oil and gas wealth
of Venezuela.
____________________________________________
India Chooses Russia: Putin
Brings Military Contracts
and Energy Cooperation
by Lyubov Stepushova
December 1st, 2:46pm
(Pravda.ru)
India has stopped discussing the Indo-American trade
agreement, which has taken a backseat to the
strategic importance of Putin's visit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to India
on December 4-5. Earlier, the US government held New Delhi
responsible for strengthening the Russian army, describing
India's actions in importing Russian oil as "destabilizing."
US President Donald Trump has referred to India, as a "Kremlin
laundry" and has threatened to impose 500% tariffs on Indian
imports. His insistence on playing a key role in mediating
between India and Pakistan ---- came as a surprise to
Indian diplomats, forcing New Delhi to repeatedly
deny the claims. The EU - has opposed India's
participation in joint military exercises with
Russia, saying that New Delhi's friendship
with Moscow, is a hindrance to deeper
strategic cooperation with Europe.
Such an unapologetic Western attack on India's sovereignty
has provoked a response. The decision has been made:
cooperation with Russia is more important to India
than with the West, as evidenced by Putin's visit.
Russia and India have extensive experience
in working together within the BRICS and
the SCO.
During the two-day summit, the parties will discuss
cooperation in defense, nuclear energy,
hydrocarbons, space, technology,
and trade.
The Russian-Indian agreement on the procedure
for the mutual stay of personnel, warships, and
combat aircraft on each other's territory ----
is currently being ratified in the Duma.
Military contracts for the supply and localization of
new-generation air defense systems, including the
S-500 air defense system, are expected to be
signed. The Russian S-400s have received
positive feedback from the Indian military
during Operation Sindur. The ability to
deploy them quickly in less than five
minutes has been highlighted as a
significant advantage.
The integration of the S-400s into India's multi-layered
air defense system along its borders with China and
Pakistan, is seen as a factor in enhancing security.
The production of almost half of the S-400 support
system can be localized, and technology transfer
is something that India particularly values.
Some Western sources indicate that discussions are
expected to take place regarding the purchase of
Su-57 fighter jets. Indian Air Force pilots can
easily transition to the new generation of
Russian aircraft, and the state-owned
company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd
---- is capable of both servicing and
maintaining the Russian arsenal.
It is reported that agreements on the joint production
of the Pantsir air defense system - and the potential
purchase of the Voronezh long-range radar system
with a range of more than 6,000 kilometres - by
India, are currently being developed, or have
already been signed.
The Americans have long threatened to cut India off
from the "body" if it does not stop purchasing
advanced Russian weapons, but they have
nothing to offer..... in return. Additionally,
the historical trust and interoperability
- between the Russian and Indian
armed forces - continue to play
a crucial role -- in shaping the
Indian procurement portfolio.
Several Russian developments, such as the AK-203
assault rifle, the BrahMos missile, and ship
components, are now being produced
in India.
India will be granted preferential treatment
The second important issue in the negotiations is the
import of Russian oil. Over the years of the special
military operation, oil imports have increased by
600%, making India the main buyer of Russian
oil exports (38% share). India also purchases
fertilizers, vegetable oils, coal, and metals,
facing a significant trade deficit
with Russia.
These goods are transported, via the Eastern Sea Corridor,
which was recently opened, between Vladivostok and the
Indian port of Chennai -- connecting strategic ports in the
Pacific and Indian Oceans over a distance of 10,300 kms.
The North-South transport corridor is also involved.
Independence from Western logistics and mutual
settlements in national currencies ensure that
Western sanctions are bypassed to a degree
of up to 90%.
The parties --- have confirmed their goal of increasing mutual
trade to $100 billion by 2030 (from the current $67 billion).
India...... is requesting assistance for Indian exports to
Russia, particularly in the fields of pharmaceuticals,
engineering and agricultural products.... as well as
providing opportunities for Indian labour migrants.
This is in recognition of India's efforts
to circumvent Western sanctions,
not only in the oil trade.
________________________________________
Cuba appreciates international
solidarity inDay against
the blockade
December 1st, 12:45pm
(Prensa Latina)
The Foreign Minister of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez, today
expressed his gratitude to Cubans residing abroad
and defenders of international solidarity for their
participation in the recent International Day
against the Blockade.
Through social network X, the highest representative of Cuban
diplomacy highlighted that these voices united once again to
demand the cessation of the policy imposed by the US.
“We value their constant displays of support for the Cuban people
and the country where they were born”, Rodríguez stressed, in
recognition of the sustained work of the diaspora and friends
of Cuba around the world.
From various latitudes of the planet, the effects of the US
blockade were denounced, a policy that for more than
six decades has seriously affected the economic,
social and human development of the
Caribbean nation.
According to island authorities, the losses accumulated by Cuba
in the last year due to the effects of the unilateral siege
amount to seven thousand 556 million dollars.
________________________________________________
Europe....... remains on the periphery of
Arctic exploration
by Oleg Artyukov
December 1st, 11:45am
(Pravda.ru)
The Northern Sea Route is a significant element in the changes
of global logistics. And Russia, as well as China, plays a key
role in its development, while Europe remains on the
periphery, according to the Berliner Zeitung (BZ).
This approach reflects a global trend. The Arctic, previously
considered a "backup" route, is becoming a working
transportation artery.
Russia and China are actively transforming the Northern Sea
Route from a geographical opportunity into a real logistics
system. The route between East Asia and Northern
Europe via the Northern Sea Route.. is shorter
than through the traditional southern straits.
It takes about 18-20 days to transport goods from Chinese ports
to European ports via the Northern Sea Route, compared to
40-50 days via the Suez Canal or around the Cape.
In 2024, a record 37.9 million tons of cargo were transported
via the Northern Sea Route, setting a new high for the
route's history.
This significantly exceeds the figures of previous years,
showing steady growth ------ and the transition from
experimental flights to systematic logistics.
Russia provides an infrastructure and navigation base:
icebreakers, ports, and navigation support. In other
words, everything necessary to make the NSR
a reliable and regular route.
At the same time, Moscow and Beijing's cooperation
in the Arctic is a given - driven by both economic
interests (resources and transportation) and
strategic plans.
The success of the first transit flights, including a
container ship from China to Europe, confirms
that the Northern Sea Route.. is moving
from theory to practice.
A path that seemed exotic is becoming a transportation
reality, according to the Berliner Zeitung (translated
by InoSMI).
This --- is Russia's strategic policy. The Northern Sea Route
is becoming not just an internal transport corridor, but a
global logistics route that creates an alternative to
southern sea routes, which is an important
advantage in the face of instability,
sanctions, and the increasing
geopolitical risks.
On the other hand, Europe is currently on the sidelines.
Despite the potential of the Northern Sea Route, the
participation of European companies and states
in logistics along the Northern Sea Route
remains minimal. This is in contrast to
Russia --- which is taking over the
management of the route, and
China, which is providing
demand and cargo.
If Europe does not reconsider its position, it risks not only
missing out on an economic opportunity, but also being
left out of the new "polar belt" of logistics that is
already being formed. Russia and China are
laying the foundations for a new global
trade format... and they are doing so
with their active will, investments,
and infrastructure power.
In the long term, the NSR has the potential to change the
balance of power in global trade, as routes that were
previously considered classic may be replaced by
the Arctic "short cut".
Russia is winning in this regard — it not only provides routes
and infrastructure, but also becomes a key logistics hub
between Asia and Europe. Moreover, the growing
importance of the Arctic and the Northern Sea
Route is part of a strategy that takes into
account climate change, geopolitics,
and global economic flows.
Our country is acting consistently and pragmatically, turning
the Northern Sea Route.... into a competitive, sustainable,
and strategically important element of global logistics.
If Europe doesn't get involved in this process, it risks
being left behind. Once the "polar route" becomes
the standard, it will be more difficult to adapt.
___________________________________________
Argentina:With Decembercomes
more increases in electricity
and gas
December 1st, 9:59am
(Prensa Latina)
Starting today, Argentines will pay more for electricity, gas,
transportation, rent and prepaid clinics, another increase
in the spiral of increases in public services ------ made
official by Javier Milei's government.
And -- with the privatization of highways and routes, the cost
of tolls when traveling on them will skyrocket to more than
1,700 percent, indicates an article from the digital media
El Destape.
According to the government, the increase is adjusted to the
October inflation rate, which was 2.3 percent in accordance
with the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec),
which later lied about the percentage economic growth –
economists, private consulting firms and politicians
denounced it - as now - less credible.
With this increase, the accumulated inflation rises to almost
23 percent so far this year, according to Indec accounts.
The monthly payment for prepaid clinics amounted to between
2.1 and 2.8 percent in December, depending on the company.
Without considering this last increase an individual plan
--- and among the most economical --- the price in
November ranged from 87,335 pesos ($61.25).
On the other hand --- for a high-end plan in a firm like OSDE or Swiss
Medical, the monthly cost for a person can exceed 944,660 pesos ($663), and in many cases....... medical coverage is not total.
Regarding transportation, starting this Monday, both the bus and
subway network (Subway) the price of tickets - rose again, now
4.3 percent more than the monthly increase applied in the last
seven months. In the case of the Province of Buenos Aires,
the increase is 10 percent. Added to that, is another
increase in the cost of the toll.
A journalist who lives in Hudson, a town near La Plata,
commented to Prensa Latina that it costs him over
25,000 pesos a day ($17.55) .....to travel to the
capital by toll and parking, in times....... of
low wages.
Electricity and gas bills continued with their “monthly updates”,
a phrase the government uses to avoid the word ''increase'',
so “monthly updates” ---- has become their euphemism.
Electricity rates rose another 3.6 percent, compared to
the prices paid in November, while gas cost another
2.8 percent more.
In rentals, the blow to the pocket will be greater: Tenants who
have signed contracts governed by the repealed law that
regulated this market will have to face an increase of
28.67 percent for the last month of the year.
These increases in public services, transportation, rents and prepaid clinics coincide with increases in items in the retail trade, noted the Noticias Argentinas (NA) agency, and illustrated this ---- as a Christmas gift toy in Argentina is 75% more expensive ---- than in Mexico, Brazil, and other neighbouring countries.
And this despite the fact that the government lowered tariffs
on imports of 14 types of toys, but in any case, merchants
“nailed” an onerous increase in their items that causes
an “abysmal difference» in prices...... with respect to
Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, indicates NA.
He cited as a comparative example, that the same model of a
transformable doll in Argentina costs 60 thousand pesos (42
dollars), while in Mexico, 10.50 dollars (75% cheaper); and
in Brazil and Chile, 13 dollars (67% less).
And the trend in everything is trapped in an upward spiral,
warned the Centre for Political Economy of Argentina.
______________________________________________
The Future Energy Package: Moscow
and Budapest Speed Up Nuclear
Power Plant Construction
November 29th, 8:09pm
(Pravda.ru)
Following the talks between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor
Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia will
ensure the supply of the agreed volumes of gas and
oil according to the schedule. This is announced
by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia's commitment to timely delivery
of previously agreed volumes of oil and gas via the Druzhba
pipeline and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.
The parties also reached an agreement --- to intensify the
implementation of the Paks nuclear power plant project.
According to Szijjártó, all preparatory work is progressing
as planned, and construction is scheduled to begin on
February 5. This project is crucial ----for ensuring
Hungary's long-term, stable, and affordable
energy supply.
In the context of the Ukrainian settlement, Szijjarto noted
that Hungary adheres to a position of support for peace.
President Putin also announced the possibility of
holding a peace summit in Budapest if it is
organized, according to Interfax.
________________________________________________
Ecuador's indigenous movement
questions cuts to universities
November 29th, 1:29pm
(Prensa Latina)
The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie)
denounced that the Government is deepening the education
crisis today with the reduction of the budget allocated to
higher public education --- for next year.
In a statement, the organization recalled.. that on November 16, the Ecuadorian people expressed their discontent at the polls and defeated the proposals of the president, Daniel Noboa, with which the country demands coherence, responsibility, results, and respect for its rights.
Conaie stated that, despite this message, the Executive decided to cut almost 13 percent of the budget of public universities.
According to the indigenous movement, this is not an administrative adjustment, but -- “a direct attack on research, teachers, and young people, on science and on social investment”.
The statement questioned whether the Government allocates resources to proselytizing purposes, government communications.. and million- dollar temporary disbursements in the form of bonuses, while universities face difficulties in the studies of “marginalized young people, discriminated against and impoverished in both the country and the city”.
The organization recalled that access to public higher education is achieved --- “through struggle and organization” and emphasized, that it will not allow this right to be weakened by “economic adjustments imposed by the IMF”.
Conaie warned that the Amawtay Wasi public community university is also suffering cuts, which puts its continuity at risk and affects young indigenous people, farmers and popular sectors.
“Education is the future of the country and cannot be sacrificed in the name of macroeconomics”, Conaie stressed.
This statement comes a few hours before the National Assembly discusses the 2026 budget proforma this Saturday, a project the opposition maintains has a high deficit and “puts fiscal sustainability at risk” in Ecuador.
Legislator Mónica Alemán, from the Citizen Revolution, maintained that the proforma prioritizes the payment of public debt —more than 12 billion dollars— over public investment, which is around 400 million.
The coordinator of New Financial Architecture of the Latin American & Caribbean Network for Economic, Social and Climate Justice (Latindadd), Patricia Miranda, warned: that the South American nation --- is among the six most indebted countries in the region.
The expert pointed out - that debt payments already absorb 21 percent of the country's tax revenue, a proportion that displaces key resources ------ for health, education and social protection.
______________________________________________
Venezuela----- ALBA ship to Cuba
honours Fidel Castro's teaching
November 29th, 10:40am
(Prensa Latina)
The secretary of ALBA-TCP, Rander Pena, declared today
that the sending of a ship with vital supplies for the
people of Cuba - honours the centenary of the
historic leader of the Cuban Revolution ---
Fidel Castro, and his eternal teaching.
“Solidarity is not giving what is left over, but sharing what
you have”, the executive head of the Bolivarian Alliance
for the Peoples of Our America-People's Trade Treaty
(ALBA-TCP) stated on his Telegram account.
Peña highlighted that, in an act of genuine brotherhood
that characterizes the Latin American and Caribbean
integration bloc, we bid farewell to the ALBA Ship
on behalf of President Nicolás Maduro.
He indicated that the ship “saws towards Cuba loaded with
solidarity and concrete support” ---- with the shipment of
7,110.70 tons of vital supplies for the Cuban people.
The Vice Minister of the Foreign Ministry for Latin America
pointed out that the vessel transports 5,000 tons of urea
for food production, 76 food containers, and machinery
for development ....such as backhoes and trucks.
In addition ----- more than 1,500 tons of
construction materials for vital works.
He stressed ------- that this action reaffirms the
unbreakable principle of our Great Homeland.
“Where an ALBA country needs it -- the rest will be there,
sharing what we have. Long live ALBA! Long live Cuba!
Long live the Great Homeland Bolívar dreamed of!”
he highlighted.
This is the fourth shipment that the Bolivarian Republic
sent to Cuba - after Hurricane Melissa penetrated on
October 29, with category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson
scale ---- into Cuban territory.
The meteorological phenomenon hit the provinces of
Santiago de Cuba, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma and
Guantánamo hard, where it caused considerable
material damage to the electrical, housing and
agricultural infrastructure.
Official data put the number of affected homes at 76,689,
of which 4,743 were total collapses, while thousands of
hectares of crops were devastated, just like hundreds
of kilometres of roads and power lines.
Venezuela sent a first shipment of humanitarian aid with 26
tons by air the day after the hurricane; on November 8, the
ALBA Ship transported five thousand tons and a brigade
of electrical workers.
On November 10, 22 Venezuelan specialists from the electrical
branch traveled to help with transportation and public works
and that same day ---- the second ship left, with just over
2,500 tons of humanitarian aid.
In statements to the press last night, Pena announced that
there are.... over 12,000 tons of supplies sent to Cuba,
including food, belongings, mattresses, medicines,
construction and electrical materials, and toys,
among others.
_______________________________________________
Sanctions against Petro's
presidential campaign
impact Colombia
November 29th, 10am
(Prensa Latina)
The decision of the National Electoral Council to sanction the
campaign “Petro Presidente 2022-2026”, that could have a
negative impact on the aspirations of the progressive
Historical Pact coalition to become a party, stood
out, in the week that ends today in Colombia.
This was recognized by the president himself, Gustavo Petro,
who on his account on social network sources did not allow.
The NEC entity fined its former campaign manager, Ricardo Roa,
treasurer Lucy Mogollón and auditor María Soto, as well as
the Patriotic Union (UP) and Colombia Humana parties
(the political community of the head of state).
In response, the president warned that ------- “the offensive of the
traditional political class in the CNE against my 2022 campaign,
with false charges, because the crime did not exist, is because
they want to prevent the largest political movement in
Colombia from having legal status and being a
party: the Historical Pact”.
He described the maneuver as a violent attack against the
Constitution of Colombia, and the American Convention
on Human Rights, meanwhile, he assured that the
electoral body - prevents the president from
executing his obligation to guarantee
free elections.
“They were talking about a coup d'état - on my part - but it is
their corruption that is causing it. They want a dictatorship
of corruption ---- and it is up to the citizens to respond”,
he expressed.
The day before, in a speech broadcast on national television,
Petro questioned that one of the co-judges who helped to
determine the imposition of the sanctions --- is also a
lawyer --- for the former presidential candidate and
current mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez,
a confessed opponent of the government.
The president assured that such a situation
------- compromises the principle of an
impartial arbitrator.
“We are being judged, by our own opposition.The trial
must be according to the universal principle --- of a
neutral judge”, he noted.
He also reiterated that in his campaign “there
was not a single peso of drug trafficking”.
He also explained that the expenses of the day of celebration
after the polls closed - should not be counted as campaign
expenses ....and that witnesses, are a citizen's right to
guarantee transparency, and they were financed
after the elections ended.
On the other hand, he stated that an advertising bill was
duplicated due to an error in dates and donations from
unions, which are legal -- and are granted to parties
--- not directly to campaigns.
At this point he once again questioned why workers' donations
appear as surcharges, and that same criterion is not applied
in the country for contributions from financial corporations
made to other parties.
Finally, he expressed his confidence that the judicial entities
will resolve the case in accordance with the constitutional
framework and the political rights of those who represent
the current government.
________________________________________________
FIHAV 2025 ends with Cuba’s
economic highlights
November 29th, 9:31am
(Prensa Latina)
The conclusion of the 41st Havana International Fair,
FIHAV 2025 on Saturday has brought with it growing
attention - to new economic measures announced
by Cuba during the event.
A list of possibilities, especially regarding foreign investment,
has captured the attention of fairgoers. Companies and
experts are closely following these new measures,
which cover a wide range of topics.
During the 8th Investment Forum held in the framework of
the Fair, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Trade and
Foreign Investment Minister Oscar Perez-Oliva
presented details on these measures and
the Government’s macroeconomic
stabilization program.
One of the key issues concerns the Special Economic Zones,
with continued promotion of creating special zones (not
necessarily on the scale of the Mariel Special
Development Zone-ZEDM) for specific
activities... such as real estate or technology parks.
New financial and real estate modalities, including Selective
Swap Operations, which selectively implement debt swaps
to restructure obligations and obtain foreign currency
income, or access financing, are stated.
This is followed by a push for the real estate business, as it
promotes a new model where foreign investors provide
financing for residential projects.
These businesses must be self-sustaining in foreign currency
and comply with requirements for heritage protection,
The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and
the special representative of the Russian president for
investment and economic cooperation with foreign
countries, Kirill Dmitriev, reacted ironically to the resignation of the head of the office of the president of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, today.
"Ali Baba - has resigned. Only Forty bandits
remain," he wrote - on Telegram channel.
Earlier it was noted that the presidential office uses the
nickname Ali Baba, for Yermak, for conspiracy, when
discussing the instructions of the head of the
presidential office.
Sesame opened: Yermak resigned ----- as
head of Zelensky's office - after search
On Friday morning, raids were carried out in the government
quarter. On the same day, it was reported that the searches
at Andriy Yermak's place began with the phrase
"Open Sesame." Zheleznyak had reported
the searches.... earlier that day.
About Yermak's resignation, Volodymyr Zelensky announced
earlier on the same day. He also spoke about plans to hold
consultations.... on the candidacy of a new head of the
presidential office.
On November the 28th, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a member of the
Verkhovna Rada, reported that Yermak had been searched.
It was clarified that the search was conducted as part
of a criminal case - involving the corruption of
businessman Timur Mindich, (described as
the leader of a criminal scheme). Later -
RBC-Ukraine reported that no charges
had been brought.. against anyone
from President Zelensky's office
after National Anti-Corruption
Bureau of Ukraine (NABU)'s
search of Andriy Yermak.
On the same day, Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that
the corruption scandal in Ukraine could lead to complications
in its negotiations with the United States. He noted that the
consequences of this scandal, could be very severe for
Ukraine's political system and could also complicate
the process of resolving the conflict peacefully.
________________________________________________
Wulin called Kallas' statements about
World War II a distortion of history
and a lie
November 28th, 5:49pm
(RT.ru)
False statements by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas
about the history of World War II and Russia's role
have highlighted the need to protect historical
truth, according to Aleksandar Vulin..... the
founder of the Socialist Movement party -
& former Serbian Deputy Prime Minister.
"Such statements are the best proof that neither Russia nor
Serbia should believe the West and remain silent when
they lie about us and change their and our history.
The descendants of the Nazis -- who lead the EU
and many member countries in the UN General
Assembly are not ashamed of their ancestors'
crimes, but they are ashamed of their military
defeat," Vulin said, according to RIA Novosti.
According to the politician, such statements by European
leaders ....indicate a deliberate attempt to rewrite the
events of the past -- and undermine Russia's role
in defeating Nazism.
Earlier, State Duma deputy Viktor Vodolatsky told RT that
the leadership of EU countries demonstrates ignorance
of both Russia’s history and their own, commenting
on Kaja Kallas’ words about Russia’s alleged
“19 attacks” over 100 years.
_____________________________________________
Indigenous people reject legislative
session in the province of Ecuador
November 28th, 1:21pm
(Prensa Latina)
The Federation of the Kichwa Peoples of the Sierra Norte
of Ecuador (Chijallta FICI) and the Union of Indigenous
Peasant Organizations of Cotacachi (Unorcac),
rejected the session of the National Assembly
(Parliament) in the northern province
of Imbabura.
This Friday, the parliamentary body decided to be present
in the city of Ibarra, capital of Imbabura --- as a show of
support after the 31-day strike that had that territory
as its epicentre.
However, the organizations expressed in a statement
their opposition to the presence of the legislators,
and considered it a grievance, a lack of respect
and a mockery.
The Chijallta FICI and Unorcac indicated that the repression
of the towns left two people murdered, injured, mutilated
and persecuted.
“Faced with these very serious events ---- the National Assembly
remained silent, did not demand investigations, did not demand
responsibilities, did not listen to the victims and preferred to
applaud the Government's welfare bonus policy”, he wrote.
Likewise, indigenous groups questioned the lack of oversight
by the Legislature on issues such as child malnutrition,
labour exploitation, or infrastructure and teaching
problems --- in schools in the rural areas.
For indigenous groups, the presence of parliamentarians is
political marketing and an unnecessary waste of public
resources , since “they continue to legislate for the
interests of big capital - and not for the needs of
the people”.
The indigenous movement of Ecuador led a strike for 31 days,
from September 22 to October 22 ---- with protests and road
blockades in various provinces, mainly Imbabura, against
the economic measures of Daniel Noboa's government.
In this context, the Alliance of Human Rights Organizations
documented 391 violations during the month of protests,
mainly due to the abusive use of state violence
against protesters, communities, and social
leaders, and the civilian population from
different cities in the country.
The action of the public force in the demonstrations left a
total of three dead, Efrain Fuerez, José Guamán and
Rosa Paqui, the latter died as a result of tear gas
and the two young indigenous people from
gunshot wounds.
_______________________________________________
XVIII International Tourism
Fair ---starts in Venezuela
November 28th, 12:02am
(Prensa Latina)
The XVIII International Tourism Fair of Venezuela (FITVen 2025)
will begin today in Puerto Cabello, state of Carabobo (N. West)
and will last until December 1st, with the participation of
experts and professionals from the sector.
This new edition, considered the most important tourist showcase in
this South American nation, has South Africa as a guest country
and it is intended for the promotion and positioning of the Bolivarian Republic as the epicentre of national and
international experiences ..of meeting contacts
and of commercial exchange.
Starting this Friday, the industrial capital of Venezuela becomes
a space for meetings and opportunities that will contribute to
expanding the investment catalogue and exhibiting the
potential ...of sun and beach, heritage, gastronomy
and culture, indicated the Ministry of Tourism.
FITVen will have four spaces dedicated to exhibiting the diversity
and uniqueness of each region of Venezuela; a small sample of
the tourist potential of each guest country; a gastronomic
sample of typical national and international dishes.
In addition to an artisan area ------ where they will present a varied
culinary offer of typical dishes from the country and the world,
the Marca País Foundation, with live cooking, will exhibit the flavours, colours and aromas.. that celebrate the historic value of traditional Venezuelan recipes.
In the national pavilion, the Tourist Service Providers (PST) will
show the best of their products and services in hotels, inns,
airlines, travel agencies, and transportation -- as well as
other attractions for recreational and tourist pleasure,
stated the source.
The Fair will have a Related Area, where essential actors for the
functioning of the union... will converge, such as the chemical, metallurgical, wood, textile and other industries of interest.
As is usual in previous editions, a Business Roundtable will be
organized with the participation of PST, national and foreign
investors, entrepreneurs and related companies - which
will be an opportunity for all to learn about the latest
trends and offers from different markets.
Last year FITVen had the participation of 148 exhibitors,
45 international, plus 217 companies and there were
264 businesses.
This event is aligned with the strategy of the government of
President Nicolás Maduro to promote the tourism sector as
part of the Strategic Plan of the Seven Transformations
2025-2031.
______________________________________
Extradition plan failed, says
former president of Bolivia
November 27th, 2:51pm
(Prensa Latina)
The Luis Arce Government's plan to extradite former
President Evo Morales to the US.. for alleged links to drug trafficking, today constitutes a failure,
assured the first former indigenous
President of Bolivia.
Morales reacted this way after the confessions of the
inmate in a prison in New Jersey, US, former head of
the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn)
Maximiliano Dávila in an RTP channel program.
Dávila was extradited on December 12, 2024 and, as he
stated, prosecutors and justice operators in the US intended to involve Morales in cases of
“conspiracy” with drug trafficking.
When referring to this extradition, Morales assured that
it was “an open violation of the political and legal
sovereignty of Bolivia”.
“He declared that the Ministry of Government and the US
justice system --- offered him freedom --- if he falsely
incriminated us in a drug trafficking case”.
Morales praised that, even so, Dávila reaffirmed that
“he had never received any order, instruction or
suggestion.... to commit crimes during
our administration”.
On that basis, he emphasized -- that Arce and his
collaborators “failed” in their attempt because
the truth prevails over time and the lie.......
collapses on its own.
“They tried to intimidate us -- with trials, persecution and
setups. They could not extradite us, arrest us or kill us
to present us as a trophy”, Morales concluded.
Interviewed in Fama, Poder y Ganas from prison, Dávila
ruled out any alleged link between Morales and
drug trafficking.
“They want me to say ---- what is not”, said
the former head of the Felcn (2018-2019).
He reiterated that neither Morales, nor the former vice
president (Álvaro García Linera) --- nor the then
Government Minister (Carlos Romero) asked
him to protect a third person involved in
drug trafficking, which, he said,
upset the US.
“I can't involve someone who is innocent”, he insisted,
warning ------- that this would go against his honour.
During the interview, he said he was the victim of an
“arbitrary” process based on induced testimonies
and agreements that would benefit other
defendants ---- in exchange for
incriminating him.
Dávila accused the Executive of former President Luis Arce
and the then Minister of Government, Eduardo del Castillo,
of having “delivered him on a platter” to the US, because in March 2022, the Six Federations of the Tropics ...asked for his resignation.
He recalled that his arrest, on January 22, 2022, was part
of a “psychological operation” ........aimed at showing
collaboration with the US, amid internal disputes
of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS).
_________________________________________
They reject the decision of Colombia's
CNE... to sanction Petro's campaign
November 27th, 1:37pm
(Prensa Latina)
The general secretary of the Patriotic Union Party (UP),
Gabriel Becerra, today repudiated the decision of the
Plenary Chamber of the National Electoral Council
(CNE) to sanction the 2022 presidential campaign
of the current president of Colombia,
Gustavo Petro.
As the congressman also disclosed -- on social networks,
with the determination not only violations of rights are
committed, from a legal point of view, but we are
witnessing another step by sectors that, as he
explained... have turned the electoral body
into a trap - against the political project
of the ruler and the Historical Pact.
“This ------ is an investigation, that has occurred out of time,
contradicting the same law. By the time the investigation
request was submitted... all of the terms had expired.
Additionally, the CNE itself had already approved
the campaign reports in terms of financing and
its campaign fund had given the go-ahead”,
he noted.
Becerra's statement occurred after it became known that the
aforementioned entity fined Ricardo around six billion pesos
(approximately 1,600,000 thousand dollars at the current
exchange rate) Roa, who served as Petro's campaign
manager, for allegedly omitting his duty to prevent
the use of financing from prohibited sources in
the two presidential rounds, as alleged......
by the CNE.
On the other hand, the Colombia Humana parties (the political
community of the head of state) and UP, would pay a value
that is close to 600 million pesos (about 160,000 dollars).
Becerra stressed that The UP applied the care tasks that the
assigned auditor was responsible for, as stipulated by law
and the CNE resolutions themselves.
The secretary general also denounced that, based on that decision,
those who promoted the sanction - will seek “to go to Congress, to
the Commission of Accusations of the House of Representatives,
to try to hit the president”, while he stressed that there is a
legal and political strategy whose goal is to damage
“the project of change”.
“From the UP, from our legal team, we will give all legal responses
at the national and international level against this new affront,
against this new attack against the rights of the UP, of Human
Colombia, of the Historical Pact ---- and of the president”,
he stated.
For her part, the president of Colombia Humana, Gloria Flórez,
stressed that her community “strongly rejects” the decision
disclosed during this day.
“They seek to destroy the project of change. The CNE (which she
described as being a representative of the opposition), acting for
purely political and not legal motivations --- seeks to attack President Gustavo Petro and affect the Historical Pact in
the middle of the electoral season”, she declared.
She considered that the sanctions violate constitutional rights and
asked the people to mobilize in repudiation of the maneuvers that
seek to destroy the project ...and for the defense of the rights of
political participation.
________________________________________
Hondurasto be destabilized by Trump
----- for betting on Russia and China
by Lyubov Stepushova
November 27th, 1:08pm
(Pravda.ru)
Honduras, a small country in Latin America, does not pose
a threat to U.S. security. However, Trump has been
interfering with its progress.
US President Donald Trump - is pursuing a policy of interfering in
Latin American elections. He directly linked the outcome of the
Argentine parliamentary elections to the US$20 billion aid
package - to pay off its national debt. President Javier
Mieles's party won, despite their crushing defeat in
the municipal elections. In the year leading up to
the elections in Brazil and Colombia, Trump has
been demonizing left-wing politicians in power
and supporting right-wing candidates.
And that's not even mentioning the psychological attack to
overthrow the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. This,
again, isn't about the CIA's behind-the-scenes operations,
which are also abundant, but about Trump's direct posts
on social media calling for the destruction or selection
....of the politicians he chooses.
Honduras is Trump's next target
Honduras is next. A Russian reader might smile, considering the
potential for threat or resistance in this small country in the
Caribbean - to be low. But Trump doesn't think so. In a
lengthy social media post, he has instructed voters
in the country on who they should vote for in the
upcoming presidential election on November 30
(this Sunday). According to Trump, the goal of
Hondurans, should not be the prosperity of
their country, but rather the fight against
"drug communists" .....and receiving
assistance from the US.
Trump called for voting for former Tegucicalpa mayor Tito Asfura,
a candidate from the right-wing National Party, and in no case
for Rixie Moncada, a candidate from the ruling Freedom and
Renaissance Party (Libre), and is supported by the current
head of state Siomar Castro. Trump also believes that the
third candidate, Salvador Nasrallah, is a "spoiler" that
....pulls votes away from his favourite. This is an
important point, as there is no second round
in Honduras, and the candidate with the
most votes ...becomes president.
So what is Washington's problem with Honduras? Castro is among
those who openly oppose many American initiatives in the region.
In January, she threatened to close the American base in the
country if the United States began deporting her citizens.
The Honduran delegation attended the SPIEF in Russia, and in
March 2023, Tegucigalpa reversed its recognition of Taiwan,
opting for Chinese credit lines. It's a matter of time, before
they ask to join the BRICS.
Of course, it's not just about Trump's calls. Audio recordings have
been released that reveal negotiations between the opposition
and business representatives to deny the victory of Moncada,
who is favoured by the polls, and instead proclaim Nasrallah
as president.
The United States ------ also preemptively requested an emergency
session of the OAS Permanent Council to review" electoral fraud "
in Honduras. I mean, it's very serious. Such interference paves
the way for an economic war or boycott, or even a military
operation, if the Trump-backed candidate doesn't win.
Hondurans have no reason to change their government
Meanwhile, Honduras' economy is growing steadily. Real GDP
growth is estimated at 3.6% in 2024 and is projected to be
3.5% in 2025. Inflation is within the Central Bank's target
range due to price control policies and subsidies.
The Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) points out, that
"poverty levels have returned to pre-pandemic levels, inequality
continues to decline, underemployment is at its lowest level in
a decade, public and private investment has reached new
highs, and the country is in a more stable economic
position with low external public debt".
According to the centre, over the past three years, the average
real minimum wage has increased by more than 4% per year,
which is double the rate achieved during the previous right
-wing administration. This means that there is no need
for people to change their government.
In conclusion, let's say that Trump's promises of assistance mean
nothing. The Wall Street Journal reported that JPMorgan, BofA,
and Citi have suspended their $20 billion financial aid to
Argentina and are considering a much smaller short-
term aid package ...of around $5 billion.
______________________________________________
MEPs --- have questioned Ukraine's accession
to the EU due to Kiev's arbitrary mobilization
practices
November 27th, 12:40pm
(Pravda.ru)
The practice of forced mobilization in Ukraine is questionable
from a legal standpoint, and such actions raise questions
about Kyiv's membership in the EU. This was stated by
a group of MEPs from the "Patriots for Europe" party
in their appeal to the European Commission.
Pravda.Ru has obtained a copy of the
relevant appeal.
"During the military mobilization in Ukraine ---- it has become
increasingly common for recruitment centres to abuse their
authority and subject citizens of military age with valid
deferments to illegal and inhumane treatment,"
the statement reads.
MEPs also cite the Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro
Lubynsky, who previously cited data that more than 5,000
complaints regarding abuse of conscription centres
were filed in 2025.
In this regard, EP members are raising the issue of Ukraine's
potential membership in the EU -- in light of these violations.
"As part of the accession negotiations with Ukraine, in particular in
terms of the rule of law, does the Commission monitor violations
committed during the military mobilization in Ukraine? Does it
keep records of such cases? What steps - is the Commission
taking to prevent these violations from occurring? Do these
cases raise questions about the possibility of opening the
first cluster (of Ukraine's accession negotiations with
the EU. - Ed.)?
____________________________________
Record-breaking electricity costs:
What the US situation is hiding
by Oleg Artyukov
November 27th, 12:05pm
(Pravda.ru)
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration,
U.S. households are facing record-high electricity costs
due to steady increases in tariffs over the past few
years, which have reached two-year highs.
In September... the average retail price per kilowatt-hour
increased by 7.4 percent to reach 18.07 cents, marking
the most significant jump since the end of 2023.
The agency's forecasts indicate a further increase in prices
in 2026, which raises concerns among both households
and commercial consumers, who are already
experiencing similar trends due to rising
fuel costs ....and overall demand
for electricity.
The increase in tariffs reflects structural changes in the U.S.
power grid. In recent years -- there has been a sharp rise in
demand from data centres and energy-intensive industrial
facilities. These facilities have become key consumers
of electricity, and their rapid expansion.... is putting
pressure on regional grids.
In cities near major data centre clusters ---- residents have seen
particularly noticeable increases... in their electricity bills. The
example of Virginia, which has a so-called "Data Centre Alley,"
is illustrative: the increase in rates --- is due to the fact that
approximately two-thirds of the country's electricity is
generated by state or regional grid systems, that
operate through wholesale purchases.
Network operators include in the cost not only the price
of electricity, but also the costs of maintenance and
infrastructure modernization. Therefore, if one
operator simultaneously provides both the
population - & large commercial facilities,
including data centres, then an increase
in consumption from the latter ------
automatically increases the
tariffs for all subscribers.
Statistics show that about 70 percent of the areas with sharp
increases in electricity prices are located within 50 miles of
a data centre, highlighting the spatial concentration of the
problem ---- and the dependence of the final price on the
distribution of large loads.
Although the price of electricity in the US traditionally responds
to weather fluctuations, fuel costs, & regional characteristics,
there has been a steady upward trend in tariffs over the past
five years.
One of the key factors was the rise in natural gas prices, which
remains the main source of generation in the U.S. energy mix.
In September, the cost of gas increased by about 30 percent
compared to the previous year, which immediately affected
the price of electricity.
This dependence demonstrates the vulnerability of gas-based
electricity generation - to changes in the commodity market.
In a broader context, the rise in domestic electricity prices is
happening in parallel with the US's efforts to strengthen its
position as a major energy exporter.
Thanks to the development of LNG export infrastructure, US companies -- are actively increasing gas supplies to
Europe and Asia, competing with traditional suppliers
and seeking to gain a foothold in the global market.
This strategy makes the sector more profitable
in terms of foreign economic activity, but it
also creates internal tensions.
Rising global demand and favourable export prices
encourage producers to focus on foreign markets,
which in some cases can lead to reduced
domestic supply and, consequently,
higher domestic fuel prices.
This dual role of the US as both the largest gas producer
and one of the largest gas exporters, creates a unique
conflict of interest between external markets and
domestic consumers.
In the long term, the current situation highlights the need
to revise the strategy for managing domestic demand
and protecting the population from excessive
dependence on the fluctuations in
commodity prices.
The increasing energy intensity... of the digital economy, the
rapid expansion of data centres, and high export ambitions
----- will continue to put pressure on tariffs.
The US energy system is entering a period where further
increases in electricity costs could pose a social and
economic risk for both households and businesses.
_______________________________________
The EU Commission - will provide financial
assistance to those Baltic countries now
affected by sanctions against Russia
by Oleg Artyukov
November 27th, 8:50am
(Pravda.ru)
The EU Commission --- plans to allocate funding to the Baltic
countries next year, which have faced significant economic
losses since the EU imposed 19 packages of sanctions
against Russia.
Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania --- have experienced a
combined impact in several areas: a significant decrease in
tourist arrivals, the departure of some foreign investors, a
decline in trade with Russia, an acceleration of inflation,
and a decrease in the value of real estate, according to
a report by Poltico.
These factors have led to stagnation in certain sectors,
a decrease in business activity, and a worsening of
recovery prospects, and governments are forced
to send lists of measures to Brussels.... that
they expect will help revive the economy.
However, observers express doubts that the funding provided
by the EU Commission, will be sufficient to compensate for
the accumulated damage.
Skeptics point to the reduction of the bloc's seven-year budget,
as well as the fact that even Brussels' politically motivated
desire to support affected states - is objectively limited
by resource constraints.
In practice, this could result in only symbolic assistance,
while the real burden on national economies, remains
largely unchanged.
In this context, the EU's overall strategy is also being
discussed: while adopting a strict sanctions policy,
Brussels is simultaneously shifting a significant
portion of the consequences onto the border
countries without offering them a long-term
compensation mechanism.
Meanwhile, the Baltic governments themselves continue
to dance on the same rake. For example, Latvia has
decided to permanently cut off rail traffic with
Russia, and is considering the possibility
of completely dismantling the tracks
connecting the two countries.
The authorities are studying the technical and financial
parameters of such a step, as the dismantling of
infrastructure requires detailed planning.
President Edgars R. has stated ----------- that the government,
together with the military - will prepare an analysis of the
volume and methods of dismantling railway lines on the
eastern border by the end of the year. In parallel, Riga
is holding consultations with Lithuania and Estonia,
demonstrating coordination, within the framework
of a common policy of allegedly isolating Russia
by transport.
Such actions are met with mixed reactions. Critics of the Baltic
states' policies argue that such decisions have far-reaching
economic consequences and could ultimately undermine
the region's logistical attractiveness.
The elimination of transport corridors not only reduces business
opportunities, but also deprives the states themselves of the
tools they previously used to compete for transit flows.
Moreover, the dismantling of the tracks is not just a political
gesture, but a step with long-term consequences: it will be
much more difficult and expensive to restore the
infrastructure in the future ---- than to keep it
in a preserved state.
On the other hand, critics of the EU Commission point out
that Brussels is actually endorsing such strategic self-
restraint by not providing the Baltic countries with
real compensatory mechanisms.
The expansion of sanctions pressure and encouragement
of harsh measures by the Baltic governments, is not
accompanied by the creation of a sustainable
economic cushion, making the region one
of the most vulnerable in the EU.
At the same time, the EU Commission's own documents
regularly emphasize the importance of the domestic
market's competitiveness, but the decisions made
as part of the sanctions packages ----- often
contradict this principle.
Taken together, this creates a situation in which both Brussels
and the Baltic governments demonstrate political coherence,
but the economic consequences of their actions..... are
highly uneven.
The Baltic economies are under pressure from both external
factors and their own decisions --- to completely sever their
infrastructure ties with Russia. The limited compensation
provided by the EU Commission only highlights the gap
between political declarations, and the actual ability
“We had a record day of participation in the general elections of
communal popular consultation to choose the projects”, which
he considered an overwhelming victory for the will for peace
and the decision-making capability of the communities in
the country.
He described the new communal State as “democracy, freedom,
participation and protagonism,efficiency and effectiveness
---- in building works, freedom, and fraternity.”
“That's the communal State, the true State: of participatory social democracy, of justice and law ---- which it contemplates in our beloved 1999 Constitution”
---- he affirmed.
______________________________________________
A New Era of Energy:
China is Buildingan
Artificial Sun
November 24th, 3:22pm
(Pravda.ru)
China's project to build a thermonuclear reactor, often referred to
as an "artificial sun," is still in the development phase. Despite
this, the country aims to become a leading global producer
of nuclear energy - by the end of this decade.
This step aims to increase the share of nuclear power generation in
the country's overall energy basket and could serve as a catalyst
for the industrial revolution in Asia.
In addition to building new nuclear power plants, China -- is actively
experimenting with thermonuclear fusion, and setting long-term
goals --- for producing energy from renewable sources for its
energy systems.
________________________________________
Europe in danger:low gas reserves
--- and dependence on US imports
by Oleg Artyukov
November 24th, 2:37pm
(Pravda.ru)
The EU is rapidly increasing its dependence
on energy supplies from the United States.
This year, the European Union has already purchased $200 billion
worth of energy resources from the United States, and the share
of US LNG in European imports has increased from 45 percent
to 60 percent.
The EU Commissioner for Trade pointed out that the
EU is fulfilling its commitments under recent trade
agreements, and the increase in the US share
of LNG supplies, is a direct result of
long-term contracts.
In addition to LNG, significant volumes of supplies are also
made up of nuclear fuel and oil, which allows us to reach
the figure of 200 billion dollars ---- in less than a year.
The agreement reached on July 27 between EU Commission
President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald
Trump provides for the imposition of 15% tariffs on
almost all EU exports to the United States.
In return, the EU pledged to significantly increase its purchases
of US energy resources, technologies, and weapons. According
to the document, by 2028, the total amount of purchases of
LNG, nuclear fuel, and weapons should reach $750 billion.
In addition, the EU must purchase at least \$40 billion worth of
US semiconductors.. to upgrade its data centres. Plans are
also in place to increase military and defense equipment
purchases, further increasing the European military-
industrial complex's dependence --- on the US.
As this energy dependence increases, Europe is showing signs
of vulnerability, especially during periods of seasonal demand.
Gazprom reported that from November 19 to 21, the EU recorded a
record daily gas withdrawal from underground storage facilities
for these dates ....over the entire observation period.
According to Gas Infrastructure Europe, consumption from UGS
has reached historic highs, although the real winter cold
has not yet set in.
On November 21, the EU storage capacity reached
its lowest level in ten years, at 80 percent.
The Russian company noted that in case of severe and
prolonged frosts, the existing reserves may not be
sufficient to guarantee the supply to consumers.
The current selection season began with a relatively low
injection rate of only 83 pct on average across Europe,
according to Gazprom.
The risks are particularly evident in Germany and the
Netherlands, which rank first and third in Europe in
terms of gas storage capacity, with their storage
facilities only 76% and 72% full, respectively.
This starting level reduces the European gas system's
resilience to potential extreme cold weather --- and
creates additional price volatility in the market.
The EU's increasing dependence on US energy supplies
and related long-term contracts is leading to a range
of negative consequences...... that are already
becoming apparent.
First, structural risks to European energy security are increasing.
With sharp fluctuations in demand, the EU is becoming less
flexible, with a significant portion of its imports tied to
fixed contracts - with limited room for maneuver.
Secondly, political dependence on the US is increasing. Purchases
worth hundreds of billions of dollars are turning relations into an
area where economic decisions are increasingly intertwined
with US foreign policy interests.
EU countries are losing some of their autonomy in determining
their own energy strategies, and their ability to pursue
independent policies regarding alternative suppliers
is diminishing.
Thirdly, long-term commitments to purchase US' LNG -- creates price
vulnerability. LNG imported from the US is generally more expensive
than pipeline gas, and its high share in the EU's energy mix makes
the entire system more costly for industries and households.
These costs inevitably affect the competitiveness of European
manufacturers, especially energy-intensive industries, which
are already facing increased operating costs. In a global
competitive environment, particularly with China and
the US, these imbalances ------- could exacerbate
Europe's de-industrialization.
Finally, the transition to US gas dominance - reduces diversification,
a key principle of energy security. The EU formally states, it avoids
dependence on a single external supplier, but in reality, it replaces
1 dominant party with another, albeit in a different political guise.
Such a concentration - creates long-term risks, especially if the
domestic political agenda in the United States changes - or if
the US decides to use energy supplies as a tool of pressure
- in trade or geopolitical issues.
___________________________________
Colombia announces incentives
--- to stimulate electric mobility
November 24th, 1:55pm
(Prensa Latina)
The Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia today
announced a broad incentive package aimed at
accelerating the development of charging
infrastructure for electric vehicles
in the country.
Thanks to the regulatory update, the portfolio noted,
operators will be able to contract energy in the
unregulated market, without power limits - or
monthly consumption -- which offers greater
flexibility and better negotiation conditions.
Additionally, the energy allocated to charging electric
vehicles will be exempt from 20% of the contribution,
which reduces direct costs for those who develop
this infrastructure, the entity added.
According to the communication released, the measures
seek to boost sustainable mobility, attract investment
------ and reduce operating costs for cargo service
providers throughout the national territory.
According to the minister, Edwin Palma, the incentive
package makes Colombia one of the countries
withthe best conditions to invest in its
charging infrastructure.
“We are removing barriers and creating an environment
that stimulates innovation and clean mobility. The
energy transition is not only an environmental
objective, it is an engine of development.
Each new charging station means
employment, technology and
competitiveness for our
regions”, he noted.
The ministerial portfolio added that to the most recent
measures is added access to those benefits
contemplated in Law 1715 of 2014 and
Law 2099 of 2021, which include -------
exemption from tariffs and Value
Added Tax (VAT)... accelerated
depreciation ---- and discounts
on income tax, in accordance
with a procedure established
by Resolution of the Mining
and Energy Planning Unit
736 ------ of 2025.
__________________________
Grandma's apartments, turn into a trap:
a new wave of lawsuits leaves buyers
with nothing
November 24th, 10:32am
by Mark Ulyanov
(Pravda TV)
In Russia, the number of cases where apartments purchased from
pensioners are returned to their former owners through court
proceedings is rapidly increasing. Elderly sellers --- are
increasingly claiming that they were pressured into
signing documents by fraudsters, and courts are
often siding with them. As a result, buyers are
left without both their homes and the money
they paid. According to the Russian Real
Estate Guild, the number of such cases
has increased by almost 15% and is
expected to continue growing in
the coming year.
Experts consider the problem to be widespread: deputies are
already preparing amendments to protect bona fide buyers.
Lawyers advise carefully checking the seller, including
their mental state, and notarizing all the certificates,
but even this, doesn't guarantee a victory in court.
__________________________________________
Díaz-Canel attends
the inauguration
of Fihav 2025
November 24th, 10:16am
(Prensa Latina)
The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, attended today the
inauguration of the 41st edition of the Havana International
Fair (Fihav 2025), considered the largest commercial
showcase in the country and the Caribbean.
At its usual headquarters at the Expocuba fairgrounds, from
November 24 to 29, businessmen and delegations from
around the world attend this exchange which, as
explained by the organizers of the event,
welcomes 47 countries ..and the EU.
In a press conference prior to Fihav 2025, the deputy prime
minister and minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign
Investment (Mincex), Oscar Pérez-Oliva, ratified
the participation of 16 official delegations
from Venezuela, Mexico, Bulgaria - the
Eurasian Economic Union, the Czech
Republic, Iran, Congo, Zimbabwe,
Comoros, Angola and
South Africa.
In addition, the director of the Colón Free Zone of Panama, the
executive secretaries of ALBA-TCP, of the Latin American
Economic System (SELA), and the general secretary of
Aladi, to which are added 15 trade and investment
promotion agencies.
Fihav brings new features in 2025, with five thematic areas:
Made in Cuba, The energy transition, IA Cuba, Cuba Única,
and the Integration Mechanisms Forum. Joined to the VIII
Investment Forum... the updating of the Opportunities
Portfolio, product presentations, and National Days.
In parallel, the Caribbean Banking Forum will take place with
the objective of strengthening regional financial integration
between the countries of the Caribbean Community
(Caricom), on November 26 and 27, at the Parque
Central hotel.
There is also a space for five business forums with some of the
Island's main trading partners: Russia, Vietnam, Iran, Türkiye
and Argentina, at the same time, information will be
provided ----- on new foreign investment policies
aimed at attracting greater foreign capital.
For his part, the president of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce,
Antonio Carricarte, ratified the attendance of some twenty
Chambers of Commerce, and specified that 240
companies will participate on the Cuban side.
Of these, 181 are state and 61 are
private MSMEs.
When referring to Fihav's objectives, Carricarte explained... that it
is not limited to exports, but to the promotion of joint businesses
that allow chaining --- and putting the production capacities
available in the country --- in order to produce products
for both the domestic market ...and for export.
__________________________________________
Colombia: Vice President describes
versions against her ---- as infamy
November 24th, 7:53am
(Prensa Latina)
The vice president of Colombia, Francia Márquez, today described
as infamy, the accusations that have arisen in the last hours, in
which, as she emphasized, they intend without any evidence
to involve her with criminal acts and criminal organizations.
“I categorically reject these malicious versions. There is no reliable
evidence that can prove my link with these illegal groups. The only
thing that is presented is an alleged WhatsApp message, said by
a criminal using my name to give himself importance to other
criminals. I have never seen that character --- in my life”,
reads the statement released by the vice president.
The vice president's statement alludes to a report released the day
before by the Noticias Caracol channel where an alleged message
written by the leader of the armed group, Central General Staff, is
revealed, alias Iván Mordisco, in which he comments on the
alleged granting of resources to Márquez's campaign
in 2022.
About it, the vice president stated that she has never seen the
character in question in her life and that trying to turn that
into a fact is irresponsible and an act of bad faith that
seeks to affect her name, her integrity and her
commitment to the Colombian people.
“My campaign was genuine, transparent ----- and supported by
thousands of Colombians who believed in change. I have
never received support from criminals. I have never
met criminals. I will never lend myself to any dark
pact. Anyone who claims otherwise must prove
it in court”, she asserted.
She also called on the media and opinion leaders to act
responsibly, not amplify lies --- and verify information
before turning rumours into headlines.
The country, she noted, deserves serious journalism, not
an echo of slander that puts the dignity and physical
and moral integrity of people ...at risk.
“I tell Colombia that I continue with a good heart, with the
one who saw me in the streets sowing hope for change.
We remain firm ---- until dignity becomes customary”,
she concluded.
_________________________________
Left in Spain -- supports the
resigning Attorney General
November 24th, 7:36am
(Prensa Latina)
The resignation today of the State Attorney General, Alvaro
García Ortíz, the Spanish political hornet's nest stirred up
a polarization that it maintains in the clash between the
left and the right.
Although it was expected news, after the ruling was announced,
but not the arguments of the Supreme Court (TS) ruling last
Thursday ----- the act of formalizing the prosecutor's
departure, revived the call for political discord.
The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, described this Monday the
TS's condemnation of García Ortiz as ignominious, which --- in his
opinion will go down in history as one of the «most blatant
attempts by the reactionary judiciary to interfere in the
political life of the country».
At a breakfast with the press sponsored by Europa Press, Urtasun
highlighted the irregularity of knowing the ruling before the
sentencing - in a case as sensitive as this one, based
on «extremely weak evidence».
García Ortíz was disqualified from holding public office for two
years and now must pay a fine of 7,200 euros to Alberto
González Amador, a partner of the regional leader
of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, for - allegedly
- revealing procedural secrets.
The Minister of Culture, who is also spokesperson for the Sumar
group, said that, with respect for the work of the majority of
judges in Spain, he disqualified the message sent by the
TS, when «someone ends up being convicted of
investigating a crime» of alleged tax fraud
(González Amador), who «gets away
with it» (free and without guilt).
For her part, the Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities,
Diana Morant, pointed out that the Government welcomes «with
enormous respect» the resignation of García Ortiz, who today
sent a letter in this regard to the ''Minister of Justice'',
Félix Bolaños.
Morant reiterated the Executive's point of view of recognition
of the work done by the Attorney General until now ------- «in
favour of fair justice, in favour of the prosecution of crime”.
On the opposite level -- the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-
Almeida, a figure of the opposition Popular Party (PP), stressed
that García Ortiz did not present his resignation out of «dignity
or gallantry» but because he was....... «a criminal who has
been convicted».
«He should have resigned once the procedure was opened. He
should have resigned once he was put on the bench and, of
course, convicted. It's not that he has resigned, it's that he
can't do anything else. Let's see --- if we are still going to
consider that this is a gesture of dignity and gallantry»,
snapped the Madrid mayor.
__________________________________________
China advances the schedule ----- and
prepares launch of Shenzhou-22 ship
November 24th, 6:53am
(Prensa Latina)
China will launch the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft tomorrow, a
mission that is ahead of schedule established after the
incident in Space that left Shenzhou-20 unable to
return to Earth.
The astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 mission - returned on
November 15 aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, after
their own spacecraft was damaged by space debris.
According to the Office of Manned Space Engineering, the
return trip on Shenzhou-20, was the original plan, but it
could not be done ....as a small crack was detected in
the window glass of the spacecraft's reentry module.
This left members of the Shenzhou-21 mission aboard the
Chinese space station Tiangong, but without a ship
ready for emergency undocking - if necessary.
Hence, the space program advances the launch of Shenzhou-22,
although the statement does not explain the protocol to follow
in this case ....once it reaches Tiangong.
China - has a schedule for relieving its manned missions every six
months, a time that astronauts dedicate in Space to carrying out
The Minister of the Interior of Ecuador, John Reimberg,
today denied the possibility of visits from the press or
the Ombudsman, César Córdova, to a new maximum
security prison..... in the coastal province of
Santa Elena.
“Get out of your head - that there will be visitors, this is a
maximum security centre. There are no shows, or soap
operas here. A special regime is followed and security
and medical care are guaranteed for all detainees”,
the official said this Thursday... in an interview
with a local radio station.
In statements to Radio Diblu FM, Reimberg maintained that this penitentiary centre --- houses the most dangerous criminals in the country and that any external entry - will put national security at risk.
“There are the terrorists, the leaders of the most violent criminal
organizations. We are not going to allow it to become a media
show or a platform for human rights defenders to come and
take photos or generate narratives that benefit criminals”,
reimberg stated.
Earlier it was learned that the Ombudsman, César Córdova.. asked
the Ministry of the Interior to visit the flagship penitentiary centre
of the Government of Daniel Noboa to determine the conditions
of the centre, which is still unfinished.
“We want to know how the commissary, food and the provision of
drinking water are, which is the situation in which all deprivation
centres must be operating”, Córdova declared to the press.
In response, the minister noted that he has many other prisons to
visit where there are problems of overcrowding and extortion.
The official's statement occurs ----------- after increased criticism from
human rights organizations and opposition sectors .....regarding the
management of the country's penitentiary centres ------ many under
military control since the declaration of an internal armed conflict.
On November the 10th, a few days before the referendum and
popular consultation that Noboa lost last Sunday, the
president announced the sending of the 300 «most
dangerous» prisoners.. to the new penitentiary,
called Cárcel del Encuentro, despite the fact
that as he acknowledged, its construction
is unfinished.
Among those detained there.. is former vice president Jorge Glas,
whose defense denounced inhuman treatment in the new prison.
Former vice president Sonia Vera's lawyer... described an
absolute lack of drinking water, permanent confinement
--- and an absence of any medical care.
The facility was one of Noboa's campaign promises in the face of
violence and overcrowding in Ecuadorian prisons, where more
than 500 inmates have been murdered since 2021, most of
them in massacres and riots ...due to clashes between
rival gangs.
____________________________________
Democracy & Francoism: Spain
fractured ------- by far-right rise
November 20th, 1:01pm
(Prensa Latina)
Fifty years after the death of the dictator Francisco Franco, and
the establishment of democracy, a fractured Spain remembers
the date today, marked by the rise of the extreme right.
The mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, of the conservative Popular Party (PP), shook public opinion this Thursday, by commenting that Francoism, “....is a stage in history that has its positive and negative sides”.
According to a survey by the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS),
21.3% of Spaniards believe that the Franco dictatorship was good
or very good.... for the country.
The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, in any
case, paid tribute to the Spanish miracle and called to defend
democracy at a time when some young people say they are
nostalgic, highlighting a certain split in the country.
“That November 20 --- not only marked the end of the last Western
European dictatorship, but the beginning of a journey that was to
lead us to recover freedom and prosperity and reconquer a lost
democracy», Sánchez wrote in a note published in the digital
media eldiario.es.
In parallel, in a speech in the Congress of Deputies, he vehemently
defended freedom of the press and the irreplaceable value of
journalism during the presentation of the series, ‘Anatomy
of a Moment’, about what happened in the so-called 23F,
when there was a failed coup attempt by the Franco
dictatorship --- in 1981.
The Chief Executive had previously commented in the digital
medium that now, “when some idealize authoritarian regimes
and cling to nostalgia for a past that never was …this is
when we must take a step forward ----- in defense of a
freedom that was taken from us for so many years».
Today's date was seen through another prism by the far-right Vox
party, which praised the supposed successes of Franco's regime,
taking advantage of its rise in citizenship with more than 18%
of the electorate's preferences, according to the CIS.
On the other hand, King Felipe VI, will preside over two events this
Friday at the Royal Palace and in Congress, to remember the 50th
anniversary of the restoration of the monarchy, post dictatorship.
Several figures will be absent, including the emeritus monarch
Juan Carlos I, Vox and the Government's partners, mainly in
the Sumar group.
The non-participation of Juan Carlos I, said the Zarzuela Palace, is
for personal reasons of not wanting to be at institutional events,
although - at the same time - there is controversy due to his complimentary comments about Franco - in a book
published about his memoirs.
Franco -- has been buried on the outskirts of Madrid, since
his remains were exhumed from Cuelgamuros, the name
acquired by the old Valley of the Fallen.... by the
Democratic Memory Law.
Some nostalgic fans and their families
gathered at the place.
_________________________________________
Russian Foreign Ministry: Putin and Modi
Will Take Relations between Moscow
and New Delhi.....to a New Level
by Marfa Mamaeva
November 19th, 11:47pm
(Gazeta.ru)
President RF Vladimir Putin will sign documents on cooperation
in the trade, economic and investment spheres during his visit
to India, together with the country's Prime Minister Narendra
proposes a €90 billion ''loan'' to Ukraine..... instead of Russian assets
November 17th, 3:23pm
(RT.ru)
The EU Commission has proposed that EU countries
provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan through EU
borrowing in financial markets... without using
Russian assets.
This is stated in a letter published by the newspaper Politico
by the head of the EC Ursula von der Leyen to the leaders
of the EU countries.
"An alternative approach... could be for Ukraine to provide
a limited liability loan, financed by EU borrowing in the
financial markets," the document says.
Earlier, she suggested that EU countries consider
several options for financing Ukraine, including
the use of frozen Russian assets.
___________________________________
Cuba congratulates students.... and
remembers Fidel Castro's message
November 17th, 11:37am
(Prensa Latina)
The President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, today conveyed
his congratulations on International Student Day, at the
same time, he recommended learning from
Fidel Castro's message ---- exactly
20 years ago.
The president -- in his X account -- sent congratulations to all those
who are going through that stage of their lives, and recommended
that they read the words spoken two decades ago, by the leader
of the Cuban Revolution.... Fidel Castro.
“His message from then has impressive relevance and
lessons for the future of any era”, Díaz-Canel wrote.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez --- on the
same social network, recalled Fidel Castro's speech in the Aula
Magna on November 17, 2005, during the celebration of the
60th anniversary of his admission to the University
of Havana.
The head of Cuban diplomacy wrote of his warning about
imperialist threats --- against the peoples of the South
and his call: to preserve the work of the Revolution,
with unity, a good conscience, and intelligence.
At the same time, Rodríguez celebrated the Cuban leader's
optimism in using all his energy and “all our time, to be
able to say, in the voices of millions, or hundreds of
millions - or billions:It's worth being born! It's worth having lived!”.
International Student Day has its origins on November 17,
1939 --- when a group of young Czechoslovaks staged an heroic resistance in the streets of Prague,
against Hitler's forces.
_____________________________________
Two candidates of opposite stripes
will compete for the presidency
of Chile
November 17th, 9:04pm
(Prensa Latina)
As predicted by the polls, Jeannette Jara, candidate of the left
and progressivism, and José Antonio Kast, of the far-right
Republican Party, today - are chosen to compete for the
Chilean presidency next December.
In this Sunday's elections, to which 15.7 million voters were
called, Jara won with 26.85 percent of the votes, followed
by Kast, with 23.93, both are far from the 50 plus one
required, to win in the first round.
Today a new election begins, said the ruling party's
standard bearer, adding that in the playoffs there
will be two contenders with very different
country projects: progressivism
versus the extreme right.
Jara, 51, is originally from El Cortijo, a poor town in the
commune of Conchalí, in the north of the capital.
She was president of the Student Federation of the
University of Santiago, a union leader, and a
member of the Communist Youth since
she was 14 years old.
In 1999 she joined the Communist Party, which proposed
her as its presidential candidate, although she later
distanced herself from historical positions of that
community and even announced the possibility
of “suspending”, “freezing” or “resigning”
from her militancy, if elected.
In the current government she took over as Minister of Labour
and Social Welfare and achieved the approval of important
legislation, such as the increase in the minimum wage,
the gradual reduction of the working day from 45 to
40 hours per week, and the reform to increase
the amount of pensions.
Her rival, José Antonio Kast, 59, is a lawyer and politician of
German origin who served as a councilor and deputy and
aspires to the presidency for the third time.
Kast advocates a “strong hand” against crime, proposes
building walls and opening ditches at the borders to
stop migrants, as well as the construction of
prisons .....in the style of El Salvador.
The Republican candidate proposes reducing the role of the
State and foresees a cut in fiscal spending of six billion
dollars - in his first 18 months in office.
Kast has already received the support of Johannes Kaiser,
nominated by the extremist National Libertarian Party;
and the standard bearer of the traditional right,
Evelyn Matthei; those who came in fourth
and fifth place, respectively.
_____________________________________
They celebrate in Ecuador
the victory of citizens in
a popular consultation
November 17th, 9:02am
(Prensa Latina)
Ecuador celebrates today what is considered a citizen victory
of the No in the referendum and popular consultation
promoted by President Daniel Noboa in order to
install military bases for ''foreigners'', draft
a new Constitution and other proposals.
Following the results of this Sunday's consultative process, Marlon
Vargas, leader of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of
Ecuador (Conaie) affirmed that the victory is “a recognition of the
national strike and social mobilization that woke up the country
and made evident ------- what was at stake”.
The plebiscite, which also investigated the possibility of reducing
the number of legislators and eliminating financing for political
parties, was a brake on Noboa's plans, and he accepted
defeat in a message on X, but did not come out to
give statements ...as planned.
Last night, dozens of people took to the streets
of Quito and other cities ..........to celebrate.
The president of the Children's Commission of the National
Assembly (Parliament), Viviana Veloz, stated that the
Government's façade collapsed when it did not
listen to the people. He also denounced the
persistence of misery and abandonment
in the country.
“This is the triumph of the Ecuadorian people, of a country that
decided to stop authoritarianism and abandonment. It is not a
partisan victory, but a citizen victory,” Veloz asserted.
Former vice chancellor Fernando Yépez Lasso
highlighted the popular dignity expressed at
the polls.
“The people who defend their rights and sovereignty - triumphed;
they cry out for health, education, employment, security, justice
and truth; and reject authoritarianism, abuse, human rights
violations, the incompetence and corruption of Noboa's
misgovernment,” said the former diplomat.
Analysts warn that the consultation was a thermometer of
government management and point out that the adverse
result reflects citizens' dissatisfaction with the lack of
answers to their most urgent problems.
The majority of Ecuadorians - were not willing to give a
blank cheque to the Executive for a new Magna Carta,
they understood that the problems not are one of law,
but of management, lawyer Joffre Campaña noted..
among the reflections on the process.
Communication advisor Andrés Obando published a series
of conclusions on social networks that, in his opinion, led
to the vote on November 16 and among them is that the
Government did not win with financial aid bonuses - or
the advance of the 13th salary, or its other strategies.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) has not declared
the official results, butit indicated... that the trend
was “marked”, and the head of the organization,
Diana Atamaint, stated that the national
scrutiny hearing is set up.
The numbers displayed on the official CNE platform indicate
that with 98 percent of the votes counted, 'No' prevails in
the four questions ------ with percentages that vary
between 61.65% and 53.47%.
0000000000000000000000000000000000
This gentleman picks holes in the intellectual ''mistakes'' of the West and points to the best solution for the world's people.
Britain's enemy is not Russia but its own ruling class, UN report confirms by John Wight November 19th, at 2:48pm
John Wight has written for a variety of newspapers and websites, including the Independent, Morning Star, Huffington Post, Counter- punch, London Progressive Journal, and Foreign Policy Journal.
As the UK political establishment rips itself to pieces over Brexit, a far greater crisis continues to afflict millions of victims of Tory austerity.
A devastating UN report into poverty in the UK provides incontrovertible evidence, that the enemy of the British people, is the very ruling class that has gone out of its way these past few years to convince them it is Russia.
Professor Philip Alston, in his capacity as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, spent two weeks touring the United Kingdom. He did so, investigating the impact of 8 years of one of the most extreme austerity programs among advanced G20 economies in response to the 2008 financial crash and subsequent global recession.
What he found was evidence of a systematic, wilful, concerted and brutal economic war, unleashed by the country's right-wing Tory establishment, against the poorest and most vulnerable section of British society – upending the lives of millions of people who were not responsible for the aforementioned financial crash and recession, but who have been forced to pay the price.
From the report's introduction:
"It…seems patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty. This is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes: to see the immense growth in foodbanks, and the queues waiting outside them, the people sleeping rough in the streets, the growth of homelessness, the sense of deep despair - that leads even the Government to appoint a Minister for Suicide Prevention - and civil society to report in depth, on unheard of levels of loneliness and isolation."
Though as a citizen of the UK, I respectfully beg to differ with the professor's claim, that such social & economic carnage, seems "contrary to British values,"(on the contrary - it is entirely in keeping with the values of the country's Tory establishment, an establishment for whom, the dehumanization of the poor and working class, is central to its ideology), the point he makes about it being "obvious to anyone who opens their eyes," is well made.
For it is now the case that in every town and city centre in Britain, it is impossible to walk in any direction for more than a minute, before coming across homeless people begging in the street. And the fact that some 13,000 of them, are former soldiers, casualties of the country's various military adventures in recent years, undertaken in service to Washington, exposes the pious platitudes peddled by politicians & the government as reverence for the troops & their 'sacrifice,' as insincere garbage.
As inequality increases, the wealthy and powerful become more desperate to cling onto their gains and distract us - with imagined threats and political sideshows - such as Jingoism, Russophobia and red-baiting...
Overall, 14 million people in the UK are now living in poverty, a figure which translates into an entire fifth of the population. Four million of them are children, while, according to Professor Alston, 1.5 million people are destitute – that is, unable to afford the basic necessities of life.
And this is what the ruling class of the fifth largest economy in the world, a country that parades itself on the world stage, as a pillar of democracy and human rights, considers progress.
The values responsible for creating such a grim social landscape, are compatible with the 18th, not the 21st century. They are proof positive, that the network of elite private schools – Eton, Harrow, Fettes College et al. – where those responsible for this human carnage are inculcated with the sense of entitlement and born to rule ethos that defines them, are Britain's hotbeds of extremism.
Professor Alston:"British compassion for those who are suffering, has been replaced by a punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous approach, apparently designed to instill discipline where it is least useful, to impose a rigid order on the lives of those least capable of coping with today's world, and elevating the goal of enforcing blind compliance, over a genuine concern to improve the well- being of those at the lowest levels of British society."
Here, set out above in bold relief, is the barbarism that walks - hand in hand - with free market capitalism. It is the same barbarism that was responsible for pushing post-Soviet Russia into a decade-long economic and social abyss, in the 1990s, and the values that have pushed 14 million people in the UK into the same economic and social abyss, in our time.
Austerity, it bears emphasizing, is not and never has been, a viable economic response to recession, in a given economy.
Instead, it is an ideological club, wielded on behalf of the rich and big business, to ensure that the price paid for the said economic recession, is borne exclusively by those least able to bear it - namely the poor and working people. It is class war by any other name, packaged and presented, as legitimate government policy.
However in Britain's case in 2018, this is a war like no other, because, as Professor Philip Alston's report lays bare, one side in this war has been throwing all the punches and one side has been taking them.
As the saying goes, wars take place when the government tells you who the enemy is; revolutions take place when you work it out for yourself.
(Source - RT)
_______________________________________________
Keiser Report: Reality of Creditor Jubilees
- fantastic - asks ''why don't we act like Jesus preached - and forgive debt?''
When what we do now, is what led to the slavery of feudalism: by refunding the creditors, instead!
Cleaners form a picket line with their UVW comrades
Marx's theory still shines with truth: Xi May 4th, at 10:53am
Xinhua - Two centuries on, despite huge and profound changes in human society, the name of Karl Marx is still respected all over the world and his theory still shines with the brilliant light of truth, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a grand gathering in Beijing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth.
Xi said Marx is the "teacher of revolution for the proletariat and working people all over the world, the main founder of Marxism, creator of Marxist parties, a pathfinder for international communism and the greatest thinker of modern times."
"Today, we hold this grand gathering with great veneration to mark the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth, to remember his great character and historic deeds and to review his noble spirit and brilliant thoughts," Xi said at the event.
''With noble ideals and no fear of difficulty or adversity, throughout his life, Marx devoted himself to perseveringly striving for the liberation of humanity, scaling the peak of thought in his pursuit of truth, and the unremitting fight to overturn the old world and establish a new one'', according to Xi.
''Marx is not only a great figure who bore the weight of the world, but also an ordinary person with a passion for life, who was sincere and true to his friends'', Xi said.
''The most valuable and influential spiritual asset that Marx left us is the scientific theory named after him -- Marxism. Like a spectacular sunrise, the theory illuminated the path of humanity's exploration of the law of history, and humanity's search for their own liberation'', Xi said.
"The thought and theory of Marx are of his times and go beyond his times," Xi said. "They are the essence of the spirit of that times and the essence of the spirit of all humanity."
Xi said Marxism is a scientific theory that reveals the rules of human society's development, in a creative manner.
Having developed the materialist conception of history and surplus value theory, Marx showed how humanity would leap from the realm of necessity, to the realm of freedom, and also showed the road for people to realize freedom and liberation, Xi said.
Marxism, the first ideology for the liberation of the people themselves, is a theory of the people.
"Marxism, for the first time, explored the path for humanity's freedom and liberation from the stance of the people, and pointed out the direction, with scientific theory, toward an ideal society with no oppression or exploitation, where every person would enjoy equality and freedom," Xi said.
Stressing that practicality is a prominent characteristic of Marxism that makes it different from other theories, Xi said Marxism is a theory of practices that directs the people to change the world.
It is an open theory that is constantly developing and always stands at the frontier of the times, Xi said.
"That is why it is always able to keep young, explore the new issues in the development of the times and respond to the new challenges for human society."
The general secretary said that over the 170 years since publication of The Communist Manifesto, Marxism had been spread around the world, unrivaled in the history of human ideology in terms of the breadth and depth of its influence.
After the end of World War II, a large number of socialist countries were established, Xi said, stressing that the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially, has greatly increased the socialist strength in the world.
"There might be setbacks in the development of socialism in the world, but the overall trend for human society's development has never changed, and it will never change," Xi said.
"Marxism has not only profoundly changed the world, but also China," Xi said.
The reverberations of the October Revolution in Russia brought Marxism-Leninism to China, pointing out the direction forward, offering a brand new choice for the Chinese people in their struggle to survive, and setting the scene for the birth of the CPC.
Since the CPC's birth, it has combined the fundamental principles of Marxism with the reality of the Chinese revolution and construction, transforming the Chinese nation from "the sick man of East Asia" to one who has stood up, by uniting and leading the people through long-term struggle.
"This tremendous transformation serves as cast iron proof that only through socialism, can we save China," Xi said.
Since reform and opening up, the CPC has combined the fundamental principles of Marxism, with the reality of China's reform and opening up, and the nation who stood up, has grown rich.
"This tremendous transformation serves as cast iron proof that only through socialism with Chinese characteristics, can we develop China," Xi said.
In the new era, the CPC again combined the fundamental principles of Marxism with the reality of China in this new era, uniting and leading the people in "under- taking the great struggle, building the great project, advancing the great cause and realizing the great dream."
The Chinese nation has come to embrace a tremendous transformation, as the one who has grown rich, now, is becoming strong.
"This tremendous transformation serves as cast iron proof that only by adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, can we realize national rejuvenation," Xi said.
"It is perfectly right for history and the people to choose Marxism, as well as for the CPC to write Marxism on its own flag, to adhere to the principle of combining the fundamental principles of Marxism, with China's reality, and continuously adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and the times."
_____________________________________
China lifts 740 mln rural poor out of poverty since 1978 September 3rd, at 12:57pm
Xinhua - China lifted 740 million people in rural areas out of poverty from 1978 to 2017, roughly 19 million each year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Monday.
The poverty ratio in rural areas dropped 94.4 percentage points during the same time period with an average annual decrease of 2.4 percentage points, according to the NBS.
NBS data shows that China's poverty relief achievements have contributed more than 70 percent to global poverty alleviation work, in the past 40 years.
The average annual income of rural residents in impoverished areas rose an average of 10.4 percent each year from 2012 to 2017, up 2.5 percentage points from the average for rural residents.
Over the past five years, over 68 million people were lifted out of poverty in China. The country aims to further lift 10 million people out of poverty this year and eradicate poverty by 2020.
China recently released guidelines on winning the battle against poverty in the next three years, in order to prepare the nation for eradicating poverty by 2020.
According to the guidelines, the impoverished people should be guaranteed food & clothing, and children from poor families should be guaranteed a 9-year compulsory education. Basic medical needs and living conditions of the impoverished, should also be guaranteed.
People whose annual income is lower than 2,300 yuan (337.3 U.S. dollars), are defined as living below the poverty line, in China.
Almost half of Russians see USSR collapse as shameful – poll January 17th, at 12:11pm
The collapse of the Soviet Union is considered a reason to be ashamed, by 45 percent of Russians, according to a recent opinion poll. The only option that scored higher, is Russia’s failure to eradicate poverty.
The poll, conducted in late 2018, by the Levada Center is its latest study of what Russians are proud and ashamed of, about their nation. The demise of the USSR, saw a rebound in popularity from a low point of 28 percent in mid-2015, and is at a level comparable with the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The only more popular answer is Russia’s failure to eradicate poverty, which was named as a reason to be ashamed, by 61 percent of the people polled. This answer has topped Levada’s polls, for decades.
Russians are also ashamed of fellow countrymen treating each other disrespectfully (37 percent), Russia’s failure to catch up economically with the Western powers (24 percent), the out- come of Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms (24 percent), and Joseph Stalin’s reign of terror (21 percent).
On the opposite side of Russians’ national identity are the qualities and events, people are proud of.
Defeating Nazi Germany in World War II remains the one thing Russians are overwhelmingly proud of (87 percent).
There is also the role that the country played in space exploration – about half are proud to belong to a space pioneering nation.
The third most popular option is accepting Crimea (the breakaway former Ukrainian region) as part of Russia again, which is seen as a point of national pride, by 45 percent.
Many people are also proud of Russian literature, science, and martial prowess, Soviet-era industrialization and the best qualities of the Russian character, like resolve and patience.
A record 75 percent said Russia is definitely, or most likely, a great nation today, while 88 percent believe that it should be one.
There was no apparent correlation between wishing greatness for Russia and regretting the USSR’s collapse, the agency noted, suggesting that Russians expect a great nation to - first and foremost - provide social justice, and protection.
Sixty-two percent said the Russians are a great people.
Levada remarked that about 80 percent of the people polled, identified themselves as Russians.
When asked what makes them feel connected to their people, most respondents named national history (53 percent), Russia’s land (35 percent), their place of birth (33 percent), and the nature that they call their own (25 percent).
The formal national symbols, including the flag, the coat of arms, and the national anthem, was the least popular option (5 percent).
Interestingly, religion is a relatively small factor in Russian national identity (9 percent).
(Source - RT)
____________________________________________
Number of Russians who regret collapse of USSR hits 10-year high December 26th, 2017, at 7:20am
The number of Russians who regret the collapse of the Soviet Union has reached its highest level since 2009, with almost an equal share saying the event could have been avoided.
A public opinion poll conducted by the independent Levada Center in late November this year found that 58 percent of Russians now regret the collapse of the USSR. Twenty-five percent said they felt no regret about this, and 16 percent could not describe their feelings in one word.
When researchers asked those who regret the end of the USSR what the primary reasons were behind their sentiments, 54 percent said that they missed a single economic system, 36 percent said they had lost the feeling of belonging to a real superpower, 34 percent complained about the drop in mutual trust among ordinary people, and 26 percent said that the collapse had destroyed the ties between friends and relatives.
The same research showed that 52 percent of Russians think that the collapse of the USSR could have been avoided, 29 percent said that the event was absolutely inevitable, and 19 percent did not have a fixed opinion on the matter.
The share of those who regret the demise of the Soviet Union has risen continuously over the past decade, but in 2009 it was even higher than today – at 60 percent. The all-time high – 75 percent – was recorded in 2000.
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly addressed the issue of the collapse of the USSR in his speeches. In an address to the Russian parliament in 2005 he called the event the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century and a cause of major disruption for the Russian people. In September 2016, Putin said the Communist Party should have transformed the Soviet Union into a democratic state, rather than see it break into separate nations.
At the same time, Putin has always emphasized that he and other Russian officials have no plans to revive the USSR, and has expressed anger that people cannot accept this. He's also accused Western governments of deliberately confusing modern Russia with the USSR and harming the interests of ordinary people, on the pretense of preventing an imaginary threat.
Historian:Russia's October Revolution Was Inevitable, Relatively Bloodless November 10th, at 4:33pm by Ekaterina Blinova
The October Uprising of 1917 became the logical conclusion of the February Revolution, Michael J. Carley, a professor of history at the Universite de Montreal has told Sputnik. According to the academic, the Russian Revolution was inevitable and occurred because evolutionary processes of change to benefit the lives of ordinary people had failed.
"February 1917 marked the beginning of a revolutionary change in power in Russia, that was accomplished in October," Michael Jabara Carley, professor of history at the Université de Montréal and the author of "Silent Conflict: A Hidden History of Early Soviet-Western Relations,"told Sputnik, commenting on the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution.
"The tsarist order was bankrupt and doomed. Almost everyone at the time said so. The immediate cause of the bankruptcy was the Great War [The First World War]," the Canadian academic stressed, adding that "the result was calamity marked by millions of casualties, large territories lost and an economy thrown into chaos, by the unsustainable financial and economic demands of fighting a world war."
Russian Provisional Government: 'Neither Revolutionary, Nor Democratic'
The so-called February Revolution, which is regarded as a combination of a popular uprising with an elitist anti- monarchist plot, led to the abdication of Russian Emperor Nicholas II and the establishment of the Provisional Government.
Still, the Provisional Government"was neither revolutionary nor democratic,"the academic pointed out: The crux of the matter was that it was largely controlled by the "bourgeois" urban and rural elites and old tsarist establishment"that was opposed to the revolution and attempted to block its further development."
October Uprising Was Relatively Bloodless
The professor explained why, contrary to popular belief, the October Revolution of 1917 that took place on November 7 (October 25 in the Julian calendar) was relatively bloodless.
"Well, in the first instance because the Provisional Government was utterly discredited. It had no popular support. It was a head without a body. It could give orders or issue decrees, but had no power to enforce them. In a revolutionary period, power comes from the support of the insurgent masses and the Provisional Government had none,"Carley told Sputnik.
The professor suggested that 1917 could have been averted if old elites as well as their forebears had not blocked"political and economic evolutionary processes"in Russia.
'Provisional Government Became a Cork in the Bottle'
"The Provisional Government became a cork in the bottle holding back the revolution,"the historian said."The revolutionary masses in Petrograd [Saint Petersburg] and elsewhere put pressure on their socialist leaders to blow the cork out of the bottle…. It was the Bolsheviks who put themselves at the head of the mass movement & articulated its demands, essentially peace, bread and land."
He pointed out, however, that"the Bolsheviks themselves were not united on all the big issues and most importantly on the seizure of power in October (the Julian calendar)."
"I would propose that the Provisional Government collapsed of its own rot. The insurgent masses led by the Bolsheviks only had to kick it over,"Carley remarked.
Was the October Revolution of 1917 Inevitable?
"It is a question impossible to answer except in this way: popular revolutions come about because political and economic elites over time are too selfish to share wealth and power with the masses,"Carley responded."Like the tsarist autocracy, they treat the masses as a resource to be exploited and rung dry. When evolutionary processes of change fail, revolution is often the result."
According to the academic, it is wrong to think that such revolutions succeed "because of the evil genius and cruelty of a small revolutionary elite"
"They succeed because of mass support and effective, responsive leadership."
The question then arises as to whether it was possible to follow an evolutionary path, rather than go through a revolution.
"A revolution occurred because evolutionary processes of change to benefit the lives of ordinary people had failed,"the professor responded."Serfdom, inequality, exploitation, violence, continued unabated until 1917."
October 1917: 'Driver of Transformations Across the Globe'. Revisiting the October Revolution of 1917.
Addressing the 14th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that"the largely utopian social model and ideology" the Soviets tried to implement initially following the 1917 revolution became "a powerful driver of transformations across the globe, caused a major revaluation of development models, and gave rise to rivalry and competition, the benefits of which were mostly reaped by the West."
The Canadian professor disagrees that the term "utopian" could be used with regards to the "Communist model," for instance.
"Is free, public education for everyone, no matter what their class, nationality or religion, utopian? Is the elimination of illiteracy, utopian? Are women's rights, or universal health care, utopian? Was the desire to create a more equal society, socially, economically and politically, utopian?"Carley asked, adding"in fact, that Soviet society was eventually able to withstand and then to destroy almost single- handedly, the so-called invincible Nazi 'colossus.'"
Still, he believes that the 1917 revolution certainly was"a powerful driver of transformations"around the world since it"inspired successful revolutionary movements in China, Vietnam, Korea, and Cuba."
As Putin noted during his Valdai speech "many Western achievements of the 20th century were an answer to the challenge posed by the Soviet Union," such as"raising living standards, forming a strong middle class, reforming the labour market and the social sphere, promoting education, guaranteeing human rights, including the rights of minorities and women, overcoming racial segregation."
Red October: Allied Intervention and 'Beginning of Cold War'
The October Revolution became the trigger for the Civil War (1917-1922) and prompted the Allied intervention of major foreign powers in Russia.
The Canadian academic pointed out that the October Uprising "produced an immediate violent reaction by the United States, France and Britain, whose elites attempted to overthrow the Soviet government."
"The foreign intervention against Soviet Russia fed a civil war and exacerbated the violence of the counter-revolution by many times over,"Carley said."On its own, the former tsarist elite could never have mounted such violent resistance to the October Revolution."
The professor underscored that after their failure to overthrow the Soviets,"the Western powers spent the next 70 years, with the exception of a truce between 1941-1945, in trying to harm or bring down the USSR and all those revolutions to which it had given birth."
According to the academic, the Cold War started in October (November) 1917.
"Just ask the Chinese, Vietnamese, Cubans, or N. Koreans about the frightful price of resistance to US and Western hegemony,"Carley remarked."Or for that matter, we might ask, if we could, the soldiers, sailors and workers of Soviet Russia, what price they had to pay, to defend their revolution."
(Source - Sputnik)
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Communist leader dispels new Russian budget as "oligarch orientated" October 28th, 2017 Fort Russ News - KtovKurse translated by Inessa Sinchougova
Communist Party leader, Gennady Zyuganov, called the draft federal budget for 2018-2020, "a budget of the oligarchy", which will increase stagnation and poverty.
On Friday October 27th, the State Duma considered the first reading of the draft budget for 2018 for the planning period 2019-2020. According to the draft of the Ministry of Finance, the budget deficit in 2018 will be 1.3 trillion rubles or 1.37% of GDP, in 2019 it will be 867 billion rubles or 0.84% of GDP, and in 2020 - 960 billion rubles or 0.87% of GDP.
Such a budget Zyuganov considers "a budget for the oligarchy, where further stagnation and deepening of poverty in the country will occur."
In his opinion, the draft budget does not meet the current challenges and can only aggravate the split in Russian civil society.
The Communist Party leader stressed that incomes and expenditures are constantly declining. Zyuganov noted that "in plain language" this means that the "share of the national pie" created by the working people is constantly shrinking in the budget.
Zyuganov's main issue with the budget was the reduction in government expenses for 14 out of 13 articles listed within. He explained that for eight of these articles, expenses are simply cut, and for four other articles, a small increase is offset by inflation, and as a result, real costs are below the ones prophesized.
According to Zyuganov, the current budget policy "creeps of the old Gaidar-Chubais reforms. It does not smell of modernization, nor a breakthrough for the future."
"I do not know why the president has not reacted to this helplessness, to this impotence of the financial and economic blockade on behalf of the government," Zyuganov said.
President Vladimir Putin does not oversee forthcoming bills until they pass all the stages of parliamentary negotiation - that is until his signature is required. It remains to be said that a majority of Russia's parliament and governmental organs, are liberal representatives, both economically and culturally, whereby it is only the President that stops certain bills being passed.
Without looking at the document in detail (which is not yet available to the public) it makes sense to assume that the Communist Party leader has every right to become concerned at this early stage.
Zyuganov's Communist Party enjoys the second most popular rating in the Russian political sphere, after United Russia (Vladimir Putin.)
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And a Record Number of Russians Want Socialism Back !!!
First published in Komsomolskaya Pravda Translated by Kristina Kharlova
The number of those nostalgic for the Soviet Union, is now growing steadily.
According to the findings of sociologists, 56% of respondents now express regret for the collapse of the Soviet state.
A majority of Russians regret the collapse of the Soviet Union, and do not mind if it's restored — conclude the sociologists of "Levada-centre".
2016 sees a record number of respondents nostalgic for the Soviet Union, in the whole history of public opinion surveys.
At the same time, the percentage of those who don't long for the Union, decreases over time: if, in November of last year it was 37%, today only 28% do not feel any pity.
58% of Russians would like a socialist system and the Soviet Union to be restored, and 31% say they don't want the Soviet Union back.
Over half of respondents, 51%, believe that it was still possible to save the country in 1991 while 33% of Russians say the collapse was 'inevitable'.
Experts, meanwhile, note that those most nostalgic for the Soviet Union don't yearn so much for the Soviet ideology, as for the stability, justice, confidence in the future, secure jobs, free education, medical care and housing.
Serbia:Mass anti-NATO demonstrations silenced Nothing has been the same since NATO brutally bombed Yugoslavia 17 years ago. The 5th column, trained by NATO, took over the destroyed country to continue the job that the West had started.
The economy collapsed, the country was ripped apart, and the Army, dismissed.
Year by year, malicious plans brainstormed by NATO, and executed by the government, are pushing all of the Balkans into the deep maw of the West's 'modern' imperialism.
The latest move was the Agreement with NATO about logistics. Parliament has approved, and the President has signed, an agreement which gives NATO soldiers immunity and freedom of movement on the territory of Serbia. The same people who killed thousands of innocent Serb civilians are now given freedom and immunity. NATO personnel rule the roost in Serbia
NATO personnel are exempt from paying taxes, VAT and/or customs duties. The adoption of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), lets NATO soldiers use Serbia's infrastructure, with free transit across the whole territory of Serbia, as well as protection from the law -- being given 'special status' while staying in Serbian territory.
However, although almost two decades have passed since NATO's cruel attack, most Serbs have not forgotten how important freedom is -- which is the main problem for the ruling elite.
In the mainstream media, news about signing the agreement with NATO, was published as small & irrelevant. In a couple of sentences, mainstream journalists wrote about it, as if it was tomorrow's weather forecast, but they couldn't fool people.
Boiling situation hidden by Government
The situation was boiling. A few patriotic parties and war veterans managed to organize a protest -- & expected no more than a thousand people in Belgrade, to show their disagreement with the ruling party's decisions.
On the 20th February, more than 15,000 Serbs, mostly youth, came onto the Belgrade streets to join in with the protesters. Even the police were surprised, quickly trying to reinforce -- fearing nonverbal shows of disagreement.
The mainstream media weren't at all interested in massive protests in the capital city. They just reported, after the protest, that there were only a couple of hundred demonstrators.
Amongst all media, just one, the alternative patriotic website, Srbin info, sent reporters to the vicinity, to cover the whole protest.
It was the only media that had pictures and videos of the massive protests, showing the huge number of protesters.
During the protest, over 2,000 readers per second were following their live streaming of the demonstrations. Each minute, their website was gaining more followers.
Just a couple of minutes after the end of the peaceful protest, huge cyber-attacks began.
The weak website couldn't defend itself from the biggest attacks in its history, & the web- site eventually crashed. Attacks continued for 24 hours, never letting the website repair.
The only possible source of the attacks on the website & freedom of the speech, is the ruling elite. There is no one else who would be able to manage such strong attacks.
The main problem for the alternative, free media in Serbia is that the web providers, most of them belonging to the SBB company, part of the Soros foundation, don't want to reveal who was behind the attacks. However, some opposition forces, also attacked by hackers, discovered that the IP address of the hacker belongs to one of the directors of SBB company.
It is also interesting that 25% of web providers and some mainstream media in Serbia - belong to David Petraeus, former director of the CIA.
Despite their crashed website, Srbin info reporters managed to find way to send the real story & used Facebook to spread the truth. A video showing the masses of people protesting, was viewed by over 1,700,000 Facebook users --- a huge number for Serbia, with its 7 million population.
For 48 hours after the attack, the website was closed.
Thanks to its loyal readers, who appreciate Srbin info's fight for freedom of speech, donations were collected to make a new website, with better protection.
But the problem of having a neutral web provider who will not sabotage the website -- after orders from the Government -- still exists. A much worse problem.... is that the once proud and honorable Serbia, is now under the boots of imperialists.
LEN RE-ELECTED - VICTORY FOR LEFT!
"Serving you, our members, is the greatest privilege of my working life. I'm proud to have stood shoulder- to-shoulder with you in your struggles and proud to have been asked by so many, to continue to fight for you"
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The Corbyn Supporters From Hell - Attila The Stockbroker,15th Oct 2015 at The Blue Boar Hotel, Maldon, Essex, UK
ONE UNION
Two weeks before Brexit, the African Union announced a new single African passport that permits holders to enter any of the 54 AU member states without a visa – an interesting turn in African history which NO-ONE in the West knows or cares about ! What a stunning reflection of how far our mindset and media are, from the 'world community' we say we love.
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ADAM JOHANNES, CO-CONVENOR, PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY
“Most people under 40 have never been a member of a trade union. So unions are irrelevant, right? Wrong. Unions are more relevant than ever before. With in- work poverty, zero hours contracts and precarious employment, trade unions urgently need to make inroads into the private sector where the majority of us work, but a majority are still un-unionised.”
3 recent campaigns show how this might be done -
1. BETTER THAN ZERO
"Better than Zero" is an exciting campaign launched last year by the Scottish TUC to combat employers using zero-hours contracts. It is run by young people for young people to take on the issue of insecure work. Its activists are mostly in their teens or twenties. The campaign calls upon an older generation not to stand by while a generation of young people are forced into insecure work.
It has responded to tip off from employees in workplaces charging staff for training or uniforms, and bars and restaurants where workers tips are taken by the company. It's fought against people routinely expected to work additional late hours at short notice, with little or no thought given to how they'll get home & whether they will be safe.
The campaign uses direct action, stunts and creative protests such as targeting bars and restaurants with 'flash mob choirs', activists and former staff posing as customers, before each stand up in a restaurant to make speeches while other activists leaflet out- side, Halloween funeral marches on exploitative employers, or, memorably, activists clad in chemical-spill clean up garb placing several popular bars & restaurants in 'quarantine', for exploitative work practices. A recent campaign victory saw restaurant chain Las Iguanas end a policy of deducting money from staff tips.
2. SPORTS DIRECT
Unite has waged a dynamic fightback against Sports Direct including pickets of over 30 stores across the UK, occupations, direct action such as the unfurling of a #SportsDirectShame banner by Newcastle United fans at the club owned by Sports Direct boss, Mike Ashley, other banner drops from bridges, shareholder action, and a social media campaign,
Sports Direct is Britain's biggest sportswear company. It made over a billion in profits last year, but the majority of its workers agency staff are on zero hour contracts with no holiday or sick pay, and no guaranteed work from one week to the next. It has been called more 'workhouse' than workplace with intense surveillance and searches of staff, a culture of fear, bullying and intimidation rife.
Unite's campaign had forced the issue of its Victorian working conditions into national media & a company review. Unite demands all staff are re-employed on permanent contracts on a living wage. So far they have won a pay rise for staff and the company is now being investigated by HM Revenue & Customs after the union exposed it for effectively paying under the minimum wage.
3. PIZZA EXPRESS
Unite scored a victory against Pizza Express after exposing and ending the company deducting a proportion of staff's hard earned tips as an 'admin fee', recruiting new members. The campaign involved union activists going into Pizza Express branches to speak to waiting staff, weekly pickets, handing out hundreds of flyers with customers given a ‘scrap the admin fee’ postcard to leave with their cash tips, and finally a 'meal of justice' when protesters went into a restaurant, enjoyed a meal and when the bill came, one person stood up and told customers about the admin fee while others handed out postcards. Customers often respond with spontaneous applause.
We need to think creatively of how to bring politics into the workplace whether collections for refugees in Calais, foodbanks or local homeless, organising delegations from our work to local protests, or even setting up People's Assembly networks with likeminded people we work with.
Cardiff People's Assembly is part of The People's Assembly Against Austerity, a UK anti-cuts network sponsored by eight trade unions. Locally we have worked with Unison defending our city's library service & PCS to organise solidarity with museum workers, we will be supporting Unite Community's day of action against benefit sanctions. With much of our nation's workforce unorganised in their workplace in unions, joining movements like ours can boost people's confidence to stand up to their employers and build workplace organisation.
In the 1980s Thatcher declared war on the unions --- as a prelude to letting the market rip through society --- transforming us into a highly unequal low pay, low skill economy. The assault on the 'social wage' means we now have the highest private rents, highest energy bills, highest rail fares, and most expensive university education in the EU. Now the Trade Union Bill aims to take out a key part of the resistance to extend the cuts, privatisation and outsourcing agenda and shift even more power and wealth from the 99% to the 1%.
Our economy is dominated by low paid jobs. Low pay makes people insecure. A low pay economy and tax avoiding corporations make it hard to invest in public services. Joining a union is one way to fight back.
Profit Is The Only Concern For Railway Privateers 2016 Thursday 29TH DEC
The only way to have a public transport system worthy of the name is to have a fully nationalised railway,says GORDON MARTIN
All things transport have been making the news in Scotland for a number of months and the signs are this isn’t going to change in the dark winter months ahead.
Scotland’s railways have been subjected to an unprecedented level of scrutiny and criticism with opposition politicians, media columnists and some trade union officials calling for Nicola Sturgeon to sack her Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf MSP.
In my view the roots of the public’s dissatisfaction with Scotland’s railways goes back to the Scottish government’s ill-conceived decision to award the ScotRail franchise to a state-owned rail operator.
Unfortunately for passengers and the ScotRail workforce, the state in question was not our own — and the Netherlands now benefits from profits made by its state company, Abellio, out of ScotRail.
A public-sector bid from Scotland was not allowed when the franchise was awarded to Abellio for a 10-year period. With profit the first and only concern of the profiteers at Abellio, a major dispute with Scotland’s biggest rail union RMT was highly predictable.
Abellio’s attack on the role of the guard on our trains brought a summer of discontent as industrial action spread across much of the Scottish rail network.
The Scottish government quickly showed its true colours. The normally very assured and competent First Minister committed a monumental blunder when she disgracefully inferred the strike was only about who pushed a button to open and close train doors.
While the SNP government very often claims to be on the side of working-class communities, it remains very much a political party wedded to capitalism. The First Minister should have taken the trouble to speak to disabled passengers or those travelling on Scotland’s trains who feel vulnerable in any way about how crucial the role of the guard is in making their journey a safer, more relaxing experience.
Thankfully the Scottish government and Abellio ScotRail finally saw sense and a negotiated settlement was reached which was favourable to RMT and which will see safety-trained guards remain in place.
Following on from our successful efforts to Keep The Guard on the Train, RMT has launched a high- profile “Safer Scottish Trains” campaign designed to ensure trains, stations & rail infrastructure in general are properly resourced and managed to ensure the best possible service is delivered.
Everyone, in particular disabled people, should be able to travel on a 21st-century rail network without having to check ahead days in advance to ensure staff will be in place to assist them.
At the same time, Westminster and the European Union have also intervened in a negative way which may have serious repercussions for rail workers and passengers in the years ahead.
Earlier this month Chris Grayling, Transport Secretary in Theresa May’s rotten Tory government, delivered a speech which potentially takes the rail industry back to the complete fragmentation foisted upon the people of Britain by the hapless government of John Major in the 1990s.
Grayling now seeks to reintroduce “competition” into rail infrastructure, maintenance and repairs.
Inevitably this will eventually lead to the complete break-up of Network Rail. The centralised standards implemented by this public-sector organisation will be discarded and profit and loss will become the decisive factor in deciding the standards for maintaining the rail infrastructure. This is a frightening scenario with potentially deadly outcomes and RMT will fight this with everything we have.
The latest plans for railways across the EU, the ultimate bosses’ club, are contained within the Fourth Railway Package which MEPs are voting on. These proposals make it mandatory to put rail passenger services out to competitive tender. With the Scottish government recently beginning to engage with the rail unions and others regarding a public-sector bid for the ScotRail contract, the 4th Railway Package underlines how fragile and fleeting this public-sector bid could ultimately be.
Scotland’s ferry sector also had a fair amount of publicity in the last year or so, with RMT engaged in a high-profile, long-running and ultimately successful campaign to keep CalMac ferries in public ownership.
RMT stands by our assertion that the Clyde and Hebridean ferry service did not have to go out to tender under the Teckal exemption.
Unfortunately, the Scottish government are keen to be seen as good Europeans, despite the negative impact on the Scottish people, and meekly went along with directives from the EU.
The uncertainty for island communities and the stress for the CalMac workforce while their future was unclear, was not high on the government’s agenda.
Unfortunately it looks highly likely that the workforce and the islanders on the Northern Isles are about to be put through the same uncertainty as their counterparts on the west coast.
The government is once again meekly following diktats from Brussels by putting the Northern Isles ferry service out to a competitive tendering process, despite the people of Britain voting to leave the EU, including a sizeable section of the Scottish working class.
RMT has a clear and principled position which is to insist that the Northern Isles contract is brought back into public ownership forthwith.
We demand an immediate end to the exploitation of eastern European seafarers. These workers, employed on a Scottish government contract, are being paid wages at a derisory rate while being denied the protection of a trade union agreement with wages and conditions covered by collective bargaining agreements.
As part of our ongoing Save our Seafarers campaign, we have highlighted this disgraceful fact to the media and the public with our slogan SNP — Ships of Shame.
This is causing the government and, in particular, the Transport Minister a great deal of embarrassment. I make no apologies for this and I sincerely hope the embarrassment will lead to action before too much longer.
It is clear to everyone, with the possible exception of right-wing profiteering zealots, that the only way to have a public transport system worthy of the name is to have a fully nationalised railway, properly resourced, with adequate staffing levels --- together with a publicly owned ferry operator, working exclusively on behalf of ferry users and the Scottish government, & money raised reinvested --- instead of lining the pockets of private shareholders.
Gordon Martin is Scottish regional organiser of the RMT.
(source - Morning Star)
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Tory aid-dumping revelation means the money should be seized and used by Mike Sivier
The worst part of this is, it suggests that people who said the International Aid budget could be used in better ways, were right.
The Times reports that the Tories have been ‘dumping’ billions of pounds in aid into shady World Bank funds, to sit unused indefinitely – in order to "keep up the appearance" of meeting the government’s commitment to donating 0.7% of the UK’s GDP in foreign aid.
According to the Times, at least £9 billion has been transferred like this in the past 5 years. Rather than helping developing countries, the money, which is spread across over 200 different bank accounts, simply sits there – doing nothing except rack up World Bank ‘administration fees’.
UK International Development Secretary Priti Patel’s only qualification for her job appears to be the fact that she had previously wanted to get rid of it and the funding it oversees. This seems to be the standard Tory qualification for any ministerial role that is supposed to help people – Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt infamously wrote a book, before becoming Health Secretary, that called for abolition of the ’60-year-old mistake’ of the NHS.
Clearly, to a Tory, maintaining the appearance of doing something is far more important than actually doing it – especially if it helps you put cash into the bank accounts of your backers and allies and ideally while you get rid of the very thing you’re supposed to be looking after. If you hear Tories say ‘reform’, run for cover – or better yet, get the pitchforks out.
Source: Keeping up appearances: aid-dumping shows Tories care for PR, not people The SKWAWKBOX
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Left Looks To Unite To Protect Its Power Base CHARLEY ALLAN
The Labour right was desperate to see the back of “Red Len,” as the tabloids call him.
But Len won his victory. Now’s the perfect time to join Unite, with full membership costing just £3.50 a week, reduced to 50p for the unemployed.
The AWL and its allies may have won the national committee battle, but they won’t win the OMOV war --- if the movementists get organised.
A new current called Opening Momentum has rallied round the point that anti-OMOVers had denied members their advertised right to “vote in national-level elections.”
And it’s crucial that every member who really believes in the fabled “new kind of politics” turns up to their local branch meetings - if they have them - to halt plans for a parallel party.
This is bigger than Momentum. We need to see much more direct democracy in Labour itself, although there will always be resistance from those who benefit most from the delegate system.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of new Labour members and Momentum’s top priority --- should making sure their voice is heard at next year’s party conference.
The Labour left can’t afford to be crushed again on the conference floor, as happened this year.
While Momentum was dazzling everyone with its World Transformed free festival, right faction Labour First was distributing fliers to let delegates know when and where vital votes were taking place.
Critically, Momentum must:- have slates of candidates ready when local constituency parties select conference delegates in thecoming months.
The new left movement needs to get serious if it wants to win the looming electoral battles within Labour, the trade unions and the grassroots.
Defending, strengthening and expanding this power base at the ballot box, will take back the leadership, and keep the movement fighting fit for the general election.
• Chat to Charley on Twitter: @charleyallan.
(source - Morning Star)
A New Lucas Plan For The Future by David King
The ideas pioneered by the Lucas workers are just as, or more, relevant now than in the 1970s, and there are strong political similarities in the situation.
As in the ’70s, we have an economic crisis caused by unjust economic policies and the failure of successive governments’ industrial strategy.
As usual, this has hit the working class hardest, and anger over this is being channelled into racism against immigrants. Now, the environmental effects of industrial capitalism are far more evident than 40 years ago, already creating wars, militarisation and widespread concern about insecurity.
Finally, introduction of new technologies threatens structural unemployment on a scale considerably greater than the ’70s.
The Tory government’s response to the economic and political crisis, despite continuing to publicly espouse neoliberal principles, looks a lot like a classic Keynesian economic stimulus package.
In the last few months it has made decisions to go ahead with a range of industrial infrastructure megaprojects — Hinkley C, fracking, HS2 and the Heathrow third runway, as well as pressing ahead with spending £200 billion on Trident renewal.
A key element in the case for all these projects is the jobs that they will generate or preserve, although the jobs estimates are bound to be inflated, while the price tag will be massively underestimated.
Compared to the ’70s, far fewer jobs will be created in this way because, due to automation and mechanisation, they are all highly capital rather than labour-intensive.
The Lucas Aerospace workers’ idea of socially useful production suggests a far better way forward.
Even in the early phase of the environmental movement, before most socialists realised the significance of these issues, the Lucas Plan acknowledged that protecting the environment is part of the concept of socially useful production.
With the exception of HS2, all the new projects are environmental anathema, and the damage that project would do to the English countryside and people’s homes and communities, for the sake of saving 30 minutes of executives’ time, makes it emblematic of neoliberalism.
The working-class people who voted for Brexit are demanding jobs and regeneration of their communities, but these industrial vanity projects are not the solution.
Now is the moment to realise the proposals of the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group (Million Climate Jobs Campaign), which is often seen as a successor to the Lucas Plan.
We should be investing in renewable energy, home insulation, public transport etc as part of the international trade union initiative of Just Transition, ie transition to a low-carbon economy with job protection for workers in industries that need to be phased out.
Imagine what could be achieved in regional economic renewal and environmental benefits with the Trident billions.
But exactly how that money should be spent should not be decided by economic planners alone.
One of the great strengths of the Lucas Plan was that it came from the bottom up, from workers, not managers.
Recognising that they could not, by themselves, define what people need, the Lucas workers began to work with various regional communities to develop “popular planning for social need.”
In London, the Greater London Council created technology development networks that involved users, for example disabled people, in technology design.
These traditions of bottom-up local planning have been continued by various citizens’ local planning initiatives, such as Just Space in London, and would be vital to a democratic solution to the crises.
The current economic and environmental crises are symptoms of a deeper crisis in the industrial capitalist mode of production, and they demand a fundamental rethink of how we produce the basic things that people need for a decent life.
One of the less well-remembered, but crucial aspects of the Lucas Plan was the workers’ struggle against the automation and deskilling of their work with computer-controlled machinery, a struggle shared with trade unionists around the world in that period.
As Phil Asquith of the Lucas Combine puts it, “Harold Wilson’s ‘white heat of the technological revolution’ was burning up workers’ jobs.’
The continuation of this trend over the last 40 years is a major source of the jobless recoveries and income polarisation that are creating the “squeezed middle” of angry, Daily Mail- reading, Brexit voters.
Forecasts suggest that digital technology will eliminate half the jobs in the economy over the next 20 years, but its track record shows that it creates far fewer new jobs to replace them.
One response to this that has become popular on the left is the belief that automation will usher in a post- capitalist society, if we can only feed those useless human workers with basic income.
This is a complex argument, but one thing for sure is that this was not the Lucas workers’ philosophy.
Instead of: “Demand Full Automation, Demand Universal Basic Income, Demand the Future,” they would have reminded us that the romance of high-technology leads to what historian of technology David Noble aptly called: “Progress without people.”
The Lucas workers’ slogan would likely have been: “Demand Democratic Control of Technology, Demand Socially Useful Production, Demand Equality and Sustainability.”
They were very clear that the idea of socially useful production is also about how things are produced.
There is no point in socially useful products if they are made in a way that alienates and deskills the workers who produce them.
They went on to design “human-centred technologies,” in which the point was to use and develop workers’ skills, rather than design them out of the production process.
A skills and people-based, more labour-intensive approach is, in the era of Brexit and environmental crisis, a much better way to create a socially just, sustainable economy than old-fashioned, capital- intensive high-tech mega projects. This is the agenda we will be discussing in Birmingham today.
(source - the Morning Star)
Construction Workers Can’t Be Expected To Work Into Their Sixties by Brian Rye (source - The Star)
British governments seem to think one of two things about construction workers: they're either superhuman, or they don’t give a toss about them. That would be the logical conclusion, given the raise in the pension age, to 68.
With the state pension age due to rise to 67 by 2026 and 68 by 2044, our political elites seem to believe that we are breeding a race of human beings with quite exceptional physical capabilities.
While professional sportspeople are pretty much done by their mid-thirties, with their strength, speed and stamina leeching away by the day, the British construction worker - if you believe our politicians - lives in a world that defies conventional science.
Despite the early starts, the exposure to the elements, the heavy lifting, the long hours, the poor diet & susceptibility to minor injury, these lions of the labour force are all going to get their telegram from the king - because the stats say we’re all living longer.
Sadly, if you have a shred of common sense you will immediately know this is not true.
Construction workers are the same as any other human being. Like professional sportspeople, they can feel their physical abilities start to wane from their mid-thirties.
The only difference being: construction workers have to stay in the game. & not only that, given the increase in the pensionable age, the game just went into extra time.
Empathy is a wonderful characteristic for a human being to possess because it creates understanding and caring for others.
So we have to ask ourselves, as our besuited, overweight politicians sit back in their comfy chairs before skipping off to their subsidised three-course meal in the House of Commons - with a glass of wine or two — how much empathy are they feeling with their compatriots in construction?
Can they imagine the freezing mornings, the hours of standing up, the repetitive physical work or the greasy chips for lunch? It would seem not.
Recent research carried out by the TUC, in a report called Postponing the Pension, shows that a significant proportion of the population won’t reach the pensionable age of 68 in any fit state to enjoy their retirement.
The results show that half a million workers within five years of the state pension have had to leave work for medical reasons, and that nearly half of 60 to 64-year-olds stopped working before their official retirement age.
This is why Ucatt is currently trying to get the Labour Party to support policies that would mean a future Labour government would introduce a flexible pension age for physically demanding professions.
Construction work is hugely physically demanding because it involves prolonged standing, highly repetitive work, heavy lifting, working with the hands lifted to shoulder height or higher, and working with the back twisted or bent forward. It can lead to musculoskeletal disorder, cardiovascular disease and long-term sickness absence.
These work conditions and their effects need to be factored into the calculation of a pensionable age. It is only fair.
At 60, most politicians are on a few company boards, are picking up consultancies, maybe writing a book and reaping the benefits of a lifetime’s work.
The current presidential candidates in the US are 68 (Hillary Clinton) and 70 (Donald Trump) - beneficiaries of a lifetime of comfort, good food, little or no physical exertion and excellent healthcare on demand.
These individuals see no reason to retire - they’re feeling fine. Construction workers often aren’t feeling fine.
We all know that one in four people in Britain will now live to 100 — but what about the other three? At what age will they be checking out? And what jobs are they doing?
According to figures from the government’s own Office for National Statistics, doctors and accountants are outliving builders and cleaners, by as much as eight years.
Men in professional occupations can expect to live to 80, almost eight years longer than those in unskilled jobs, whose life expectancy is 72.7. So people are not all the same - shock, horror! Comparing the accountant to the construction worker is comparing apples with oranges - and yet our governments conveniently ignore this.
Our ageing population and the fears surrounding the viability of the state pension in the future has caused the political class to legislate in a heavy- handed, insensitive and unsophisticated way.
The phrase “we’ve all got to work longer” is bandied about by those sitting comfortably behind a desk. For those leading a more active life, this phrase is just a plain, old-fashioned threat.
To quote ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn: “Living longer doesn’t mean we are able to work longer in physically demanding jobs like that of the firefighter, police officer or paramedic. And it’s not just in the emergency services. Construction workers, care workers and prison officers cannot be expected to work into their sixties. We need a flexible pension age that allows people to work for as long as they want to.”
Ucatt’s campaign plainly states “68 is too late.” It’s a campaign that needs to be fought to a victory - for the sake of thousands of British workers. We need to present our case, find broad support and build empathy within the country. And we have to find acceptance that it may cost us all a little bit more while we’re of working age.
Otherwise we will all be using another well- known phrase: “flogging a dead horse.”
We’ll leave the last words to Mr Corbyn: “If we want dignity for all in old age, then it has to be paid for.”
Brian Rye is acting general secretary of Ucatt.
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Britain’s workers feel stressed and insecure (originally in the Morning Star) by Carolyn Jones
The UK's 31 million workers are among the most insecure, stressed and unhappiest in Europe.
No wonder! According to the latest report by the Institute of Employment Rights (IER), the evidence is damning.
On average, UK workers work more hours per week, more days per year, more years before retirement -- after which, they receive lower levels of pension -- than most of their European counterparts.
In comparison to other European workers they generally receive less education and training, and (because of lack of employer investment) their productivity is lower.
They get fewer paid holidays than almost all European comparators and their pay is so low that a great proportion of them are in poverty --- with the state subsidising employers’ low wages.
And it doesn’t end there. The UK has a high proportion of its workforce in so-called “self- employment,” agency work, temporary work, and/or on zero-hours contracts.
It has more part-time workers who want full- time jobs, than other European countries.
UK workers have less entitlement to redundancy pay, sick pay, and maternity pay, than most European workers.
Workers’ rights to remedies for unfair dismissal and discrimination are set low and have been made practically unenforceable by the imposition of high access fees.
In the UK, unlike most European countries, there is no ministry of labour, no labour inspectorate and a negligible complement of health and safety inspectors.
All this in the fifth richest nation in the world. It is obscene. So what’s to be done?
An excellent starting point is the establishment of Jeremy Corbyn’s Workplace 2020 initiative. Launched in May 2016, the aim of the project is to start a national conversation on what work should be like in 2020.
Under the chairmanship of Ian Lavery, shadow trade union minister, the Labour Party wants to hear the good, the bad and the ugly stories about working life in Britain.
On a recently launched website people can submit their comments, complaints and suggestions on a range of workplace issues.
So whether it’s job security, pay and pensions, training and apprenticeships, diversity and equality, trade unions or health and safety that raises your passion, there’s scope to feed into the policy agenda.
Once again the Labour leadership team is turning out to the country for ideas rather than assuming it knows best in the corridors of power.
Labour is already committed to raising the minimum wage, banning zero-hours contracts, ensuring workers are given access to justice, and giving temporary workers the same rights as permanent staff. But it recognises that more needs to be done -- not just to secure fairness at work but to rebuild the UK's economy and industry.
So, at the request of Jeremy Corbyn and Ian Lavery, the IER drafted a contribution to the review, using 15 of its academic and legal experts. At the heart of our proposals is the need to ensure the voice of the UK’s 31 million workers is heard & respected -- in government (via a ministry of labour), in the economy (via a national economic forum) and in industry (via sectoral employment commissions).
The manifesto offers 25 major policy recommendations for consideration.
It proposes changing the way in which working conditions are regulated. It moves responsibility for workplace regulation from legislation to collective bargaining.
It calls for the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016, the removal of tribunal fees and the introduction of fundamental & enforceable rights for workers, enforceable in a labour court with the assistance of labour inspectors.
The Thatcher concept of individual rights for individual workers has to go. It does little for workers, it’s costly to enforce and it fails to deliver fairness at work.
IER’s manifesto offers a system based on the collective voice of workers, negotiating collectively agreed standards & delivering collectively enforced fairness at work.
A new framework of labour law should be built on the following 10 points:
A ministry of labour
A national economic forum
Sectoral employment commissions
Sectoral collective agreements and wages councils’ orders
Workplace bargaining
A strengthened framework of statutory employment rights
Labour courts and labour inspectors
Employment tribunals
Stronger support for freedom of association and collective rights
The right to strike
Carolyn Jones is director of the Institue of Employment Rights
A manifesto for labour law: Towards a comprehensive revision of workers’ rights --- is available from IER. Go to www.ier.org.uk for more information.
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Why Labour is putting energy reform at the heart of its green agenda Jeremy Corbyn
No issue better connects the environment to people’s lives than energy. To deliver clean, affordable electricity,we need to change our undemocratic system of supply.
We are on course for a climate catastrophe. 2016 is set to be the hottest year on record. Unless the Paris agreement’s target of limiting the rise in temperatures by 1.5C is met, heatwaves like that in 2003, which killed tens of thousands of people in Europe, will become the norm. And that's before considering rising sea levels and desertification, that will sink cities, and kill and displace millions, or the fact that the Earth has already lost half its wildlife, in the past 40 years.
The task for politicians is to propose real solutions to the single most important issue facing humanity. Too often, the environment is considered a matter for scientists, enthusiasts & activists. To increase public understanding and energise the political debate, we need more than facts – we need a programme that resonates with people’s every- day experiences, offering not just warnings, but opportunities and improvement.
No issue better connects the environment to people’s lives than energy. In Britain today, 7 million households struggle to pay their bills because of spiralling costs, while the big six energy companies have seen their profits rise by more than tenfold since 2007. The energy market is not just expensive, inefficient and polluting – it is, above all, undemocratic.
In order to deliver clean, affordable heating and electricity we need to change the whole system of energy supply. When energy is driven by the needs of people, it will be greener – because saving the planet is in the interests of everyone.
That is why I am today announcing a bold new set of policies which will pioneer a democratic, community- led system of energy supply. Over the course of the next parliament, we will use public investment and legislation to promote the creation of over 200 local energy companies, giving towns, cities & localities the powers they need to drive a clean, locally accountable energy system with public, not-for-profit companies.
At the heart of this policy will be a new generation of community energy co-operatives. We will create 1,000 of these co-operatives with the support of a network of regional development banks, and legislate to give them the right to sell energy directly to the communities they serve.
At the same time as building a new publicly run, locally accountable energy system, we will invest in the high quality homes & insulation needed to make Britain environmentally sustainable. We will create a National Home Insulation programme to insulate at least 4m homes to energy efficiency standard B or C. In the private rented sector, we will set compulsory standards at the same level & end the misery of cold rented accommodation. This would save millions of people money on their bills as well as saving energy that is currently wasted on poorly insulated homes.
In order to have any hope of keeping the rise in temperature to 2C – let alone meeting our Paris agreement target of 1.5C – we need to keep 80% of fossil fuels in the ground. This can and must be done. Scotland is already on course to generate 100% of its electricity by renewables, & Britain has an ample supply of wind & water. In government, I'll commit to generating 65% of Britain’s electricity from these sources by 2030.
All of these measures will create secure, skilled employment for hundreds of thousands of people. As part of our transition to a low-carbon economy, we estimate that we will create 316,000 jobs in wind, solar and wave power. We'll use a £500bn national investment programme, with a National Investment Bank and a network of regional development banks, to ensure that these jobs and opportunities are created in places where they are most needed – in coastal towns and areas with high unemployment.
Too often, environmental catastrophe is explained in the same terms as an asteroid hitting the earth. But the problems and the solutions are political – they are about the prioritisation of profit over the needs of people and, at the heart of it all, a lack of democracy in how decisions are made. By democratising our energy supply, and giving people power over their own destinies, we can rebuild and transform Britain so that no one and no community, is left behind.
_________________________
Together --- Stronger!
Change, when it comes, will not come from Westminster. The campaign to save our NHS must become a visible reality on every high street and a priority for Labour members.
The NHS is at breaking point, and as Keep Our NHS Public secretary John Lister says: “by 2020 it will all be over.”
To reverse the damage of four more years of A&E closures, outsourced or pared-down services and reduced access, could verge on the impossible.
MPs who obsess over the need to attract Tory voters may find that the champions who saved a local A&E win more hearts and minds than a lorryload of anti-immigration mugs ever could.
________________________________________
HELP JOHN DUNN
John Dunn, ex-miner and a Labour Party member for 45 years, was blocked from voting for Corbyn, because he challenged Owen Smith for exploiting the legacy of Orgreave for electoral purposes.
He has been told he is suspended from the Labour Party.
John says: "45 years continuous membership and they couldn't even address me by my name"
It looks like the NEC are creating their very own blacklist.
Labour grew hugely under Corbyn and the ''guess'' is --- most of new members were Corbyn supporters.
A DREAM COME TRUE
Support for Jeremy Corbyn from Tyrone O’Sullivan, a fourth-generation south Wales miner, who led a workers’ buy-out of Tower Colliery, to save it from closure.
"I’ve been close to Jeremy since the miners’ strike. Knowing the man, knowing his abilities and his education, it was a dream come true for me when he became leader. His ideas and values are more necessary, here in south Wales, than probably anywhere else in the country. He wanted victory for Labour, but only under our terms - for a change."
O’Sullivan, a lifelong Labour member, says Jeremy is the only true socialist we have had as leader --- for 20 or 30 years.
____________________________________
PEOPLE DESERVE RESPECT
Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership opponent flaunted his contempt for democracy by backing a second referendum on UK membership of the EU.
And MPs pressured Jeremy Corbyn to resign, by constant smears, media lies and attacks on Labour's membership !!!
No wonder the Unite policy conference has overwhelmingly backed mandatory reselection of MPs - to ensure genuine democratic accountability in the party.
____________________________________
Unite pushes for reselection of MPs by Conrad Landin
Candidates ‘should reflect members’ views’
Labour's largest affiliate is now behind the push for mandatory reselection of MPs, as Jeremy Corbyn critics have “destabilised” the party, to ditch anti-austerity policies.
Delegates at general union Unite’s conference are resolved to support the approach, in order “to ensure democratic accountability, and the rights of party members to select candidates that reflect their views.”
Currently, sitting MPs are only subject to a “trigger ballot” -- where they automatically become the candidate -- unless a super- majority of branches in the constituency support a new selection.
London and eastern region's delegate, Kevin Parslow: “The current trigger mechanism is difficult, & weighted in favour of the incumbent.
“We put ourselves up as reps and branch officers for election regularly.
“I don’t think it’s unreasonable for MPs to put themselves up for re-selection. They should be accountable to us, and not to Murdoch’s press: they're there because they have the Labour Party name on the ballot paper.”
Mike Hedges, another London delegate: “Four weeks ago I would have spoken against this motion--- but after the treachery of 172 MPs --- we have no option.”
The union’s leaders are also mandated to “support moves to bring more democracy into policy-making -- by returning powers to the party conference.”
A Unite spokesperson:
“This vote simply reflects the immense frustration that our members feel. They look at the conduct of some within the party, the challenge to the elected leader, and they feel angered.
“They want Labour fighting the Tories, not among themselves.”
KEEP FIGHTING FOR MORE DEMOCRACY!
Momentum and Labour are engaged in a huge consultation to expand democracy in Labour...
WHY NOT PASTE THE LINK BELOW AND JOIN THE DISCUSSION?
http://www.peoplesmomentum.com/democracy-review
* * *
With 640,000 members - and a huge 200,00 joining in just 2 weeks- Labour was the largest left-wing party in Europe.
If you haven't done so already, join Labour, join Momentum, and let's rebuild #BuildOurMovement.
join.labour.org.uk
join.peoplesmomentum.com
_________________________________
GMB Wins Lidl Recognition by Peter Lazenby Ruling affects hundreds of warehouse staff
The Star - General union GMB has won a landmark legal ruling giving hundreds of warehouse workers at giant cut-price supermarket chain Lidl the right to be represented by the union.
The German-owned chain opposes union recognition and resisted the union’s claim.
But the Central Arbitration Committee, whose decisions are legally binding, supported the GMB case, and gave the union full rights to represent and negotiate on behalf of its 223 members among warehouse workers at Bridgend, south Wales.
GMB now presses ahead with its campaign for recognition at 8 more Lidl warehouses across England and Scotland.
National secretary Justin Bowden says: “Lidl’s attempts at union-busting were quite properly thrown out by the judge --- in a massive victory for rights at work.
“[Wednesday’s] ruling opens the gates to not only improving employees’ pay & terms and conditions at the Bridgend site, but is also a major victory for the GMB’s campaign for a trade union voice at the workplace.
“The suggestion that Lidl’s workers don't need the option of a trade union to stick up for them and fight for their interests is baloney, pure and simple.
“As a result of today’s ruling, employees will get the chance to decide for them- selves, if the company’s own ‘personal personnel hotline’ is any match for an independent union taking their side & defending their interests in the workplace.”
GMB Wales and south-west regional secretary John Phillips adds: “Regrettably, Lidl continues to show both hostility towards GMB & shameful disregard for the wishes of its own workforce, with expensive challenges against fair and objective decisions made by independent third-party organisations.”
Lidl is also resisting attempts by shop workers’ union Usdaw to recruit and represent staff in its supermarkets.
An Usdaw spokesperson said: “Lidl will not even let our representatives into stores, to talk to staff.”
Lidl has 637 stores & 9 regional distribution centres --- employing over 18,000 staff. Its ambitions to expand in Britain, could see it more than double in size --- with plans for 1,500 stores & 2 more distribution centres.
_______________________________
Tax offices’ own cleaners don’t get minimum wage
Cleaners at 6 government offices on Mersey- side walked out over their employer’s failure to pay them the legal minimum wage.
The staff began the two-day strike, because they have not received that £7.20-an-hour rate the government introduced on April 1.
_____________________________________
Wales: 50,000 days lost due to teacher stress
The number of teachers off sick due to stress in Wales has soared by thousands in just one year, new research shows.
Stress-related illness caused the 51,795 sick days: an increase of 2,568 on 2014, freedom of information figures revealed.
______________________________
Unions stood by Corbyn & McDonnell
The entire labour movement could have been concentrating all of our efforts - on bringing down this mean government.
Instead, 172 Labour MPs launched an attempted coup on Corbyn. If it's true that Angela Smith MP described the 10,000 activists, including general secretaries of affiliated trade unions, who were at a recent pro-Corbyn rally, as “dogs,” --- then serious questions need to be asked about the relationship between the PLP and the trade union movement.
Every trade union in Britain has regular elections for shop stewards, branch secretaries, and their general secretary.
It's time those who fund the Labour Party demanded the same level of democracy for sitting MPs.
Anything less than a mandatory reselection of MPs before every parliament is now untenable.
Let’s get this straight: none of these MPs backed Corbyn for leader, most of them abstained in the Welfare Reform Bill, many of them voted for the Iraq war, & to this day, hero-worship Tony Blair.
The 172 Labour MPs aren't just trying to change the Labour leader -- they are plotting to drag the movement back to a Blairite view of politics.
The vote of no confidence wasn't just an attempt to oust Corbyn --- it was a declaration of war on the entire organised left.
The gloves are off and there’s no going back. Everyone will need to decide: which side are you on? I stand with Corbyn and McDonnell.
Dave Smith is co-author, with Phil Chamberlain, of Blacklisted: The Secret War between Big Business and Trade Unionists, (New Internationalist Publications).
________________________________
RMT: We Must Fight Assault On Our Rights Union ‘disappointed’ with lack of action from TUC
Unions should move to take “generalised” strike action: with or without a go-ahead from the TUC, RMT activists insisted.
The union was meeting in Cardiff that week --- but you wouldn't know it, if you'd read the Welsh press!
Delegates at the transport union’s annual general meeting in Cardiff expressed disappointment that fiery rhetoric about defeating new anti-strike laws was not followed up with action.
The union unanimously passed a motion expressing concern at the TUC’s “lack of campaigning” on the issue and called for a “high-profile campaign.”
Leeds delegate Trevor Howard said: “Personally, my own view is that the TUC is a waste of space and it needs to be reorganised.”
The Trade Union Act, which received Royal Assent last month, imposes arbitrary thresholds on strike ballots & other curbs on labour movement activity.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “It’s fundamentally undemocratic when you put these thresholds in.”
He said unions must respond to the law by ramping up their organising. “Whatever we do, we’ve got to make sure we get our members’ support,” he said.
And he praised Jeremy Corbyn’s Workplace 2020 agenda, which aims to introduce new labour rights.
“What we need to be doing is turning the tables,” he added: “We’ve got to get an alternative to this legislation --- to get us positive rights.”
Cash blasts ‘self-indulgent MPs’ for sabotaging left’s moment
“Self-indulgent” Labour MPs have squandered the left’s best moment to go on the offensive, RMT's general secretary, Mick Cash, stressed.
He used his address to the transport union’s annual general meeting to warn of “massive fights ahead” amid “political and economic turmoil.”
He said the divisions in the Tory Party and shockwaves in the world of capital should have been an opportunity for the left to get its message across. But he said this had been sabotaged by the frontbenchers resigning and calling for Jeremy Corbyn’s head.
He fumed: “What have they done? Self-indulgence. They’ve created division, they created a lack of leadership of progressive forces.
“They’ve created a situation where, if we’re not careful, we’ll have a Tory government ------ and worse, a Tory government supported by Ukip.
“We need to seize the opportunity to put forward an agenda to fight against austerity, against cuts and for workers’ rights. But that won’t happen if our politicians in London are playing the game they’re playing.
“Ordinary working people are sick of the political class and what they’re doing --- and yet they’re doing it again.”
_______________________________________
Putschist MPs ‘Let The Tories Off The Hook’ Unions rally round previous Labour leader
Union reps on Labour’s ruling executive signed a defiant statement to show that Mr Corbyn still has institutional support.
The leader of Labour’s most recent affiliate Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack pointed his hoses at the quitters, saying their action was “co-ordinated to cause maximum damage” to Mr Corbyn.
“It is bizarre that some of the MPs making the loudest criticism of Jeremy Corbyn over the referendum -- completely failed to convince the electorate in their own constituencies,” he said.
“After the referendum, Labour should be setting out policies to defend jobs, public services & wages, as an exit from the EU is negotiated. Instead, some Labour MPs are playing irresponsible & silly games, from their Westminster bubble.”
Unite south-east secretary Jenny Formby, one of the executive members behind the statement in support of Mr Corbyn, said it was “nonsense” to blame him for the result. “Now, more than ever, is a time for loyalty and unity,” she stormed.
Communication Workers’ Union leader Dave Ward fired off a missive, stating Mr Corbyn “has our full support” as leader.
“Jeremy Corbyn is, and remains, the catalyst for change in the Labour Party and the country,” he said. “Those who seek to oust him, represent the politics that forgot ordinary people.”
And food union BFAWU turned up the heat. They said plotters would “only serve to let the Conservative government off the hook for the damage they've heaped upon our communities & the crisis they've caused in pursuit of power.”
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WHERE IS MOST UK YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT?
WALES!
(WHERE IN WALES? GUESS !!!)
Youth unemployment rates in some parts of Britain, such as the North East, have reached the highest recorded level ever, recent data gathered by the GMB union shows.
The GMB report says unemployment rates among people aged between 18-25 have hit record levels.
Wales is top of the unemployment list, with almost 23,000 claimants. The GMT reveals that some parts of Wales have a jobless rate of 37%.
Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary:
"In the UK there are nearly 400,000 young workers aged 18-24 claiming jobseeker's allowance. When you add to that number the rest of the young people not in jobs, but seeking work, the real number is more than double that figure.”
The number of young UK job seekers is really almost one million;- which makes this young generation the real victims of the current recession in Britain.
Kenny again: “The Government is in denial that it is deliberately creating unemployment.”
This is while reports say almost 150,000 jobs are under threat across the country.
What Wales needs is AN ECONOMY
ONE THAT WILL LAST
"Regional aid" - artificially importing factories that owe no allegiance to Wales - has failed.
Innovation means NEW ! New thinking.
Stop moaning about the past. Start building an economy NOW, for our youngsters.
Or else!!!
New means old, if you want to build a genuine economy. From the ground up, means exactly that!
Agriculture, producing smart new food and drinks. But based on our strengths.
All the land we need is here, and if we look up, 80 percent of Wales' "valley" land is up in the air, like Penrhys!
And it's almost unused. Imagine! All that land from the Rhondda over to Aberdare and beyond.
I'm sure people with vision can see orchards and new products... new ways of working, etc.
All it requires is a WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE.
ALL TOGETHER NOW FOR PEACE
The UK's TUC is calling on the UK government to end its meddling policies in the Middle East and North Africa. “The “war on terror” is still continuing and has failed, after ten years, to bring the promised peace and stability to either the Middle East or the wider world,” the motion says...
UK FOLLOWING US DOWN THE DRAIN
Last year’s table of 10 top EU economies - assessing income, prices, working culture & public spending, put the UK in last place.
The UK now has the 4th-highest retirement age of any country averaging 63.1 years - and this,thanks to the Tories AND a supine work-force, is set to keep rising higher and higher.
Average net household income after tax, (and remember, this "average" includes the stinking rich) is £37,172 a year, but even after ignoring the ridiculously high "average", this is now much lower than the average amount earned in Ireland, the Netherlands & Denmark, where there are less of the obscenely rich, to distort the figures.
In Wales, we know that the "average" worker earns far less than this: (£15,000 after tax)
Life for most in the UK is set to get even worse - if people don't fight back - as public services are to be cut more, after the next Spending Review ..and will lead to budget cuts of up to 40% in many public service departments.
France and Spain again top the quality of life index, as workers there have more paid holidays, earlier retirement, lower prices, longer life expectancy and, just to rub it in... better weather.
There are no separate figures for Wales.... why?
Could it be that knowing... might lead to discontent or is it because Welsh workers, with their vibrant economy, as they stop mindlessly following London... and build their new economy, are now so well off, that the English might get jealous? Yeah, right!
The lesson is obvious. Strong unions with gutsy membership abound on the continent, while UK residents sink apathetically down & down & down.
As Tony Blair said: we British are "special".
We think life gets better for us if we let the bankers of London exploit the rest of the world, and our non-working workforce sinks into apathy and selfishness...
Makes you proud, doesn't it! Does it?
WORKERS ACROSS EUROPE UNITE & FIGHT TO STOP CUTS PEACE - NOT WAR AND LOOTING !
Workers from across Europe took part in a major demonstration in Brussels --- to demand that austerity measures be dropped in favour of an end to wars & for peaceful reconstruction.
Europeans took to the streets of Brussels to demonstrate against wage & pension cuts and diminishing job opportunities.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), one of the EU's leading unions, says that about 100,000 people from 30 countries took part, and police estimates say 20,000.
“Cutting in a recession's crazy and we must fight it,” AFP quotes the ETUC's general secretary, a prominent UK union leader.
Marches also took place in Portugal, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Serbia, Romania, Poland, Ireland and France.
The rallies coincided with a general strike in Spain where the government froze pensions and cut the salaries of government workers.
“This is the worst economic crisis in the post- war history of Western Europe,” the eTUC leader adds.
"We call for a rethink and a change - in Spain and in Europe. We are mobilizing, and they will have to listen to us."
The union says European workers could be the main victims of a financial crisis set off by bankers and traders.
Many European governments have imposed reductions in wages, pensions & employment - to deal with the escalating economic issues.
The OECD has released its long awaited Action Plan to curb "base erosion and profit shifting" (BEPS) by large multinational enterprises.
"The OECD Action Plan has the ambition to effectively curb tax evasion by large multinational enterprises – but it is a plan, and it needs effective commitments by governments and effective implementation,” says ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.
The Action plan consists of 15 measures to strengthen corporate income tax rules and prevent tax avoidance through manipulating intra-group transfer pricing between subsidiaries, and the use of empty shell companies in low tax jurisdictions.
Tax challenges created by globalised production and service systems, the digital economy and increasing importance of "intangibles" – r & d, and intellectual property – feature prominently in the OECD Action plan.
