Penrhys, Rhondda Page
A page telling the story of a unique magical village - Penrhys, in the Rhondda !
Poet's Page
music and opinion from Wales' wandering poet.
One Union
D'you Wanna know the Difference Between Heaven and Hell? Well..... in one we trust and put aside all lies. While down in Hell .....nobody even
Misleading Parliament, is a ''nice'' way of saying: lied about breaking the law ---- by arming Israel.
Golovatyuk: Moldova's economy
is in a state of stagnation
May 24th, 8:22pm
(RT.ru)
The Moldovan economy has been stagnating for the
last two years. This was stated by the economic
analyst, Vladimir Golovatyuk.
According to him, the republic's economy is not working
at full capacity. He noted that the country is reducing
the production of goods ------- including for export.
Moldova now receives less foreign currency
in the form of export earnings.
To make ends meet.... the government takes loans:
getting deeper into the debt hole, said Golovatyuk.
"Stating the chronic stagnation in the economy, for at least
two years and looking at how the authorities behave in
relation to this very economy, it is clear --- that the
solution of problems.... is still very far away,"
he wrote in his Telegram channel.
Earlier, former Moldovan President Igor Dodon
said that ...under the pretext of fighting
corruption, the country's authorities
have now.. almost completely destroyed the economy.
German party leader urged Ukraine to
- accept Russia's conditions and sit
down at the negotiating table
May 31st, 8:35pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Ukraine should accept Russia's terms and start negotiations.
This was announced on May 31, by the leader of the party
" Union of Sarah Wagenknecht - For Reason and Justice"
(BSW) Sarah Wagenknecht.
"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Europeans - should
influence Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to accept
the terms and resume negotiations in Turkey on Monday,"
she wrote on the social network X (ex. Twitter).
In addition, she stressed that, for the duration
of the ceasefire, Europe should stop
supplying weapons to Kiev.
Wagenknecht also said that the proposal for a truce
from Russia opens up unique opportunities for a
peaceful resolution of the conflict.
On May 30, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that
the Russian delegation will be ready for direct talks
with Ukraine on June 2 in Istanbul.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
said on the same day that Russia has an open position
on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.
She stressed that the Kiev regime before the second
round of negotiations in Istanbul "is throwing a
tantrum ----- to inflate its price."
Earlier, on May 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
said that Russia is ready to submit a memorandum to
Ukraine during the second round of negotiations.
He expressed the hope that all parties interested in the
success of the peace process, would support a new
round of discussions.
_____________________________________________
Medvedev predicts Germany's economy
will collapse -- due to policy mistakes
May 31st, 3:56pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Russia is waiting for the collapse of the German economy
due to the "stupid" policy followed by the country's
authorities. This was announced on May 31
by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian
Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev.
"However, we are looking forward to the economic collapse
of Germany because of its stupid policies," he stressed
on his page in the social network X (ex. Twitter).
This is how Medvedev reacted to the statement of German
Foreign Minister Johann Vadefuhl that it makes no sense
to expect Russia's defeat in Ukraine.
Vadefulh said on May 30 that Germany does not seek to defeat
Russia in the conflict in Ukraine. According to him, this crisis
will be resolved through dialogue. In addition, the minister
noted that there is currently no "clear peace" between
Russia and Germany.
__________________________________
The media called the current week
unsuccessful for Zelensky
because of the failure
in Berlin
May 31st, 2:25pm
(Izvestia.ru)
This week ended unsuccessfully for the President of Ukraine
Vladimir Zelensky due to the failure of negotiations in Berlin.
This was reported on May the 31st by Bild newspaper columnist Julian Repke.
It is specified that we are talking about the refusal of
German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to transfer
long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
According to Repke, the Ukrainian armed forces are
unable to stop the advance of Russian troops.
"The situation is particularly difficult [for the Ukrainian
Armed Forces] in Sumy, in the north-east of Ukraine,"
the observer added.
On May 30, the publication Responsible Statecraft
reported that Zelensky showed - that he does not
take seriously the calls for a peaceful resolution
of the conflict in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president hopes for the support
of European funds ----- to continue the conflict.
_______________________________________________
Kosachev: Germany's''uncertainty''.....over the
Taurus missiles----- is a game with nuclear fire
May 29th, 9:18pm
(RT.ru)
Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev
expressed the opinion that Germany's uncertainty regarding
the supply of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine
is a dangerous game.
"Berlin's attempts to play into the uncertainty surrounding
Taurus, are a game -- with nuclear fire," Kosachev wrote
on his Telegram channel.
He pointed out that even if the markings on the weapons are
changed, this will not change the fact: that long-range
German-made missiles can strike Russia with the
consent of Germany --- and under its control.
Kosachev added that all responsibility for such actions will be
borne by those who make decisions in Berlin, and not by the
Ukrainian military, who ''formally'' launch the missiles.
Earlier, Kosachev said that the supply of long-range
weapons to Ukraine, would be a sabotage of the
whole world.
_________________________________________________
Shvytkin: Russia may enter into a conflict
with Germany over the transfer of Taurus
to Kiev
May 29th, 1:46pm
(RT.ru)
The likelihood of a conflict between Russia and Germany
will arise if Berlin transfers long-range Taurus missiles
to Kiev, State Duma Deputy Yuri Shvytkin believes.
"There is such a risk. Step by step, the countries of the NATO
bloc are approaching the third world War," he said in an interview with Lenta.ru".
The deputy pointed out --- that Taurus will be able to fly
not only to Moscow, but also to other Russian regions,
and this is unacceptable.
Shvytkin stressed that in this case, Russia will perceive
the German missile strikes as an act of aggression
on the part of Germany.
"We need to remember how the situation with strikes on
Russia last time, in 1945, ended for the Germans,"
the deputy stressed.
Yuri Shvytkin previously said that the Russian air defense
forces --- can repel the long-range missiles of the West.
Trump advised Macron:to sort out
relations with his wife... behind
closed doors
May 30th, 9:21pm
(Izvestia.ru)
French leader, Emmanuel Macron, should keep the door
closed to the public when sorting out family relations.
This was stated on May 30 by US President Trump
during a press conference.
"Make sure that the doors are closed," he said.
The corresponding question to the US leader was asked by one of those present.
The US president also said that he knows Macron "very well".
"I don't know what happened there. But I know
him very well. They're all right," Trump said.
_______________________________________________
Zakharova did not believe Macaroon's words
....about his desire for peace in Ukraine
May 29th, 2:46pm
(Izvestia.ru)
After reports of French soldiers serving in the Armed Forces
of Ukraine (AFU), it is hard to believe the words of French
President Emmanuel Macron about his commitment to
the peace process. This was stated on May 29 by
the official representative of the Russian
Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.
According to her, the main point of the article about the
participation of the French military in the conflict in
Ukraine, published on the Franceinfo website... is
that peace talks - allegedly - do not matter. The
diplomat stressed that the media publication
refers to a combat unit called "International
Revenge", in which the French serve.
"The battle group's symbolism ---- has all the hallmarks of
neo-Nazi revanchists: skulls, dark aesthetics, and the
militant slogan: Memento Audere Semper. "Don't
forget your courage" ----- is the slogan, as we
know, of the Italian fascist ------ and one of
Mussolini's allies, Gabriele d'Annunzio,"
Zakharova wrote on her
Telegram channel.
The diplomat also pointed out the neo-Nazi
ideology of this military formation.
"After such assurances from Paris, Macron's rants
about commitment to the peace process - are not at all credible," Zakharova concluded.
France's plans to send troops to Ukraine
have become known
On April 23, a former captain of the French gendarmerie, Jean-
Pierre Fabre-Bernadac, said that hundreds of soldiers in the
country demanded to disclose information about France's
participation in the conflict in Ukraine.
It was noted, that an open letter with a corresponding
demand --- was sent to the heads of both chambers
of the French Parliament.
In Bulgaria,protests began against the transition to the euro
May 31st, 9:26pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Residents of Bulgaria came out to protest
-------- against the transition to the euro.
"Thousands of people came out.... to protest in defense of
the Bulgarian lev in the centre of Sofia. Similar protests
against the introduction of the euro are taking place in other cities of the country," the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reports.
In the city centre, traffic had to be blocked due to the action.
The head of the National Bank of Ukraine, Andriy Pyshny,
said earlier... that Kiev could switch to the euro, as the base currency for the hryvnia.
____________________________________
Cristina Fernández leads surveys
in the province of Buenos Aires,
but...
by Martin Hacthoun,
chief correspondent
May 31st, 1:05pm
(Prensa Latina)
Former president Cristina Fernández, who can run for national
representative, today leads the polls in the province of
Buenos Aires (PBA) above the proposals of
La Libertad Avanza (LLA) and
the PRO.
After the noisy elections for the Legislature of the City of
Buenos Aires (CABA), eyes are now on the upcoming
contest in the province of the same name, the
largest electoral district in Argentina with
almost 40% of the political weight in the country, which will hold its
legislative elections on
September 7.
The most recent survey carried out by the consulting firm
CB, places the current president of Justicialista Party
(PJ) ...above the head of the list of LLA - party of
President Javier Milei - the legislator, José
Luis Espert, and Diego Santilli, leader of
the PRO in the important region.
CB indicates that Cristina Fernández leads the list of
candidates, with 44.4 percent, above Espert (41.6)
and Santilli (36.7). Measuring Karina Milei, sister
of the president and chief of staff, and whom
some see as a future candidate for a
political position, the poll gives
her 32.8 points.
The CB study included defined and undecided people,
and in this section -- the PJ leader is also at the
forefront with 27 percent among those who
are sure they will vote for her, ahead of Espert (21).
After having made a splash in the Buenos Aires parliamentary
elections, in which the right-wing electorate usurped the
PRO of former president Mauricio Macri in his bastion,
now the cannons of the ruling party are aimed at
the PBA for the provincial legislative elections
in September and the national ones on
October 26.
In these elections, half of the Chamber of Deputies of
the Nation and a third of the Senate, will be elected.
In their desire to defeat Peronism, Milei's political owners
managed to get the PRO.... to agree to go together in
alliance to dispute the territory with Governor
Axel Kicillof.
They even call on other forces such as the Radical Civic
Union headed there... by deputy Facundo Manes, to
whom the CB survey gives 32.4 points, placing
it in sixth place among the applicants.
Milei's side is going to bet everything - and the president in
particular will spend large capital to support Espert, and
expectations are growing among analysts --- if he will
also steal the PRO's electorate as he did in CABA,
where Macri's party was dismantled.... in the
struggle between right-wing leaders.
______________________________________
Attack on home of Chilean
communist leader Daniel
Jaduecondemned
May 31st, 11:25am
(Prensa Latina)
In an event in front of the La Moneda Palace, protesters
condemned the attack on the home of the Chilean
communist leader of Palestinian origin, Daniel
Jadue, who is under house arrest today.
During the demonstration, Brazilian human rights lawyer
and Jadue's wife - Anjuli Tostes -- thanked the peoples'
expressions of solidarity after unidentified individuals
threw a bucket of red paint on the door of his house.
“We live in a dual world, where there is light and shadow.
In the morning, we woke up with this aggression, but
later we received very powerful messages of unity
that fill us with joy”, Tostes told Prensa Latina.
It is not the first time that the home has been vandalized since
the former mayor is also under house arrest for alleged
crimes in the negotiations of the Chilean Association
of Municipalities with Popular Pharmacies, a case
reported here - as legal persecution.
Presidential candidate for the Communist Party of Chile
(PCCh), Jeannette Jara ---- called on the authorities to
investigate this action and reach those responsible
- both materially and intellectually - because these violent events ------ cannot be allowed to be normalized.
“Enough ofhate attacks in Chile”,
he wrote on his X account.
For his part, the president of the CCP, Lautaro Carmona,
he denounced that Jadue faces the fascist hatred of
those who do not accept different ideas and
recalled his position: condemning the
genocide committed by Israel -
to try to exterminate the
Palestinian people.
Photo: José Tito Meriño (PhotosPL)
Exhibition against US blockade
Lets Cubans laugh at nasty US
May 31st, 10:26am
(Prensa Latina)
“Humour cannot be blockaded” ---- is the title of the open exhibition at the International Press Centre, in Cuba's
capitol, Havana, against the policy of the economic,
financial and commercial blockade the US insists
on ---- towards Cuba.
The artists Arístides Hernández, Ismael Lema, Adán Iglesias,
Enrique Lacoste, José Luis López, Osvaldo Gutiérrez,
Alfredo Martirena and José Alberto Rodríguez,
participate in the exhibition.
At the inauguration, Cuba's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Carlos Fernández de Cossío, highlighted --- that it is an artistic expression and humour --- which constitutes a manifestation of the expression of the Cuban people ---- in rejection of the aggression of the United States for over six decades.
''It is not something new.. in our history, it has been a tradition in
our country, in the revolutionary process, to express in multiple
ways, including with graphic humour, the population's
rejection - of such a persistent and ruthless war
against the people of Cuba.''
He stressed that the United States aggression towards Cuba
is ruthless; It is not military aggression, but it is destructive,
which has been - for more than 60 years - against all the
people of Cuba.
He expanded... that if there was doubt --- it would be enough to
see the recent statements, from the last week, by Secretary
of State (Marcos Rubio), which leave no room for doubt,
that in the problems between Cuba and the United
States there is a country that is an aggressor,
which is the United States, and... there is a
country that is a victim of US aggression.
''Our people have been able, by their nature, their culture, their idiosyncrasy, to use humour - to express even the
strongest repudiations, the strongest rejections, against imperialism, and these caricatures are an expression of that.''
Cossío stated that the Cuban people --- ''as stoic as they are, as optimistic as they are, have been able to show humour
even in the most dramatic moments, and in the
moments - when the most heroic acts are
carried out, therefore it should not be
surprising that, even in the face of
the economic war against Cuba,
it is expressed in that way, in
graphic manifestations - by our artists.''
__________________________
Hungarian Minister Boca:
EU risks disappearing
like Atlantis
May 30th, 10:17pm
(RT.ru)
The EU has retreated from its values and risks disappearing... like Atlantis, the Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs, Janos Boca said.
According to him, Brussels "deviates from freedom of speech
and has forgotten the true meaning of the word tolerance."
"Our grandchildren... will listen to stories about Europe that once
existed, just as we listen to stories about the sunken Atlantis,"
Miroshnik expressed the opinion that for many Europeans,
the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine...... is a political death.
_____________________________________________
Reuters reported on the first
default on Ukraine's debt
May 30th, 9:34pm
(Izvestia.ru)
The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine will not pay holders of
its GDP warrants (a state security, where payments are
related to GDP growth. Ed.) about $665 million, which
will be the first default on payments ------ since the
creation of these tools. This was announced
on Friday, May 30, according to the
Reuters news agency.
"Last year, the Ukrainian parliament approved a moratorium
on payments on securities linked to GDP," the agency said.
The country's total debt to holders of securities is about
$3.2 billion.
Scheduled default: what does the deterioration
of Ukraine's credit rating mean?
The West, despite this, continues to lend to Kiev.
Earlier, on April 24, the FT learned about the possible default
of Ukraine. The country failed to reach an agreement with
investors on the restructuring of $2.6 billion of debt, in
connection with which Kiev may default.
It is noted that this situation has undermined the hope of
the Ukrainian side to carry out a restructuring before the payment deadline expires — in May, the state must pay $600 million on securities linked to GDP.
________________________________________
One of the opposition leaders
Nika Melia - was detained
in Georgia
May 29th, 10:17pm
(RT.ru)
Nika Melia, one of the leaders of the opposition coalition
For Change, was detained in Georgia for insulting police
officers. This was reported in the Ministry of Internal
Affairs of Georgia.
"Law enforcement officers detained Nika Melia --- on the basis
of Article 173 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which
implies.. verbal abuse of a law enforcement officer and/or
other offensive actions carried out in the performance
of official duties, or related to the performance of
official duties," TASS quotes the
ministry's statement.
The Interior Ministry added that Melia
will appear in court, in due course.
Earlier, the former head of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili,
spoke about the critical moment for the opposition of
the republic... without funding from USAID.
_________________________________________
Vucic promised:to block contracts
for ammunition - in the case of
suspected supplies... to the
Armed Forces of Ukraine
May 29th, 9:22pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Serbia will not fulfill contracts if there is a suspicion that
weapons of its production will end up in Ukraine. This
was announced on Thursday, May 29, by Serbian
President, Aleksandar Vucic - on the RTS
TV channel.
"I will certainly issue an order and a warning: where there
is a suspicion of abuse on the part of the end user, that
is, sending them to the front line, such contracts will
not be executed," the head of state said.
Vucic denied reports that Serbia supplied weapons to
Ukraine via Africa. He noted that the country
currently produces only for itself.
In addition.. according to the Serbian leader, he has already discussed the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vucic did not disclose the details of the conversation but clarified that a working group was created "to establish
the facts."
Earlier, on May 21st, Vucic said that he would not run away from the question of the head of EU Diplomacy Kai Kallas, about a trip to Moscow to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War (WWII).
According to him, Kallas - was the only one at the EU Political Community summit in Tirana who publicly condemned his trip to the Russian capital.
Before the end of this year ------- these countries are
expected to sign a military cooperation agreement.
On Monday, Laureano Ortega Murillo, Nicaragua’s envoy for
relations with Russia, met in Moscow with Vyacheslav
Volodin, speaker of the Russian Parliament’s Lower
House, to discuss economic, legal, and cultural
cooperation between the two countries.
“Despite global challenges, our cooperation is growing stronger.
We have come to understand each other better, united in the
face of shared challenges, and have done everything
possible to overcome them,” Volodin said.
Ortega Murillo — son of Nicaragua’s co-presidents, Daniel
Ortega and Rosario Murillo — focused his remarks on his
recent participation in Victory Day commemorations on
May 9. “Through this, we wanted to emphasize that we
are very grateful to the Russian people, for liberating
us from fascism and Nazism,” he said.
Volodin and Ortega Murillo also discussed the upcoming
meeting of the bilateral cooperation commission.
Currently, Moscow and Managua are working
to establish a legal framework -------- for
interparliamentary cooperation.
Before the end of this year, Russia and Nicaragua are expected
to sign a military cooperation agreement, which received
Kremlin approval in 2024. Earlier this year, the two
countries signed a cybersecurity training
cooperation agreement.
teleSUR English
@telesurenglish
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Nicaragua: Thousands of people mobilized to support peace and the government. Rosario Murillo explained that peace is defended as the supreme and absolute truth.
_____________________________________
Venezuela’s Revolutionary Coalition
Wins 23 Governorships
May 26th, 7:48am
(teleSUR)
The Simon Bolivar Great Patriotic Pole
secured most of the country’s
key governorships.
At the end of Sunday’s election day, Venezuela’s National
Electoral Council (CNE) announced that the Simon
Bolivar Great Patriotic Pole (GPPSB) coalition
had won 23 of the country’s governorships,
including that of the disputed Guayana
Esequiba region.
After 93% of the ballots had been counted, the CNE said
the GPPSB coalition secured most of the country’s key
governorships, demonstrating what officials described
as popular support for President Nicolas Maduro and
the Bolivarian Revolution.
According to results announced by CNE Vice President Carlos
Quintero, GPPSB candidate Luis Marcano Salazar, won the
governorship of Anzoategui state, with 87% of the vote.
In Apure state, candidate Wilmer Rodriguez won with
96% of the vote, and Joana Norelys Sanchez,
claimed victory in Aragua state.
Other victorious candidates from the ruling coalition included
Yulisbeth Garcia in Bolivar state with 88%, Donald Rafael
Donaire in Guarico with more than 93%, and Luis
Ramon Reyes in Lara, with 90%.
Incumbent governors who were reelected included Victor Clark
in Falcon with over 80%, Rafael Lacava in Carabobo with 88%,
and Freddy Bernal in Tachira with 80%. Opposition politician
Alberto Galindez, will govern Cojedes state - once again.
In this election, the Bolivarian Revolution forces also prevailed
with Adan Chavez Frias securing 72% of the vote in Barinas,
Luis Caldera winning in Zulia with 64%, and Marisel
Velazquez winning in Nueva Esparta with 55%.
The GPPSB candidates --- also won governorships in Merida,
Miranda, and Monagas: Arnaldo Sanchez Perez, Elio Jose
Serrano, and Ernesto Luna Gonzalez, respectively.
The regions of Amazonas, Delta Amacuro, and Yaracuy will be
governed by Miguel Tadeo Rodriguez, Loa Tamaronis, and
Leonardo Cipullo. In Portuguesa state, GPPSB candidate
Antonio Cedeño won with 94% of the vote. In Sucre
state, Jhoanna Carrillo Malave won with 94%.
The governorships of Trujillo and La Guaira went to
socialist candidates Gerardo Marquez with 92%
and Jose Teran with 91%.
In the Guayana Esequiba region, Admiral Neil Villamizar
won - with 97% of the vote. Celebrating the electoral
victory, President Maduro offered “full budgetary
support” to Villamizar, so that “the people of
Esequibo have all the rights - as people
of Venezuela.”
__________________________________________
Orban announced Hungary's refusal
to finance an increasein the
Ukrainian army
May 24th, 8:50pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban rejected the EU's
plan to finance the Ukrainian army. On May 24, he
announced this on the social network
X (ex. Twitter).
"We need to invest in our own armies, but they [the EU]
expect us to fund Ukrainian [troops] in billions over
the years. We have made it clear - that Hungary
will not pay," he said.
Orban stressed: that it is the duty
of his administration to protect
its own people.
On May 24, Orban held an urgent meeting of the
government, the agenda of which was the
energy threat coming to Hungary
from Ukraine.
According to the Prime Minister, the suspension
of gas transit by Kiev -- and the plans of the EU
Commission to abandon Russian resources
pose risks for Hungary's energy security.
__________________________________________
Cubareiterates commitment
to medical brigadesand
considers solidarity
May 24th, 8am
(Prensa Latina)
Cuba today --- reiterated its commitment to the altruistic
work of its medical brigades in numerous countries & - at the same time, praised the value of solidarity
in the face of the United States blockade.
In a meeting held at the headquarters of the Cuban Embassy
in Spain, the Minister of Public Health, José Angel Portal,
and the president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship
with the Peoples (ICAP), Fernando González, spoke
extensively with representatives of Spanish
solidarity groups.
Portal highlighted the collaboration of Cuban health
professionals for 65 years, in complex situations
and remote places to save lives, with a spirit
of help and effort ........highly valued in
many countries.
He recalled that, over the years, Cuba has offered medical
cooperation with more than 600 thousand professionals
in the sector, who provided services in 165 countries,
facing diseases as dangerous as Ebola, Covid-19
itself ----- or in places hit by earthquakes,
hurricanes, or pests.
Shortly before, the Minister, who arrived in Madrid in transit
after participating in the (OMS) World Health Organization
Assembly in Geneva, had a dialogue with Cuban doctors residing in Spain --- who spent part of their careers on the Caribbean island.
Together with Ambassador Marcelino Medina, who was also at
the meeting with the friendship associations, Minister Portal
spoke about the current situation in the sector, the effects
of the tightening of the blockade, and the limitations
derived, from the inclusion of Cuba on the list of
countries sponsoring terrorism.
He also delved into the impact of this panorama on
medical care for the population, and the need to
look for innovative and creative alternatives
--- to guarantee the continuity of this
fundamental achievement of
the Revolution.
In this regard, he valued, as a priority, mobilizing Cuban
doctors residing abroad who maintain a commitment
and willingness ---- to collaborate with the
development of the country.
Portal made a working visit to the Spanish Ministry
of Health, to promote exchange and collaboration.
For his part, Fernando González, who is also a deputy,
was received in the Parliament of Catalonia, by the
parliamentary groups of the Junts, ERC, Comuns
and CUP parties, as well as by the second
secretary of the Chamber Board, Juli Fernández Olivares.
In his talk in Madrid with solidarity groups - he referred to
the historical moment in 1962 when the historical leader
of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, who announced
the sending of the first internationalist medical
brigade... to Algeria.
The Hero of the Republic of Cuba took the opportunity
to emphasize that the unfair inclusion of Cuba in the
aforementioned ''list of countries sponsoring
terrorism'' prevents - among other things -
any access to international credit -- or functioning normally in commercial transactions.
He placed special emphasis on the International Tribunal
on the blockade, held in Brussels in November 2023,
and what its ruling entails, which reflects the
violation of rights, also, of citizens and
companies in European countries.
In that sense, he announced that work is being done on the
consolidation of an advisory or reference entity due to the
content of the legal conclusions reached by the Court
in Brussels.
The relevance of solidarity ---- and other issues related
to cooperation were also addressed by the president
of ICAP.
He invited people to participate in the international brigade's
''65 years of love for Cuba'' that is held in commemoration
of the 65 years of existence of this entity.
Furthermore, he spoke commendably of the sustained work
of solidarity groups with the Antillean island in Spain, and
he pointed out that the 2026 national event in Asturias
of the State Solidarity Movement with Cuba - will be
especially relevant.
____________________________________
Diplomacy, regional cooperation
------ marked this week in China
May 24th, 7:17am
(Prensa Latina)
Diplomacy, trilateral dialogue with Pakistan and Afghanistan,
the trade agreement with Asean, and the dispute with the
US, marked the news week that ends today in China.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and senior representatives
from sixty other countries ------ will attend the signing of the
agreement to establish an International Mediation Court
based in Hong Kong, the Foreign Ministry reported.
According to spokesperson Mao Ning, the new institution
will be the first intergovernmental body specialized in
resolving international disputes through mediation.
This week --- the Chinese Foreign Minister, his Pakistani
counterpart, Ishaq Dar, and the Acting Foreign Minister
of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, evaluated the
progress of the trilateral dialogue here.
During the meeting, the three ministers highlighted the
achievements made by this mechanism and explored
ways to strengthen cooperation... in various areas.
About the situation between India and Pakistan, Wang Yi
noted, during talks with his Pakistani counterpart, that
Beijing welcomes and supports both nations ------ in
properly handling differences through negotiation.
Regarding the trilateral dialogue, the Asian diplomatic
chief said that this meeting reinforces political trust
between the three countries.
In economic matters, the importance of expanding
cooperation within the framework of the Belt and
Road Initiative was highlighted, which includes
the possible extension.. of the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor to Afghanistan ----- with a
view to strengthening regional connectivity.
Beijing and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) announced this week, the successful closing
of all negotiations for version 3.0 of the Free Trade
Area between both parties.
This includes.. new chapters on digital economy, clean energy,
connectivity in supply chains, technical regulations, customs
& consumer protection, micro support, small and medium-
sized companies, and technological cooperation.
In another order, the Chinese government this week expressed
its firm rejection of the new restrictive measures announced
by the United States regarding technological exports
that directly affect advanced chips --- such as the
Huawei Ascend.
Also these days, Beijing expressed its deep concern about
the US policy focused on unilateral security, regarding
President Donald Trump's statements about
the creation of a ''Golden Dome''.
According to spokesperson Mao Ning, this position contradicts
the universally accepted principle that no country's security
should compromise that of others ------ and threatens the
global strategic balance.
______________________________________
Deputy demands:that energy control
returns to the people of Puerto Rico
May 24th, 5:27am
(Prensa Latina)
Faced with the crisis in which Puerto Rico's energy system,
controlled by foreign companies, is mired today ---- the pro-
independence deputy Adriana Gutiérrez demanded: “the
return of electrical service to the hands of the people”.
“From the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) --- we strongly
demand the return of electrical service to the people of Puerto
Rico because we firmly believe - that access to electricity is a
human right fundamental and an essential service in the lives
of Puerto Ricans”, said the legislator when reacting to
statements by the Energy Tsar, Josué Colón, about
the cancellation of the LUMA Energy contract
during the course of this year.
He maintained that repeating the same LUMA Energy
contracting process, which, as you may remember,
was approved in less than an hour, in dark rooms
and through a pusillanimous and extremely
deficient legislative process, it can't be
an option.
“The country is watching over them”, Gutiérrez warned,
maintaining that the people are clear, that they were
deceived when the two-party system, in reference
to the New Progressive (PNP) and Popular
Democratic (PPD) parties ------ projected
privatization and LUMA Energy, as the
almighty magic wand that would fix
the shortcomings of the state
Electric Power Authority.
It is already statistically documented that, with LUMA,
blackouts are more frequent and prolonged than
under PREPA, not to mention the string of
increases in the electricity rate that
hurts those who have the least,
and those who have already
suffered austerity cuts.
“Our vocation ---- cannot be other than rescuing the electrical
system and managing it without the evils that the two-party
system deliberately permeated in it --- for decades: poor administration, politicization, substantial budget cuts,
a lack of systematic maintenance, deprivation of
materials --- the criminalization of unions and
workers, and the total absence of actions
to guarantee occupational health
and safety”, he summarized.
Representative Gutiérrez assured, that the PIP proposal to the
country --- is based on the inclusion of people knowledgeable
about energy, public administration and law issues, to launch
the design of a new public corporation that operates without those evils that the PNP and the PPD introduced --- and in
response to the need to transition to renewable energy
sources; that also responds to the principle of merit
in public employment; and is subjected to
rigorous accountability.
“We propose that teachers from the UPR system (University
of Puerto Rico) specialized in energy, collaborate with the
representatives of public interest in PREPA, community organizations dedicated to energy and climate crisis
issues, economists, administrators ------ and the
representatives of workers, with knowledge
of the country's electrical infrastructure”,
Gutiérrez explained.
The pro-independence representative announced that
they will soon announce to the country “the details
of our proposal ------------ to rescue Puerto Rico's
electrical service”.
_______________________________________
State Duma deputies:called for
checking the Yeltsin Centre:
for anti-Russian activities
May 23rd, 8:25pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation on May
23 appealed to law enforcement agencies with a demand to
conduct an audit of the anti-Russian activities of the
Yeltsin Centre in Yekaterinburg.
According to them, the organization distorts history, glorifies
the personality of the first president of Russia Boris Yeltsin,
presents the '90s as a period of "democratization" ignoring
the disastrous consequences of reforms: impoverishment
of the population, collapse of industry, criminalization of
the state; and also promotes Western values and holds
events with the participation of opposition and pro-
Western figures ----- who criticize the current
leadership of the Russian Federation.
It is noted that, in the programs of the Yeltsin Centre, the USSR
is often positioned as a "totalitarian state", and its social and
economic successes are hushed up or distorted and -- such
achievements and successes as industrialization, victory
in the Great Patriotic War, major scientific advances,
and space achievements --- are all ignored.
In addition, the public centre indirectly justifies the collapse
of the Soviet Union, presenting it as "inevitable", which
contradicts the official position of Russia on the need
to preserve historical continuity - the State Duma
clarified. They added, that some events show
''sympathy'' for the separatist movements of the 1990s.
As Viktor Tsarikhin, first secretary of the Moscow city
Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian
Federation, pointed out: communists consider
it unacceptable to finance the organization
by the state --- since it - in their opinion -
propagates "unpatriotic" views among
young people, serves the interests of
those oligarchic groups associated
with Yeltsin's regime -- is a tool for
rewriting history --- and opposes
the course --- of strengthening
sovereignty, and traditional
values in modern Russia.
"The contents of their expositions - require separate
consideration for their presentation of history and
in principle - the falsification of history - because
there are deep suspicions --- about a number of
the expositions presented in Yekaterinburg --
which do not correspond with reality,"
Tsarikhin stressed.
In July 2024, a rally was held in Moscow, against the
opening of the Yeltsin Centre branch in the capital,
organized by the Communist Party of the Russian
Federation. Dozens of people took part in the
protest action.
According to representatives of the party - the intention
to perpetuate the memory of Yeltsin - a soviet traitor -
is deeply immoral - and close to blasphemous.
_______________________________
Eurovision winner JJspeaks out for
Israel'sexclusionfrom the contest
by Alexander Alekseev
May 23rd, 4:13pm
(Rossiyskaya Gazeta)
"They excluded Russia, but not Israel," the Austrian singer
Johannes Peach.... who won the Eurovision Song Contest
2025 under the pseudonym JJ complained to journalists.
Now he is a singer at the Vienna Opera, in great demand
among journalists. That's why.... he took a chance - to speak out about politics.
"It is very disappointing that Israel is still participating
in the competition. I would like the competition to be
held next year, in Vienna, without Israel," JJ said.
He also recalled that he "criticizes the Israeli government"
and "condemns violence anywhere in the world - be it
Israelis, or Palestinians."
The current Eurovision Song Contest, by the way, was held
against the background of a series of scandals: the flags
of Palestine on the streets of Basel, where the contest
was held, fluttered more often than the flags of other
countries. And fans, wrapped in the banners of the
unrecognized Arab state, lay down on the streets
in front of the transport that took contestants
and leaders of the European Broadcasting
Union to the Euro Village for celebrations.
Yes, and during the performance of the Israeli singer
Yuval Raphael in the semifinals and finals, many
spectators whistled.......... to prevent her.
However, a representative of the Austrian broadcaster ORF
soon reported that JJ's statements reflect only the artist's
personal opinion.
But Martin Green, Eurovision's director, still promised
to - "have extensive discussions with participating
broadcasters, discuss all aspects of this year's
contest and gather feedback."
By the way
The Ukrainian band Ziferblat took advantage of the contest
to, once again, speak out against the Russian Federation.
However, her soloist, who did not find support from the
other Eurovision contestants, eventually began to
complain about... them.
_______________________________________________
Harvard University plans battle:
sues Trump administration
May 23rd, 12:47pm
(Prensa Latina)
Harvard University today filed a lawsuit against Donald
Trump's administration ---- on a new front in its legal
battle against the decision of the US Government
to prevent registration for foreign students.
The petition from the oldest and richest higher education
institution in the country... argues that the measure
issued this Thursday to exclude the school from
the Student and Exchange Visitor Program
Department of Homeland Security ---
violates the law.
“It is the last act of the Government in clear retaliation for
Harvard's exercise of its right - protected by the First
Amendment, to reject the Government's demands
to control the governance of Harvard, its
curriculum and the ‘ideology’ of its
professors and students”,
the lawsuit stated.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a
statement yesterday that “Harvard can no longer
enroll foreign students and existing foreign
students must transfer -- or lose their
legal status”.
DHS Secretary, Kristi Noem, ordered her Department to end
certification of the Harvard Student and Exchange Visitor
Program, citing the institution's refusal to agree to hand
over conduct records for students from other countries
that the federal agency requested last month.
The Trump Administration noted yesterday that enrolling
foreign students is a privilege, not a right” and accused
Harvard management ---- of turning “its once great
institution ---- into a hotbed of anti-American,
anti-Semitic and pro-terrorist agitators”.
A federal judge in California issued a nationwide order that
halted the Trump administration's attempt to revoke the
legal status of foreign students to study and work in
the United States.
The ruling of Judge Jeffrey White, in Oakland, it prohibits
the administration from canceling the legal status of
international students ---- without conducting a
detailed case-by-case review, and without
following the criteria established in
federal regulations.
In April, the Trump administration began its campaign - to cancel the registrations of thousands of international students.
_______________________________________
Chinese company invests
in free zones ---- in Syria
May 23rd, 12:16pm
(Prensa Latina)
The Syrian Land Crossings and Seaports Authority, today,
announced the signing of a strategic agreement with
the Chinese company, Fidi Contracting, to invest
in free zones in Syria - with an area of more
than 1 million square metres.
According to a statement issued by the Authority, and released
by the press here --- the document gives the Chinese company
the right to fully invest in the Hassieh free zone, in the central province of Homs, with an estimated area of approximately 850,000 square metres ---- with the aim of establishing a comprehensive industrial zone, containing specialized factories and production facilities.
Under the agreement, the Chinese company was also granted
the right to invest 300,000 sq. metres in the Adra free zone,
near Damascus, to establish commercial and service
projects that meet the demands of local and
regional markets.
The contract... has a duration of 20 years - and the Chinese
company will commit to implementing the project phases
according to a specific schedule, ensuring its economic
viability & enhancing the role of free zones as drivers
of development ----- and the attraction of foreign
direct investment.
The Syrian Port Authority indicated in its statement that
this type of investment contributes to improving the
infrastructure of free zones and expanding their
industrial and commercial activities..... thus,
improving Syria's position --- as a regional
centre for transport & logistics services.
___________________________________________
New batch of Saudi aid
arrives in Syria
May 23rd, 11:47am
(Prensa Latina)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre
(KSRelief) today announced the arrival in Syria of
the 17th batch of humanitarian aid from the
Saudi land bridge intended to support
the Syrian people.
The centre's deputy supervisor for financial and
administrative affairs, Salah Al-Mazrou,
explained.... that the new shipment
includes a wide range of medical
equipment, supplies & logistical
materials, including 10 modern
fully equipped ambulances...
30 electric generators and
heavy machinery, and
advanced medical
devices.
He revealed that, since the beginning of 2025, the Centre
has sent 16 planes as part of the Saudi aid airlift, in
addition to 625 trucks across the land bridge
--- loaded with food, medical and shelter
supplies, with a total weight greater
than 10,000 tons.
Likewise, he performed 1,261 surgical operations as
part of the Saudi volunteer program «Amal»,
which aims to implement 104 medical
and surgical campaigns,.
Also, training and education programs and economic
empowerment initiatives were carried out, with the
participation of approximately 3,000 male and
female volunteers.
Since 2011, Riyadh has stepped up its humanitarian aid
to the Syrian people, and the total value of projects
provided by the King Salman Centre through
April 2025 amounted to approximately
$488 million --- distributed in 370
projects.. in the fields of relief,
health, education and water.
_______________________________
Correa and Assange together in
Cannes - resonates in Ecuador
May 22nd, 1:03pm
(Prensa Latina)
The echoes of the 78th edition of the Cannes Festival arrive
in Ecuador, where users on social networks comment on
the presence of former Ecuadorian president Rafael
Correa along with the founder of Wikileaks,
Julian Assange.
Both participated in the presentation of the documentary
The Six Billion Dollar Man (directed by the American,
Eugene Jarecki, and --- although he is out of the
competition, it allowed key testimonies to
be shown about Assange's case.
Australian journalist and activist Julian Assange was granted
diplomatic asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London in
2012 and was there for seven years --- until British police
arrested and imprisoned him.
Assange arrived in Cannes wearing a white T-shirt that printed
the names of 4,986 Palestinian children under the age of five
murdered in the Gaza Strip, as a result of Israeli attacks
- since 2023.
To this nation in the middle of the world came the impact of the
joint appearance of Assange and Correa on an international
stage, which has revived the debate on press freedom,
sovereignty and international justice.
''While sold microphones... kneel for a cheque,they step onto cinema's most prestigious stage with dignity ----- and a cause.The servile ones....... do not get there. There are those who fight for the truth ---- and do not sell themselves,'' highlighted Assemblyman Franklin Samaniego, about the fact.
Lawyer Alberto Montenegro highlighted.... how Correa was applauded in Cannes.
''There they understand it, they invite it, they respect it. Here they condemn him with sentences whose logic does not even pass the first examination of constitutional law. If Julian Assange was silenced for his words,
Correa is persecuted -- for his legacy”,
he said.
Ecuadorian media, mostly aligned with the right, released news about Correa's presence on the red carpet of the French film event.
In addition to his political appearance, the former president
stood out for his clothing, which included a shirt with
traditional Ecuadorian embroidery on the neck,
representative garment of his style, with
which, he exhibited cultural identity
at an international event.
At the meeting, the former ruler supported another documentary
linked to his figure: Psychic Influence, a production directed by
Colombian Alejandra Cardona, which focuses on the political
and judicial persecution against the founder of the Citizen
Questions about the upcoming increase in the salary of
congressmen in Colombia increase today while a
project that calls for the reduction of these
remains undiscussed in the Senate.
Even though the salary of legislators is high, a labour
agreement between the National Government and
the union centres stipulated --- a 7% salary rise
for public servants -- extended to senators &
representatives, who will see their monthly
salary rise to more than 52 million pesos
(about 13,000 dollars at the current
exchange rate).
The pact, announced on April 30th, establishes that the
salaries of public sector workers will increase by 7%
this year alone, while in 2026 the increase will be
equivalent to the (IPC) Consumer Price Index
plus 1.9 percent.
According to an article in RTVC Noticias, the increase in
congressmen's pay, is not part of the agreement as a
properly negotiated point, but a consequence that
derives from the state salary structure, in which
any agreed improvement for the majority of
workers also benefits, as a rule, the
highest salaries.
This issue - is the subject of debates, especially because
the revived labour reform in Congress, is currently being
looked at -- as there are strong bids between business associations & union representatives... on daytime
hours - and additional surcharges for overtime
for the working class.
RTVC also highlighted in its report, that, in a country where the
legal minimum wage is 1,300,000 pesos (about 325 dollars),
“the more than 52,000,000 pesos that senators and
representatives will receive starting this year are
equivalent to almost 37 times that amount - not
counting bonuses, travel expenses, air tickets
and other special benefits”.
The former director of the Department of Social Prosperity
Gustavo Bolívar expressed his rejection of the issue, who
thought that with an increase for congressmen of more
than 3,360,000 pesos (close to 840 dollars) the wage
gap with the ordinary worker widens and becomes
one of the highest in the world.
On the other hand, Senator Iván Cepeda recently denounced
that his bill to reduce the salary of legislators was placed in
108th place to be discussed in the Senate, which limits its
options to be analyzed because the current legislature
ends on June 20.
The initiative, which was filed again last January with the
support of 57 signatures for its processing, seeks to
lower the remuneration of congressmen to the
current legal minimum wage.
A proposal similar to the current one already collapsed
last year in Congress --- because it did not have the
necessary majority... to continue its process.
____________________________________________
Kobyakov pointed out a violation of
the procedure for the dissolution
of the USSR in 1991
May 21st, 4:02pm
(RT.ru)
Adviser to the President of Russia, Anton Kobyakov, expressed
the opinion that the procedure for the dissolution of the USSR
in 1991 was violated, so the Soviet Union "still exists legally".
He said this at a press conference following the results
of the International Legal Forum in St. Petersburg.
"The USSR legally exists somewhere,"
TASS quoted him as saying.
Kobyakov noted that this issue "has long been discussed
by experts in constitutional law, including in Western
countries, in the United States, and in France."
"They say this --- because the procedure for the so-called
dissolution of the USSR, was violated. If the Congress
of People's Deputies, also known as the Congress of
Soviets, created the USSR in 1922, then it was
necessary to dissolve it by decision of the
Congress of these very Deputies,"
he explained.
__________________________________
SVR: Brussels admits that Callas'
appointment was a mistake
by Ivan Sysoev
May 21st, 1:10pm
(Rossiyskaya Gazeta)
The Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia,
reported that according to incoming information
..Brussels is beginning to recognize the fallacy
of the appointment of Kai Kallas to the post
of EU Representative for Foreign Affairs
and Security Policy.
According to the SVR, on the sidelines of the European
Commission, they are annoyed by Callas' absolute incompetence. In particular, Callas - "is not able
to take into account the nuances of countries'
positions", and "can only build simplified
schemes", many of which "are devoid
of any meaning".
Callas is accused of being "overly active, prone
to spontaneous and uncoordinated initiatives."
An example of Callas' dissatisfaction, was her recent
criticism of US President Donald Trump ---- and her
statements that "the world needs a new leader."
"In Washington, such bold conclusions are remembered
for a long time," the SVR said, in a statement, which
emphasizes that the United States simply ignores
"tactless diplomacy."
The Service points out that the EC believes that, for almost
six months of being in office, Callas "has not been able to
build working relations with most EU states' leaders."
"She does not cope with her main official duty ---
coordinating the work of the foreign policy
departments of the EU countries,"
the SVR notes.
Russian intelligence also drew attention to the fact that the
head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen,
suspended the head of European Diplomacy - from
preparing strategic planning documents, in the
field of EU defense policy. "The role of Callas
is practically reduced to zero, in discussion
of the topic of the Ukrainian settlement,"
the SVR notes.
The SVR states that the practice of taking into account the
gender and national characteristics of candidates when
appointing them to high-level positions is becoming an
obvious fact. "This leads the EU further and further
away....... from real politics," the SVR said.
"The current international situation ---- does not require
ultra-liberal pseudo-competence from functionaries,
but deep knowledge and professionalism ---- that
European bureaucrats clearly do not possess."
________________________________________________
Russia-China Forum Concludes
in Khabarovsk With thirtyfour
Cooperation Agreements
May 21, 11:08am
(teleSUR)
On Tuesday, the Russia-China Forum concluded in the city
of Khabarovsk, seeing the signing of 34 cooperation a
greements worth US$1.24 billion, spanning the
economy, tourism, culture and ecology.
The two-day forum focused on strengthening economic
partnerships, fostering cross-border dialogue, and
advancing joint innovation and cultural ties.
A key topic was the joint development of Bolshoy
Ussuriysky Island (known as Heixiazi Island
in China).
Governor of Khabarovsk Territory ,Dmitry Demeshin,
emphasized the importance of enriching the island
with economic projects.... while preserving its
natural environment and cultural heritage.
A major focus was the establishment of a year-round
cargo and passenger checkpoint on the island,
which is expected to boost passenger traffic
to 1.5 million annually and cargo flow
to 1.3 million tons.
A key highlight of the forum was the plenary session
titled “Russia and China: Uniting Efforts for Shared
Prosperity,” where representatives from both
nations’ governments and businesses
discussed economic partnerships,
border region development,
investments, and trade,
industrial cooperation
and cultural ties.
Cross-border economic cooperation, has brought tangible
success to businesses in Khabarovsk. Roman Degtyarev,
manager of the Khabarovsk Baltika Breweries, said at
the Russia-China Forum ----- that his company has
focused on developing the Chinese market.
Over the past 14 years, the export volume
of Baltika beer to China has grown 15-fold.
Thanks to close cooperation with Chinese suppliers, the
Khabarovsk-based company BEEZONE uses Chinese
parts to assemble bulldozers for the Russian and
Belarusian markets. Currently, BEEZONE has
developed... into the fourth-largest heavy-
duty bulldozer manufacturer in Russia.
The Russia-China Forum included over 30 thematic
sessions and cultural events, drawing more than
3,000 participants ---- from governments,
businesses and creative industries
from both countries
___________________________________
Citizen Revolution ------
denouncesblockades
in Ecuador Parliament
May 20th, 2:41pm
(Prensa Latina)
From the bench of the Citizen Revolution (RC), the opposition Assemblyman Ronal González announced today -- he will file legal action against the president of the National
Assembly (Parlamento), of Ecuador, Niels Olsen, for denying Assembly legislators of that organization
the floor.
Assemblyman Ronal González, of the RC, denounced this
Tuesday the lack of participation to speak and move in
the sessions of the parliamentary plenary session.
González announced that they will go to court against what
he considered, a blockade by Olsen, of the ruling National
Democratic Action movement (ADN).
“There is negligence and arrogance. These people seem to
not have enough experience with their first job -- to know
that this is a scenario for debate”, said the legislator.
In his opinion, what remains is “buy megaphones” to be able to
intervene and “make the voice of the people feel”, because to
the ruling party, apparently, it gives them “panic and terror”
to give them the floor.
On the other hand, legislator Raúl Chávez, from the RC- Renovación Total alliance, insisted that the creation
of the “bancada de la gente” --- is not yet allowed,
made up of 18 legislators seeking to create a
new parliamentary group, as a strategy
to gain space on the Legislative
Administration Council.
Since last week, when the new Assembly was installed, the RC
claims that Olsen, from ADN, denies them the right to speak
to propose their representatives before the commissions.
The Ecuadorian Parliament came under the control of the ruling
party ---- after ADN managed to place its members in the main
parliamentary positions and even imposed the name of the
RC representative ---- before the Committee on Ethics.
_______________________________________
Milei Dissolves........... Investigative Unit
Probing $Libra Cryptocurrency Scandal
May 20th, 1:53pm
(teleSUR)
The unit’s mandate was to determine whether there were
irregularities in the promotion of the cryptocurrency.
On Tuesday, Argentine President Javier Milei dissolved the
Investigative Task Force Unit (UTI), which had been
created in February to investigate irregularities
surrounding $Libra, a cryptocurrency whose
promotion by the far-right politician caused
loss for thousands of investors worldwide.
“The government considers that the information collected has
been submitted to the Public Prosecutor’s Office and that the
UTI has fulfilled the task assigned by Decree No. 114/25,”
stated the decreee published in the Official Gazette,
signed by President Milei and Justice Minister
Mariano Cuneo Libarona.
The UTI had been established following the scandal linked to
the $Libra cryptocurrency, which Milei promoted on Feb. 14.
His endorsement temporarily boosted its value --- before it
plunged, leading to multimillion-dollar losses for investors.
Milei appointed Maria Florencia Zicavo, chief of staff at the
Justice Ministry and a close aide to Cuneo Libarona, as
head of the unit. Her mandate was to determine
whether there had been any “irregularities
or acts of corruption” ......related to the
promotion of the cryptocurrency.
The text reads, “Milei eliminated the $LIBRA investigation unit
that the government itself had created 3 months ago. Let me
put it simply: Milei is a thief.” The text on the photo echoes
Milei’s own words, “Let me put it simply: anyone who
doesn’t let themselves be audited is a thief.”
Zicavo was authorized to issue operational and supplementary
regulations, and to request information from national and
international entities, without incurring additional
budgetary expenditures.
In April, the Milei administration -- issued a decree limiting the
powers of the Financial Information Unit — the state agency
responsible for preventing and combating money laundering
linked to serious crimes — to intervene in the investigation.
Meanwhile, judicial systems in Argentina, the U.S., and Spain are
pursuing separate investigations into the role of President Milei
and his sister, Karina Milei — who serves as secretary to the
presidency — in possible fraudulent schemes involving the
cryptocurrency. On April 8, the Argentine Congress also
approved the creation of a commission to investigate
The authorities of India and Pakistan agreed to withdraw their
troops ...to the positions they occupied before the start of the armed conflict by the end of May. This -- is reported by TASS news agency, with reference to an unnamed
representative of the Security Service
of Pakistan.
Against this background, India's Deputy Foreign Minister, Vikram
Misri said there is little likelihood of improving relations
between New Delhi and Islamabad in the
foreseeable future.
A senior Indian diplomat, also denied that US President Donald
Trump was mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan
and rejected the possibility for foreign leaders to comment
on the Indo-Pakistani conflict, in such a way.
As the Deputy Foreign Minister of India emphasized, at no point
during the conflict, which was conducted exclusively with the
use of conventional weapons, did Pakistan sound any
"nuclear signals".
____________________________________________
The Trump administration announced
its intention to deport 200 thousand
Ukrainians from the United States.
May 20th, 12:29pm
(Izvestia.ru)
The administration of US President Trump intends to deport 200
thousand Ukrainian refugees who previously had the status of
temporary protection from the country.
For voluntary departure from the country, Washington offers
refugees $1 thousand each. This was stated on May 20
by The Washington Post (WP) with reference to a
draft internal document.
These deportations will be financed from $250 million that was
previously intended for foreign aid. It is also assumed that in
addition to Ukrainians, 700 thousand Haitian migrants will
be deported.
It is specified that the administration of former US President
Joe Biden for the first time granted temporary protected
status to citizens of Ukraine in 2022 after the
outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine.
Haitians have enjoyed this status since 2010, when their
country was hit by a devastating earthquake, and it has
since been extended several times - due to ongoing
security concerns and instability in the region.
Earlier, on May 6th, it was reported that the White House
administration called on Ukraine to accept third-party
citizens deported from the United States. Such a
request indicates Trump's desire to protect the
streets of his country from an increase in
crime, by curbing illegal migration.
The latest report: the US finally lost its maximum rating
Moody's lowered the credit indicator of the US - to AA1
"Drapanuli in Bulgaria". Two members of the Ukrainian delegation escaped ---
during the negotiations
Anastasia Alimpieva (editor of
Operational Information Dept)
May 19th, 3:14pm
(Lenta.ru)
Russian military correspondent, Yuri Kotenok, reported on
the flight of two participants in the negotiations on the
Ukrainian settlement that took place last week,
in Türkiye.
According to him, the fugitives were participants of the meeting
from Kiev --- translator Oleg Golovko and assistant secretary of
the Ukrainian delegation --- named Samoylenko.
As the military commander pointed out, both fled to Bulgaria.
''This is a marker. If they desert in such circles, then everything
is really very, very bad in Nenka. There is no future. There is
no country. The chokehold of withdrawal is getting closer
to the throat. Hopelessness sets in. Insight - for many.''
Also, commenting on the situation, he recalled the words of the
Russian scientist and poet, Lev Gumilev: "If a Ukrainian gets
smarter, he becomes a Russian."
Golovko escaped.... during the break
Data on Golovko's escape - is also provided by CNN Turk. The
journalists clarified that the interpreter left the venue of the
talks during the announced break. At the same time, it is
known that Golovko did not leave Türkiye by plane —
he could have crossed the border with Bulgaria
in another way, probably by car, in order to
avoid the route being traced.
Because of his actions, the Ukrainian side
had to - quickly - find a new translator.
Golovko worked in the office of the Ministry of Defense of
Ukraine, since 2023. He served as an interpreter for
international delegations. He arrived in Türkiye,
as part of the official team of the country's
Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov.
Ukrainians -------- are often looking for an
opportunity to escape from the country
At the moment, Ukraine has a ban on traveling abroad for men
from 18 to 60 years old, which is why citizens of the country
who leave, for some reason, from the territory of Ukraine -
are looking for opportunities not to return.
So, in 2023, the 2021 world champion in fishing by spinning from
the shore as part of the Ukrainian national team, Artur Bilan,
took part in the world championship in Italy, and decided
not to return to his homeland after that. He escaped -
while other athletes were resting before returning
home. He explained his decision -- by family
circumstances, noting that his wife --
does not want to live in stress,
and the children need to
study normally.
At the same time, Alexander Rosputko, a midfielder of the
Shakhtar youth team, escaped. This happened after the
match of the UEFA Youth League, the athlete was ....missed on the plane. As it later became
known, he went to Russia.
A year later, a member of the Ukrainian army hand-to-hand
combat team, Serhiy Kuznetsov -- also fled from the
European Championship, to Russia. At the same
time -- he decided to sign up as a volunteer to
participate in a special operation, although
before that -- he served in the ranks of the Ukrainian army.
A year later, in 2025, the multiple champion of Ukraine in rowing
Larisa Zhalinskaya decided not to return to her homeland. She
fled to Moscow ........from persecution by the Armed Forces
of Ukraine.
Now the athlete is part of the team of the Kherson
region and represents the region at all-Russian
rowing competitions.
________________________________________
In the State Duma - called the price for
Finland for the use of frozen assets
of the Russian Federation
May 19th, 2:30pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Finland will have to pay many times more, for the use of Russian
frozen assets. This was announced on May 19 by the chairman
of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market ---
Anatoly Aksakov.
On this day, the Ministry of Defense of Finland reported that the
government of the country -- has signed an agreement with the
EU Commission on the supply of heavy ammunition to Ukraine
in the amount of 90 million euros, the purchase of which will
be financed by frozen Russian assets.
"This is a violation of international law - and they will have to
answer for it. Finland will have to pay a very tough and serious price --- for illegal actions. They will have to pay many times more - than they can take now," he said.
Aksakov added that such operations will not bring any benefit
to the current Finnish authorities. He stressed that the
mistake of the Finnish government ------- is what it
thinks, today.
"This is only a postponement of responsibility.
But in reality ------ you will have to pay ---- for
everything," the State Duma deputy said.
On May 9th, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that
Denmark, France and Italy will buy weapons for Kiev ---- for
€1 billion. He recalled that on this day, the EU announced
its intention.... to allocate almost €1.9 billion from the
frozen assets of the Russian Federation ----- for
military support of the Kiev regime.
On May 14, the AFP news agency reported that EU ambassadors
agreed on the 17th package of sanctions against Russia.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on May 15
that the EU will immediately begin developing the
18th package of sanctions against Russia.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in turn, did not rule out
that the new package may include a provision on the
ability ---- to dispose of the frozen assets of the
Russian Federation in Europe.
_________________________________
Lithuania filed a lawsuitagainst Belarus
in the ''International Court of Justice''
....due to their migration crisis
May 19th, 1:58pm
(RT.ru)
"The case concerns..... violations of States' obligations under the United Nations Protocol against the Illegal Importation of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air," the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said.
It is noted that Lithuania demands full compensation for the ''damage'', including the cost of building a wall, as well as guarantees -- that such actions will not be repeated.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry claims that they allegedly
have evidence.... of the involvement of the Belarusian
authorities in the migration crisis.
Restrictions on the travel of Russian citizens residing in Lithuania, to their homeland and Belarus - have come into force in the
Baltic Republic.
According to TASS, the extended sanctions mean the
cancellation of the temporary residence permit for
Russians living in Lithuania, who have crossed
the border ''more than once'', within three
calendar months ----------- "without an
objective reason", to get to their
homeland, or Belarus.
In late April, it was reported that Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda ----- approved a law on depriving Russians of a residence permit for traveling to Russia.
[lovely name!]
_______________________________________________
Petro thanked Cuba and Venezuela
for peace mediations in Colombia
May 19th, 10:51am
(Prensa Latina)
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, today expressed his
gratitude to Cuba and Venezuela -- guarantor countries of his
nation's peace processes ---- for their efforts to help seal an agreement between insurgent groups and the Government.
In an assessment made... after a private audience with Pope Leo
XIV that was held in the Vatican during this day, he commented
that he spoke with the Supreme Pontiff on the subject.
According to their statements, which were released in this
capital by the Presidency, the National Liberation Army
(ELN), a guerrilla unit ------ with which peace talks were
suspended four months ago......... it has expressed its
willingness to hold meetings in the guarantor States.
“I thank Cuba, Venezuela - and Cuba, which has suffered so
much - for providing its territory to talk about peace. But I
think it is here, in the Vatican, where you can remember
the theory of effective love, with its crossed powers,
because obviously it is a world of power”, petro
declared in reference to the conversation
with the Supreme Pontiff.
During this day, the ruler met with the bishop of Rome, for about
20 minutes during which they discussed migration, the climate
crisis, and, and the need to end conflicts both in Colombia
...and in the rest of the world.
Petro also extended an invitation to the Pope - to visit the New
Granada nation and urged him in particular to get to know the
region of Chiribiquete, because “is the first land to emerge
from water on the planet”, according to the president.
“On his trip to Peru I would like him to visit Colombia”, he stated,
while inviting him to get to Santa Marta, a city that the ruler
described as “the heart of the world”.
In his statements, the president assured that the Supreme
Pontiff, born in the United States and knowledgeable
about Latin America, can build the bridge that
allows the US government to understand
that, if you prioritize the fight against
migration --------- you will incur the
“murder of your own children”,
when you should focus: on
stopping climate change.
For its part, the Colombian Foreign Ministry - released a statement detailing that --- after the talk with Leo XIV, the delegation that accompanied Petro ---- met with Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, with whom.... they discussed.. the bilateral and regional agenda, and common challenges
on the international stage.
As a symbolic gesture, the source added, the ruler gave the Holy Father ---- a replica of the Balsa Muisca, an Arhuaca backpack -- woven by indigenous women of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a handmade hammock from Morroa (Sucre) ------- and Colombian coffee, as an expression of the country's cultural identity, hospitality, and diversity.
________________________________________
Italian PM Meloni Announces Summit
on African Lobito Corridor Project
May 19th, 9:35am
(teleSUR)
The Western powers seek to secure the world’s
largest reserves of cobalt, copper and coltan.
On Monday, Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni ,announced a
summit with several countries, focused on the Lobito Corridor
—a major African railway project through which the West
aims to compete with China.
The conference, scheduled for June 20th, in Rome, will be
co-chaired by Meloni and the EU Commission President
Cursula von de Leyen. It will also include participation
------ by transnational financial institutions.
The summit aims to “consolidate the work carried out so far”
and “announce the completion of new projects,” Meloni said
at a meeting on her “Mattei Plan,” which funds initiatives in
African countries.... to curb Mediterranean migration.
She intends to align the Mattei Plan with the European “Global
Gateway” strategy to boost investments in Africa. In the lead
-up to the Rome summit, Meloni expressed support for
“continuing to work with the United States on the
major Lobito Corridor infrastructure project,”
as well as with Gulf countries.
The Lobito Corridor, is a railway line in the heart of Africa, where
China and the West ------ are competing to secure mineral supply
chains. The project aims to link ports on Africa’s Atlantic coast
with mining regions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and
Zambia, via Angola.
Currently... the corridor consists of a 1,300-kilometre railway line
from the port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast to the Angolan
city of Luau on the border with the DRC. From there, it continues
another 400 kilometres to the Congolese mining city of Kolwezi,
near the Zambian border.
Plans are in place to build another 800 kilometres of track
to extend the railway into Zambia. The United States
even envisions the corridor eventually reaching
Africa’s eastern coast.
After decades of neglect, the route has regained interest from
Western powers, especially in their race to secure valuable
raw materials. Both Zambia and the DRC hold some of the
world’s largest reserves of cobalt, copper and coltan.
The U.S. % EU support the development of the Lobito Corridor
in an effort to curb China’s growing influence, as Beijing has
already become a key commercial player on the continent.
___________________________________
PortuguesePresident: to Meet Main Parties
Following Parliamentary Elections
May 19th, 8:58am
(teleSUR)
Rebelo de Sousa, will speak with representatives of
the Social Democratic, Socialist, and Chega parties.
On Tuesday, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
will meet with the country’s main political parties to discuss
the formation of a future government. The meetings come
after Sunday’s elections, in which the centre-right won,
the far right made significant gains, and the
Socialists lost 20 seats.
He will first receive representatives of the conservative Social
Democratic Party (PSD), led by caretaker Prime Minister Luis
Montenegro, at 11 a.m. local time. The PSD is part of the
winning Democratic Alliance (AD) coalition. Rebelo de
Sousa will then meet with the Socialist Party (PS) at
3 p.m., followed by members of the far-right
“Enough” Party (Chega) at 5 p.m.
The president will hold these meetings taking into account
the provisional results of Sunday’s elections announced
by the Interior Ministry..... without prejudice to the
districts whose votes are still being counted.
Right-wing parties consolidated their gains in Sunday’s legislative elections. Montenegro’s coalition won, far-
right parties increased their presence in Parliament,
and the ''left'' suffered a setback that triggered a
crisis within the Socialist Party --- leading to
the resignation of its secretary, Pedro
Nuno Santos.
While votes from abroad—worth four seats—are still pending
and will not be known until after May 28, the Democratic
Alliance won the election with 89 seats and 32.10%
of the vote.
The PS followed with 58 seats and 23.38%, the same number of
seats as Chega, which secured 22.56% of the vote. Compared
to the previous legislature, AD gained nine seats, Chega
added eight, and the Socialists lost 20.
Among the remaining parties, the Liberal Initiative (IL) secured
nine seats with 5.53% of the vote; the environmentalist Livre
party won six seats and 4.20%; the Portuguese Communist
Party took three seats with 3.03%; the Left Bloc won one
seat with 2%; and the animal rights party PAN also took
one seat with 1.36%. For the first time, the regionalist
JPP party from Madeira.... entered the Portuguese
Parliament, winning one seat, with 0.34% of
the vote.
____________________________________________
India to launch national campaign
on agriculture and technology
May 19th, 8:13am
(Prensa Latina)
Indian Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today announced the launch of a national campaign from
May 29 to June 12, with the aim of promoting
technological advances in the sector.
The initiative, called Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan will be extended to 723 districts throughout the country -- and seeks to raise awareness among some 150 million farmers.. about the introduction of modern technology. -- and the use of new seed varieties -- chouhan explained at a press conference.
The minister added that a team of scientists will visit nearly
65,000 villages to train farmers in practical and scientific
agricultural techniques.
Chouhan stated that agriculture... remains the backbone of the
national economy, providing sustenance to almost half of the
population, forming the basis of the country's food security.
_________________________________________
Nicaragua: Those who request nationality
will renounce their nationality of origin
May 17th, 6:21pm
(Prensa Latina)
Foreign citizens who apply for Nicaraguan nationality
must renounce their nationality of origin except
Central Americans, the partial reform law
refers to --- articles 23 and 25 of the
Constitution, it emerged today.
The regulations, approved unanimously in the first legislature in
a special session of the National Assembly (parlament) held in
tribute to the 130th anniversary of the birth of Augustus C.
Sandino also establishes that Nicaraguans will lose their
nationality if they acquire another.
According to the explanatory memorandum of the law,
nationality is not an administrative procedure, but a
sacred pact of loyalty, therefore ---- “whoever
acquires another nationality and swears
allegiance to a foreign State, breaks
the legal and moral bond.... with
Nicaragua. There can be - no
double fidelity: the country
demands ----- exclusive
commitment”.
The president of parliament, Gustavo Porras, stated that this
is a reform that is born from the Sandinista spirit and from
those thoughts where he clearly expresses that
nationality gives the right to complain, fight
and get ahead.
“Whoever at this point wants to serve a foreign State that
stops being Nicaraguan and is absolutely democratic, if
only all we say is, he who obtains a foreign nationality
loses his Nicaraguan nationality, he takes the option,
but we know what that means”.
“And that is why Commander Daniel (Ortega) ordered
this reform, because we deepened our revolution,
our Nicaraguanness, our Sandinismo and we
continue to keep the fight going”, the
deputy stressed, in Niquinohomo
Sandino's homeland.
____________________________________
Serbian president -accuses
Europe of destabilization
May 17th, 5:17pm
(Prensa Latina)
The president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, today --- accused
Europe of trying to overthrow his Government by financing
anti-government protests that have been taking place in
the country ---- for more than six months.
Don't forget the foreign factor, how much money is invested to
destroy Serbia, Vucic told tens of thousands of his followers,
summoned for a rally in the city of Nis,
The president stated that billions of euros are invested from
“Europa and the world” to stop what he described as the
country's extraordinary development in recent years.
He also warned that everyone who used dirty money to corrupt
youth will be held accountable“ and warned that ”there will be
no forgiveness or forgetting“.
Vucic expressed his pride in not supporting the sanctions
emanating from Europe against Russia and claimed his
participation on the 9th in Moscow in the events
commemorating the Soviet victory over
nazism in 1945, with pride.
He assured, that he will completely ignore the protesters'
demands against his Government and said that starting
today “I will listen only to the people”, according to
Bolivian party Movement to Socialism (MAS) - designated
the Minister of Government, Eduardo Del Castillo, as its
presidential candidate --- for the August 17 general
elections - along with Milan Berna as candidate
for VP, after the president Luis Arce's refusal
to stand for re-election.
“We have here our brother Eduardo Del Castillo and with Milan
Berna ---- the candidates who are determined to strengthen
democracy,” said party leader Grover Garcia, president
of MAS, in the announcement of the candidacies.
The alliance between the minister and the peasant leader
is presented as the ideal option to represent the social
organizations and trade unions.. that constitute the
base of the ruling party. “Victory is assured,” he
added, after the current president Arce was
completely discarded.
During the past week, MAS leaders met with President
Luis Arce.... to discuss possible candidates.
According to the established calendar, the registration period
for candidates is open from 14 to 19 May, while the Supreme
Electoral Tribunal (TSE) will allow applicants until 6 June.
Arce said in his Telegram channel that he welcomes “with
enthusiasm and optimism this decision” and calls on
social organizations, progressive and left-wing
forces, and the people in general, to create
a unified strategy to ensure the continuity
of the Process of Change -------- and the
existence of the Plurinational State.
On the other hand, caravans of Bolivians arrived in La Paz
this Friday in support of former president Evo Morales,
while the country’s police used tear gas against
the protesters.
Morales Ayma, from his Twitter account made the
announcement saying that “the second great
March to Save Bolivia is already in La Paz.
Sisters and brothers from all over the
country, marching peacefully.... for
respect for their social, political
and economic demands.”
Morales also said that “with a high revolutionary spirit and
loyalty to the people - they demand free, transparent, and
unproscribed elections. Thank you to all the inhabitants
of the government headquarters... who welcome us
with affection.”
_______________________________________________
Maduro celebrates birth
of Venezuelan poet
Aquiles Nazoa
May 17th, 11:27am
(Prensa Latina)
President Nicolás Maduro today celebrated the birth of
the poet Aquiles Nazoa, on whose date Venezuela
commemorates National Poetry Day.
“We must know those who have been protagonists of deep
Venezuelanness, of the values that define our being, the
character, the collective personality of a country, and
#AquilesNazoa is one of those who continues to
feed the national spirit ------- with his luz”, the
president wrote on his Telegram account.
Maduro pointed out that “in honour of his birth, we celebrate
National Poetry Day, recognizing the work of poets”.
A generation that has drawn - in every line - the essence of a
simple people that is moved by the beauty of everyday life,
and that fights daily to build a more human humanity:
''Long live the creative powers of the People!'',
he indicated.
In the video that accompanies the message, Commander Hugo
Chávez (1954-2013) expressed that Nazoa said: “I am immortal
because I am the people”, let us be immortal ---- like Achilles,
“let us be a people and we will be immortal”, he stressed.
Maduro, meanwhile, cited a poem by the Venezuelan in which
he says: “my homeland and its hamlets, its torrential oil,
your vegetable regions and its tumults of rivers, salt
flats and farms, animals of dawn, crying, joy and
sweat, of this land and its people, it is simply
called - Bolívar Libertador”.
The ruler pointed out that Aquiles Nazoa is the poet,
the writer and the minstrel of the people, the
translator of simple things and
everyday poetry.
Nazoa “ continues to fill us with her colour, with her love
and with her humour, we must love our country, love it, and there is no better way --- than through culture, poetry and singing”, he stated.
The dignitary called on all youth to know in depth who
Achilles Nazoa was, who he is and how he “pushes
and drives us ---- to be better”.
I deeply believe, as the great poet said, in the
creative powers of the people, he asserted.
Also the Venezuelan Minister for Culture, Ernesto Villegas,
recalled the 105 years since the birth “of Aquiles Nazoa,
the poet of the simplest things”.
His birth, he highlighted, is celebrated in Venezuela
as National Poetry Day. ''Congratulations, poets!''.
This Saturday, the Aquiles Nazoa Movement will celebrate the
fourth edition of the Poetry March in the streets of Caracas,
in which poets commemorate their Day with tributes in
institutions and busts of prominent universal bards
such as Pablo Neruda, and Gabriela Mistral,
among others.
_______________________________________
"The opposite - is true": Maria Zakharova
explained to the UN Secretary General
who and how really undermined
international law
Zakharova commented on the UN
Secretary General's statement
about a just peace in Ukraine
by Maria Mamaeva
May 16th, 4:27pm
(Komsomolskaya Pravda)
TO SHARE
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on the statement of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.. about achieving a "just peace" in the context of Ukraine and undermining international law.
Earlier, Guterres said ----- a failure to achieve a just peace in Ukraine while preserving the country's territorial integrity ----- could lead to the undermining of international law.
"The UN Secretary-General --- has somewhat violated the
cause-and-effect relationship ----- the opposite is true.
The undermining of international law has led to the
inability to preserve the territorial integrity and
peace in Ukraine," Zakharova wrote in her
personal Telegram channel.
_______________________________
Who won the Istanbul talks: we explain
the results of the meeting between
Russia and Ukraine
by Andrey Zobov
May 16th, 2:49pm
(Komsomolskaya Pravda)
The peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, which the whole
world was waiting for -- with trepidation, lasted less than two
hours. What happened? Breakdown, collapse, failure? No.
As expected by Komsomolskaya Pravda, the situation turned out
to be much more subtle. And we are happy to explain to you, in
simple and understandable language, how the negotiations in
Istanbul actually ended.
Medinsky - summed up the results of the
first round of negotiations with Ukraine
The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, made a
statement after the first round of talks with representatives of
Ukraine. Here's what the parties were able to agree on
WHAT RUSSIA AND UKRAINE AGREED ON
In less than two hours... the Russian and Ukrainian negotiators
managed to reach an understanding on three important points.
They were named by the head of our delegation, Assistant to
the President of Russia, Vladimir Medinsky.
1. Exchange
In the coming days, Russia and Ukraine will conduct
a large-scale exchange of prisoners "1000 for 1000".
2. Talks between Putin and Zelensky
The Ukrainian side requested direct talks
between the heads of state. Russia has
taken note of this request.
3. The Truce
The delegations agreed that Russia and Ukraine will present
their vision of a possible future ceasefire. They will write it
down in detail. And after such a vision is presented, the
parties will continue negotiations - this has already
been discussed.
These same theses, were repeated by the head of the Ukrainian
delegation, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov.
WHO WON THE DIPLOMATIC VICTORY IN THE NEGOTIATIONS?
"Komsomolka" is not going to give away the victory to someone
on its own. One of the most striking indicators of universal
opinion, is the stock exchange. People who risk their
money are the most honest and impartial judges.
- Immediately after the announcement that the negotiations
lasted less than two hours, the Moscow Exchange index
sharply flew down.
- As soon as Medinsky and Umerov made their statements,
the rating of the Moscow Exchange began to grow ---- at
a furious pace.
Comments are unnecessary.
"AS LONG AS IT TAKES"
The dialogue, which was followed by the whole world,
is overgrown with small, but very expressive details.
The Kiev negotiators refused to speak Russian?
First, the language choice is interesting. After the delegations
started the meeting, the Ukrainian media unanimously
announced ---- that the negotiators from Kiev will
communicate with the Russians in Ukrainian.
Through an interpreter. This fact shocked
the Russian media, which picked up
the message.
But journalists on the spot debunked the legend. Yes, there
was indeed an interpreter in the meeting room. But the
Ukrainian delegation did not use his services. After
the representatives of the host country - Turkey -
left the hall, the Ukrainians took off their head
phones and continued the conversation in
pure Russian.
"Sweden would still be a great power"
A vivid detail was published.. by The Economist correspondent -- Oliver Carroll. He wrote that sources close to the negotiations, said that the conversation between the delegations did not look like a normal diplomatic process at all. And he cited an impressive phrase..... of Vladimir Medinsky.
"We don't want war. But - if necessary, we are ready to fight for a
year, two, three - as long as it takes. We fought with Sweden for
21 years. And how long will you hold out?" - Medinsky asked,
referring to the Swedish campaigns of Peter the Great.
And continued: "By the way, Sweden would still be
a great power..... if it wasn't for that war."
RESULTS OF NEGOTIATIONS: explanation
- RUSSIA HAS ACHIEVED ITS GOALS
Nothing has changed for Russia since 2022. Even then, we
were ready to make peace by achieving the goals of the
special operation through diplomacy. No casualties.
The only adjustment is the new regions that have
become part of our country. And, for us, the
beginning of the diplomatic process --- is
a good result, as head of the Russian
delegation Medinsky said.
In addition, we had a second goal - not to allow Zelensky and
the "coalition of the willing" to convince Trump that Russia
is not ready to move towards peace. Now that the
negotiations are officially underway, it will be
even harder for Kiev to convince.... that
"Russia does not want to".
That is why the exchange's index jumped so happily.
And another 2,000 men will return to their families.
This --- is also a small, but important victory.
- UKRAINE HAS ALSO ACHIEVED ITS
GOALS. BUT ONLY PARTIALLY
As we explained, US pressure and Trump, personally, forced
Zelensky to start peace talks. At the same time, this is not
profitable for Ukraine at the moment: the Russian army is
advancing on all fronts, and the negotiating positions
are very weak.
Therefore, Kiev has three real goals::
1. Show Trump that Ukraine is ready for peace.
2. At this time, try to "pull" it to the
side of Ukraine, blaming Russia.
3. Prove to Washington the need to resume military
support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and
introduce new sanctions.
And Zelensky achieved the first goal. Work on
the second and third versions continues.
- EUROPE CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE WAR
The actions of Ukraine and its allies were clearly planned.
And they meant exactly this outcome of the negotiations.
Immediately after the delegations left the meeting room, Zelenskiy, Macron, Starmer, Merz & Tusk called Trump
together. It is not difficult to guess what the main
representatives of the "party of war" were
talking about. It's time to put pressure
on Russia, impose sanctions - and
......continue down the list.
Immediately after the conversation,
public statements were made.
Starmer said, that Russia's position in the negotiations is "unacceptable" because Moscow did not agree to a truce.
Macron added, that Russia ignored the demands of
the United States, Ukraine and Europe for a truce.
Polish Prime Minister Tusk went even further and
accused Russia of "disrupting" the talks,
explaining...... that the Kremlin "put
forward unacceptable conditions."
German Chancellor Merz also blamed Moscow,
but noted that there was "a very small, but
first positive signal" at the talks.
It doesn't bother anyone in Europe that Zelenskiy started by
forbidding himself to negotiate with Russia --- and ends up
demanding a face-to-face meeting with Putin. The main
thing is to force Trump to abandon attempts to make
peace. And return the United States to the place
of the main supplier and sponsor of the war.
And these attempts will continue as long as Europe
believes that it is possible to change Trump's
decision on Russia and Ukraine.
- THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT WANT TO CONDEMN RUSSIA.
Meanwhile... Washington remains neutral. Two
things are very important for the White House:
a). Resume diplomatic relations with the Kremlin to
end the rapprochement between Russia and China,
b). Prevent the conflict from escalating into a
war between Russia and the United States.
Therefore, Trump refused to condemn Vladimir Putin's
refusal to come to Istanbul. And in general, he
almost said that the current negotiations
do not matter at all.
"Only we can deal with this. And we will finish
it. We need to meet with Putin," Trump said.
And he added that "in two or three weeks, the world
can become much safer." This is probably a hint at
the dates when the heads of state may meet.
________________________________________________
Colombia formally requested
entry --- to the New BRICS
Development Bank
May 16th, 10:23am
(Prensa Latina)
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, announced today from China that, on behalf of his country, he formally filed
the application for membership in the New BRICS
Development Bank.
The head of state reported the event in Shanghai, after meeting
with Dilma Rousseff, current president of the aforementioned
financial entity created by Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa in 2015.
According to the statement, a letter signed by the Minister of
Finance and Public Credit, Germán Ávila, it expresses the
interest of the New Granada nation to be part of the
institution - as a borrowing member, which would
let it receive loans - at low rates - to finance
infrastructure development projects,
renewable energies, or health.
The minister also explained to Rousseff ------ that Colombia
“is willing to subscribe to 5,125 shares of the authorized
capital of the New Development Bank, of which 4,100
correspond to shares payable (as collateral) and
1,025 correspond to shares paid (in cash)”.
The above is equivalent to a total subscribed capital
(committed to contributing) of 512,200,000 dollars,
which includes a demandable capital of
410,000,000 dollars.... and a paid
capital of 102,500,000 dollars.
The first payment also details the admission application
letter, it will be carried out within six months, following
the date on which Colombia delivers the document of
accession to the agreement to Brazil's Government.
The request to join the New Development Bank was Petro's last
activity on his tour of China, where he also signed a document
to adhere to the Asian giant's development strategy known
as the Belt and Road Initiative.
From Shanghai, the president asserted ----- that
Colombia is practically now, open to the world.
“With the United States we can talk face to face, if you want;
with China we have talked face to face; and we are going to
talk to India, to Japan; with Africa we have opened many
diplomatic relations. Africa is part of our roots; With the
European world, with practically everyone, we have
a good relationship”, he declared in conclusion.
He revealed that the steps taken contribute
to Colombia “being the heart of the world”.
He also referred to the United States' decision not to
finance Chinese projects in Latin America with its
capital, among which, is the Bogotá metro.
“It seems sane, to me. If the United States considers China
its competitor, why would it make loans from its banks to
the projects that China must finance with its own?”,
A life-size bronze statue of the first lady of the United States,
Melania Trump, was stolen in Slovenia, her native country,
the national press reported today.
Placed on a tree trunk in the middle of a private field near the
town of Sevnica (where Melania spent her childhood), the
effigy replicates a pose adopted during Donald Trump's
inauguration in 2017 and shows her waving.
Its author, the US artist - Brad Downey, wanted, in his
words, to criticize the policy of the president of the North American nation, towards immigrants, remembering that his own wife, born Melania Knavs, in Yugoslavia,
has that condition.
Downey declared himself ''triste'' due to the disappearance of
the work, which was solidly fixed to the trunk with cement
and iron bars, which forced the thieves to cut her above
the ankles, according to local press reports.
______________________________________________
Turkish will go to the polls again
to elect their president
May 14th, 6:42pm
(Prensa Latina)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won most of the votes
in the Sunday elections, with 49.44%, but stayed short of the
50% needed to win the elections in the first round, so.... he
will go to a runoff in two weeks with Kemal Kilicdaroglu,
from the Republican People’s Party who got 44.89%.
The other two candidates in the electoral campaign Sinan Ogan
(5.3%), from the ATA Alliance, and Muharrem Ince, from the
Homeland Party, who had pulled out of the race in a
potential boost for Kilicdaroglu’s chances,
got anyhow... 0.4% of the ballots.
Ahmet Yener, the head of the Turkish election board, said that
71.64% of the votes within the country and 18.76 percent of
the votes from abroad, were entered into its system.
President Erdogan, who was reported to be in the capital Ankara
by Turkish state media earlier in the day ---- made a surprise appearance in Istanbul later in the day, where he greeted
supporters, as he left his residence in the Istanbul
district of Uskudar, local media reported.
Some opinion polls before the election, had pointed to a very
tight race but gave opposition Kilicdaroglu, who heads a six-
party alliance, a slight lead. Two surveys on Friday even
showed him above the 50% threshold, but Erdogan’s
movement did much better than expected.
According to Hakan Akbas, the managing director of political
advisory Strategic Advisory Services, “Erdogan will have an
advantage in a second vote after his alliance did far better
than the opposition’s alliance.”
The runoff will take place on May 28.
_______________________________________
Polish presidential candidate Trzaskowski
says he loves "Russian dumplings"
May 14th, 2:09pm
(RT.ru)
Polish presidential candidate from the ruling coalition
Rafal Trzaskowski --- told reporters that he likes
"Russian dumplings" - but no longer calls
them "Russian".
We are talking about pierogi (dumplings) - this is one of the
national dishes of Poland. Pierogi ruskie is prepared with
cottage cheese and potato filling. Trzaskowski noticed
that he really likes such dumplings, especially in the cooking skills... of his aunt.
"Today, I no longer use this name — "Russian dumplings".
But.. to these dumplings.. my aunt also adds a little cheese ...which is great," RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.
Earlier, Trzaskowski called on Poles ----- to stop
considering Ukrainians as their fellow citizens.
_________________________________________________
Santiago Marathon - commemorated
victims of the Chilean dictatorship
May 14th, 12:48pm
(Prensa Latina)
Over 30,000 people ran today the Santiago Marathon,
which this year coincided with commemorations of
the fiftieth anniversary of the coup d'état in Chile
and paid tribute to the detainees......... who
''disappeared'' during the dictatorship.
Under the slogan “Neither pardon nor forgetfulness”, the event
included races in three distances: 10, 21 and 42 kilometres,
all starting and finishing at O’Higgins Park in the capital.
This is one of the largest annual sporting events in the country,
where amateurs and professionals compete, and this time - it
crossed through eight districts.
The marathon was held in the framework of the half-century
anniversary of the military coup against the Popular Unity
government of President Salvador Allende on September
11, 1973, and was an occasion to remember the victims
of Augusto Pinochet’s regime (1973-1990).
For this reason, political and social organizations called
on the runners to wear a T-shirt with the photo' of a
disappeared detainee.
The president of the Socialist Party, Paulina Vodanovic,
stressed the importance of remembering those who
fell during the dictatorship because, she said,
without memory .....the country cannot
move forward.
“We want to pay homage..... to the 1,200 disappeared
detainees,” human rights advocate Gaby Rivera said.
She added that this is an activity of memory and sport
held for the second time since 2019 ------- when they
gathered over 700 people who ran for this cause.
_______________________________________
Venezuela Achieves aMoral Victory:
Maikelys Espinoza, a Toddler
Kidnapped by the U.S.,
Returns Home
May 14th, 11:43am
(teleSUR)
President Maduro managed to rescue the two-year-old girl
who was being held in a shelter -- without the protection of her parents.
On Wednesday, Communications Minister Freddy Ñañez
confirmed that Maikelys Espinoza Bernal returned to
her homeland on a flight with 226 migrants - who
were repatriated from the U.S. to Venezuela.
This two-year-old girl became the centre of an international
controversy --------- after being separated from her family
by U.S, immigration authorities.
Her parents, Yorely Bernal & Maiker Espinoza, who entered the
U.S. in May 2024 seeking asylum, were deported separately.
Accused of belonging to the Aragua Train gang, the little
girl’s father was sent to a maximum-security prison in
El Salvador, while Maikely’s mother was deported
on a flight out of the U.S.
U.S. authorities arbitrarily detained these Venezuelan migrants
and used ethnic profiling, as the accusations against them
were based on their tattoos --- which included cartoon
characters and personal symbols, rather than any
concrete evidence of criminal activity, as the
Daily Beast recalled.
Once the deportation process began, Maikelys was placed in
a shelter where she remained for weeks without contact
with her loved ones. These abuses sparked outrage -
both inside and outside the U.S.
Over the past few weeks, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
has condemned the abuses against the Espinoza Bernal family
as a violation of international law, accusing the United States
government ------- of kidnapping the two-year-old girl.
“Victory for justice! Maikelys Espinoza ---- has returned to
Venezuela, thanks to the tireless efforts of President
Nicolas Maduro. A triumph --- for the Venezuelan
people!,” stressed community communicator
Ronald Tovar, referring to the new success
achieved through the ''Return to the
Homeland Plan''.
________________________________________
Cuba's President
congratulates
mothers on
their Day
May 14th, 10:36am
(Prensa Latina)
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel today
congratulated the nation's mothers
on their Day.
In his Twitter profile, the president wrote: “Love can do anything. Every Cuban mother is proof of that.
To all, infinite thanks and much love today,
#DíaDeLasMadres ...and always.
Congratulations mothers and
grandmothers of #Cuba”.
__________________________________________
Warsaw mayor, decommunizer and arsonist
of the EU flag. Who is running for the
post ----- of President of Poland
Poland will hold presidential
elections ----- on May 18
May 14th, 5am
(Izvestia.ru)
Poland will hold presidential elections on May 18. The current
head of state Andrzej Duda will not take part in them, due to
the time limit. Warsaw Mayor, Rafal Trzaskowski, and head
of the Institute of National Remembrance Karol Nawrocki
are the first candidates for his post. Who else
participates in the elections and what ideas
they adhere to ---- "Izvestia" checks.
What is the position of the President of Poland
* Poland is a mixed republic.... in terms of its political structure,
where the President has quite broad powers and opportunities
to influence politics. He has the right to veto laws passed by
the Parliament, and it requires at least three-fifths of the
votes to overcome it --- if there are at least half of the
voting deputies. Also, the President of Poland can
ask the Constitutional Court --- to ''review'' an
unsigned law --- which usually makes it
possible to avoid its adoption.
* The President of Poland also has the right to call referendums
and, in certain cases, shorten the term of office of the
Parliament. The Head of State, not the Parliament,
ratifies and denounces international treaties,
unless they relate to the transfer of
competence of state bodies to
international organizations.
All these powers allow the President to influence the policies
of the Government and the Prime Minister, making them
equal figures in the Polish system of government.
* The President of Poland is elected for a five-year term ---- which
may not exceed two terms. The current head of state is Andrzej
Duda, whose second term, is coming to an end. In the elections
-- he was supported by the right-wing populist Law and Justice
(PiS) party, which had a majority in the Sejm from 2015 to 2023
but now leads the opposition to the moderate "Civil Coalition"
led by Donald Tusk.
Who are the main candidates for the post of president
* The leader of the public opinion polls, is the Mayor of Warsaw,
Rafal Trzaskowski, previously supported by a little more than
30% of voters. Trzaskowski is nominated by Civic Platform,
which is part of the Civic Coalition. He is an experienced
politician who has already reached the second round of
the presidential election in 2020, when he lost by only
2% to Duda. Trzaskowski was also elected to the
Sejm and the EU Parliament, and --- at various
times --- he served as the Minister of Digital
Development and Deputy Foreign Minister.
* Although Trzaskowski leads the polls, his support is gradually
falling for a number of reasons. First, the Tusk government has
failed to achieve significant results over the past two years
due to the inability to overcome Duda's veto, which is why
liberals are accused of failing to fulfill election promises.
Secondly, in Poland as a whole, there is a lurch to the right under
the influence of an external agenda, while Trzaskowski himself,
as mayor of Warsaw.... manifests himself more as a left- wing politician. Recently, he began to intercept some right-wing theses and said that Ukrainians living in Poland should be deprived of some benefits.... if they do not have a job and do not pay taxes.
* Trzaskowski's main rival is PiS nominee - Karol Nawrocki, who
has about 25% support. He is a newcomer to politics, although
for Poland this is more of an advantage than a disadvantage,
as Duda's example showed in 2015 — he was also little
known before the elections and won by opposing
himself to "old politicians".
* Navrotsky is the President of the Institute of National
Remembrance — the body responsible for executing
denazification and decommunization policy.
Until 2021, he was the director of the
World War II Museum.
Navrotsky speaks from the right-wing positions of PiS, but
at the same time he is formally an independent candidate
and tries not to associate himself with the party that lost
in the last election, which also does not arouse deep
sympathy among voters now.
Who else is running for president
* Trzaskowski and Nawrocki - are the main candidates for
the second round. At the same time, several other rather
significant politicians will take part in the elections,
which will determine the balance of power after
the first round. One of them may be Slawomir
Menzen, who is running for the far-right
Confederation bloc. In opinion polls,
he is confidently in third place..
with about 13% of support.
* Menzen has been compared to Romanian politician Calin
Giorgescu, which implies not only their shared views, but
also their ability to achieve an unexpectedly high result
in the first round. Menzen builds his program on anti-
Ukrainian rhetoric, Euroscepticism, libertarian
views on the economy and a tough stance
towards migrants. His voters in the 2nd
round will be much more likely to
support Navrotsky than the
liberal Trzaskowski.
* Among the second-tier candidates, Marshal of the Sejm
Szymon Holownia is the closest to the mayor of Warsaw,
with 8% of support.... so far. He is nominated by the
centrist party "Poland 2050", which is part of the
ruling coalition. Five years ago.... Kholovnya
finished third in the first round ----- and has
already called for voting for Trzaskowski.
• MEP Grzegorz Braun ---- stands out among the candidates who
are in favour of normalizing relations with Russia. He calls for
the restoration of contacts with Moscow -- and a pragmatic
approach in foreign policy. During the election campaign,
Brown was remembered... for a number of extravagant
actions — he burned and trampled the flag of the EU,
attacked an abortion gynecologist, and -- in 2023 --
extinguished candles in the Hanukkah menorah.
In opinion polls, Brown is given up to 5% support.
____________________________________________
Polish presidential candidate Mentzen
opposesUkraine's entryinto NATO
May 12th, 11:19pm
(RT.ru)
Polish presidential candidate Slawomir Mentzen
spoke out against Ukraine's entry into NATO.
He said this during the pre-election debate.
"I will not agree to sending Polish troops to Ukraine,
I will not agree to Ukraine's admission to NATO,"
RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.
Mentzen also said that he does not want
Poland.......... to be drawn into the
Ukrainian conflict.
Earlier, Polish presidential candidate
Grzegorz Braun, tore down and
trampled the flag of the EU.
___________________________________
Simonyan: Putin has put an end to
the era of Western dominance
by Fyodor Korneev
May 12th, 7:54pm
(Rossiyskaya Gazeta)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has put an end to the era
of Western dominance. This was stated on the air of the
Egyptian TEN TV channel by the editor-in-chief of the
Rossiya Segodnya media group and RT TV channel
Margarita Simonyan.
"It was finished ---- by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin,"
the journalist pointed out (quoted by RIA Novosti).
Simonyan noted that the change of the world order from
unipolar to multipolar was confirmed by the large-scale
presence of representatives of different countries at
the parade in Moscow in honour of the 80th
anniversary of the Victory.
"Of course, what kind of unipolar world is this, if the leaders
of the largest countries, China and Russia, are sitting
together side by side on Red Square," she said.
According to the journalist, the world will not be the same again.
Recall that the parade in honour of the 80th anniversary of the
Victory in Moscow was attended by the leaders of almost 30
countries. As noted by Presidential press Secretary Dmitry
Peskov, European politicians were concerned that a large
number of world leaders came to the Russian capital to
celebrate the Victory anniversary.
______________________________________
Chinese Foreign Ministrywelcomes
Putin's proposal for direct talks
with Ukraine
May 12th, 2:25pm
(Izvestia.ru)
China supports Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal
to hold direct talks with Ukraine. This, was announced on
May 12th, by the official representative of the Chinese
Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian.
"We support all efforts to establish peace, and we hope that
the parties concerned will continue to negotiate through
dialogue, to reach a just, lasting and binding peace
agreement ---- acceptable to all parties, and
ultimately, reach a political solution
to the Ukrainian crisis," Ruptly
video agency, quoted him
as saying.
Jian added that negotiations are the only possible way to end
the conflict in Ukraine. He noted ----- that Beijing is ready
to cooperate with Moscow and Kiev, and promote
the achievement of peace agreements.
_______________________________________
Callas has put forward a condition
for the start of peace talks
on Ukraine
May 12th, 1:41pm
(Izvestia.ru)
''Without a ceasefire, it is impossible to start negotiations
on a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.''
This was stated on May 12 by the head of EU Diplomacy,
Kaja Kallas, at a meeting of European ministers in the
Weimar+ format in London ------ commenting on the
proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin,
to negotiate with Kiev.
"If there is no ceasefire, there can be no
negotiations under fire," France 24 TV
channel quoted her as saying.
Callas - accused Russia of unwillingness to end
the conflict and said that Moscow is allegedly
playing "political games".
Earlier in the day, Chairman of the Federation Council's
International Affairs Committee, Grigory Karasin, said
that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prefers
not to search for any acceptable solutions --- but an
impudent ultimatum, judging by the first responses
to Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal
for talks in Turkey.
On May 11th, during a press conference, Putin announced
that Russia was offering Ukraine to resume direct talks
in Istanbul - on May 15. On the same day, Zelensky
responded with an ultimatum — he demanded
a cease-fire --- from May 12.
________________________________________
Novak: predicts Russia's leadership in
Asian oil and gas markets - by 2050
May 12th, 1:10pm
(Izvestia.ru)
By 2050, Russia will be able to become the first in the oil and gas
markets of Asia due to the development of infrastructure for the
supply of resources. This forecast -- was made on May 12, by
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander
Novak, in the author's column for the magazine
"Energy Policy".
"The development of infrastructure to improve the economic
efficiency of oil supplies will allow Russia to become No. 1
in the Asian oil market by 2050 and fully meet the needs
of the industry with a fleet," he said.
In addition, he spoke about plans for the development of main
pipelines, port and railway infrastructure, which also include
increasing the capacity of the Eastern Landfill.
"We plan to develop our own technologies for seamless pipes
and large-diameter pipes, as well as cooperate with friendly
countries for the joint development of gas infrastructure,
conclude long-term contracts, and form swap supplies
with partners," Novak said.
He believes that it is precisely because of this - that it will be
possible to increase the export of pipeline gas to 197 billion
cubic metres by 2036, as well as maintain production and
revenues to the federal budget, which will subsequently
lead to Russia's first place as an exporter in the Asian
gas markets.
To realize its logistics and export potential, the Russian
Federation.... will continue to work on improving the
backbone infrastructure. According to Novak --- it
is planned to build the Power of Siberia-2 export
route, to connect the Power of Siberia with
Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok, and
create a unified gas supply system -
with highways... in the east of the
country & accelerate deliveries
on the Far Eastern route.
In terms of liquefied natural gas (LNG), Russia plans to
continue to play a leading export role ---- increase its
LNG production to 100 million tons in the medium
term, and become part of the top 3 suppliers,
in this market.
"The development of our own LNG service - and technologies -
the expansion of the fleet of gas carriers and the creation of
specialized hubs for the trans-shipment, storage and trade
of LNG.. will contribute to achieving this goal. Advanced
mechanical engineering in the petrochemical and LNG
industries will ensure, not only import substitution,
but also, the export of technologies in these
areas," Novak said.
Forbidden spot: The EU Parliament will support
the total refusal of Russian gas ---- from 2027.
New sanctions will hit the economies of the
EU countries ------- and ordinary consumers.
Earlier, on May 9, it was reported that Russia and China have
made progress in discussing the Power of Siberia-2 gas
pipeline project. It is specified that instructions were
given to speed up the process of agreeing on the
final terms of the contract.
Earlier, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said at talks with
Xi Jinping, on January 21, that Russia ranks first in terms
of natural gas and oil supplies to China --- and China is
Negotiations must first address the root causes of the conflict, before any discussion of a cease-fire can take place.
On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia
rejected a 30-day cease-fire proposal put forward by Ukraine
and several EU leaders, stating that threats of sanctions in
the event of noncompliance ---- are unacceptable.
“Such ultimatum-like language is inadmissible. You cannot speak
to Russia in that way. We are firmly committed to seriously
pursuing a path toward a lasting peaceful settlement,”
Peskov said, emphasizing that this is not the first
time EU countries have threatened Moscow
with additional sanctions.
On Sunday, Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, proposed holding
direct negotiations with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul “without any preconditions.” Russia, which has repeatedly warned that any cease-fire ------- would allow Kyiv time to rearm... views
demands for an immediate cease-fire .....as a condition in themselves.
“This approach is aimed precisely at finding a real diplomatic
solution to the Ukrainian crisis, eliminating the root causes
of the conflict, and establishing a strong, lasting peace,”
Peskov stressed.
The Kremlin spokesman also noted that Putin’s peace initiative
has been supported by “many world leaders” --- including the
presidents of China and Brazil, who took part in the May 9
celebrations in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary
of the victory over Nazi Germany.
Peskov also said --- U.S. President Donald Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and urged him to support the Russian proposal, after which, Zelenskyy expressed his willingness........ to travel to Istanbul.
During the press conference, however, Peskov did not mention whether Putin would be part of the Russian
delegation traveling to the Turkish city.
On Sunday..... Putin did not explicitly reject the cease-fire, but he
also did not support it, citing Ukraine’s past violations of cease-
fire agreements, including during the energy truce, the Easter
truce, and the most recent one proposed around Victory Day.
Instead, he dismissed the European “ultimatums” and proposed
direct negotiations, while not ruling out the possibility of
reaching a real cease-fire agreement in Istanbul
“that would be backed - not only by Russia
but also - by the Ukrainian side.”
“This would be the first step toward a firm and lasting peace
— not the prologue to a continuation of the conflict... after rearmament and a new mobilization of Ukraine's army,”
he said.
Also on Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova
stressed that “negotiations must first address the root causes
of the conflict ---- before any discussion of a cease-fire can
take place.”
________________________________________
''Socialist Party'' Wins Albanian
Parliamentary Elections
May 12th, 11:18am
(teleSUR)
PM Edi Rama’s party... gains nine more seats than in the 2021
elections, allowing it to govern for a fourth consecutive term.
On Sunday, Albania’s Central Election Commission announced
that the Socialist Party won the country’s parliamentary
elections, securing 83 out of the 140 seats in
the legislature.
With this result, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s party gains 9 more
seats than in the 2021 elections --- allowing it to govern for a
fourth consecutive term. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party won three seats - and the conservative Democratic
Party (PD) of the former Prime Minister, Sali Berisha,
remains the main opposition force with 50 seats.
The centrist party Mundësia (Possibility) is projected to win two
seats, while the left-wing parties Bashkë (Together) and NISMA
– Shqipëria bëhet (Initiative - Albania Will Succeed), both
running on strong anti-corruption platforms, are
expected to win one seat each.
Voter turnout among the nearly 3.7 million eligible voters,
was slightly above 42% --- 6% lower than 2021's election.
A NATO country since the US war on Yugoslavia, Mongolia's leaders --- aim for EU membership.
On Monday, the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) confirmed that the elections were held
...without major incidents.
“The elections were competitive, and professionally
administered, but took place in a highly polarized
environment - where candidates did not have
equal opportunities,” said Farah Karimi,
the head of the OSCE election
observation mission.
“Candidates were able to campaign freely -- although some
reported facing intimidation,” added the Dutch lawmaker,
noting: that the campaign focused largely on personal
attacks among candidates and party leaders - rather
than on a substantive debate over party platforms.
___________________________________
Polish transportersresume
blockade of the border
with Ukraine
May 12th, 11:12am
(Prensa Latina)
Polish transporters today, resumed the blockade of the
border with Ukraine, as announced by Rafal Mekler,
one of the leaders ------ of the nationalist and Euro-sceptic Confederation coalition.
We are already at Dorohusk(a checkpoint on the border
with Ukraine).The border is blocked, Mekler wrote on
social network X.
Polish transport operators declared their intention to obstruct
the passage due to the influx of competitors from Ukraine,
that displace national bilateral transport companies
between the nation --- and the EU.
The blockade also responds: to the delay of several
days......... of Polish trucks - on the Ukrainian side.
In 2024, the border area was blocked several times
by transporters and farmers in this country - who
demanded that the permit system for Ukrainian
commercial trucks be restored ---- whose
abolition caused unfair competition
in the freight transport market.
In addition, they demanded: that licenses for companies
founded in Ukraine be suspended after February 2022
and that the queues for empty and loaded vehicles - be separated.
_____________________________
The EU will spend 900 million euros
of income from Russian assets: on
weapons and ammunition for Kiev
May 12th, 10:15am
(Vesti.ru)
The EU will spend 900 million euros from frozen Russian assets
on weapons and ammunition for Ukraine in the coming weeks.
This was announced by the representative of the EU Foreign
Policy Service, Charles Fries, at the forum on the defense
industry and assistance to Kiev in Brussels.
Fries recalled that the head of EU diplomacy, Kaya Kallas, last
week announced an investment of 1 billion euros to help the
Ukrainian army.
"In the next two weeks, we will also spend an additional 900
million euros on the purchase of weapons and ammunition
for Ukraine," he said.
Fries stressed - that the contracts were signed in Lviv last week,
and now the money will be invested in advanced developments
of the Ukrainian defense industry.
Earlier, the official representative of the EU Foreign Policy
Service, Anitta Hipper... commented on the initiative of
Russian President Vladimir Putin --- who proposed to
continue the negotiations on resolving the conflict
interrupted by the Ukrainian side in Istanbul on
May 15. According to her statement, the EU
believes that - the truce - should pave
the way for negotiations on the
Ukrainian settlement.
At the same time, Dr. Ali Abdo, a Lebanese expert on
international relations, believes that Europe risks
losing more than any other party in the process
of -- a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian
conflict. He noted, that Russia is trying
to end the conflict in Ukraine, while
Europe is only trying to minimize
the losses caused by changes
in world politics, and
the economy.
________________________
The U.S. and China Agree to
Reduce Tariffs for 90 Days
May 12th, 7:42am
(teleSUR)
The U.S. will cut tariffs on Chinese products from 145% to
30%, and China will lower its tariffs from 125% to 10%.
The United States and China held talks over the weekend in
Geneva and agreed to substantially reduce mutual tariffs,
a significant step in easing trade tensions between the
world’s two largest economies.
While not a final agreement, both sides have given themselves
90 days to resolve practical issues where their views diverge.
U.S. officials consider many of those issues to be unfair
practices and even threats to national security.
Under the terms discussed, the United States will cut tariffs on
Chinese products from 145% to 30%, and China will lower its
tariffs from 125% to 10%. The changes are set to take
effect on May 14.
The two countries also agreed in principle to bring their general
tariffs down to 10%. However, Washington will maintain
exceptions for key sectors, including aluminium,
steel and automobiles.
In addition, the U.S. will impose an extra 20% tariff, tied directly
to the fentanyl crisis, which has fueled one of the most severe
public health emergencies, in recent years. The Trump
administration says the move is aimed at pressuring
China to curb the export of chemicals used to
produce fentanyl.
The U.S. and China plan to set up a consultation mechanism to
continue discussions on trade and broader economic issues.
The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Premier He
Linfeng, while the U.S. delegation will be headed by
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade
Representative Jamieson Greer.
Both sides will retain the roles they played in this
weekend’s Geneva talks in upcoming meetings.
A date and location for the next round of talks have not yet been
set. Discussions are expected to alternate between Beijing and
Washington, though both countries may agree to meet in a third
country. Expert-level consultations, will be held as needed.
___________________________________________
Wang Yi: China and Russia -
stand shoulder to shoulder
May 10th, 6:41pm
(RT.ru)
As long as Russia and China stand shoulder to shoulder,
the policy of force can't prevail. This statement was
made by Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.
"As long as the two great states — China and Russia —
stand shoulder to shoulder & work closely together,
the international order won't be disrupted, justice
in the world will not fall, and the policy of force
....will not be able to prevail," RIA Novosti
quoted him as saying.
The Minister noted, that changes are a normal state
of the world situation. However, mutual trust and
support, between China and Russia, remain
unchanged.
He said earlier that Chinese Leader Xi Jinping's
visit to Russia ------ was an absolute success.
______________________________________________
Callas expressed hope
that the United States
will join the tribunal
against Russia
May 10th, 4:56pm
(RT.ru)
The head of EU diplomacy, Kaka Kallas, expressed hope that the United States will join the so-called
"special tribunal" against Russia.
This is reported by Ukrinform.
"We hope that they (Americans. - RT) will join again
later, because now all the technical details have
been settled," Kallas stressed.
''Moscow does not intend to respond to the initiative of a number
of European countries.. to create an "anti-Russian tribunal,"
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry
Medvedev, called for the creation of a "Nuremberg 2.0"
after the end of the special operation.
___________________________________
MEP Blaga called ita tragedy that the EU is headed by people like Kallas
May 10th, 3:18pm
(RT.ru)
Slovak MEP Lubos Blaga on RT called it a tragedy that
people like Kaya Kallas ----- are at the head of the EU.
Blaga noted that European politicians pretend to criticize
the trip of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to Moscow
because of the conflict in Ukraine. The truth is that
these people.... are only pretending to oppose
fascism, he believes.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin
thanked Fico for coming to Moscow.
The head of EU Diplomacy, Kaya Kallas, expressed outrage
at the arrival of Fico in Moscow, on the 80th anniversary
of the Victory ----- over nazi fascism in Europe.
_____________________________________
''This is not normal'', criticism continues
over arrest of the mayor of Newark
May 10th, 3:02pm
(Prensa Latina)
The multi-hour arrest of the mayor of the American city of Newark, Ras Baraka, in an immigration detention centre
continues to spark criticism: "This is not normal",
the media published today.
The facility, with a capacity for 1,196 beds, the first of its kind to
open since President Donald Trump returned to the presidency
in January, began receiving migrants on May 1, despite the
ongoing legal battle over its operation.
''Elected officials are being arrested for peacefully opposing the
regime's illegal actions. Don't let them overwhelm you'', Kat
Abughazaleh ---- Democratic congressional candidate for
Illinois, wrote online, warning that ''this is not normal''.
For his part, Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working
Families Party, ''Mayor Baraka's arrest during a supervisory
visit to an ICE centre in Newark, is a shocking power
overreach, even by Trump's standards'', he said, in
the Common Dreams page.
Baraka accompanied three Democratic congressmen from the
state of New Jersey to Delaney Hall, a (ICE) Immigration and
Customs Enforcement centre operated by private prison
company GEO Group.
Images from CNN repeat, for their part, the moment when the
Democratic mayor, who protested the re-opening of the
detention centre, in the largest city in New Jersey ----
was handcuffed and taken away on Friday afternoon.
Witnesses to the incident said the arrest came after Baraka
attempted to join a scheduled visit to the facility with three
members of the New Jersey congressional delegation:
representatives Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver
and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
Viri Martínez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for
Immigrant Justice, said officers surrounded Baraka, put
handcuffs on him and put him in an unmarked vehicle,
common Dreams noted.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba,
stated on social media that Baraka ...''Committed a home
invasion and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland
Security Investigations to remove him from the ICE
detention centre in Newark” and that he “had
voluntarily chosen to ignore the law”.
Watson Coleman expressed online, that they were at “Delaney
Hall, an ICE prison in Newark that opened without permission
from the city ----- and in violation of local ordinances”.
For DHS Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin, “The invasion of
members of Congress into a detention centre, goes beyond
a bizarre political maneuver and puts the safety of our
law enforcement officers and detainees - at risk!”
Baraka - who is running to succeed Governor Phil Murphy - was
released shortly after 8:00 p.m. local time, and after leaving
told waiting supporters: “The reality is this: I didn't do
anything wrong”.
_____________________________________
US Treasury Secretary Bessent
did not rule out --- a default on
the national debt by August
May 10th, 2:23am
(Vesti.ru)
The United States may face a default on its national debt
by August if Congress does not approve an increase in
the debt limit.
Finance Minister Scott Bessent warned about this
in a letter to the leaders of the legislative body.
He clarified, that state funds may run out at the end of the
summer, when Congress is on vacation, so by August the
country may not have enough funds to pay bills on debt
exceeding $ 36.2 trillion.
In this regard, Bessent called on lawmakers to increase or
suspend the debt limit until mid-July, in order to maintain
confidence in the US economy.
At the end of March, the Congressional Budget Office predicted
a possible default by August or September if the debt limit is
not raised. Analysts estimate that the U.S. national debt
could exceed $ 50 trillion by 2034.
In April, Mike Waltz, then an adviser to the US leader
on national security, said that the US national debt
of $ 33 trillion --- no longer allows the country to
subsidize the security of European countries.
According to the head of the US Federal Reserve
Jerome Powell, the US government debt
has not yet reached a critical level.
_____________________________________
Türkiye considered the delivery of
weapons by the PKK insufficient
May 10th, 1:35pm
(Prensa Latina)
The Foreign Minister of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan, stated today that
the mere delivery of weapons by the Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) "is not enough" to end the armed conflict.
During an interview with the Turkey24 network, Fidan stressed
that --- in addition to disarmament --- illegal and intelligence
structures linked to the group must be eliminated, since,
according to him, it serves other countries.
The objective, he noted, is to build
a region - without armed struggle.
The Turkish government hopes that the PKK will soon announce
its dissolution after a congress where they addressed the
historic call of its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan,
to hand over his weapons and dissolve
the organization.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the group is
close to completing these steps, which would open a new
era in Türkiye ----- after overcoming all obstacles.
For his part, Defense Minister Yasar Guler explained that Ankara
imposed three conditions on the PKK to advance the peace
process: dissolution, delivery of weapons, and surrender.
Guler insisted that the authorities will indicate the place for the
delivery of the weapons, if the group agrees to disarm, and
affirmed his commitment to achieving a Türkiye -- free
of terrorism.
The call for ----- the dissolution and abandonment of the armed
struggle by Öcalan, historical leader of the PKK, represents
a turning point ---- in decades of conflict that have left
thousands dead.
In his statement, Öcalan acknowledged that although armed
struggle was at some point necessary, it no longer makes
sense and therefore the PKK must dissolve.
However, Türkiye maintains a firm stance, demanding that the
process be complete and unconditional, including the total
elimination of its structures and the definitive cessation
of its terrorist activities.
The Turkish Government thus seeks to consolidate peace in
the Kurdish-majority regions and put an end to a conflict
that has scarred the country's recent history.
____________________________________
One million Syrians returned to
their areas of origin - says UN
May 10th, 1:02pm
(Prensa Latina)
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) reported today --- that more than one million
displaced Syrians, have returned to their areas of origin.
A report from the aforementioned office released by the Syrian
media indicated that the previous figure includes those
registered since November 2024, and he explained
that more than 1,070,000 people have returned
to their homes.
He clarified that the number of those leaving the camps remains
limited and only 333,000 have been registered since last
December, amid persistent challenges that include
damaged homes, weak infrastructure and the
threat of explosive devices.
According to the report, there are more than 27,000 internally
displaced people in collective emergency centres located in
northeastern Syria.
The document explained that 133 schools in the northeast of the
country continue to be used as collective emergency centres,
which affects the education of 71,800 children, while
another 62 schools require partial rehabilitation,
before they can reopen.
The UN office indicated that approximately 3,000 families, equivalent to 13,000 internally displaced people, have
returned from northeastern areas, to areas under
government control, since last December.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Annur) had
published the results of a regional survey conducted by UNHCR
that showed that 80% of a random sample of 4,500 Syrian
refugees in Jordan, Türkiye, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt,
aspire to return to their country of origin --- soon.
He said the percentage of refugees seeking to return to Syria is
high compared to 57% in a previous survey conducted in April
2024, which reflects more hope --- for a safe return.
____________________________________
President Lula Regrets: that EU Countries
Refused to Celebrate 80 Years of
Soviet Victory... in Moscow
May 10th, 7:41am
(teleSUR)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, lamented this
Saturday that the leaders of European countries, with the
exception of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, were
absent from the celebrations for the 80th anniversary
of the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany,
in Moscow.
“France had to participate in the celebrations, Germany also
had to be here. All of Europe had to be here that day, the
Victory Day over Nazism” said the Brazilian president,
quoted by the Russian press agency TASS.
Lula added that his country preserves the memory of the Soviet
feat so that Nazism never raises its head again and questioned
“how can we criticize a country that lost 27 million people?”
referring to Soviet citizens who died fighting fascism.
Regarding the talks he held in Moscow - with his Russian
counterpart, Vladimir Putin, Lula stressed: that “Russia
remains an important partner for Brazil, in the areas of
gas, oil, & the construction of small nuclear reactors.”
Lula stressed the importance of ensuring Brazil’s long-term
energy stability - and the need to take advantage of all the
available energy opportunities. In addition, Brazil’s
intention ----- to increase cooperation in the
exploration and production of critical
minerals is emphasized.
Lula, who arrived in the Russian capital to participate in the
celebrations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the
Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany, said yesterday ----
that he discussed with Putin “the need to strengthen multilateralism”.
In that context, he announced, as a result of the meeting with
his Russian colleague, the resumption of work and the High-
Level Commission, on Cooperation between Brazil and
Russia ....which has not met, since 2015.
__________________________________
Lulaintends to sign 16 agreements
in China during his visit
May 10th, 5am
(Prensa Latina)
The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will arrive
today, from Russia, to China, where he intends to sign at
least 16 agreements, and have bilateral meetings with
his counterpart, Xi Jinping.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil is
negotiating another 32 agreements with the Asian
country, which could also be signed.
Lula's official agenda begins Monday, when he participates
in the China-Brazil Business Leaders Forum at the
National Convention Centre in Beijing.
The next day, the visiting president will attend the China-
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
Forum (Celac) and later will have meetings with Xi,
the chairman of the Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress, Zhao Leji,
and Prime Minister Li Qiang.
The Brazilian Government assures that the expectation is that
commitments will be signed in the areas of agriculture,
commerce, investments, infrastructure, industry,
energy, mining, finance, science
and technology.
Also in communications, sustainable development,
tourism, sports, health, education and culture.
Ambassador Eduardo Saboia, Secretary for Asia and the
Pacific of the Foreign Ministry, highlighted that from a
commercial point of view, ''Our exports to China are
greater than our sales... to the US - AND the EU.
From January to March of this year, for example --- trade
between both the EU&US was about 38.8 billion dollars.
In the same period, the South American giant exported
19.8 billion dollars worth ---- and imported 19 billion.
''Brazil is China's seventh largest supplier. Therefore -- it is
time to explore new avenues of cooperation'', Saboia said.
The country mainly exports crude petroleum oils,
soybeans and iron ores and their concentrates.
In turn, it imports vessels, telecommunications equipment,
electrical machines and appliances, valves and
thermionic tubes from China.
Other topics.. expected to be addressed in the bilateral talk
include the defense of multilateralism, the reform of global
governance and support for peaceful solutions to conflicts.
The day before, Lula held a working meeting in Moscow with his
counterpart Vladimir Putin, to whom he conveyed his desire to
strengthen and rebuild, with much greater force, the
strategic alliance with Russia.
He communicated that his ''nation has political, commercial,
cultural, scientific and technological interests with Russia.
In turn, Russia must have many other interests with
Brazi'', he said.
The Brazilian ruler was in the Russian capital to participate
in the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory against Nazi
Germany. The celebration took place this Friday, before
the meeting with Putin.
___________________________
In Rada ---- told aboutcrimes of the
head of SBU awarded by Zelensky
by Marina Sovina (night editor)
May 9th, 12:21am
Lenta.ru)
President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has awarded the
head of the country's Security Service (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk
(listed as terrorist and extremist by the Federal Financial
Monitoring Service) for his crimes against Ukrainians.
This was stated --- by the deputy of the Verkhovna
Rada, Artem Dmytruk, in his Telegram channel.
He commented - on the assignment of the title of Hero of
Ukraine to Malyuk, accusing him of torturing and killing
civilians. Also, according to the parliamentarian, the
head of the SBU is responsible for the genocide
of Ukrainians.
"The title was awarded for loyalty to the terrorist regime.
For the destruction of the Orthodox faith. For the clear
and unquestioning destruction of Ukraine, and the
entire Ukrainian people," he said.
Earlier, Rada deputy Alexander Dubinsky said that in the
headquarters of the SBU in Kiev, in 2022, there was a
concentration camp for torture, in the organization
of which, Malyuk was involved.
___________________________________________
Putin congratulates new Pope
Leo XIV on his election
May 8th, 7:03pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated
the new Pope Leo XIV - on his election. The May 8
telegram was published on the Kremlin's website.
"I am confident that the constructive dialogue and
cooperation established between Russia and the
Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of
Christian values that unite us," the Russian
leader said.
Putin also wished success in fulfilling his
"lofty mission, as well as good health
and prosperity."
On this day, it became known that Cardinal Robert Prevost
from the United States, was elected the new Pope. He is
the first US cardinal with Latin American roots, prefect
of the dicastery for Bishops & representative of the
Augustinian Order. He was elevated to cardinal
rank in 2023. As pontiff, he took the name
Leo XIV.
_______________________________________________
Russia and China signed an agreement
on cooperation in the creation of
a lunar power plant
May 8th, 12:22pm
(RT.ru)
Roscosmos and the Chinese National Space Administration
have signed a memorandum of cooperation on the
construction of a lunar power plant.
According to the state corporation, the memorandum is
included in the list of documents signed following
today's meeting between Russian President
Vladimir Putin and Chinese President
Xi Jinping.
13 countries have already joined the interstate project.
Earlier it became known that China presented
the soil .......from the far side of the Moon.
___________________________________________
Defense Daily: the latest B61-13
thermonuclear bomb will be
released in the US in May
May 7th, 10:50pm
(RT.ru)
This is reported by Defense Daily.
Teresa Robbins, acting head of the National Nuclear
Safety Administration, told a congressional hearing
that the first production samples are expected to
arrive... almost a full year earlier than planned.
It is specified - that such bombs are planned
to equip modern fighters and a B-21 bomber.
VGTRK war correspondent Alexander Sladkov
previously noted that --- according to experts
of the US magazine National Interest, NATO
can place a B-61 thermo-nuclear bomb - in
Ukraine or Poland.
At the same time, according to the journalist,
the experts themselves call this idea insane.
_______________________________________________
Szijjarto will not support the EU's
proposal to provide military
assistancetoKiev
May 7th, 9:37pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Hungary, during an informal meeting of the Foreign
Ministers of the EU - will not support the proposal
of the association to provide military assistance
to Ukraine.
This was announced on May 7, by the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations
of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto.
"In Warsaw, I will present what we have been saying
for three years: the Hungarian people will not pay
for this [Ukrainian] conflict," Szijjarto said, in a
post on social network X (ex. Twitter).
According to him, the EU countries demand "more
money and weapons" for Ukraine, but this - is a
blow to Hungary's energy security.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the same
day - criticizing the statement of the head of the
EU Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen,
because of her call ---- to speed up the
process of Ukraine's accession to
the EU ----- drew attention to the
fact, that Ukraine is provided
with money and weapons...
while EU taxpayers pay
the bills.
_________________________
RussiaandVenezuela--- agree to
develop defense cooperation
May 7th, 4:48pm
(DAN)
Russian and Venezuelan Presidents Vladimir Putin and Nicolas
Maduro signed an agreement on strategic partnership and
cooperation. We have collected the most important
information from a document published on the
Kremlin's website.
"The parties.. are improving defense ties in areas of mutual
interest, considering them as an important component of
maintaining regional and global security," the text reads.
Russia and Venezuela ----- will continue to implement military-
technical cooperation to strengthen the defense capabilities
and ensure the security of the two countries. In addition,
the parties ------ will contribute to the formation of
an independent Russian-Venezuelan financial
infrastructure, jointly develop new oil and
natural gas fields, and develop direct
flights, in the interests of tourism.
Russia and Venezuela will also oppose the glorification of
Nazism and neo-Nazism, the rewriting of history and the
distortion of the results of World War II.
Maduro arrived in Moscow today to participate in the
celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory.
More than 20 foreign leaders are expected to
attend the Victory Day parade.
_______________________________
Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow
--- to celebrate Victory Day
by Alexander Khomutov
(editor of the Mir dept)
May 7th, 4:10pm
(Lenta.ru)
President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping flew to
Russia to participate in the Victory Day celebrations. This is
reported by RIA Novosti.
The plane of the Chinese leader landed at Moscow's
Vnukovo-2 airport. Xi Jinping's visit to Russia is
expected to last from May 7 to May 10.
On April 30, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov
said that Moscow attaches great importance to the arrival
of Xi Jinping and is preparing for it.
The Kremlin spokesman added that a "very significant number"
of heads of state will attend the Victory Day events, which will
be celebrated together with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
_____________________________________
APU attacked Moscow - for
the second time in an hour
by Alan Barefoot (Editor
of the "Russia" section)
May 7th, 3:56pm
(Lenta.ru)
Another UAV of the Armed ForcesUkraine (AFU) was
shot down on the approach to Moscow. This - was
announced by the mayor of the Russian capital
Sergey Sobyanin in Telegram.
This was the second attempt by Ukrainian troops -- to hit
the metropolis in less than an hour. Sobyanin published
the previous post ---- with a message about the
interception of a drone 43 minutes earlier.
Where exactly the drone was shot down is not reported.
At the same time, Sobyanin usually informs the public
about drones shot down over the Moscow region. If
aircraft are intercepted before they reach the
Moscow region, this is reported by the
heads of the relevant regions of
the Russian Federation.
Emergency services specialists are
working at the crash site, the
Mayor of Moscow said.
According to the Defense Ministry, the Armed Forces of
Ukraine fired 524 drones at Russia during the day. In
addition --- five Neptune missiles, six JDAM bombs
and two HIMARS multiple launch rocket system
(MLRS) projectiles were shot down by the air
defense systems.
_______________________________
Russia Reaffirms Its Support for
Venezuela’s Entry Into BRICS
May 7th, 2:33pm
(teleSUR)
The Kremlin ------ also supports the development of ties
between Venezuela and the Eurasian Economic Union.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signed a
“Strategic Partnership and Cooperation
Agreement” in the Kremlin’s
Malachite Hall.
“The agreement consolidates the high level of Russian-
Venezuelan relations and establishes the basic
principles and guidelines ----- for the future
development of long-term cooperation,”
said Kremlin spokesman
Dmitry Peskov.
In the text of the strategic partnership agreement, Russia
reaffirmed its support for Venezuela’s proposal to join
BRICS, the economic cooperation group... led by
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
“Russia positively appreciates the Bolivarian Republic
of Venezuela’s intention to join as a full member and
cooperate closely within the BRICS association,”
the Kremlin reported.
The document also contemplates the development of ties
between Venezuela and the Eurasian Economic Union
(EEU), seeking to strengthen the Caribbean country’s
integration into alternative multilateral mechanisms
to the Western order.
The ten-years agreement establishes a roadmap to
intensify bilateral cooperation in strategic sectors
such as the economy, investment, energy, and
mining ----- consolidating a relationship that
already includes more than 350 previous
agreements, in various areas.
Putin emphasized that this strategic partnership “will
create a solid foundation for expanding multifaceted
ties” between the two countries, while Maduro
described the relationship ---- as part of a
process of “true national liberation”
and a “second process of
independence” for
Venezuela.
Venezuela’s aspiration to join the BRICS --- is part of
the strategy of diversifying international alliances
that Caracas has implemented, in the face of
Western sanctions, seeking to strengthen
its ties with emerging powers, such as
Russia, China, and other members
of the bloc.
Izvestia was shown footage of fragments
of Hitler's jaw....... from the FSB archive
May 7th, 2:32pm
(RT.ru)
On May 7, a Izvestia journalist showed fragments of
the jaw of Nazi Germany's leader Adolf Hitler,
which are kept in the FSB archive.
During the identification of the body, it was established that
these parts belong to Hitler. This is also confirmed by the
data of the forensic medical examination, the testimony
of the dentist and nurse who treated the politician.
"In the box of "Guards" cigarettes -- is all that remains of
the man.. who wanted to wipe out entire nations from
the face of the earth. These are Hitler's teeth. And
the Fuhrer - clearly - did not follow them," the
Izvestia correspondent shared.
At the same time, it is specified that the Fuhrer had only
four teeth of his own — incisors on the lower jaw, and
the rest of the teeth were false teeth, including
gold crowns.
It is noted that fragments of jaws and teeth were transported
to Moscow in 1948, in the form of physical evidence. The
exhibits are stored, in a packet of "Guards" cigarettes.
On April 30th, the Ivanovo Region Office of the Federal Security
Service of Russia declassified archival documents concerning
Hitler's suicide, the study of his body and the last days of the
Third Reich.
As a result of their work, military counterintelligence officers
were able to reconstruct quite accurately the events that
took place in the Fuhrerbunker in the period from April
20 to 30, 1945, and establish the circumstances of
Hitler's suicide.
__________________________________________
Matvienko: Western special services
tried to disrupt the visit of guests
to the Victory Day Parade
by Dmytro Honcharuk
May 6th, 10:02pm
(Rossiyskaya Gazeta)
Western embassies and intelligence agencies tried
to disrupt the visit to Moscow to participate in the
Victory parade of foreign leaders --- said the
Chairwoman of the Federation Council,
Valentina Matviyenko.
"I can say, that what came to the public field, is far from
everything. This --- is only a small part. We know --- we
have reliable information that, until recently, Western
embassies and special services were working locally
to disrupt the visit of high level government officials
to Moscow," Matvienko said, when interviewed by Izvestia.
In her opinion, in the context of ---- "extremely brazen, powerful processing" and threats against politicians
who announced plans to attend anniversary events
in Moscow, the arrival of each of them -------- is a
reflection of "an absolutely principled position
---- regarding historical truth."
As for Vladimir Zelensky's threats - against leaders who
will appear at the parade in Moscow - they should not
be left without attention and political condemnation
in a civilized society, the speaker of the Federation
Council believes.
"They are criminal. At the same time, of course, they
are not spontaneous: behind every such statement
of Zelensky ------- are the voices of Brussels and
London," the politician added.
She has no doubt that such threats "definitely do not
affect" the decision of foreign guests who plan to
visit the Russian capital.
"Those who accepted the invitation are experienced,
accomplished, smart politicians, who are able to
adequately assess reality and understand that
Russia --- has all the necessary resources to
guarantee security at the parade --- and to
prevent any provocations," Valentina
Matvienko explained.
Recall that numerous foreign guests are invited to the
anniversary celebrations in Russia - 29 leaders of
states will attend the Victory Day Parade, 13
parade military units from abroad will pass
through Red Square. On Thursday, May 8,
the main event will be the official visit of Chinese President, Xi Jinping.
Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier announced
a truce by May 9 for humanitarian reasons: it will
operate from midnight on May 8 to midnight on
May 11, that is, three full days.
During this time, all military operations in the special
military operation zone... will be stopped. Vladimir
Zelensky ----- rejected the proposal --- and then
threatened -- that he could not guarantee the
safety of the world leaders who will come
to Moscow for the parade, on May 9.
_______________________________________
Lithuania's authorities -have banned
the flight of Vucic's plane to Russia
on May the 9th!
May 6th, 6:29pm
(RT.ru)
Lithuanian authorities have banned Serbian President
Aleksandar Vucic from flying through the country's
airspace to Russia, where he plans to take part
in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of
the Victory on May 9.
"The Latvian authorities have banned flights of the
Serbian plane due to 'political sensitivity to the
flight target'," the Lithuanian authorities said in a statement.
In addition, Lithuania recently banned Slovak Prime
Minister, Robert Fico..... from flying to Russia.
Earlier, Vucic confirmed: that he
will arrive in Moscow on May 9.
_________________________________
Polsat: Polish presidential candidate
Grzegorz Braun...tore down and
trampled the EU flag
May 6th, 2:05pm
(RT.ru)
Polish presidential candidate, Grzegorz Braun, who
is also a member of the European Parliament, tore
down & trampled the flag of the European Union.
After that, he wiped his shoes with it.
According to the Polsat TV channel, this happened
in the building of the Polish Ministry of Industry,
located in Katowice.
"This is Poland, not Brussels!" — said Braun,
adding that the republic will not show the
symbols of hostile organizations.
Earlier, the Polish radio station RMF FM reported
that Braun removed the flag of Ukraine, from
the city hall of Biala Podlaska.
__________________________________
Only 14 EU countries''request'' an
increase in ''defense'' spending
May 6th, 8:50am
(Prensa Latina)
Only 14 of the 27 States of the EU, asked the EU Commission for permission to increase defense
spending under a new strategy ReArm Europe,
which ''worries Brussels'... in the face of a
failure of the plan, the Euractiv portal
reported today.
Just over half of EU Member States have formally
asked the EC for greater room for maneuver to
increase ''defense'' spending, generating
''concern'' about the possibility that
Brussels' ambitious rearmament
plan... will not reach its goal of
800 billion euros, media said.
Only 14 countries..... have formally responded to
Brussels' request to activate a national escape
clause, allowing EU capitals to increase
military spending - by an additional
1.5 percent of annual GDP --- for
4 years, without falling out of
line with the bloc's strict
budgetary regulations,
says the publication.
On March 4, the unelected president of the EC,
gauleiter Ursula von der Leyen, announced
her Rearm Europe Plan.
We, are in an era of rearmament. And Europe is
prepared to massively increase its defense
spending, said the ''High'' Diplomat.
However, many politicians in the region, considered
the European rearmament plan a crazy idea - and
expressed their opposition to the project ---
considering that the region needs more
investments in health, in education
and industry.
___________________________________________
Myanmar Prime Minister arrives
in Russia --- to take part in
Victory Day parade
May 5th, 5:32pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of
Myanmar General Min Aung Hlaing will pay a
visit to Russia at the invitation of Russian
President Vladimir Putin and attend the
Victory Day Parade in Moscow. Local
state broadcaster Myanmar Radio
and Television (MRTV) informed
about this on May 5.
"Chairman of the State Administrative Council, Prime
Minister, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing will pay a
friendly visit to the Russian Federation at the
invitation of Russian President Vladimir
Putin," the publication says.
According to the state broadcaster, during the visit,
the Prime Minister of Myanmar plans to meet with
the leaders of the states that will come for the
holiday. Members of the State Administrative
Council of Myanmar, as well as a number of
high-ranking officials will come to Russia,
together with Khline.
_________________________________________
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Vulin
says he will visit Moscow on May 9
May 5th, 5:07pm
(RT.ru)
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Vulin
will take part in the celebrations in Moscow
on the occasion of the 80th anniversary
of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
"At the invitation of the top leadership of Russia,
Alexander Vulin will attend the traditional
military parade in Moscow on May 9 in
connection with the celebration of
the 80th anniversary of the
Victory over Fascism in
World War II," Sputnik
Serbia quoted Vulin's
press service -
as saying.
Earlier, the EU threatened to deny Serbia membership
if the country's President, Aleksandar Vucic, arrives
in Moscow on May 9.
At the same time, Vucic himself confirmed in early
May, that he would take part in the Victory Day
parade in the Russian capital, despite all the
threats of sanctions from the West.
_____________________________________
The President of Laos will visit Russia and
take part in the celebration of the 80th
anniversary of the Victory in the
Great Patriotic War
May 5th, 5:02pm
(Izvesti.ru)
President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thonglun Sisulit, will attend the festive events on
the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Victory
in the Great Patriotic War - in Moscow. This
was reported on May 5 in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the DPRK.
"Thonglun Sisulit, at the head of a high-level
delegation... of the Democratic People's
Republic of Laos -- will pay a working
visit to the Russian Federation from
May 8 to May 10, 2025, in order to
further strengthen - the friendly
relations and the cooperation
between the two countries -
and to participate in the
celebration of the 80th
anniversary of Victory
in the Great Patriotic
War" ----the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of
the Republic notes.
It is specified that Sisulit will arrive in Moscow, at
the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia will celebrate the 80th anniversary of victory
in the Great Patriotic War --- on a grand scale, more
than 20 world leaders are expected.
The main parade of the country - in honour of the
Victory anniversary will traditionally be held on
Red Square in Moscow. It will be attended by a
number of foreign leaders, including Belarus'
President Alexander Lukashenko, China's
President Xi Jinping, and also, Brazil's
President, Lula da Silva.
As Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted - the high-
level representation of many countries at the Victory
Day Parade in Moscow, shows that they share the
importance of the May 9 holiday. In his opinion,
Russia has not just allies, but states that are
close.... in spirit and ideology.
_______________________________
Analyst: not only Hitler's Germany, but
almost all of Europe -- fought against
the USSR
by Polina Poletaeva
May 5th, 4:38pm
(RT.ru)
Political scientist, Yuri Svetov, recalled in an interview
with RT that - not only Hitler's Germany - but also
almost all of Europe, fought against the USSR
during the Great Patriotic War.
So he commented on the message of the Russian
Foreign Intelligence Service that the circle of EU
countries invited to Kiev is almost similar to the
Hitler coalition.
"As a resident of St. Petersburg -- I know very well
from history that Germans, Finns and Spaniards
participated in the siege of Leningrad...And
when they took Berlin, then... Hitler was
defended to the last, by the French,"
Svetov said.
According to him, "there are plenty
of similar examples."
"Both the British, Norwegians, and Danes --- fought on
their side. The Czech Republic in general was the
arsenal of weapons - for Hitler's Germany.
Belgium --- with its weapons factories,
was on their side. All kinds of SS
legions that existed - Estonians,
Latvians, Lithuanians ----- and
Ukrainians, fought in them,"
the source added.
The political scientist explained that some of the European countries were able to "overcome
their past", while others... did not.
"And, after all, Europe considers it possible - not
to invite representatives of Russia, to events
related to the 80th anniversary of the
Victory," the source reminded RT.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria
Zakharova called Zelensky's invitation of EU leaders
to Kiev, on May 9th, a "theatre of the absurd."
_______________________________________________
Yle: Finland ----- has started training
Ukrainians to work in a timber mill
May 5th, 4:11pm
(RT.ru)
"A group of 15 Ukrainians started training in logging
skills at a ''vocational school'' in Northern Central Finland ----- this spring," the publication says.
The initiative to launch the program, belongs to
companies in the forest industry. It is aimed at
attracting new personnel in conditions of a
labour shortage.
According to experts.. Finnish forestry companies
will need from 12 to 14 thousand new employees
over the next five years.
Earlier -- Finland came up with the idea,
of extending the law on the expulsion
of refugees.
_______________________________________
Reuters: Simion's election victory
in Romaniawill have a negative
impact on Ukraine
May 5th, 4:07pm
(RT.ru)
The victory -- of 38-year-old far-right candidate George
Simion in the Romanian presidential election --- may
have a negative impact on Ukraine, writes Reuters.
A Simion victory could isolate the country,
undermine private investment.... and
destabilize NATO's eastern flank.
The agency's analysts also draw attention to
Simion's negative attitude towards military
assistance to Ukraine --- from the EU.
Simion stresses that his victory in the elections
will be a victory for those who still believe in
a free Romania.
Earlier, it became known, that Simion is
leading in the first round of Romania's
presidential election.
______________________________________
Trump and Conservatives Are
Trying to Manipulate the
Papal Election: Boff
May 5th, 11:09am
(teleSUR)
With less than 48 hours until the ceremony to select
Pope Francis’s successor begins, transnational
ultraconservative movements are allegedly
attempting to influence the outcome of
the Conclave, which will take place in
the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican.
Brazilian philosopher and environmentalist Leonardo
Boff — widely regarded as one of the founders of
Liberation Theology in Latin America — said
there are hopes the new pope will come
from the Global South.
“European Christianity --- is in agony. Churches are
closing because no one attends. In contrast, the
Americas are seeing the rise, of a new, source-
driven Christianity that is no longer a mirror
of Europe. After more than 500 years of a
Christian presence, new faces --- have
emerged among the faithful: bishops
who live among the people -- rather
than in palaces...... priests serving
in the peripheries, lay movements
asserting autonomy..... and many
nuns living deep in the Amazon,”
he stated.
Among the leading contenders for the papacy ---- Boff
highlighted --- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila,
describing him as “fully aligned with Pope Francis’ vision of a Church that is poor and for the poor.”
He also pointed to Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, saying, “He lives in a Christian community,
rides his bicycle to the palace, and is a strong advocate for the marginalized .....and a Church for all, free of discrimination.”
Boff named another possible successor --- in Cardinal
Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State and a
close ally of Francis. “He is somewhat conservative
in doctrine ------- but entirely open to a Church that
addresses the challenges of this new planetary
phase,” Boff said and warned the faithful not
to be “naive,” citing deep internal conflicts
within the Catholic Church.
“The Conclave -------- is also about power,” he said. “There are ultraconservatives - like Cardinals Robert Sarah of
Guinea, Leo Burke of the U.S., and Gerhard Müller of
Germany - who promote an extremely conservative
Church,a true cistern ----- of stagnant water.”
These cardinals reject the reforms implemented by
Pope Francis, seek to marginalize women --- and
advocate a return to a Latin Mass.... “with the
priest facing away from the congregation.”
Boff also warned of the alleged influence of a group
called “Red Hat Report,” - which he described as
a conspiratorial network ------- funded by U.S.
ultraconservatives and wealthy figures
including Donald Trump.
“This network reportedly, uses the CIA and FBI to
collect ''personal information'' on progressive
cardinals, in an attempt to manipulate and
compromise the Conclave. Their goal - is
to prevent the election of a progressive
pope who would challenge the current
government’s direction --- and instead
install a conservative leader aligned
with authoritarian policies.”
According to Boff, the College of Cardinals... includes
various ideological currents. Some are progressive
and embrace modernity, while others are more
critical --- wary of what they see as modern
ideas --- that conflict with traditional
Christian values.
Still others, he said, are committed to Pope Francis’s
legacy - advocating for the poor - supporting more ''flexible'' moral positions, on issues such as
divorce, welcoming people with diverse
sexual orientations... and engaging in
dialogue with all sectors of society.
If no consensus emerges among these factions, Boff
said, the cardinals may choose.. “someone more
discreet” ------ who can mediate among the
various camps.
__________________________________________
The Head of the Ministry of Finance
of Serbia: President Aleksandar
Vucic released from hospital
by Sergey Gapchuk
May 3rd, 6:24pm
(Komsomolskaya Pravda)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has been
released from hospital. This was announced
by the Head of the Ministry of Finance of
the Republic of Serbia, Sinisha Mali.
"He left the VMA sometime after 17.00. I heard him,
he says that he feels better," the minister said on Serbian Radio and Television.
According to him, doctors recommended Vucic to rest.
Mali added that if his condition improves, the Serbian
leader, as promised, will come to Moscow on May 9.
As the KP website wrote on May 3rd, it became known
that Vucic, who recently canceled all his scheduled
meetings, due to a sharply deteriorating state of
health, had a sudden jump in blood pressure.
Dragan Dincic, a doctor at the Belgrade Military
Medical Academy, said the Serbian president's
condition is now stable and satisfactory.
In the United States, he experienced a short-term
acute pain in his chest. Doctors in the US had
measured his blood pressure, the results
were 165/98. After that, he took
additional therapy.
Recall that on Saturday it became known that - during
his stay in Florida, Alexander Vucic unexpectedly fell
ill... and decided to return home, canceling all his
scheduled meetings in the United States.
____________________________________
Zelensky...some parties in the Parliament
do not want to ratify the deal with the US
May 3rd, 3:55pm
(RT.ru)
There are parties in the Verkhovna Rada -- that do not
want to ratify the deal with the United States on rare
earth metals. This was stated by Vladimir Zelensky.
"I'm not even talking about people... but about parties.
There are people who are determined not to do this,"
the RBC-Ukraine news agency quoted him saying.
Zelensky said that the United States, allegedly,
should cancel visas for such parliamentarians.
Earlier, a member of the House of Representatives
from the Republican Party, Marjorie Taylor Green,
said that the conclusion of an association
agreement - between Washington and
Kiev - could lead to a new conflict.
________________________________________
Maria Zakharova sharply assessed
the news about the participation
of Ukronazis in the "victory day
parade" in London
by Alexander Gamov
May 3rd, 2:27pm
(Komsomolskaya Pravda)
On Saturday, May 3, the Russian and foreign media
published strange information that: "Ukrainian
servicemen, together with British troops
-- will take part in a parade in London
- dedicated to the 80th anniversary
of the victory over Nazi Germany."
This was stated by the Minister of Defense of the
United Kingdom John Healy on the ITV channel.
I asked Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information
and Press Department of the Russian Foreign
Ministry, and official representative of the
Russian Foreign Ministry, to comment
on this topic today…
- ...Maria Vladimirovna, hello!
- Good afternoon, Alexander.
"What strange news from London… Are they going to
march there, under the slogans of Bandera? These
are the same Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ukronazis,
who, like the fascists during the Great Patriotic
War --- exterminated civilians in the Kursk
border area… What do you think about
all this? Your comment is
very welcome…
''There is such an expression - "in the spring
we will find out who shat where."
It turns out that - after 80 years, we found out
who, how and with whom, was shitting then.
"Well said. Briefly and clearly. Thank
you, Maria Vladimirovna!''
Immortal Regiment campaign
held in Beijing
May 3rd, 2:05pm
(Izvestia.ru)
In the Chinese capital Beijing, an action "Immortal
Regiment" was held, several hundred Russians
and Chinese citizens took part in it. This was
reported on May 3 in the Russian House
in Beijing.
It is noted --- that the event dedicated to the 80th
anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic
War (WWII) -- was held on the territory of the
Russian Embassy in China. The march ---
was led by Ambassador Igor Morgulov.
Citizens of Belarus also joined the action. According
to the Russian House --- the organizers received
applications for participation from about 800
people living outside the embassy --- and
more than 100 applications from those
who are located on its territory.
The Immortal Regiment was supported by the
Chinese volunteer group of Russian culture
and history lovers "Moscow – Beijing".
Earlier, Slovakia, Serbia and Moldova also
announced plans to hold an "Immortal
Regiment" action - dedicated to the
anniversary of the Victory.
In 2025, May 9th marks the 80th anniversary of victory
in the Great Patriotic War. In January 1945, the Soviet
army launched an offensive on Berlin. As a result of
the fighting, at 00:43 Moscow time on May the 9th,
the commanders-in-chief --- signed the act of the
unconditional surrender of Germany --- which
served as the end of the war.
_________________________________
"Broke through the bottom".
by Anastasia Alimpieva (editor of
the Operational Information Dept)
May 3rd, 1:40pm
(Lenta.ru)
In Russia, they reacted to Zelensky's warning to
world leaders about the possible danger on
May 9 in Moscow.
Zakharova called Zelensky's words a threat
to those veterans who come to the parade.
Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the Russian
proposal for a 3-day truce on Victory Day, calling
the initiative "a theatrical production to create
an atmosphere of Russia's withdrawal from
isolation." The Ukrainian leader --- also
stressed that Kiev cannot guarantee
the safety of foreign leaders who
come to Moscow for the
Victory Day Parade.
At the same time, he pointed out that, instead of
a three-day truce, military operations should be
stopped for 30 days. "Why a 30-day cease-fire?
Because it is impossible to agree on anything
in three, five, seven days," he explained.
Zakharova called Zelensky a coward
and a traitor who threatens veterans
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, called
Zelensky's words ---- about Kiev's unwillingness to
provide security to world leaders... during the
Victory Day parade in Moscow - a classic
threat of an international terrorist.
''Today, it broke through the bottom: now -- it threatens
the physical security of the veterans who will come
to the parades and celebrations on the holy day.''
She also stressed that Zelensky betrayed his own
grandfather - a front-line soldier - and his people.
State Duma Deputy, Alexey Chepa, in turn, noted that
the purpose of Zelensky's statements is to disrupt a
major international event -- the 80th anniversary of
victory in the Great Patriotic War - and reduce the
role of the Soviet Union in World War II.
"Let [world leaders] --- not be afraid to visit Moscow on
May 9. We will take all measures. Even if there is any
attempt to commit a terrorist act, it will be stopped,"
the parliamentarian said.
After Zelensky's statements, Russia threatened
that May the 10th --- in Kiev --- may not come.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council
Dmitry Medvedev spoke about Zelensky's words.
''Green unshaven schmuck --- said it rejects Putin's
proposal - Putin's announcement of a three-day
truce on May 9 - ''cannot ensure the safety of
the world leaders in Moscow.'' And who is
looking --- for its guarantees? Just a
verbal provocation. No more
than that.''
In his opinion, Zelensky himself, understands,
that in the event of a real provocation from
the Ukrainian side... on Victory Day...
"No one guarantees that May 10
will come in Kiev."
Vladimir Putin... announced a truce in the special
military operation zone, timed to coincide with
the celebration - of the 80th anniversary of
Victory in the Great Patriotic War, which
will operate from zero hours from 7 to 8
May to zero hours from 10 to 11 May.
At this time, Russia will stop all
military operations.
The offer of a truce to Ukraine
on Victory Day ------ was a test
Commenting on Zelensky's refusal of the three-day
truce... Russia's presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, noted that this proposal ...was a test of Kiev's readiness for the peace process.
The representative of the Kremlin noted, that
Moscow ---- expects Ukraine to take actions
aimed at de-escalation during the holidays.
"The regime's ''unwillingness'' to respond directly to
the proposal made by Russia - clearly shows that
the ideological basis of the current Kiev regime
is neo-Nazism. And the victory over Hitler's
Germany, apparently, is not a holiday...
for them," he stressed.
___________________________
The UN is concerned about information
on the torture of Russian prisoners of war ------ in Ukraine
May 2nd, 5:12pm
(Izvestia.ru)
The UN Committee against Torture has expressed
concern about reports of ill-treatment of Russian
soldiers... held captive by the Armed Forces of
Ukraine (AFU). This is stated in the report of
the institute on the results of studying the
situation in Ukraine.
"It (the committee. - Ed.) is concerned about reports
containing allegations of torture, ill-treatment,
threats, and humiliation in relation to Russian
prisoners of war - allegedly committed by the
Ukrainian armed forces," the document says.
In addition, the UN body drew attention - to reports
of the insufficiently thorough investigation of the
crimes ...committed by the Ukrainian Armed
Forces and nationalist battalions - during
the fighting in the Donbas - since 2014.
"The Committee emphasizes -- that the prohibition
of torture is non-derogable (cannot be infringed
under any circumstances), and no special circumstances can be invoked to justify
torture," the report says.
Earlier, on December 31, the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR) ..published a report on the situation
in Ukraine from September - November 2024.
According to the document, 24 out of 25 Russian
prisoners interviewed in Lviv -- stated that they
had been subjected to torture or ill-treatment
during the year.
[Rhondda Records adds... our psycho leaders will LOVE reading this.]
__________________________________
Lebanon - Braces for Municipal Elections
as of May 4: Remarks Affirm
Local Nature of Vote
May 2nd, 2:35pm
(al Manar
After a 3-year delay.. the municipal elections in
Lebanon will start as of May 4, 2025, in Mount
Lebanon governorate, knowing that the rest
of the five key governorates will witness
the vote ......every weekend of the
same month.
Ministry of Interior has set the dates for holding the
municipal and mayoral elections across various
governorates, as follows:
– Mount Lebanon: May 4, 2025
– North Lebanon and Akkar: May 11, 2025.
– Beirut, Bekaa, and Baalbek-Hermel: May 18, 2025
– South Lebanon and Nabatieh: May 25, 2025.
The municipal electoral bodies are invited at least one
month prior to the election date in each governorate.
In Mount Lebanon, the municipal councils of 64 towns
have won by acclamation, while the rest of the towns
will witness a competition on Sunday.
The various parties --- announced their lists of
candidates for the municipal elections,
confirming the local nature of the vote
and highlighting the importance of
serving the people in this regard.
In a televised speech on Monday --- via Al-Manar TV,
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem
-- highlighted the importance of the upcoming
municipal elections, stressing that “certain
political conditions must be met to ensure
that the elections are held properly and
contribute to building a sound state ----
thereby leading to Lebanon’s revival.”
His Eminence called on municipal candidates - to be
competent, popular, and interested in public affairs.
He also called on citizens --- for a “strong turnout and active participation” in the elections, emphasizing
that it will help drive the country’s development
and instill a sense of shared national
responsibility.
It is worth noting that the municipal vote is held every
six years. In 2016, the Lebanon witnessed the latest
municipal elections; however, due to a coincidence
with the parliamentary elections, the municipal
vote was delayed in 2022 for one year.
In 2023, financial burdens pushed the authorities
to delay the elections. In 2024, the security
considerations --- of the Israeli attacks on
Lebanon, especially the South, delayed
the entitlement.... until 2025.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
____________________________________
Odessa residents carry flowers
to the House of Trade Unions
in memory of those killed
in 2014
May 2nd, 2:02pm
(RT.ru)
Residents of Odessa carry flowers to the House
of Trade Unions, where, on May 2nd, 2014, the
opponents of the coup in Ukraine were killed.
"On the anniversary... of the tragic events of May 2nd,
2014, in Odessa, residents of the city - come to lay
flowers on the Kulikovo field.There is very strict
security at the entrance, and the police require
a passport,'' reports "Country.na".
According to journalists, there are police
on the square - with machine guns
and anti-drone weapons.
The tragedy in the House of Trade Unions in Odessa
occurred on May 2, 2014. Then, as a result of the
clashes between supporters and opponents of
the Euromaidan, pro-Ukrainian activists and
nationalists -- destroyed the camp of the
anti-Maidan supporters, on Kulikovo
Pole Square.
The conflict --- resulted in the arson of the House of
Trade Unions, where anti-Maidan supporters tried
to hide. Many people were burned alive, some
were poisoned by smoke. In total, 48 people
were killed that day, 42 of them in the
House of Trade Unions, and more
than 250 ...were injured.
______________________________________
Venezuela’s --- ‘Return to the
Homeland’PlanWelcomes
174 Migrants
May 2nd, 8:35am
(teleSUR)
The number of citizens who have returned to
the country has reached 3,472 since the
reactivation of the plan.
On Friday, 174 Venezuelan migrants deported
from the US arrived at Simon Bolivar Airport
in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, on a flight
operated by the state-owned airline
CONVIASA --- from Texas.
The new group of migrants ----- was received by a
Bolivarian government delegation led by Interior
Minister Diosdado Cabello. With this new group,
the number of Venezuelans who have returned
to the country has reached 3,472 since the
reactivation of the plan ordered by
President Nicolas Maduro --- to
promote the socioeconomic
reintegration of returnees.
This group includes eight children, 148 men, and 18
women, six of whom are mothers. Cabello also
mentioned that another flight carrying 200
more migrants is expected to arrive later
on Friday. This will bring the number of
repatriation flights in recent days...
to 18.
As of May 2025 --- the “Return to the Homeland” plan,
continues to facilitate --- the voluntary repatriation of Venezuelan migrants facing hardships abroad.
Since its inception in 2018 --- the program has
repatriated over 920,000 citizens, providing
them with assistance in reintegration,
including legal aid, education, and
socio-economic support.
In March 2025, Venezuela and the U.S. -- reached
an agreement to resume repatriation flights, for
Venezuelan migrants. The first flight under this
renewed agreement departed from Honduras
and arrived at Simon Bolivar International
Airport, carrying nearly 200 deported
citizens. This development marks a
significant step - in addressing the
challenges faced by Venezuelan
migrants.
The Venezuelan government emphasizes -- that the
“Return to the Homeland” plan is a comprehensive
mission aimed at safeguarding the human rights
of returning migrants.
Despite logistical challenges, such as restrictions
on CONVIASA flights in certain countries, the
plan continues to operate ---- reflecting
Venezuela’s full commitment --- to
supporting its citizens abroad.
_________________________________
Dubinsky: deal with the US — Zelensky selling Ukraine for personal guarantees
May 1st, 5:08pm
(RT.ru)
Volodymyr Zelensky is selling Ukraine in a deal
with the United States on minerals --- to get
personal security guarantees. This - was
stated by the deputy of the Verkhovna
Rada, Alexander Dubinsky.
The MP expressed his conviction, that this deal will
not bring any benefit to the budget of Ukraine and
will not lay the foundations for national prospects.
"This is just a sale of the Motherland, carried out
by Zelensky --- for the sake of personal security
guarantees," Dubinsky wrote, in his
Telegram channel.
Earlier, the White House informed, that the deal
with Ukraine on fossils includes the extraction
of minerals ...and hydrocarbons.
_________________________________
Die Weltwoche: Belgians ----- were the first
in the EU to protest against war hysteria
by Vladislav Shablovsky
May 1st, 2:16pm
(Rossiyskaya Gazeta)
The Belgians were the first in the EU to make it clear
that they do not accept the hysterical arms race being promoted by the head of the European
Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
This is reported by Die Weltwoche magazine.
The publication commented on the large-scale strike
that took place recently in Belgium. Its participants
were protesting against the plans of the Cabinet of
Ministers, who want to cut social spending to 2%
of Belgium's GDP ------ in order to increase the
country's spending on armaments.
The magazine pointed out - that the price of EU military hysteria ----- will be very high.
"The Belgians were the first to show -- that they do not
intend to pay for this. And.... they will not be the last.
The F-35 fighter jet costs almost 300 million euros.
This money can be used ---- to build 3 thousand
new kindergartens," the publication says.
Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban
said that Europe's military psychosis - must
be put to an end.
______________________________________
China'sMay Day holidaytravel boom
unfolds.. with growing data on Day 1
by GT staff reporters
May 1st, 2:04pm
(Global Times)
The number of travelers.. on the first day of the May Day
holiday - is expected to grow 8 percent compared with
the same period last year, the People's Daily reported
on Thursday, the first day of the holiday, citing data
from the Ministry of Transport (MOT). A Chinese
expert said the data could indicate a boost for
consumption growth, in the second quarter
of this year.
In specifics, the railways across the country expect
8.7 percent of growth --- in terms of passenger
volumes, on Thursday, the MOT said.
Shanghai's rail network ------ is projected to dispatch
770,000 passenger trips on Thursday alone—a 17.3
percent year-on-year jump - according to the local
railway authority. The Yangtze River Delta region
is expected to transport 4.2 million passenger
trips on Thursday -- marking a 12.5 percent
increase - and potentially setting a new
daily ridership record.
Meanwhile, Zhengzhou rail network is prepared to
transport 955,000 passengers... on the holiday's
first day.
Roadways are equally busy, with national highways
forecasting an average daily traffic volume of 62
million vehicles—an 8.1 percent rise over 2024.
On Thursday, the road traffic is expected
to reach 2.1 times its normal levels ------
according to the Ministry of Transport.
Notably, Hengqin port --- in Zhuhai, South China's
Guangdong Province, recorded over 10,000 daily
vehicle crossings for the first time Wednesday.
This is also the seventh time this year that it
has set a new historical high.
Airports ---- are also experiencing a travel boom.
Shanghai's two airports are expected to handle
12,000 flights and 1.88 million passenger trips
during the five-day holiday ----------- with daily
passenger volumes up 10.9% year-on-year.
During the five-day May Day holiday in 2025, Beijing
Capital International Airport is expected to handle
957,000 passenger trips, with a daily average of
191,000, and facilitate 5,880 flights, averaging
1,176 per day.
On April 25, the airport's international and regional
passenger throughput, exceeded 5 million trips, a
19 percent year-on-year increase -- with notable
growth in traffic to and from South Korea, the
UK, and the UAE, the Global Times learned.
China Southern Group, plans to operate 23,000 flights
between April 29 to May 6, offering 4.45 million seats
to meet rising demand, the Global Times learned...
from the airlines.
Travel platforms ----- are capturing emerging travel
trends. Data provided by qunar.com to the Global
Times, shows a steady rise in flight and hotel
reservations --- with bookings for high-star
hotels surging by 30% in some counties.
Travelers are increasingly seeking out unique
experiences, such as pet-friendly vacations
and laid-back "stroll vacations" ...that
emphasize leisurely exploration.
In domestic travel, major cities like Beijing, Guangzhou
and Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province,
and Shanghai - are once again taking centre stage,
projected to attract nearly 60 percent of tourists
across the country during the holiday, CCTV
reported on Thursday, citing big data.
Analysis of international roaming data -- showed that
orders for international roaming services surged by
over 50 percent year-on-year, in the week leading
up to the holiday.
Short-haul outbound trips to Japan, South Korea, and
Southeast Asia accounted for more than 60 percent
of bookings, while long-haul journeys to Europe
saw a 27% increase. Boosted by favourable
policies; such as transit visa exemption
and tax refund services, China ---- is
becoming an increasingly popular
destination for foreign visitors.
In the same pre-holiday week, the tourists from visa-
exempt countries ---- made up nearly 70 percent of arrivals, with the number of visitors from France,
Mexico, Austria, Russia, and Germany, soaring
by more than 79 percent, according to CCTV.
As... one of the major national holidays, the May Day
break has long served as a barometer of consumer
trends. Based on the current travel platform data,
actual consumption during this period is likely to
surpass initial expectations, Hu Qimu, deputy
secretary-general ...of the digital-real
economies integration Forum 50,
told the Global Times.
This will have a strong driving effect - on consumer
service sectors such as catering, accommodation,
and transportation, boosting consumption growth
in the second quarter and playing a key role in
overall consumption expansion, Hu said.
________________________________________
In Britain, they spoke about the danger ------ of Kiev
repeating the fate of Vietnamese Saigon
by Igor Dmitrov (Editor of
the "Russia" section)
May 1st, 1:12pm
(Lenta.ru)
Kiev may repeat the fate of Saigon during the Vietnam
War, which threatens the United States with "terrible
consequences". The UK newspaper, the Telegraph
writes - about Washington's hegemony.
"Saigon 2.0 in Kiev will have more terrible
consequences... for the primacy of the
United States and the world order,"
the article says.
It is noted that the loss of Saigon - was a heavy blow for
Washington, as it determined the final fall of the South
Asian state ------ which the US ....tried to prevent.
In May 2024, former Swedish Prime Minister, Carl, said
that a Russian victory in Ukraine, would be "another
Saigon or Kabul" for the United States, as it would
play a destructive role ----- against the power of Washington.
_______________________________________
Participants in marchesare
harassed in El Salvador
May 1st, 10:16am
(Prensa Latina)
Press media in El Salvador today --- denounced
harassment actions against residents who
were heading to the marches for May 1
in the country's capital.
The checkpoints reported by the activists & cited by the
newspaper El Mundo were in the vicinity of the capital
and other sectors in the east and north of the country.
Social organizations and citizens... who were heading to
the march - this Thursday, May 1st, reported on social
networks that agents of the National Civil Police
(PNC) and other authorities confiscated cell
phones and installed checkpoints.... on
the access streets to San Salvador.
The Humanitarian Legal Aid - reported on its X account
about the seizure of cell phones by the Police --- from
people from San Marcos Lempa, and those attending the Island march del Espíritu Santo, municipality of
Jiquilisco in Usulután Oeste, added the publication.
While in the Plaza Salvador del Mundo --- in this capital,
-- hundreds of people were preparing a demonstration
towards the city centre to demand job improvements among other claims ----- that include the freedom of
detainees under the emergency regime, and who
are presumed innocent.
More than 80 social organizations confirmed - that they
will march this Thursday, from the Divino Salvador del
Mundo square to the Civic Square --- to denounce the violations of labour rights, demand a reinstatement
of laid-off public employees -- and demand a 40% increase in the minimum wage.
On that route --- but from Cuscatlán Park, another
demonstration called by the Popular Resistance
and Rebellion Bloc will take place ------ in which
unions will participate, & social organizations
and members of political parties, such as the
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
(FMLN).
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!
Neocons have taken over Committee: UK's FCO Committee Report 'Through the Looking Glass' by Neil Clark
''The decision not to intervene in Syria has had very real consequences for Syrians, their neighbours, the UK and our allies. We believe the Government needs to under- stand the role the UK's inaction has had, and learn the lessons from it, for the future.''
Between December 2015 and June 2016 there were a total of 51 British air strikes in Syria. This year, there has been further bombing, including the targeting of military bases near Damascus and Homs in April.
"We believe that the consequences of inaction can be every bit as serious as intervening," the Foreign Affairs committee report states.
How can we explain this extraordinary attempt to portray Britain's extensive and well-documented operations in Syria as 'not intervening'? After all so much is on the public record, including, on the Ministry of Defence website, details of RAF air strikes.
A look at the membership of the Foreign Affairs Committee is illuminating. Its chair, Tom Tugendhat, Tory MP for Tonbridge and Malling, is a hard- core neocon and a former member of the Intelligence Corps. Peter Oborne, the highly respected political commentator, wrote about the 'neocon coup' that took place on the committee last year and warned us of its consequences. But how many were paying attention?
Other members of Tugendhat's committee include Ian Austin, the Labour MP who likened Russia's holding of the World Cup to Nazi Germany's hosting of the 1936 Olympic Games, and who told Jeremy Corbyn to "sit down and shut up" when he was criticizing the Iraq war.
Then we've Chris Bryant, a signatory to the statement of principles of the uber neocon, Henry Jackson Society, and Priti Patel, who stepped down from the Cabinet, in 2017, when it was revealed she had undisclosed, unofficial meetings with Israeli ministers.
In fact, if we look at the composition of the committee and compare it to the far more balanced one under the chairmanship of Crispin Blunt, (which produced a critical report on the UK government's intervention in Libya in 2016) it's no surprise we've got the document we have.
Neocons know that after the disasters of Iraq and Libya, 'interventionist' foreign policies have been utterly discredited. So, the only way out is to portray Syria, however ludicrously, as an example of UK 'non-intervention', in the hope that some people might fall for it and support 'rectifying' the 'inaction' at some point in the near future. Perhaps in response to a non- independently verified chemical weapons attack in Idlib, later this month?
The Foreign Affairs Committee report, which makes George Orwell's 1984 look quite understated, is perfectly timed for that.
(Source - taken from longer article on RT, Beyond Orwellianism') :
Cleaners form a picket line with their UVW comrades
Vatican calls for more regulation of markets, financial systems, condemns ‘economic cannibalism’ May 17th, at 10:52am
The Vatican called on Thursday for more regulation of markets and financial systems.
A major document says economic crises showed they were not able to govern themselves, and needed a strong injection of morality and ethics.
‘Considerations for an Ethical Discernment Regarding Some Aspects of the Present Economic-Financial System,’ jointly prepared by the doctrinal office and the department on human development, appeared to take aim at the plans to further de-regulate markets in some countries, such as the US, Reuters said.
The document attacked the “economic cannibalism” of some financial practices, saying profit for the sake of profit and not for the greater good, was “illegitimate.”
The Vatican condemned an “amoral culture of waste” that has created oligarchies in some countries, while leaving great masses of impoverished people “without any means of escape.”
The pronouncement is considered official teachings of the Catholic Church and could affect the attitude of the church’s 1.2 billion members.
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)
_______________________________________
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.)
_____________________________________________
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"
_________________________________________________
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.
__________________________________
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)
_____________________________
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
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
__________________________________
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.
_________________________________________
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.
______________________________________
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.”
Visit our new, interactive website
International Health Workers for People Over Profit
want to engage with you!
We've launched a new, interactive website
Our pages are open to all who share our goals for better social services, better working conditions and a healthier world for everyone.
Our Solidarity Page is dedicated to promoting causes & struggles intersecting with our own.
Our Debates page is open to discuss and clarify the way forward.
Our Upcoming Events page will feature timely events, anywhere in the world.
We are looking for useful information to post on our Resources page.
And, as before, all of our past newsletters are posted in the Newsletter Archives.
We invite you to comment on our newsletter, our articles, anything at all!
Please Use Us!
Send your submissions to
info@healthworkersinternational.org.
Please limit the length of each submission to 1 page or less, and include links and photos when possible. All submissions are moderated and may be edited for length and clarity.
==================================
International Health Workers for People Over Profit (IHWPOP) has joined the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions Campaign against Israel.
We oppose Israel’s repression of the Palestinians and support a single state in Israel/Palestine with equal rights for all.
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.
