The North Korean leader has denounced long-range strikes into Russia as “reckless military adventurism” by the West and Ukraine
Pyongyang will continue to support Moscow in its quest to defend its national sovereignty against the West, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said, according to the state-run KCNA news agency.
Kim made the remarks during a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, who arrived in Pyongyang on Friday to discuss defense cooperation between the two countries.
Relations between Russia and North Korea reached a new high in June when they signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which stipulates that if one side is attacked, the other “shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay.”
According to KCNA, Kim lauded the burgeoning cooperation while condemning the recent “reckless military adventurism” by the West and Ukraine, referring specifically to recent US approval for Kiev to strike deep into Russia using foreign-made long-range weapons.
The action constitutes “direct military intervention in the conflict,” and Russia has the right to “self-defense… and [to] take resolute action to make the hostile forces pay the price,” the North Korean leader said.
He added that “the DPRK… will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists’ moves for hegemony” while praising Moscow’s retaliation, which saw the first battlefield use of an Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic missile as an “effective measure.”
Kim assured Belousov that Pyongyang “would always be with Moscow.”
Close ties between Russia and North Korea, which date back to the Soviet era, have been given a new impetus since the start of the Ukraine conflict, with Pyongyang expressing firm support for Moscow’s effort to defend its national interests, particularly when it comes to NATO expansion.
The US and NATO claimed last month that North Korea had sent a significant military force to Russia for training and possible use in battle, potentially to fight Ukrainian forces that have invaded Kursk Region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has neither confirmed nor denied the reports, while insisting that it is up to the two nations alone to decide how to fulfill their mutual obligations under the new treaty. At the same time, North Korea has described the Western claims as an attempt to tarnish the country’s image on the international stage.
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November 30, 2024 at 01:11AM
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Pyotr Andryushchenko earlier revealed that around a third of residents have moved back to the city, which is now part of Russia
A Ukrainian official who revealed the extent to which former residents have returned to the now-Russian city of Mariupol has been fired. According to a Telegram post by Kiev-assigned Mariupol Mayor Vadim Boychenko on Saturday, his adviser Pyotr Andryushchenko has been stripped of his position and will no longer perform his duties as the official speaker of the Mariupol City Council.
The Black Sea city in the Donetsk People’s Republic has been under Russian control since May 2022, when it was captured following an 85-day battle that left much of the city in ruins. The region voted to join Russia later that same year, along with the regions of Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye.
Earlier this month, Andryushchenko made headlines after claiming that a third of the people who had lived in Mariupol under Ukrainian rule and fled to Kiev-controlled territories amid the fighting have returned to the city due to inadequate support from the government in Kiev.
“The reason is the lack of sufficient support and solutions to the housing issue on the territory of Ukraine. People simply have nowhere to live. Even if they work, there is not enough money to afford rent,” Andryushchenko told the broadcaster Mi-Ukraine.
His comments caught the attention of a number of Ukrainian officials who accused the government in Kiev of not doing enough to assist people displaced due to the conflict.
Maksim Tkachenko, the people’s deputy from the Servant of the People party, recently claimed that 150,000 internally displaced people have moved to former Ukrainian territories that are now Russian, including around 70,000 to Mariupol alone. He later backtracked, saying his words were an “emotional assumption.”
Boychenko himself acknowledged earlier this month that around 30% of Mariupol’s residents who left the city after the start of the conflict have now returned. In his post announcing the firing of Andryushchenko, Boychenko did not comment on whether the move had anything to do with the adviser’s statements on people returning to Mariupol.
Earlier this week, Irina Vereshchuk, the deputy head of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s office, attempted to refute the claims of people moving to former Ukrainian territories en masse, saying there are no confirmed statistics on this. Vereshchuk called the claims “hype for the sake of good headlines,” but acknowledged that the government is not doing enough to support the displaced, as it currently lacks resources “due to war.”
After the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, the Ukrainian authorities paid each internally displaced person 2,000 hryvnia ($50) a month. However, in March this year, most of the payments were cut, and now only pensioners, disabled people, children with disabilities, orphans, and children deprived of parental care are eligible to receive the funds.
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November 30, 2024 at 12:30AM
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The country’s major news outlets have accused the maker of ChatGPT of breaking copyright terms by using news stories to train its chatbot
A coalition of Canadian news media corporations has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the creator of ChatGPT breached copyright and online terms of use to train its artificial intelligence models.
The suit, filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Friday, marks the latest in a series of legal actions against OpenAI over the use of data and news materials to train AI systems.
The lawsuit seeks punitive damages from the AI developer, as well as payment of any profits that it managed to make from using news articles published by the media outlets. Moreover, the plaintiffs are looking for a legal ruling that would ban OpenAI from using their news articles in the future.
“OpenAI regularly breaches copyright and online terms of use by scraping large swaths of content from Canadian media to help develop its products, such as ChatGPT,” Torstar, Postmedia, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press, and CBC/Radio-Canada said in a joint statement.
They emphasized that the company was doing this without getting permission or providing compensation to content owners.
“Journalism is in the public interest. OpenAI using other companies’ journalism for their own commercial gain is not. It’s illegal,” the plaintiffs concluded.
The lawsuit is latest among similar legal challenges that the AI developer has faced over the past years. Last December, the New York Times filed a federal lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement.
Earlier this year, US billionaire Elon Musk took the company to court over an alleged breach of its original mission to develop AI technology not for profit but for the benefit of humanity. Two weeks ago, the lawsuit was expanded after the tech entrepreneur added OpenAI’s largest financial backer, Microsoft, as a defendant, and accused both of monopolizing the market for generative artificial intelligence and sidelining competitors.
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November 29, 2024 at 11:36PM
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Russia hopes Damascus will restore order in Aleppo province, which was targeted in a surprise offensive, spokesman Dmitry Peskov says
The renewed terrorist attacks in Syria are an encroachment on the sovereignty of the Middle Eastern country, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, expressing hope that Damascus would soon be able to resolve the crisis.
On Thursday, local media reported that the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), which emerged from Jabhat al-Nusra and includes members of several other similar organizations, launched a large-scale attack in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. The militants reportedly managed to overrun several areas previously under the control of the Syrian military.
Commenting on the recent escalation on Friday, Peskov described it as “an attack on Syria’s sovereignty in the region,” adding “we would like the Syrian authorities to restore order there as soon as possible.”
On Friday, the Al Mayadeen network reported that Syrian forces had managed to check the terrorist advance and launched a counteroffensive to retake lost territories while carrying out missile strikes on the militants’ headquarters.
Meanwhile, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that four civilians had been killed as a result of a terrorist shelling of a university campus in Aleppo.
The attack was the first of its kind in years, although Damascus and Moscow have frequently carried out airstrikes against various militants still active in the region, including HTS, which is recognized as a terrorist group by Russia, the US, the EU, the UK, Türkiye, and several other countries.
Russia started its military operation in Syria in 2015 at the request of President Bashar Assad with the key goal of neutralizing several terrorist organizations in the turbulent region, including Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and Jabhat al-Nusra.
Russian airstrikes contributed to major defeats of the terrorist forces in the following months. IS and several other groups also had to grapple with attacks by a US-led international coalition, which, however, provided support to some other factions.
Moscow maintains a military footprint in Syria, most notably at the Hmeimim and Tartus Bases.
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November 29, 2024 at 12:07AM
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Louise Haigh has stepped down after details emerged of a criminal conviction for fraud a decade ago
British Transport Minister Louise Haigh has resigned after it emerged that she pleaded guilty to fraud by misrepresentation in 2014.
Haigh was appointed as shadow transport secretary for the Labour Party in 2021 and was promoted to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet after he led the party to a general election victory earlier this year.
In a letter to Starmer on Friday, she said she was tendering her resignation because “this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government,” the British media reported. Starmer thanked her for her work and said he knows that Haigh still has “a huge contribution to make in the future.”
Hours earlier, Sky News and the Times of London had revealed details of the politician’s past conviction. Her brush with the law took place when Haigh worked for the insurance giant Aviva before running for public office in 2015.
Aviva, it was revealed, conducted an internal investigation regarding several work phones, which Haigh reported missing or stolen on various occasions. The prosecution related to a specific device, which the politician maintains she mistakenly listed as being stolen from her in 2013. It was subsequently switched on, which attracted the attention of police.
”The police referred the matter to the CPS and I appeared before Southwark magistrates. Under the advice of my solicitor, I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain,” she told the press.
Magistrates sentenced her to the lowest-possible punishment of a conditional discharge, she pointed out. The conviction is now spent, which means it has been removed from Haigh’s record. She said she had informed Starmer about the incident, but did not share it with the public.
Haigh has served as the MP for the constituency of Sheffield since 2015, and held the position of shadow policing minister under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. After the change of party leadership in 2019, she became shadow Northern Ireland secretary, then shadow transport secretary.
During her political career, Haigh has criticized some politicians who had legal troubles. In 2022, she urged Boris Johnson, then-Tory leader and British prime minister, to resign, after police issued 20 fines over parties held at his official residence during a Covid-19 lockdown.
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November 28, 2024 at 11:19PM
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Moscow and Kiev have both set conditions for negotiations that require major concessions from the other side
US President-elect Donald Trump will likely try to bring about a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict before attempting to push Moscow and Kiev to the negotiating table, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing anonymous sources.
The Republican claimed on the campaign trail that he could end hostilities between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours if reelected to the White House. People in Trump’s orbit have put forward competing ideas, which are being reviewed by Mike Waltz, the president-elect’s pick for national security adviser, according to CNN.
The discussions are still at an early stage, two sources familiar with the issue told the network. Few advocate Ukrainian membership of NATO, the report said.
There is a wide gap between the conditions that officials in Russia and Ukraine have respectively outlined for a diplomatic engagement.
Andrey Yermak, the powerful chief-of-staff of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, this week told the Swedish outlet Dagens industri that a return to the pre-2022 situation would be “a starting point” for talks. The remark apparently backtracks on Kiev’s previous demand for full control over the territory to which it lays claim, including Crimea, before any negotiations could happen.
Before Kiev launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region in August, Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to order a ceasefire as soon as Ukraine drops its ambition to join NATO and withdraws its troops from former Ukrainian regions which have joined Russia.
The proposal has now been withdrawn, and according to Moscow, no talks can happen as long as there is a Ukrainian presence in Kursk Region. Kiev wants to hold on to the seized land to use it as a bargaining chip.
Several Trump allies have outlined how they believe the conflict could be resolved. Keith Kellogg, Trump's pick to be special envoy on the Ukraine conflict, wants to freeze military combat and suspend Kiev’s bid for NATO membership. Richard Grenell, Trump’s former ambassador to Germany, who was also considered for national security adviser, has urged the creation of “autonomous zones” as part of a settlement.
Russian forces have been rapidly gaining ground on the front line in recent months. Some Ukrainian military officials have warned that Kiev’s forces are on the verge of collapse.
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November 28, 2024 at 12:03AM
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Ben Joubert highlighted the group’s efforts to promote the interests of the Global South, in an interview with RT
Russia’s presidency of BRICS in 2024 has been instrumental in integrating new members and finding common positions, South African diplomat Ben Joubert has told RT.
Joubert, who serves as the South African foreign ministry’s director for regional organisations, is currently in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, attending the BRICS Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas meeting.
In the interview, he highlighted the successful expansion of the group of major non-Western economies earlier this year. Two of the four new members hail from Africa, which “confirms our sentiments about BRICS and being a formation for the Global South,” the diplomat said.
Among the group’s key priorities, Joubert mentioned the need to reduce dependency on the dollar, saying: “it’s a very important issue for us is to trade in our own currencies.” He pointed to progress during the October BRICS Summit in Kazan, where finance ministers and central bank governors were tasked with advancing this agenda.
Brazil, which will chair BRICS in 2025, has committed to giving “more attention” to the development of payment platforms and mechanisms for financial transactions, Joubert stated. This aligns with earlier remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who expressed hope that Brazil’s upcoming presidency would focus on financial cooperation.
Joubert reiterated BRICS’ mission as a voice for countries advocating meaningful reform of the global system, particularly the UN and the Security Council. “The main force driving that interest in BRICS is of course the need to have a global voice for the Global South,” he noted.
The three-day meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas concludes on Thursday. Russia, holding the year-long BRICS presidency since January 2024, has hosted over 250 events, including the Kazan summit in October. The first Sherpas’ meeting under Russia’s leadership weas held in Moscow in January.
On November 15, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Pankin announced that Indonesia had been granted “partner status” by the BRICS group. This designation, approved during the BRICS meeting in Kazan, offers an alternative to full membership, amid interest from over 30 nations seeking to join the organization. BRICS, previously comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded on January 1, 2024, to include Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
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November 27, 2024 at 11:16PM
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The agreement the African state signed with Rosatom includes the opening of a Nuclear Science and Technology Center
A subsidiary of Rosatom has signed a contract with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a Nuclear Science and Technology Center (NSTC) in the African country, the Russian state atomic energy company’s press service announced on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Rosatom will also soon begin assessing Ethiopia’s non-energy sector to identify how nuclear and radiation technology can address the country’s economic needs. This analysis will help compile a list of potential users of these technologies, laying the groundwork for a market for commercial products and services based on the NSTC’s capabilities.
Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, Belete Molla, expressed optimism about the partnership, highlighting the importance of Rosatom’s role in helping Ethiopia advance its nuclear energy and non-energy programs.
He believes that the Russian company “will assist Ethiopia in developing national nuclear power and non-energy programs as well as individual projects.”
Rosatom emphasized its dedication to fostering nuclear development on the African continent. “We are working with our international partners on various projects and joint solutions to develop nuclear and radiation technologies on the African continent,” Ilya Vergizaev, Executive Director of Rosatom’s division, stated.
He added that the agreement solidifies the long-term commitment of both nations to collaborative progress in this field.
Anatoly Bashkin, Director of the Africa Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, highlighted Rosatom’s pivotal role in Africa’s energy development during the ‘Russia-Africa: What’s Next?’ forum at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). He emphasized that Africa is increasingly attractive for investments in high-tech industries, noting Rosatom’s active promotion of projects for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. These initiatives include constructing centers based on multipurpose research reactors and, in the future, nuclear power plants, aiming to enhance the continent’s energy security and industrial growth.
Last October, Burkina Faso signed an agreement with Rosatom for the construction of a nuclear power plant, following a request that its interim leader, Ibrahim Traore, made of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.
Rosatom started building the fourth power unit of the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt in January. The project, launched in 2017, is being financed jointly by Moscow and Cairo, while the Russian state company will supply nuclear fuel to the facility throughout its life cycle.
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November 27, 2024 at 12:51AM
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The “long-shot” funding request was reportedly sent to Congress on Monday
Outgoing US President Joe Biden has quietly asked Congress to allocate an additional $24 billion in Ukraine-related spending, according to a report by Politico on Tuesday.
The funding pitch includes $16 billion to backfill US stocks depleted by deliveries of weapons to Kiev and $8 billion to pay US arms producers for contracts in support of the Ukrainian military, the news outlet said, calling Biden’s bid a “long shot”.
The report is based on a document produced by the White House Office of Management and Budget, which was sent to lawmakers on Monday, according to Politico’s sources on Capitol Hill.
The Biden administration previously vowed to spend every dollar already approved for Ukraine before the president leaves office on January 20. Last week, he also wrote off some $4.7 billion in forgivable loans given to Kiev. The money was part of a tranche approved by Congress in April, with $9.4 billion provided as a “loan” to appease lawmakers, who opposed continued funding of the Ukraine conflict.
President-elect Donald Trump claimed during the election campaign that he would end the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours if voters grant him a new term in office. Some of his allies have accused the “lame duck” Biden of trying to corner the next administration into a continued conflict with Russia.
Republican Senator Mike Lee reacted negatively to the new funding request from the White House, especially as it came days after Biden’s unilateral move on the loan.
”Congress must not give him a free gift to further sabotage President Trump’s peace negotiations on the way out the door. Any Biden funding demands should be DOA,” he wrote on X.
Elon Musk, a key Trump supporter, who will lead an effort to reduce government waste in the incoming administration, has called the request “not ok” and said the money would be “funding the forever war,” if lawmakers authorize the spending.
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November 26, 2024 at 11:05PM
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The protests are set to resume unless Warsaw reverses an agricultural tax hike and a planned deal with South American nations
Polish farmers have warned that they will resume their blockade of the Ukrainian border next month unless the government in Warsaw agrees to their demands. The activists blocked the main crossing from Friday until late Sunday, and have given the authorities until December 10 to address their grievances.
Similar scenes have played out repeatedly in recent years, amid Polish farmers’ anger over the influx of cheap Ukrainian produce, as well as the European Union’s green policies, which the protesters claim could put them out of business.
On Monday, the Polish Press Agency quoted Roman Kondrow, the head of a regional farmers’ association, as saying: “we will write down all our demands and present them to the agriculture minister. Should the minister disregard our concerns and merely present promises, we will once again block the road and demand talks with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.”
According to the Polish media, approximately 30 people blocked the Medyka-Shehyni crossing late last week in a protest that had initially been scheduled to last till the end of the year. They allowed one truck per hour to cross the border, with exemptions made for buses, as well as humanitarian and military cargo.
The farmers expressed their outrage at the government’s failure to honor its promise not to raise the agriculture tax and keep it at the 2023 level. They also denounced several other newly introduced regulations.
The protesters also slammed the EU plans to sign a free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc of South American nations. They fear that the deal could result in an influx of cheap produce that would undercut Polish farmers.
Commenting on last week’s border blockade, Ukrainian authorities criticized Polish farmers for “using the border as a tool to influence their government.” Some commentators in the country were quick to point the finger at Russia, suggesting that Moscow is paying the protesters.
Back in March, tens of thousands of Polish agricultural workers simultaneously blocked roads in several hundred locations nationwide, including outside the capital, Warsaw.
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November 25, 2024 at 11:32PM
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Russian forces have used a TOS-1A thermobaric system to strike Kiev’s troops in Donbass, the Defense Ministry has said
Russian forces have used a thermobaric rocket system to wipe out fortified Ukrainian defensive positions in the southern part of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Defense Ministry reported on Monday.
The military released footage of what it said was a strike delivered with a TOS-1A Solntsepyok weapon in which projectiles are shown causing massive explosions on the ground.
An upgraded version of the same system, called the TOS-2 Tosochka, is also in service. It uses a wheeled chassis, can fire more advanced rockets and has other improvements. In addition to the ground-mobile systems, the Russian military has thermobaric aerial bombs in its arsenal, which it has reportedly used in the Ukraine conflict to devastating effect.
Earlier this month, the Russian Defense Ministry released a similar video showing a TOS-1A strike on Kiev’s positions in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region in the northern part of the front.
The Russian military has been rapidly gaining ground in the past several months, particularly after Kiev launched a cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region in August.
Officials in Kiev claimed they were seeking to force Moscow to divert troops from other parts of the front and that the captured land could serve as a bargaining chip in eventual peace talks. Reuters reported on Sunday, however, that Ukraine had lost more than 40% of the territory they managed to capture in the initial push.
Ukrainian troops have suffered over 35,300 casualties in the incursion and lost hundreds of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other valuable military equipment, including systems donated by Kiev’s Western backers, according to Moscow.
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November 24, 2024 at 11:16PM
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Dmitry Medvedev’s warning comes after a hypersonic missile strike on a Ukrainian military facility
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has issued a stark warning to European nations that continue to support Kiev. In a Telegram post on Sunday, Medvedev referenced the recent deployment of Russia’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile system against a Ukrainian military facility.
“Europe is wondering what damage the system could cause if the warheads are nuclear, whether it is possible to shoot down these missiles, and how quickly they would reach the capitals of the Old World. The answer: The damage would be unacceptable, it is impossible to intercept them with modern means, and we are talking about a matter of minutes,” Medvedev wrote.
“Bomb shelters will not help, so the only hope is that kind Russia will warn in advance about the launches. Therefore, it is better to stop supporting the war,” he added.
Earlier this week, Medvedev shared a video showing an Oreshnik missile strike on a Ukrainian defense industrial facility in Dnepropetrovsk (known as Dnipro in Ukraine). The footage, originally published by Ukrainian media, shows several warheads impacting the military site at night. Medvedev accompanied the video with a post on X, saying, “So, that’s what you wanted? Well, you’ve damn well got it!”
In a public address on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the use of Oreshnik missiles against a Ukrainian military-industrial facility. He described the strike as a direct response to Ukrainian attacks on internationally-recognized Russian territory earlier in the week, which involved US-made ATACMS and HIMARS systems, as well as British-made Storm Shadow missiles. Putin accused the US and NATO of intentionally escalating the conflict and stated that Russia would fulfill all of its military objectives, regardless of the weapons used by Kiev.
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November 24, 2024 at 01:31AM
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New Delhi says the $300 billion spending goal for battling climate change is a “paltry sum” that in no way reflects the needs of the Global South
India has rejected the climate spending goal adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku on Sunday. Chandni Raina, an advisor at India’s Finance Ministry and COP29 negotiator for India, slammed the deal as an “optical illusion” that does not reflect the needs of the countries of the Global South.
After three years of talks, the COP29 member countries have agreed to provide $300 billion in annual spending on climate action, with an overall target to reach “at least $1.3 trillion” in climate financing by 2035.” The target, otherwise known as the new collective quantified goal (NCQG), will replace the existing $100 billion goal that is due to expire next year.
Under the deal, developed countries are obligated to “take the lead” in providing financing, while developing countries can contribute as well, albeit voluntarily. Developed countries welcomed the agreement as marking a breakthrough, but India and a host of developing countries saw it as woefully inadequate to address the global climate crisis.
“The proposed goal will not solve our issues. The amount suggested for mobilization is woefully insufficient; it’s a meager sum that won’t enable effective climate action,” Raina stated, emphasizing that the agreement does not adequately address the significant challenges facing developing countries.
“I regret to say that this document is nothing more than an optical illusion. We oppose its adoption,” she added. Raina also said it was “unacceptable” that the deal envisions developing countries contributing to financing climate action, calling it “a deflection of the responsibility.” The delegate also lambasted the summit organizers for not allowing India take a stand and voice its objections prior to announcing the adoption of the deal, which she said was deliberate.
A host of developing nations joined India in criticizing the COP29 deal. The Nigerian representative called the $300 billion goal “a joke,” while Bolivia slammed it as an “insult and a flagrant violation of justice and climate equity.” Ali Mohamed, speaking on behalf of more than 50 African nations, called the deal “too little, too late for a continent facing climate devastation while contributing least to emissions.” He noted that an estimated $5.1–6.8 trillion is needed for climate action by 2030. The Association of Small Island States (AOSIS), a group of 43 island nations quit the summit saying that the COP29 discussions “were not offering a progressive way forward.”
On Saturday, climate activists staged a protest at COP29, demanding that developed countries meet their climate spending commitments. Protesters chanted slogans and waved banners that read “Global North, pay up trillions not billions” and “Rich countries, pay your climate debt.”
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November 24, 2024 at 12:25AM
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The former German chancellor has said the crisis cannot be resolved through military means alone
Western nations will eventually have to engage in dialogue with Russia to put an end to the Ukraine conflict, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said. She added that Kiev’s backers should ensure that Ukraine remains independent following the cessation of hostilities.
Merkel served as chancellor from 2005 to 2021, and was one of the guarantors of the 2014-15 Minsk agreements, which aimed to reintegrate Donbass into Ukraine, while granting the region greater autonomy. In 2022, she admitted that the accords had in fact been an “attempt to give Ukraine time” to build up its military.
In an interview with the UK’s Sunday Times published on Saturday, Merkel said she was generally supportive of the Ukraine policies of the current German government, as well as those of the EU. Since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, Berlin has emerged as the top provider of military aid to Kiev in Europe, second only to the US globally.
The former chancellor, however, noted that “at a certain moment, and the responsible people today have to determine that moment, we will need conversations.”
“There will not be a solution [to the Ukraine conflict] that is only military,” she added.
On Thursday, Die Zeit published excerpts from Merkel’s new book titled ‘Freedom: Memories 1954-2021’. In it, she recounts the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, where Ukraine and Georgia’s applications for Membership Action Plans were put up for discussion.
The then-chancellor opposed the idea at the time, arguing that the move would be seen as a provocation by Russia, with the potential applicants not being provided with any meaningful security guarantees.
While a number of officials, including Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, have since criticized Merkel for her stance, she stands firmly by her view to this day, as evidenced by her memoirs.
Moscow has repeatedly indicated a willingness to negotiate a settlement with Kiev. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently reiterated that any peace talks should be based on the agreements reached in Istanbul in 2022, which envisaged a neutral, non-aligned status for Ukraine, as well as certain restrictions on deploying foreign weaponry.
However, the Kremlin has also stated that any further negotiations must take into account the “reality on the ground.” This implies that Ukraine is expected to make territorial concessions, rather than retaking the regions that have voluntarily joined Russia, including the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions, as well as Crimea.
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November 23, 2024 at 11:59PM
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Brussels imposed tariffs on imports of Chinese electric cars following a high-profile probe
Brussels and Beijing are close to concluding a pact to eliminate EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports, the head of the European Parliament’s Trade Committee, Bernd Lange, said on Saturday in an interview with Germany’s ntv news outlet.
In October, the European Commission imposed tariffs of up to 35.3% on Chinese-made battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The levies, which became effective on October 30, came on top of the EU’s standard 10% duty on imported automobiles.
“We are also still negotiating with the Chinese side regarding the electric cars. We are close to a solution with China to abolish the tariffs,” Lange told ntv.
“We are close to an agreement: China could commit to offering the electric cars in the EU at a minimum price,” the bloc’s top trade official said, emphasizing that it could “eliminate the distortion of competition through unfair subsidies, which is why the tariffs were originally introduced.”
The duties were impose following a year-long high-profile trade investigation by the EU. Brussels argued that the action was necessary to protect European carmakers from unfair competition, noting that Chinese producers benefit from state subsidies.
The measure divided the EU and triggered retaliation from Beijing. Germany, one of the world’s biggest car producers, voiced its objections to the tariffs along with Hungary, warning of “a trade war” and calling for a negotiated solution.
In response, Beijing imposed provisional tariffs on liquor coming from the bloc. The temporary anti-dumping levies that came into force on October 11 range from 30.6% to 39%. In August, the Chinese Commerce Ministry announced that according to preliminary findings, European producers were selling goods in China below market rates, threatening “substantial damage” to domestic producers. Anti-dumping probes were also launched into EU pork and dairy products.
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November 23, 2024 at 02:53AM
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The Russian leader’s “restraint” is the only thing that can stop WW3 until Trump returns to the White House, Jimmy Dore has said
Russian President Vladimir Putin should continue exercising “restraint” in his responses to the US-led proxy war against Russia waged by the Kiev regime, Jimmy Dore, political commentator and host of the Jimmy Dore Show, has warned. According to the progressive pundit, it is imperative that Putin wait until US president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January before making decisions that could kick-start World War III.
In an interview with Going Underground host Afshin Rattansi broadcast on RT on Saturday, Dore was commenting on the latest decision by outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration to greenlight Kiev’s use of long-range US-supplied weaponry for strikes on undisputed Russian territory. Moscow sees the US decision as an escalation that makes the US a direct party to the fighting. Remarking on the situation earlier this week, Vladimir Putin said that the “regional” Ukraine conflict has now “assumed elements of a global nature,” and warned of a backlash if tensions escalate further.
“Joe Biden and the neo-cons in his administration have been constantly escalating war… What they’re trying to do is start a war that Donald Trump can’t stop,” Dore said, warning that the end-result of their actions could be a new world war.
“The only hope we have is that Putin shows restraint, that he is the only adult in the room and that he can hold off somehow until Donald Trump becomes president,” he stated. Trump will be inaugurated in late January and has pledged to swiftly end the Ukraine conflict upon assuming office.
“That is why the establishment hate Trump… why they accused him non-stop of being a traitor and working with Putin – it was the only card they had to play, because he got elected on ending our foreign regime-change interventionist wars,” Dore said.
“Trump is not a warmonger… He likes to find deals. He might be corrupt, but he’s New-York-city-real-estate-corrupt, not neo-con-warmongering-kill-people-for-money-corrupt,” the pundit claimed. Dore suggested that together, Putin and Trump would be able to bring an end to the Ukraine conflict, but cautioned that things could go wrong if the current US administration continues to take steps to escalate it.
“Putin is a rational actor, but you never know how much NATO, Joe Biden and his neo-con administration is going to poke the bear,” Dore added.
You can watch the full interview here:
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November 23, 2024 at 01:20AM
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New restrictions against Russia’s Gazprombank will hit Central European states, Hungary’s foreign minister has said
Washington’s latest decision to blacklist Russia’s Gazprombank is aimed at undermining energy security in the Central European region, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
Earlier this week, the US Treasury Department imposed blocking sanctions on more than 50 Russian financial institutions, including Gazprombank and six of its international subsidiaries.
The newly introduced restrictions effectively cut off Russia’s third-largest lender and primary bank for energy-related transactions from the SWIFT interbank messaging system, meaning it can no longer conduct dollar-based transactions.
“Including Gazprombank to the sanctions list is a decision that deliberately puts some Central European countries in a difficult situation, and deliberately jeopardizes the security of energy supplies” to several nations in the region, Szijjarto wrote on Facebook on Friday.
The foreign minister stated that any attempts to jeopardize the security of energy supplies to Hungary “either by imposing sanctions or by cutting off transit supplies are considered as an offence against our sovereignty.”
“We reject all the attacks of the kind against our sovereignty, resist the pressure, and pursue our national interests,” he said.
Szijjarto added that he discussed the issue of gas supplies to Hungary with the first deputy head of the Russian Energy Ministry, Pavel Sorokin, on the sidelines of the Istanbul Energy Forum, which convened in Türkiye on November 22.
“We reviewed the situation in the field of gas transportation and confirmed that we will support necessary cooperation for secure energy supplies to Hungary,” he stated.
Szijjarto went on to say that Budapest is also discussing the situation with the energy ministers of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, and Serbia, and constantly consulting with its Slovak partners to find a solution for securing energy supplies despite external pressure.
Russian shipments of pipeline gas to the EU were greatly reduced in the wake of Ukraine-related sanctions and the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, although EU nations are still purchasing record volumes of liquified natural gas (LNG) from the sanctioned country. Despite the bloc’s plans to eliminate its dependence Russian energy, it remains one of the world’s major importers of Russian fossil fuels. In August, pipeline gas comprised the largest share of the EU’s purchases of Russian fossil fuels (54%), followed by LNG (25%), according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
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November 22, 2024 at 11:33PM
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The restrictions target Gazprombank and six of its foreign subsidiaries, effectively banning them from conducting dollar transactions
Washington has sanctioned dozens of Russian financial institutions, including Gazprombank and six of its international subsidiaries, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on Thursday. Russia’s third-largest lender and primary bank for energy-related transactions, Gazprombank was the last major Russian bank that had retained access to the SWIFT interbank messaging system.
The UK and Canada imposed sanctions on Gazprombank shortly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, but the US had previously avoided following suit as the bank was used by EU states to pay for Russian gas. Explaining its decision to place restrictions on the bank now, OFAC claimed that Moscow was using Gazprombank as a “conduit to purchase military materiel.” The new measures mean the bank can no longer carry out any new transactions that involve the dollar-based financial system. Its assets in the US have also been frozen.
OFAC noted that it had issued new general licenses authorizing US residents to continue transactions involving Gazprombank so as to gradually wind down cooperation with it. The licenses will also allow for uninterrupted diplomatic banking activities involving Gazprombank, as well as transactions related to agricultural commodities and medicine.
Commenting on the sanctions, Gazprombank said the measures won’t affect its operations within Russia, noting that all of the banks cards, including those using foreign payment systems, will continues to function as usual. However, it warned that its UnionPay cards may stop working outside the country.
Apart from Gazprombank, the new restrictions targeted over 50 small-to-medium Russian lenders, including BCS Bank and state-owned DOM.RF, as well as some 40 Russian securities registrars and 15 Russian financial officials. The new restrictions are aimed at attempting to further curtail Russia’s use of the international financial system, the OFAC said.
“Today’s sanctions targeting Russia’s largest remaining non-designated bank [Gazprombank], as well as dozens of other financial institutions and officials in Russia, will further diminish and degrade Russia’s war machine,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said late on Thursday. She claimed that the “sweeping action will make it harder for the Kremlin to evade US sanctions and fund and equip its military.”
OFAC also issued an alert warning international financial institutions against joining Russia’s System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS), the Russian alternative to SWIFT. OFAC claimed Moscow was using the system to “evade sanctions, and fund its war effort,” and said it may target foreign financial institutions that choose to join it with secondary sanctions.
Moscow has long slammed Western sanctions as illegal. It has noted on more than one occasion that they have failed to achieve their ultimate goal of destabilizing the Russian economy and isolating the country from the global financial system. Instead, they have backfired on the states that imposed them.
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November 21, 2024 at 11:06PM
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Thames Water operations are on the brink of collapse, endangering supplies to 16 million customers, an investigation by the newspaper has claimed
Britain’s biggest water provider has £23 billion ($29 billion) of assets in urgent need of repair, The Guardian has reported, claiming that the supply of water to London and other parts of the UK is on a “knife-edge.”
The failure of Thames Water's management to address safety concerns and much-needed upgrades to its obsolete IT systems have left operations on the brink of collapse, an investigation into the company by the Guardian has claimed.
The company’s critical infrastructure relies on software dating back to the 1980s, sparking concerns about water supply for its 16 million customers in London and other counties, the newspaper claimed.
“Operations have been hollowed out and cut to the bone,” a senior source at the company told The Guardian. “We’re putting the public at risk by failing to invest in the most basic needs.”
On top of this, the company has piled up a £15 billion ($18 billion) debt and has reportedly said it cannot repay some of its lenders, which exacerbates its inability to respond to urgent maintenance needs.
Thames Water had reportedly been warned for years about its deteriorated reservoirs and pipes. Employees have described a desperate struggle to keep the aging systems operational, often resorting to makeshift repairs and salvaging parts from other outdated machines.
However, these issues have gone largely ignored both by management and the regulatory bodies overseeing the company, the Guardian claims.
A Thames Water spokesman maintained that “the wellbeing and safety of our colleagues and customers is our highest priority,” adding that the company supplies “2.6 billion liters of water every day, rated among the highest quality of drinking water anywhere in the world.”
Thames Water is now in a worse financial state than previously perceived, the Guardian claims, adding that the company is facing urgent repairs which will cost up to £23 billion, alongside operational challenges preventing it from ensuring the reliable delivery of clean water.
A spokesperson for the UK water regulator Ofwat said the investigation had raised “serious allegations” about Thames Water and pledged to “take action if there is evidence of breach of the company’s obligations.”
“It is of course essential that all water companies provide a safe and reliable water supply,” Ofwat said.
The regulator added that Thames Water had made a request for a “substantial increase in expenditure, including to address issues of asset health” noting that it is reviewing the request with the final decision on funding to be announced in December.
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November 21, 2024 at 12:10AM
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Several US government agencies helped to fund lab work that led to the creation of the coronavirus, according to Robert Redfield
Robert Redfield, a former director of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has claimed that Covid-19 was artificially developed, and that the US played a “substantial” role in starting the pandemic.
Redfield, who led the agency under the administration of US President Donald Trump, made the claim in an interview that was released on November 14, but only drew media attention this week.
Speaking to author and podcaster Dana Parish, he suggested that the virus was “intentionally engineered as a part of a biodefense program.” “When you look at the accountability for China, their accountability is not in the lab work and the creation of the virus,” but in their failure to quickly report the incident to health authorities worldwide including the CDC, when they realized the virus was on the loose, he said.
However, the US “role was substantial,” he added. “They funded the research, both from NIH [National Institutes of Health], the State Department’s USAID and the Defense Department.”
According to the former CDC chief, the “scientific mastermind behind the research” was Dr. Ralph Baric, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on coronaviruses.
Redfield suggested that the professor, who works at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was “very involved in this research.”
“I think he probably helped create some of the original viral line”, Redfield said, admitting he did not have any proof. “I think there is a real possibility that the virus’s birthplace was Chapel Hill.”
Redfield previously said the Covid-19 pandemic, which killed more than seven million people worldwide and caused a global economic downturn, most likely started with a lab leak in Wuhan, China, and suggested that the debate on the virus’s origins was “squashed.” He has also criticized the World Health Organization (WHO) for failing to hold Beijing accountable.
One of the prevailing theories of the origin of the Covid pandemic is that the virus was transmitted to humans from an animal, possibly a bat, at a food market. China has maintained that the virus is of natural origin, and has dismissed the laboratory leak theory as an attempt to smear the country for political reasons.
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November 20, 2024 at 11:12PM
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The giant spacecraft is designed to carry astronauts to the Moon and Mars
US President-elect Donald Trump joined SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to watch the launch of a massive Starship spacecraft from the company’s rocket facilities on the Gulf Coast in Brownsville, Texas.
The 122-meter (400 ft) tall rocket, which is part of NASA’s Artemis program, blasted off from Musk’s Boca Chica manufacturing and testing complex on Tuesday. The spacecraft is designed to land astronauts on the Moon and ferry crews to Mars, and is capable of carrying up to 100 passengers when configured for humans, according to SpaceX.
Ahead of the launch, Trump wished Musk luck, posting on X: “I’m heading to the Great State of Texas to watch the launch of the largest object ever to be elevated, not only to Space, but simply by lifting off the ground.”
SpaceX was conducting the sixth test of the rocket; the first stage, called Super Heavy, was expected to fly back to its launch pad where the rocket booster is caught by a giant set of mechanical arms in a landing dock on its return to Earth. The catch was achieved for the first time during Starship’s fifth test flight in October.
However, this time SpaceX aborted the plan just minutes into the test flight for unspecified reasons. The Super Heavy booster wasn’t able to return to the launch pad and instead made a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, indicating that something had gone wrong.
The rest of the mission was reportedly a success. Among the objectives for the test were igniting one of the engines in space, making a visible ocean landing during the daytime, and making the booster landing faster.
Trump’s appearance at the launch signals a deepening alliance with Musk, who stands to benefit from his second term in office. SpaceX is already reaping billions of dollars in US government contracts, and is poised to clinch more.
“The founder of this century’s most innovative space company, Elon Musk, successfully used his fortune, time, and energy to help elect Donald Trump to president of the United States,” Ars Technica’s senior space editor, Eric Berger, wrote earlier this month. “It’s entirely possible that the sitting chief executive of SpaceX could be the nation’s most important adviser on space policy.”
Musk has actively supported the president-elect and has become an increasingly influential figure on his team. Last week, Trump chose Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new initiative that will be tasked with reducing government waste.
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November 20, 2024 at 12:03AM
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Ukraine has used the long-range missiles to strike Bryansk Region, according to the Russian military
The Ukrainian military is believed to have received only around 50 ATACMS missiles from the US so far, The Times reported on Tuesday, while noting that the Pentagon has not publicly released any figures on the weapons.
According to the British newspaper, Ukraine’s military forces have “plenty” of HIMARS and MLRS systems that are able to fire the long-range missiles. The first launchers were sent to Kiev within months of the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022.
The newspaper highlighted, however, that with a limited supply of ATACMS missiles, military commanders in Kiev will have to “choose carefully when they select targets inside Russia.”
On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine had launched six long-range ATACMS missiles into the border region of Bryansk, and that five of were intercepted by air defense systems, while another was damaged and hit the ground near a military base.
The issue of authorising the use of US-supplied long-range missiles by Kiev for strikes deep into Russia had been under consideration in the White House for more than two years. On Sunday, the New York Times reported, citing unnamed American officials, that outgoing US President Joe Biden had removed the restrictions.
The news was later confirmed by the EU’s outgoing foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky claimed that several other Western countries had followed suit, and given Kiev permission to use their long-range missiles against internationally recognized Russian territory.
On Monday, US Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer evaded questions from reporters about Biden’s authorization, saying he was not “confirming any decisions that have or have not been made about US assistance” when it comes to operational issues.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that such a step would change the nature of the Ukraine conflict, making NATO a direct participant. The head of state has also updated Russia’s nuclear doctrine to allow a strategic response to a conventional attack by the proxy of a nuclear power.
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November 19, 2024 at 11:27PM
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PhosAgro names the continent as its strongest growth market
Russian fertilizer producer PhosAgro has reported a 41% surge in exports to Africa for the first nine months of this year, compared to the same period of last year.
Speaking to TASS on Monday, company CEO Mikhail Rybnikov noted that the increase in deliveries to African nations is stronger than for any other region.
“Export growth was 4% in the first nine months of the year, and we saw the same growth rate on the domestic market including third-party products, or 13% for our own production,” Rybnikov told the Russian news agency, adding that exports to Latin America have also performed well, gaining 20% during the period.
The CEO of PhosAgro, which is a leading global producer of phosphate-based fertilizers, stressed the need to keep supporting fertilizer logistics, including by rail, adding: “I believe our cargo is critical to ensuring national food security.”
The Russian company Uralchem, one of the world’s largest fertilizer producers, has sent more than 134,000 tons of fertilizers to African nations free of charge since late 2022. In collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), over 111,000 tons have been shipped from European ports and warehouses to Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
African countries’ imports from Russia now surpass the country’s trade with North and South America, according to data from the Russian Federal Customs Service (FCS). In 2023, Africa’s share of Russian exports doubled year-on-year, rising from 2.5% to nearly 5%, while the monetary value of exports grew by 43% to $21.2 billion.
In contrast, Russian exports to the Americas fell by 40% during the same period. Their share shrank from 3.5% in 2022 to 2.9% in 2023, according to the Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting (CAMAC).
The policy makes it clear to would-be aggressors that retaliation is inevitable, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said
Foreign leaders should carefully study Russia’s new nuclear doctrine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, after President Vladimir Putin formally authorized the document.
Published on Tuesday, the eight-page policy statement on Russian nuclear deterrence includes changes previewed by Putin in September. It is “extremely important” and should be “the subject of very deep analysis both in our nation and, probably, abroad,” Peskov told journalists during a regular briefing.
The spokesman highlighted specific wording, which says that the doctrine “is aimed at ensuring realization by the potential enemy of the inevitability of retaliation in case of aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies.”
Last week, US President Joe Biden reportedly granted Kiev permission to use American-made long-range weapons to deliver strikes deep into Russia. The policy change has been confirmed by some US allies, but not by Washington itself. Putin previously said that any such attack would amount to a direct war between NATO and Russia.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has included unrestricted attacks with Western weapons in his ‘victory plan’ for the conflict with Moscow, which he touted to Biden in September. Other points of his proposal include the deployment of a “conventional deterrence package” on Ukrainian soil. He reportedly requested the US to station Tomahawk cruise missiles in Ukraine and threatened to launch them against Russia.
Peskov was asked on Tuesday whether such a deployment would trigger a Russian nuclear strike under the new doctrine. He declined to answer directly, but mentioned that the new rules consider an attack by a non-nuclear power backed by a nuclear one as a joint attack.
Moscow reserves the right to use nuclear weapons when its sovereignty and territorial integrity or those of its allies is at stake, the official added.
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November 18, 2024 at 11:24PM
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The report addresses key challenges relating to food security, governance, energy and digital sovereignty
The Centre for African Studies at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics has released an English-language handbook titled ‘Africa 2025: Prospects and Challenges’, offering a new perspective for the continent’s development.
The publication, presented at the Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi on November 9, is the first such work, prepared by Russian experts, to be primarily aimed at an African audience.
Edited by Andrey Maslov, head of the centre, the handbook is intended for African government officials, business leaders, academics, and civil society representatives. It provides an alternative to traditional Western narratives about Africa, emphasizing local agency and addressing critical issues including food sovereignty, energy, and digital independence.
Speaking to RT on Monday, Maslov highlighted the importance of an unbiased approach.
“In Russia, we have already made a contribution to the understanding of Africa by decision-makers. But our friends in Africa, our colleagues, have convinced us that they need our expertise there too. Our unbiased view is free from any stereotypes, from any racism, or patronizing attitudes towards Africa.”
He stressed that the book’s goal is to foster an alternative narrative that avoids paternalistic or Western-centric views of Africa.
“We are very positive about the future of Africa. But we think it needs its own agenda, not the one coming from the West,” the HSE Centre for African Studies director stated.
Maslov stressed the need for collaborative research between Russian and African academics on vital issues including demographic growth, energy consumption, governance, and food sovereignty.
The handbook has been welcomed by prominent figures in Africa. Moctar Seck, head of the Innovation and Technology Sector at the UN Economic Commission for Africa, highlighted its focus on the crucial issues of digital sovereignty, food security, and commerce. He called the publication a “deep analysis of Africa’s pressing challenges.”
“I also think that African ministers will find a lot of interesting things in it, and I am going to share it with them”, Seck noted.
Hassan Khannenje, Director of the HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies, commended the book’s focus on food sovereignty, a topic of growing concern amid global supply chain disruptions.
“This chapter is significant because it discusses geopolitics, where, as we understand, there have been failures and shortcomings in food supply and understanding,” he stated.
Tatenda Mavetera, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Postal and Courier Services of the Republic of Zimbabwe, noted that it is important to go beyond stereotypes when speaking about Africa.
“This book means a lot to us. Speaking about Africa-2025 means that we are looking at where we are going; it means looking into the future”, Mavetera said.
The inaugural Russia-Africa ministerial conference, hosted at the Sirius Federal Territory near the city of Sochi on the Black Sea, was held on November 9-10 and featured more than 40 government ministers from across Africa.
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November 18, 2024 at 12:20AM
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Lithuania’s Gitanas Nauseda has long urged other NATO members to lift restrictions for Kiev on long-range missile attacks
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has praised the reported decision by the US to allow Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory, describing it as a “decisive moment.”
According to a report from the New York Times on Sunday, US President Joe Biden has given Kiev the green light to deploy long-range American-made missiles against targets within Russia’s internationally recognized borders.
“The day has come!” Nauseda, who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine during the conflict, wrote in a post on X on Sunday. “Ukraine can now target military sites in Russia using long-range missiles,” he added.
Vilnius has long urged NATO to authorize strikes on targets deep inside Russia using Western-supplied weapons, a move that some observers fear could further escalate tensions and risk a broader conflict.
“This is a decisive moment in fight against the aggressor Russia,” Nauseda claimed, adding that “peace cannot be achieved through weakness.”
Since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, Lithuania has called on other NATO countries to give “everything we have” to Kiev’s forces. Earlier this year, the Baltic country joined a Czech-led ammunition initiative to procure artillery shells for Ukraine using part of the interest earnings from some $300 billion in Russian assets frozen in the EU.
In June, Nauseda pledged to spend 0.25% of Lithuania’s GDP by the end of 2024 on military, humanitarian, and economic aid to Ukraine.
His latest remarks came after Washington reportedly reversed its long-standing policy of not allowing Kiev to use ATACMS missiles to hit targets deep inside Russia.
ATACMS missiles can be fired from HIMARS launchers, which Ukraine has had in its arsenal since 2022. The long-range capabilities of the ATACMS would allow Ukraine to strike further into Russian territory, potentially disrupting supply lines and troop concentrations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned that such actions would mean NATO’s direct involvement in the conflict.
In September, Putin stated that Ukrainian forces lack the capability to carry out attacks with Western-supplied long-range missiles without external assistance. “It is not a question of allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons or not. It is about deciding whether NATO countries become directly involved in the military conflict or not,” he said.
The president added that if a decision allowing the strikes were made, it could lead to severe repercussions, including retaliation against Western interests.
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November 17, 2024 at 11:07PM
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The attacks targeted energy infrastructures and facilities supporting Kiev’s military, the Defense Ministry has said
Russia has conducted a large-scale strike on Ukraine’s energy and military-industrial infrastructure, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has confirmed. In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said that the barrage had involved long-range air- and sea-based weapons, as well as drones, and targeted “critical energy infrastructure supporting the work of Ukraine’s defense industrial complex as well as plants producing military equipment.”
“All designated targets have been hit,” the statement added, without providing further details.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian media and officials had reported a wave of attacks across much of the country, with the national power company implementing emergency blackouts.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga called the barrage “one of the largest air attacks,” adding that it was Kremlin’s “true response to all those who called and visited him recently,” in an apparent reference to a recent phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
According to Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, the strike involved around 120 missiles, including hypersonic ones, and 90 drones, but claimed that the country’s air defenses had destroyed more than 140 incoming targets.
He also admitted that the attacks had damaged several unspecified facilities, adding that the strike on Nikolayev had killed two people and injured six. According to local officials, there has been damage to energy infrastructure in Volyn Region, blackouts in Poltava Region, and issues with water service in Odessa. Several explosions were also reported in Vinnitsa and Lviv Regions.
Russian officials had previously said that the strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are in retaliation for Kiev’s attacks on Russia’s critical infrastructure and oil facilities. They have also emphasized that these attacks never target Ukrainian civilians.
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November 17, 2024 at 12:29AM
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The comment was made during a heated debate over misinformation on social media platforms
Brazilian First Lady Janja Lula da Silva publicly called out billionaire X owner Elon Musk during a G20 social event in Brazil. The country will host the group’s summit next week.
While speaking, the first lady was interrupted by a ship horn, prompting her to say, “It’s Elon Musk,” before adding, “I’m not afraid of you, f**k you, Elon Musk.”
Musk reacted on X with laughing emojis and commented: “They are going to lose the next election.”
The incident highlights the ongoing debate over misinformation on social media platforms. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has criticized Musk’s platform for its policies on the matter, saying, “We cannot allow any platform to undermine democracy and the rights of our citizens.”
His wife’s remarks sparked backlash from Brazilian opposition figures, including former President Jair Bolsonaro, who cautioned that her comments could lead to diplomatic issues for the current administration.
In October, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes authorized the reinstatement of social media platform X in the country, more than a month after its shutdown. The service was blocked on August 30 due to a dispute over free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation.
Musk called de Moraes an authoritarian and a censor. Ultimately, X complied with de Moraes’ demands, which included blocking specific accounts, paying fines, and appointing a legal representative in Brazil – a requirement that had led to the suspension.
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November 16, 2024 at 11:11PM
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Many believe Albert Luthuli was silenced because he was using a global platform to highlight the horrors of Apartheid
Chief Albert Luthuli, renowned anti-Apartheid activist and Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died in 1967 after being struck by a train. His death was ruled accidental, but in May this year, 57 years later, South Africa’s national prosecuting authority reopened the inquest, saying there are suspicions regarding the circumstances of his death.
South Africa under colonial rule
The country had been under colonial rule for almost 250 years by the time Luthuli was born in 1898, and regardless of whether it was the Netherlands (1652-1795 and 1803-1806) or Great Britain (1795-1803 and 1806-1961), the majority of Luthuli’s countrymen were treated as second class citizens for decades.
Successive colonists were attracted by the lure of the mineral revolution that was taking place in the country. The greed of this desire to possess the country’s mineral wealth would see them enact various phases of dispossession and the exclusion of black people from power in the quest for wealth.
The first signs of the considerable mineral wealth emerged in 1867 when South Africa’s diamond mining industry was established, with diamonds being discovered near Kimberley in what is today known as the Northern Cape. The Kimberley diamond fields, and later discoveries in Gauteng, the Free State, and along the Atlantic coast, emerged as major sources of gem-quality diamonds, securing South Africa’s position as the world’s leading producer by the mid-20th century.
Later, the discovery of the Witwatersrand goldfields in 1886 was a turning point in South Africa’s history. The demand for franchise rights for English-speaking immigrants working on the new goldfields was the pretext Britain used to go to war with the Transvaal and Orange Free State in 1899.
White government
South Africa became a Union with its own white government in 1910, but the country was still regarded as a colony of Britain until 1961. Driven by Western exploitation and the desire for its considerable mineral wealth, it appeared that little attention was being paid to the yoke of oppression that was being placed on the citizens of the country.
Luthuli was still a teenager when in 1913, the Land Act was introduced to prevent black people, except those living in the Cape Province (now the Western Cape), from buying land outside reserves.
When the National Party (NP) took power in 1948, marking the beginning of white Afrikaner rule under the scrutiny of Britain, these laws designed to exclude black people from the economy started to take sinister shape as they covered the entire country.
The policy of Apartheid was adopted by the NP as soon as they assumed power, and this was followed two years later by the Group Areas Act, which was passed to segregate blacks and whites and saw the Communist Party banned.
By 1960, the oppression of the Apartheid government had gained steam, culminating in the deaths of 70 black demonstrators killed at Sharpeville. The news of this atrocity reached the world and triggered international outrage. The African National Congress (ANC), Africa’s oldest liberation organization formed in 1912, was banned soon thereafter.
Albert Luthuli was born into a religious family, and his childhood was like many of his peers, with a notable exception – he desired to be educated despite the colonial restrictions on access to learning and he started to become consciously aware of his religion. He completed a teaching course in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal and was later confirmed in the Methodist Church and became a lay preacher.
In 1920, he received a government bursary to attend a higher teachers’ training course at Adams College, and subsequently joined the college as a teacher, where he saw firsthand the struggles of the working class. In 1935, Luthuli was called upon to become chief in his ancestral village of Groutville in KwaZulu-Natal. For 17 years, he immersed himself in the local problems of his people, adjudicating and mediating local quarrels and organizing African cane growers to guard their own interests.
Through minor clashes with white authority, Luthuli had his first direct experience with African political predicaments. Travel outside South Africa also widened his perspective during this period.
It was at this stage that Luthuli’s political involvement started to accelerate as he became more involved with the ANC and he became the provincial chairperson of the party in 1951. At 54, he was a late bloomer in politics.
His public support for the 1952 Defiance Campaign, which saw thousands of people peacefully refuse to obey Apartheid laws of segregation and subjugation, brought him into direct conflict with the South African government, and after refusing to resign from the ANC, he was dismissed from his post as chief in November 1952.
At the annual ANC conference in December 1952, Luthuli was elected president-general by a large majority and he was subsequently banned by the Apartheid government from publicly addressing supporters.
In 1960, Luthuli was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but the South African authorities said he was banned and refused to allow him to travel to Oslo, Sweden to accept the award. It was only the following year, with cajoling from the Peace Prize committee, that the Apartheid authorities finally relented and allowed him and his wife, Nokukhanya, to travel to receive it.
Luthuli was acutely aware of the global platform his speech would give him and the millions of South Africans who had to endure countless horrors and deprivations at the hands of the Apartheid government, the very reason that the government had obstinately refused him permission to travel before finally relenting.
“As you may have heard, when the South African Minister of Interior announced that subject to a number of rather unusual conditions, I would be permitted to come to Oslo for this occasion, conditions, Mr. President, made me literally to continue (to be) a bad man in the free Europe. He expressed the view that I did not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for 1960.”
Unbowed and defiant, Luthuli used the opportunity to share with a global audience the reality of the situation in a country, where censorship hid the atrocities that were being committed away from the global eye.
“I recognize, however, that in my country, South Africa, the spirit of peace is subject to some of the severest tensions known to men. Yes, it is idle to speak of our country as being in peace, because there can be no peace in any part of the world where there are people oppressed. For that reason, South Africa has been, and continues to be, the focus of world attention. I therefore regard this award as a recognition of the sacrifice made by many of all races, particularly the African people, who have endured and suffered so much for so long.”
Support from Martin Luther King Jr.
With his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Luthuli achieved what he had set out to do – bring worldwide attention to the plight of the majority of the people in South Africa.
On October 22, 1962, University of Glasgow students elected Luthuli as lord rector in recognition of his “dignity and restraint,” and his adherence to non-violence saw him supported by civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., who commended Luthuli’s reputation and spoke of his admiration for Luthuli’s “dedication to the cause of freedom and dignity.”
In September 1962, King and Luthuli issued the Appeal For Action Against Apartheid organized by the American Committee on Africa, which boosted solidarity between the anti-Apartheid and civil rights movements and urged Americans to protest Apartheid through non-violent measures such as boycotts.
The Apartheid government responded to Luthuli’s increasingly global prominence by tightening the noose on his freedoms, and in 1964, imposed a banning order that was so severe that he could not even travel to the nearest town a few kilometers away from his house. John Vorster, then-minister of justice, said Luthuli’s activism advanced communism, and he cautioned him against publishing any statements, making contact with banned individuals, or addressing gatherings.
Luthuli, by then a renowned anti-Apartheid activist, died on July 21, 1967. The official report stated that he was hit by a train near Gledthrow station, Groutville, KwaZulu-Natal, but his family and activists have long cast doubts on the white-minority government’s version of his death.
Its inquest found that the Nobel laureate had died in an accident after being hit by a train as he was walking by a railway line near his home in the KwaZulu-Natal province. But campaigners suspected that the regime killed him and covered it up by claiming he died of a fractured skull after being struck by a train.
In September 1967, an inquest held by the Apartheid regime at a magistrates’ court found the evidence “did not disclose any criminal culpability on the part of the South African Railways and anyone else.”
In May this year, the country’s justice minister at the time, Ronald Lamola, announced that a new inquest will be held into the mysterious death of Luthuli. In a statement, Lamola said a new inquest would “open very real wounds,” but “the interest of justice can never be bound by time.” Lamola said he acted on the recommendation of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which cited a mathematical and scientific report as saying that it was highly unlikely that Luthuli was struck by a train and died because of this.
While details of the new inquest have yet to be made public, it is understood that experts undertook an historic forensic investigation and reconstructed the crime scene, finding that there were significant suspicions around how reports of his cause of death had been captured.
Luthuli’s death – at the height of his international acclaim – did not lead to the dismantling of the Apartheid system that he had fought hard to remove. Instead, the system profited and persevered for another 23 years before his beloved ANC was unbanned in 1990 and Nelson Mandela, who would later become the country’s first democratically elected president, was released from prison.
Luthuli’s family has maintained since his death that the international renown he used as a platform to speak out against the ravages of oppression was the reason behind his death. Luthuli was bringing international attention to the cause of freedom in South Africa and stood in the way of those opposed to democracy and black majority rule. Therefore, was he stopped?
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November 15, 2024 at 11:09PM
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