Erdogan presents the expected tidings to Europe at the gates of the winter crisis: We will distribute Russian gas to you through our Turkish lands

Erdogan presents the expected tidings to Europe at the gates of the winter crisis: We will distribute Russian gas to you through our Turkish lands

    Friday, October 28, 2022   No comments

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey will distribute natural gas coming from Russia to Europe through its territory through the “Turkish Stream” project.

In a speech during an introductory event for the "Turkey Century" campaign in the capital, Ankara, Erdogan indicated that this will be the result of talks with Moscow.

On the other hand, the President revealed that his government will soon start work on the Istanbul Canal project, and that it will thus save the Bosphorus Strait from environmental threats.

He referred to the discovery of 540 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in the Black Sea previously, adding: "God willing, we will soon share good news with our people in energy."

The “Turkish Stream” is two pipelines to transport gas from Russia to Turkey and Europe, passing through the Black Sea. The first pipeline feeds Turkey, and the second is eastern and southern European countries.

Erdogan stressed that one of the first goals of the “Turkey Century” vision is to give the country a new constitution that will be the product of the national will.

He said, "In the past twenty years, we have implemented historical monuments and services in all fields, from education to health, from justice to security, from transportation to energy, and from industry to agriculture, but there are also things that we have not been able to achieve despite our efforts."

He added: "Acquiring a new constitution for our country, the product of the national will, is one of the first goals of our vision, the century of Turkey. This new constitution will enhance the stability of the country, increase the prosperity of the people, enhance the rule of law, pluralism and justice, guarantee the freedoms of every citizen, and provide our young people with a hope for the future."

And he added: “We will raise the century of Turkey by meeting the aspirations of our young people in all fields from technology to art, and from sports to the environment. We will advance Turkey’s century by making our country one of the top ten countries in the world in all political, economic, technological, military and diplomatic fields.”

Erdogan indicated that “Turkey’s century” is the century of replacing identity politics with a politics of unity, polarization with integration, denial with embrace, domination with freedom, and hate with love.

He pointed out that "Turkey's Century" is the name of a new beginning for combining real actions with sincere acceptance, putting human values ​​before ideological fanaticism, giving preference to truth over fanaticism, and showing the truth to those who turn their backs on it.

He explained that the vision, spirit and philosophy of "Turkey's Century" means the Century of Sustainability, saying: "Based on this concept, we will strengthen an ecosystem that embraces life with all its elements. In parallel, we will move forward in our struggle to keep pace with the path of the world."

He stressed that "Turkey's century" will be the century of peace for the country, and that it will continue to work to achieve stability in its geographical region and the world, based on the concept of "the world is greater than five."

The Turkish president set a short-term goal for Turkey to reach a trillion dollars in foreign trade, and 100 billion dollars in tourism revenues.

He pointed out that they are moving forward in establishing and developing infrastructure facilities in order to transform Turkey into a global production and supply center whose necessity has been demonstrated during the Corona pandemic.

In this regard, President Erdogan announced raising the production capacity of electric energy from 31,846 megawatts to 101,518 megawatts.

According to Erdogan, successive Turkish governments have worked to increase the number of archaeological sites of the country included in the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "UNESCO", and increased the number of archaeological sites that have been restored from 46 to 5,781 sites.

In addition to the Istanbul Canal project, President Erdogan indicated that he will announce new projects in Turkey before the elections.

In light of the "Turkey Centenary" vision, Erdogan confirmed their goal of transforming Turkey into the most important and largest industrial and commercial country in the world, saying: "In the next stage, we will discuss the latest and most effective production strategies and implement them on the ground."

To achieve this goal, the Turkish President promised to continue supporting high-tech value-added industries, increasing direct production centers in order to expand the market and increase world opportunities.

He stressed the importance of science in the "centennial of Turkey", saying: "We are going through a stage in which we are looking for the impact of science and technological development on the future of humanity, and we plan to have a say in this field in the future, by supporting scientific research in the public and private sectors in order to achieve the well-being of our country and our citizens. “.

He added, "We will work to enter at least 10 Turkish universities in the global ranking of the first 500 universities in the world."

Ukraine Conflict Has never been just about Ukraine: The Danger Catastrophic of Out-of-Control Escalation is Real

Ukraine Conflict Has never been just about Ukraine: The Danger Catastrophic of Out-of-Control Escalation is Real

    Thursday, October 27, 2022   No comments

After warning that the military operation in Ukraine could  turn into a world war three, Russia now says it could become a space war, too.

Konstantin Vorontsov, Deputy Director of Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Affairs in the Russian Foreign Ministry, announced that "American satellites may become legitimate targets for striking them if they are used in the conflict in Ukraine."

"We want to focus on a very dangerous trend that was clearly demonstrated in the course of events in Ukraine. We are talking about the use by the United States and its allies of civilian infrastructure components in space, including commercial ones, in armed conflicts," he said during the meeting of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. .

He noted that "US quasi-civilian infrastructure may become a legitimate target to strike. As a result of the West's actions, peaceful space activities and the world's social and economic processes, on which the well-being of people primarily depends in developing countries, are exposed to unjustified risks."

And the company "Starlink" owned by the American businessman and billionaire Elon Musk announced, last March, to send equipment to provide Internet in Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that the provision of free internet services to Ukraine, through Starlink, is one of the most effective tools on the battlefield, by obtaining secure and impenetrable communications by the Russian army, and able to provide the Ukrainian side with the locations and movements of the Russians, thus facilitating the possibility of Targeted by modern Western weapons.

In this regard, the American “Axios” website said, earlier, that “private space companies parallel, and often exceed, the capabilities of governments, which gives not only technological power but also geopolitical power to those who run them,” referring to Starlink owned by Musk.

Russia had announced, earlier, that it would treat any penetration of its satellites as a justification for war.

Also, the Director of the Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Vladimir Yermakov, confirmed earlier that "American weapons to Kiev bring Russia and NATO closer to a direct confrontation."

   

Soccer, Religion, Culture, and Politics: Qatar may live to Regret hosting the Global Event

Soccer, Religion, Culture, and Politics: Qatar may live to Regret hosting the Global Event

    Tuesday, October 25, 2022   No comments

The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed his regret that his country is being subjected to an "unprecedented campaign" due to its hosting of the 2022 World Cup, whose matches will start in the emirate in less than a month.

In a speech he delivered at the opening of the Shura Council, Tamim said: "Since we won the honor of hosting the World Cup, Qatar has been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has faced."

He added, "We initially dealt with the matter in good faith, and even considered that some criticism is positive and useful that helps us develop aspects of ours that need to be developed."

Sheikh Tamim also expressed his regret, because “it soon became clear to us that the campaign continues and expands and includes slander and double standards, until it reached such a ferocity that many wondered, unfortunately, about the real reasons and motives behind this campaign.”

And while the Emir of Qatar considered that “criticism is useful only if it is based on correct information and an understanding of the contexts,” he stressed that “hosting the World Cup combines several elements and challenges, including civilizational and cultural openness.”

Sheikh Tamim stressed that his country’s hosting of the World Cup in football is “an occasion in which we show who we are, not only in terms of the strength of our economy and our institutions, but also in terms of our civilizational identity,” considering that “this is a great test for a country the size of Qatar, which impresses the whole world with its You have done it and you have done it.”

Emphasizing that "Qatar is currently more like a workshop in preparation and preparation for the occasion," Tamim recalled that it is the first time that an Arab country will host such an occasion, saying: "We have accepted this challenge (...) in recognition of the importance of hosting a major event such as the World Cup. in the Arab world".

He added, "This is a tournament for everyone, and its success is everyone's success."

With the approaching date of the most expensive World Cup ever, Qatar finds itself facing a growing torrent of criticism and attacks, due to various issues, ranging from the emirate's hot climate and conservative society, to its record in the field of human rights and freedoms.

The Qatari authorities have made unremitting efforts to refute the accusations leveled against them, noting in particular that they have carried out in recent years reforms to their laws, while the President of the "International Football Association" (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, confirmed that this version of the World Cup would be "the best ever".

  

Iranian FM: U.S. sends message to Iran, "in hurry" to reach nuke agreement

Iranian FM: U.S. sends message to Iran, "in hurry" to reach nuke agreement

    Saturday, October 22, 2022   No comments

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian revealed that "Washington sent a new message to Iran, three days ago, regarding negotiations over Iran's nuclear program," noting that "Tehran's assessment of the message is that the US side puts the agreement at the top of its priorities."

Amir Abdollahian said in a press statement, after his meeting with the Prime Minister of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia, today, Saturday: "Our assessment of the American message indicates that the agreement is not only one of their priorities, but that they are in a hurry to get it and sign it, but they are also trying to ignite the recent events in Iran." .

He added, "The Americans are contradictory in their words and behavior, and we assured them that the issue of the accusations leveled by the International Atomic Energy Agency must be resolved."

Amir Abdullahian stressed, "We will not negotiate with the American side to make concessions, we will move within a logical framework and an agreement that respects Iran's red lines, but at the same time, we will never leave the negotiating table."

He believed that "the American behavior is hypocritical. They tell Iran that we are concerned about the nuclear agreement, and they say in the media that negotiations are not their priority."

The Iranian foreign minister stressed that "we will not allow the United States to incite chaos in Iran by making some statements."

Two days ago, the Coordinator of Strategic Communications for the US National Security Council, John Kirby, announced that "Washington has moved away from returning to the agreement with Iran over its nuclear program," noting that it "is not currently focusing its attention on it."

"Honestly, the nuclear deal is not currently our top priority," Kirby said.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that "the deal does not appear imminent."

Regarding the allegations of Iran supplying drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, Amir Abdollahian stressed that "Iran has not and will not give any weapons to the Russian side for use in the Ukraine war."

Tehran demanded that Ukraine "provide documents" related to the news of the use of Iranian drones by the Russian side in the current war.

US Admin: Iranian soldiers are in Crimea to help Russia operate drones to launch strikes across Ukraine

US Admin: Iranian soldiers are in Crimea to help Russia operate drones to launch strikes across Ukraine

    Friday, October 21, 2022   No comments

The United States said on Thursday it believed Iranian military personnel had been deployed to Crimea to help Russian forces operate Iranian-made drones for attacks in Ukraine, as the West imposed sanctions on Tehran in response.

Drones were used to destroy Ukrainian power plants and other facilities during attacks apparently aimed at disrupting and demoralizing as winter approaches. On Thursday, Ukrainians experienced scheduled blackouts for the first time since the war began, as authorities sought to start repairing the damage.

“Russian military personnel stationed in Crimea are directing and using Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to conduct strikes across Ukraine, including in Kyiv,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told a news briefing, referring to the drones.

"Our assessment is that ... there are Iranian military personnel on the ground in Crimea and assisting Russia in these operations," he added.

Neither Russia's defense and foreign ministries have yet responded to a request for comment. Tehran denied that the drones were Iranian-made.

The European Union announced that the members of the bloc agreed on new measures against Iran in response to its supply of drones to Russia, and Britain imposed sanctions on prominent Iranian military personnel and a company that it said was involved in supplying Russia with Iranian drones.

"Iran's support for Putin's brutal and illegal war on Ukraine is deeply reprehensible," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.

A White House spokesman announced that Washington is considering imposing new sanctions on Tehran over the drones and is studying air defense solutions for Ukraine.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that the United States and its partners are using rumors about Iran's supply of combat drones to put pressure on Tehran.

"The rumors spread by American news agencies regarding Iranian drones were denied by Iranian and Russian officials," Zakharova said, during a press briefing.

She asked: "Is there a need to comment on these allegations against us and Tehran?", Commenting: "I don't think so, because all this is nothing more than a set of undocumented conclusions and far-fetched assumptions."

The Czech presidency of the European Union announced the imposition of sanctions on three Iranian individuals and an entity, against the background of "Russia's delivery of drones used to bomb Ukraine," according to a statement by the presidency.

"After three days of talks, the ambassadors of the European Union agreed on measures against the entities that supply (Russia) Iranian-made drones that strike Ukraine," the presidency said in a tweet on Twitter. The sanctions will go into effect on Thursday.

These sanctions, according to the list of the Union, affect the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri, the officer in logistical affairs, Major General Seyyed Hojjatullah Qureshi, and the commander of the Revolutionary Guard's unmanned aircraft department, Brigadier General Saeed Aqa Jani. It also targeted the Iranian "Shahid" company for aerospace industries linked to the Revolutionary Guards.

"The European Union is also ready to expand sanctions to include four other Iranian entities that were already on a previous sanctions list," the statement added.

Ukraine accused Russia of using Iranian-made drones to bomb Kyiv and other cities.

On the other hand, the Kremlin denied this accusation and explained that it had no knowledge of its army's use of Iranian-made drones in Ukraine.

In parallel, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian stressed in a phone call today with the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that Iran's clear policy is to oppose the war and its escalation in Ukraine.

Amir Abdollahian added that the claim of sending "missiles to Russia to be used against Kyiv" is baseless, stressing that "there is defense cooperation with Russia, but it is certainly not our policy to send weapons and drones against Ukraine."

Amir Abdollahian said that Iran is trying to stop the conflicts in Ukraine through diplomacy and recommended that "the Europeans look at this issue with a realistic approach."

For his part, Borrell said, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry's statement, that "Iran's position in confirming that it will not send weapons and drones for use in the war in Ukraine is important and deserves appreciation."

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed that Tehran's claim that Tehran sent weapons to Russia to be used against Ukraine is "incorrect."

"I reiterated to the European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell that our clear policy is to oppose the war in Ukraine," Amir Abdollahian said in a press statement.

The Iranian foreign minister pointed out that "Tehran has defense cooperation with Russia, but there is no doubt that its policy is not to send weapons and drones to be used against Ukraine."

The Iranian Foreign Minister demanded that Ukraine provide documents related to the news of the use of Iranian drones by the Russian side in the current war.

Responding indirectly to this issue, the Iranian leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, said: 

"A few years ago, when pictures of our advanced missiles and drones were published, they said they’re photoshopped pictures. Now they say Iranian drones are dangerous. Why do you sell them to so and so?"

On Tuesday, the Iranian Leader's advisor for military affairs, Major General Rahim Safavi, confirmed that 22 countries have sent requests to purchase Iranian drones.

Safavi said: "The current candidate countries to buy rallies are Armenia, Tajikistan, Serbia, Algeria, Venezuela and other countries."

Safavi also pointed out that "Iran, which used to import 80% of its military needs from abroad before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, is now producing 80% of its defense equipment."

Use of drones in Ukraine, Russian forces claim these drones are Russian drones. On Firday, they released this footage of the drones at work:

A first since the start of the war, Chechen women visit the frontlines in Ukraine

A first since the start of the war, Chechen women visit the frontlines in Ukraine

    Thursday, October 20, 2022   No comments

Members of the president of the Chechen Republic, led by Aishat Kadyrova, a government minister makes a visit to the frontlines in Ukraine.

This marks the first time high profile Muslim women were shown visiting the war zone in Ukraine.

Rustam Aguev, the head of the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the Kurchaloy region of the Chechen Republic updated them about the situation on the battlefield in this region and expressed gratitude to the delegation for the visit.

The visitors included the president’s children Akhmat, Eli and Adam.

  

The head of the delegate reported to the president upon her return.

  

Josep Borell, EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Chief: "Europe is a garden... the rest of the world is a jungle"

Josep Borell, EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Chief: "Europe is a garden... the rest of the world is a jungle"

    Wednesday, October 19, 2022   No comments

 After days of mounting international backlash, Josep Borrell, the European Union's outspoken foreign policy chief, has apologised for people being hurt by his comments, but necessarily for what he said.

"My reference to 'jungle' has no racist, cultural or geographical connotation," the diplomat said. "Unfortunately, the 'jungle' is everywhere, including today in Ukraine."

Josep Borell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has triggered a controversy by saying that Europe was a garden and “most of the rest of the world” was a jungle. He warned in a speech at the European Diplomatic Academy on the 13th of October that the “jungle could invade the garden”.

“The gardeners should take care of it, but they will not protect the garden by building walls. A nice small garden surrounded by high walls in order to prevent the jungle from coming in is not going to be a solution. Because the jungle has a strong growth capacity, and the wall will never be high enough in order to protect the garden. The gardeners have to go to the jungle. Europeans have to be much more engaged with the rest of the world. Otherwise, the rest of the world will invade us, by different ways and means.”

"Europe is a garden. We have built a garden. Everything works. It is the best combination of political freedom, economic prosperity and social cohesion that the humankind has been able to build – the three things together," Borrell said during the event.

"The rest of the world," he went on, "is not exactly a garden. Most of the rest of the world is a jungle, and the jungle could invade the garden."

Borrell then appeared to refer to EU ambassadors as "gardeners" and urged them to "go to the jungle," that is to carry out their diplomatic work around the world and advance the bloc's geopolitical agenda.

"A nice small garden surrounded by high walls in order to prevent the jungle from coming in is not going to be a solution. Because the jungle has a strong growth capacity, and the wall will never be high enough in order to protect the garden," he said.

"Europeans have to be much more engaged with the rest of the world. Otherwise, the rest of the world will invade us, by different ways and means."

But over the weekend, the "garden vs jungle" metaphor gained traction across social media, fuelling backlash against the diplomat for what many saw as condescending, out-of-touch and racist undertones and a stark reflection of the Western sphere's superiority complex over the Global South.

Video clips on Twitter received hundreds of thousands of views. International media, such as the New York Times and Al Jazeera, offered critical coverage of the fallout.

The United Arab Emirates summoned the acting head of the EU delegation in the country and asked for explanations over the "inappropriate and discriminatory" remarks.

Marc Botenga, a Belgian MEP from the Left, said Borrell's words were "rooted in colonialism and racism."

On Monday morning, when asked about the growing criticism against his remarks, Borrell said he was "very okay" and that "every day is as much as intense as the previous one."

Standing his ground

By Tuesday evening, as backlash continued, the diplomat, who is affiliated with the socialist party, offered a careful apology but stood his ground and stuck to the metaphor.

"The metaphor of 'the garden' and 'the jungle' is not my invention. Some truly dislike it because, among others, it has been used by US neo-conservatives, but I am far from this school of political thought," he wrote in his personal blog.

"Regrettably, the world in which we live today looks more and more like a 'jungle' and less and less like a 'garden', because in many parts of the world, the law of the strongest is eroding agreed international norms."

Borrell said Europe had managed to replace centuries of war with lasting peace, cooperation and the rule of law, while other countries outside the continent, such as Russia, were resorting to "force, intimation and blackmail to get their way."

"I also have enough experience to know that neither Europe nor 'the West' is perfect and that some countries of 'the West' have at times violated international legality," he admitted.

On suspicion of ties to Russian intelligence, Germany dismisses the head of cybersecurity

On suspicion of ties to Russian intelligence, Germany dismisses the head of cybersecurity

    Tuesday, October 18, 2022   No comments

 The German Interior Ministry has dismissed the head of the Federal Office for Information Technology Security (BSI), Arne Schönbaum, over reports of possible ties to Russian intelligence.

A spokesman for the German Interior Ministry stated that Interior Minister Nancy Wieser decided to prevent Schönbaum from carrying out his official duties as head of the "BSI" office with immediate effect, noting that the background to the decision is in particular the accusations announced by the media and widely discussed.

He added that these accusations "permanently damaged the necessary confidence on the part of public opinion in the impartiality and integrity of the office's leadership as head of the most important German cybersecurity service," noting that this matter applies more in light of the current crisis situation due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The spokesperson stated that the accusations raised affected the necessary trust relationship on the part of the Minister with the leadership of the office.

Schönbaum has been in a critical situation since the media revealed his relationship with a cybersecurity advisory association suspected of having had contact with Russian intelligence services.

Schönbaum, 53, co-founded and managed the "Cyber ​​Security Council-Germany" advisory a decade ago, which includes experts from public institutions and the private sector, and German media said that among its members was "a company founded by a former Russian intelligence agent."

The Home Office said the study of these allegations was continuing, and added that "pending the conclusion of this study, the presumption of innocence naturally applies to the person of Mr. Schönbaum."

The German government announced more than a week ago that it was thoroughly investigating the media reports.

The dismissal comes at a time when Germany has been placed on alert against possible acts of sabotage by Moscow after the leakage in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines to transport Russian gas to Europe, and this country was subjected to widespread sabotage of railways on the eighth of October, where it occurred Some expressed the hypothesis that Russia was behind the operation in the context of the war on Ukraine.

Reference:

Skulls were returned from France to Algeria do not all belong to the resistance fighters

Skulls were returned from France to Algeria do not all belong to the resistance fighters

    Tuesday, October 18, 2022   No comments

The New York Times reported, on Monday, that the skulls that Algeria recovered from France in 2020 do not all belong to the resistance fighters, and that these remains all remained French property even after they were handed over.

Documents from the Museum of Man and the French government, obtained by the American newspaper, revealed that 18 skulls were of uncertain origin, among the 24 skulls recovered by Algeria.

These skulls were returned under an agreement signed by the two governments on June 26, 2020, which included a 4-page appendix detailing the identities of the remains, according to Al-Hurra.

The document obtained by the "New York Times" showed that among the remains recovered by Algeria were imprisoned thieves, and three Algerian infantrymen who served in the French army.

Neither government has publicly acknowledged these facts as they seek to extract a "diplomatic advantage" from the recall, according to the New York Times.

And in July of 2020, the Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, received a C-130 Hercules plane coming from France, carrying the remains of 24 Algerian fighters against French colonialism on board.

The plane landed at Algiers International Airport, after being escorted by fighters from the Algerian army, where the coffins received an official reception. They drew the Algerian national flag and were carried by soldiers from the guard of honor with 21 artillery rounds.

The American newspaper says that the process of France's return of these remains, which were on display in the Museum of Humanity, was accepted by Algeria, where the two countries celebrated the gesture as a milestone in their efforts to rebuild relations.

The Algerian government did not respond to The New York Times' requests for comment, and it remains unclear why it accepted some skulls that did not belong to popular resistance fighters, especially as it was highly critical of aspects of French President Emmanuel Macron's policy towards the country, at least until Snow melt in recent years.

Macron's office also declined to comment, redirecting questions to the Foreign Ministry, which said the list of the skulls returned was "approved by both parties."

Upon the handover in 2020, the French presidency stated that "this gesture is part of a process of friendship and healing of all wounds throughout our history."

She added, "This is the meaning of the work that the President of the Republic started with Algeria, which will continue with the respect of all in order to reconcile the memories of the French and Algerian peoples."

During a visit to Algeria in December 2017, President Macron pledged to return the Algerian human remains, which are in the Museum of Man of the National Museum of Natural History.

The American newspaper described the process as a "flawed return", which revealed a broader problem than returns, which are often "secret and muddled" and do not rise to the level of correcting the mistakes of the colonial era.

"Diplomatic issues prevailed over historical issues," said Catherine Maureen Desailly, the center-right French senator who has long worked to return mortal remains.

Tens of thousands protest in Paris against Macron, and Melenchon calls for a general strike

Tens of thousands protest in Paris against Macron, and Melenchon calls for a general strike

    Sunday, October 16, 2022   No comments

Today, Sunday, a demonstration of the left and environmentalists began in the French capital, Paris, to protest against the high cost of living, and against the economic plans of the government of French President Emmanuel Macron.

During his participation in the event, the leader of the Left Alliance, Jean-Luc Melenchon, explained that "there is a kind of popular front taking shape at the present moment."

Mélenchon added: "We will have an extraordinary week, and we must all think about how we will help each other," stressing that "France is living in chaos not because of you, but because of them."

He stressed that "national unity is the solution to the crisis," adding that "popular unity can become a popular front."

Melenchon called on the demonstrators to participate widely in the demonstration next Tuesday, addressing them by saying: "Do not leave your place in the battle for others, do not surrender and prevent the theft of your wealth."

Related to this, French media reported that "Melenchon called for a general strike."

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the left-wing "France Proud" party, planned the rally long before the current strikes began, but organizers hope the current labor movements will give their demonstration more momentum.

"The rise in prices is unbearable...it is the biggest decline in purchasing power in 40 years," said Manon Aubry, an MP for the "France Proud" party.

It is noteworthy that the Left Alliance turned into the first opposition force, and the strongest in the French Parliament, after winning 149 seats, compared to Macron's camp, which won 244 seats in the French legislative elections last June.

For the first time, Russia shows a video of its "Lancet" suicide march attacks in Ukraine

For the first time, Russia shows a video of its "Lancet" suicide march attacks in Ukraine

    Friday, October 14, 2022   No comments

Russian Drones

Increased use of drones by Russian forces operating in Ukraine led to much speculation about Russia's acquisition of Iranian drones. Now, and for the first time, the Russian Ministry of Defense released footage documenting its use of Russia's own superpowered Lancet suicide attack on Ukrainian fighters.

The footage shows drones that pounce on a number of targets on the ground before detonating them.

The Russian statement that accompanied the footage of the drone attacks:

Destruction of armored vehicles and weapons of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with high-precision strike UAV systems.

UAV crews of the Airborne Forces in the Nikolaev-Kryvyi Rih direction attacked the positions of self-propelled artillery howitzers, armored personnel carriers manufactured by NATO countries, tanks and other weapons used by the militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As a result of the use of UAVs, several tanks, self-propelled artillery mounts, wheeled vehicles, including those supplied by NATO countries, were destroyed.

Previously, Russian media showed scenes of the use of a copy of the Russian "Lancet", which was developed by the Zala-Aero company, a subsidiary of the Russian "Kalashnikov" company, against opposition factions in Syria.

An official in the Ukrainian President's office said that drones bombed - yesterday, Thursday - vital infrastructure facilities in the Kyiv region, as part of the intensive bombing campaign launched by Russia on Monday in response to the bombing of the Crimean Bridge.

Kirillo Tymoshenko, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian President's Office - stated - in a post via Telegram - that these facilities were targeted by attacks from "kamikaze" drones, a name given to suicide bomber aircraft, originally due to the unit of suicide pilots in the Japanese Air Force during World War II.

The statement by Yury Ushakov, assistant to the Russian president, who denied that President Vladimir Putin had discussed with the Iranian leadership the issue of delivering Iranian drones to Moscow, did not end the controversy in this regard, and the media is still discussing this file.

Irania Drones

The story began when the United States, through its Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ned Price, announced its willingness to impose new sanctions on Iran if it agreed to provide Russia with drones.
Drones have proven effective in modern conflicts. Their use in the zone of the NWO is an urgent need.

Russian leaders seem aware of the fact that Russia has yet to establish a large-scale production of various types of UAVs. At the Special Technology Center LLC enterprise in St. Petersburg, during a visit by Medvedev, drones were shown in production line were technicians conducted a control check of the supply of Orlan drones under the state defense order with the participation of federal executive authorities and law enforcement agencies.

Women and politics: contextualizing why Iran cannot mandate that women wear head-covering in public places but Europe's high court is ok with ban on on women wearing head-covering in work places

Women and politics: contextualizing why Iran cannot mandate that women wear head-covering in public places but Europe's high court is ok with ban on on women wearing head-covering in work places

    Thursday, October 13, 2022   No comments

EU companies can ban headscarfs as long as it is a general prohibition that does not discriminate against employees, Europe's top court said on Thursday, the latest ruling on an issue that has divided Europe for years.

The case concerned a Muslim woman who was told she could not wear a headscarf when she applied to do a six-week work traineeship at a Belgian company.

 

The firm said it has a neutrality rule, meaning no head covering is allowed on its premises, whether a cap, beanie or scarf. The woman took her grievance to a Belgian court, which subsequently sought advice from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).  Read source article...

The court justified its ruling arguing that "the internal rule for any economic activity that prohibits the wearing of visible religious, philosophical or spiritual signs does not constitute direct discrimination if it is applied to all employees in a general and non-discriminatory manner." 

The court said last year that EU companies could prevent employees from wearing headscarves under certain circumstances if they had to present an impartial image to clients.

In Germany, the ban on headscarves for women at work has stirred controversy for years. Most of the cases concerned female teachers who aspired to work in public schools and women trained to advance to the judiciary.

France, which has the largest Muslim minority in Europe, banned the wearing of the Islamic headscarf in public schools in 2004.

This ruling is not unique or new. By 2021, EU court ruled that Muslim women wearing headscarf can be fired. The European Union's top court said then that companies can ban Muslim female employees from wearing the headscarf finding against two cases  two women who filed cases in Germany. The two were suspended from work after wearing the hijab.

The court stated that "the prohibition of wearing anything that expresses political, philosophical or religious beliefs in the workplace may be justified by the employer's need to present a neutral image to clients or to prevent any social squabbles."

In November 2020, the German District Court of Dusseldorf announced a ban on wearing the niqab while driving, according to the "Amal Berlin" website.

The court upheld the county government's rejection of a woman's request to wear the niqab while driving, arguing that under road traffic regulations the face of the motorized vehicle driver must remain known, which does not conflict with the fundamental right to freedom of belief, noting that only the uncovered face enables the authorities to register violations traffic effectively.

In France, in 2004, the French national assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a ban on Islamic headcoverings (hijab) in state schools. The law took effect September 2, 2004, forcing more than 70,000  Muslim school girls who attend elementary and high schools to remove the hijab. Even the women and girls had swathed their heads in varying pieces of fabric were forced to remove them.

 

Since than, and in addition to France, more European states including Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, and Norway introduced and enforced restrictive laws that targeted Muslim women who would otherwise wear headcoverings.

  

The White House: Washington is reassessing the relationship with Riyadh after the “OPEC +” decision

The White House: Washington is reassessing the relationship with Riyadh after the “OPEC +” decision

    Tuesday, October 11, 2022   No comments

 The United States announced that it needs to reconsider relations with Saudi Arabia, after it supported the decision of the "OPEC +" group to reduce oil production.

John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council at the White House, told CNN that the United States needs to reassess its relationship with the kingdom, including arms sales.

"I think the president has been very clear that this is a relationship that we have to continue to re-evaluate, that we need to be ready to reconsider, and certainly in light of the OPEC decision, I think this is his time," he added.

 

"We are willing to work with Congress to think about what that relationship should look like," Kirby said when asked about his reaction to Democrats' call for a freeze on arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

On Friday, oil prices jumped to their highest level in five weeks, two days after “OPEC +” cut its production by two million barrels per day, before falling back on Monday amid fears of a possible global recession.

This comes after Democratic lawmakers called for a freeze in relations with Riyadh, most notably Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the US Senate, who called for a freeze on cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including arms sales.

 "I think it's time for a comprehensive reassessment of the U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia," Senator Chris Murphy, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Middle East, told CNBC.

In the House of Representatives, Tom Malinowski, Sean Kasten, and Susan Wilde introduced legislation seeking to withdraw US forces from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Rep. Robin Gallego suggested that the United States restore the Patriot missile defense systems deployed in Saudi Arabia, adding on Twitter: "If they prefer the Russians that much, they can use their very reliable military technology."

A few days ago, the "Washington Times" newspaper reported that a group of US Democratic representatives proposed a bill that would provide for the withdrawal of all forces from Saudi Arabia, in addition to the withdrawal of missile defense systems.

And the newspaper "Bloomberg" indicated that the United States should end the "special status" of the Kingdom in US foreign policy, and reduce the level of diplomatic relations with it.

As for US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, he said that the United States is studying a number of response measures, including Saudi Arabia, after the "OPEC +" decision to reduce oil production.

The United States criticized the decision, considering it "short-sighted", while the White House saw that the decision shows the bias of the "OPEC +" alliance to Russia.

Meanwhile, UAE's Mohamed bin Zayed meets Putin, highlighting the shifting of allliances and roles resulting from the war in Ukraine.

Speaking with Bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Putin said Russia aimed to create stability on energy markets and ensure that supply and consumption were balanced.

Chinese firms put deeper roots in Pakistan in post-flood reconstruction; more joint efforts needed for regional recovery

Chinese firms put deeper roots in Pakistan in post-flood reconstruction; more joint efforts needed for regional recovery

    Sunday, October 09, 2022   No comments

Chinese infrastructure companies in Pakistan are playing an increasingly important role in supporting the regional economy and livelihoods as the country looks for more joint efforts from the international community to facilitate the gradual recovery from the lingering devastation of recent floods.

While Chinese companies have taken an active approach in providing constant aid, they have also beefed up efforts to maintain the smooth operation of their projects in some key areas such as power generation and housing in Pakistan, as the country, hit by unprecedented floods in September, has seen its economic recovery slowing down.

Industry insiders and experts said that more joint efforts, including safety guarantees for local personnel and projects of Chinese companies, are needed more than ever to ensure the smooth operation of these projects.

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Media Review: The West is Paying the Price for Instrumentalizing Human Rights and Convenience-Driven Policies

Media Review: The West is Paying the Price for Instrumentalizing Human Rights and Convenience-Driven Policies

    Sunday, October 09, 2022   No comments

As revealed again by the West’s rhetorical support of protesters in Iran, the practice of using human rights claims to go after governments the West does not like and ignoring human rights abuses when they are done by Western-supported regimes or when done in Western countries, such a practice is very short-sighted and tends to backfire.

Case in point: for more than seventy years, the US and other

European governments provided unwavering support to the Saudi regime even when such regime banned women from driving, unleashed its morality police to beat shop owners who did not close their shops during Friday prayers, abused migrant workers, oppressed its Shia community, beheaded dissidents, launched illegal wars against its neighbors, and sent a team of 15 operatives to lure a dissident into its embassy building and dismember his body. Then, after one single decision by the Saudi regime to cut oil export just one month before midterm elections in the US and when Russia's oil is sanctioned, and the media and politicians are now gearing up to tell the world how bad the Saudi regime is. Soon, you will see more commentaries and political talking points unmasking Saudi Arabia’s “bad” human rights record. Given the context, few informed people will pay attention, and even fewer will trust the human rights claims behind which the West stands to justify its sanctions or interventions in countries run by leaders who do not follow and obey Western preferences. Here, the preeminent NYT and its top influencer is using a line from Trump’s book, They Are Laughing At Us, to promote the idea of punishing the Saudi regime.

Erdoğan, Putin discuss bilateral ties, Ukraine war

Erdoğan, Putin discuss bilateral ties, Ukraine war

    Friday, October 07, 2022   No comments

 Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by phone, on Friday, bilateral relations between the two countries and the current situation in Ukraine.

A statement issued by the Turkish president's office said, "During the call, the two sides discussed ways to develop Turkish-Russian relations, as well as the situation in Ukraine."
He added, "President Erdogan stressed, during the talks, that Turkey is ready to contribute and do everything in its power to reach a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis, to the satisfaction of all parties." 

Erdogan said he was counting on meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in the next three or four days, adding: "Today is Mr. Putin's birthday. I wanted to congratulate him, and he, in turn, thanked us for our mediation in the Ukraine crisis."
He continued, "It would be good if we had a detailed meeting in 3 or 4 days, if Mr. Putin could come to the Asian talks. Next week the President of Kazakhstan will hold summits to discuss confidence-building measures in Asia, and then we will be able to have bilateral talks, as well as talks." On Russia and Ukraine.

However, in a statement issued by the Communications Directorate informed that the two leaders spoke by phone on Oct. 7, a day after President Erdoğan attended the European Political Community in Prague where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“The call addressed matters that would enhance Türkiye-Russia relations as well as the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war,” the statement informed. It also stressed that President Erdoğan “reiterated that they stood ready to do their part for the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine issue in a way that would benefit everyone.”

Türkiye has long been in an effort to convene Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky together for ending the armed conflict that started in February by Moscow. It also mediated for the resumption of the Ukrainian export of grain to the world markets to avoid a major global food crisis.

At a press conference he held following the Prague summit, President Erdoğan noted that he is probably the only leader in the world who can easily talk with both Putin and Zelensky. He underscored the importance Ankara attaches to the exchange of war prisoners between the two countries as well as to the ongoing efforts as regards the shipment of fertilizers and grains, Erdoğan stressed that it would be useful if Russia would start exporting its fertilizers to the world via Türkiye.
On July 22, Turkey hosted a meeting to sign multilateral agreements, which included lifting restrictions on the export of Russian grain and food products, and allowing the export of Ukrainian grain.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that "Russia is not a country that can be underestimated", and considered that Western countries are pursuing a wrong policy regarding Ukraine, because it is based on provocations, stressing that "Turkey adheres to a balanced policy towards Ukraine."

After Meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Confirms that He Wants to Meet with Syrian leader Bashar Assad

After Meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Confirms that He Wants to Meet with Syrian leader Bashar Assad

    Friday, October 07, 2022   No comments

Türkiye believes that full normalization based on good neighborly relations can be achieved in the region as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he did not rule out a meeting with Syrian leader Bashar Assad after an in-person encounter with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit.

Erdoğan attended the EPC’s first summit in Prague on Oct. 6 from where he conveyed messages to the regional leaders, including Armenia and Syria with which Türkiye’s ties were once very strained.

Erdoğan held a bilateral meeting with Pashinyan after a brief trilateral dialogue that also included Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Erdoğan issued important messages at a press conference after the summit on late Oct. 6, particularly on Syria.

“Meeting with Assad is out of the question for now. But when the time comes, we can also meet with the president of Syria… Currently, low-level meetings are being held,” Erdoğan replied to a question on whether he would meet the Syrian leader for peace.

Türkiye has been taking steps to accelerate the return of Syrian refugees as the Turkish government constructs briquette houses in the north of the neighboring country, he, said noting that some 500,000 Syrians have returned to their homeland.

On the other hand, Ankara wants to get rid of the terrorist groups in Syria, he added. Erdoğan emphasized that the war between Russia and Ukraine had impacts on Syria as well.

“Of course, the Russia-Ukraine War delayed the steps to be taken in the region. Because Russia also has an active role in these events in Syria, Iran has an active role, and on the other hand, coalition forces have an active role,” he said.

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Dmitry Medvedev: Western govs have realized that their sanctions are self-mutilation... A typical crossbow in your own **s

Dmitry Medvedev: Western govs have realized that their sanctions are self-mutilation... A typical crossbow in your own **s

    Thursday, October 06, 2022   No comments

Russian leaders react to recent round of Western sanctions; Dmitry Medvedev: Western govs have realized that their sanctions are self-mutilation... A typical crossbow in your own **s

 Medvedev's full statement:

"Infernal Sanctions" went to the eighth round. As you know, there are nine circles in hell. So there are still reserves.

Let our enemies rage on. After all, it has long been clear that winding these circles without much harm to the “appointed sinner” is an empty business. And expensive.

What did this idiotic idea of ​​​​former partners result in today?

For Russia. From the very beginning of the special military operation, the West began consistently firing at our country from a multi-barreled sanctions MLRS. Our stupid opponents fail to understand a simple thing: Russia has long lived in conditions of restrictions and has learned well to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Our economy demonstrates a very decent vitality. Inflation is gradually slowing down, dropping from a peak of 17.8% in April to 13.7% in September. There is every reason to believe that by the end of the year it will not exceed 12%. Greater stability is shown by GDP, which by the end of the year will decline much less than expected.

In general, the West once again failed to "tear to shreds" our economy. The main thing is that Russia has not only the necessary margin of safety, but also all the opportunities for further development.

For the West. At first, our enemies desperately pounded their chests. They convinced their citizens and the whole world that they could easily do without Russian oil, gas, fertilizers, medicines and grain. Without buyers for their burgers, clothes, cosmetics, cars and Internet services. Now they have realized that their sanctions are self-mutilation. A typical crossbow in your own **s. Gasoline, groceries, and utilities are rising sharply in price. People out of desperation go to rallies. Politicians shrug helplessly. Beautiful words are repeated - it seems like "you have to pay for democracy." Without answering, however, the question of why the hell such a "democracy" is needed.

According to Eurostat, the eurozone is experiencing record inflation over the past decades - more than 9%. However, in some EU countries the situation is simply catastrophic. Among them are the most frostbitten enemies of Russia. They are fully reaping the fruits of their vomiting hatred of our country. In Estonia, inflation increased by 22.2% in annual terms, in Lithuania - by 21.1%, in Latvia - by 20.8%, in the Czech Republic - by 17.3%. And these two-digit anti-records are far from the limit. Ahead is a cold winter without Russian gas. And this despite the fact that the marginal price for our blue fuel has not yet been introduced. It seems that now they can be left without gas forever. In parallel, Europe's stupid bureaucrats are begging their citizens to save energy. And in order to better stimulate them, they are ready to shift the growing costs to users and even put them in jail, as in the once prosperous Switzerland.

For the whole world. The result is sad. With its manic sanctions, the West has achieved only one thing - the rapid destruction of the entire architecture of world trade in the form in which it has developed at a record pace for the past half century. Private property is no longer sacred, trade contracts are not binding, the currency of settlement is not a means of payment. Global supply chains are undermined. Western analysts expect a slowdown in the economic growth of all developed countries. In the next 12 months, Europe is facing a recession. At the same time, it should be noted that for the main instigator of the hybrid war against Russia - the United States - the results will be less catastrophic. But even there they are well aware of the grave consequences the actions of their decrepit president lead to.

There are no illusions. The West intends to go against Russia to the end. To introduce ever new senseless restrictions against it, hoping, like in recent years, to undermine the Russian economy as much as possible. Scattering of fragments from such indiscriminate use of sanctions weapons - throughout all countries of the world and to innocent people. Meanwhile, without normal international trade, chaos and poverty will be felt in various parts of the world. However, it is useless to appeal to the prudence of our enemies in the West. And you don't need to. Enemies must be made to beg for mercy in a lost economic battle. And complete it with their complete and unconditional surrender.