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Macron under fire over bill targeting immigrants

RT
Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:44 UTC

French activists posing as President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen perform a fake wedding to denounce government policy, in 2022.

France's ruling Renaissance Party has joined forces with the right-wing National Rally (RN) to pass an immigration bill that places curbs on social benefits. The move has outraged the left wing of President Emmanuel Macron's support base.

The controversial legislation was passed by the lower chamber of the French parliament shortly before midnight on Tuesday by 349 votes to 186. The proposal had been championed by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who said it was necessary to sway the public away from RN and its leader Marine Le Pen ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Macron cannot contest the election, having served two consecutive terms.

Comment: See also:
There are other articles about immigration and France:

Immigration is discussed in other countries of the EU too.

Russia's top general reveals details of Kiev's failed counteroffensive

RT
Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:07 UTC

© Sputnik / Mikhail KlimentyevChief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces - First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov attends an expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board at the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow, Russia.

Ukrainian military planners expected swift progress in their summer counteroffensive, which was to culminate in Moscow's so-called "land bridge to Crimea" being cut off, General Valery Gerasimov, the head of the Russian general staff, said on Thursday. He added that the attempt was thwarted by his forces.

The senior official briefed foreign military attaches on various aspects of Russia's military strategy, including steps taken to prevent a Ukrainian counteroffensive, which he said was the top priority for the country this year.

"The enemy plan was to blockade Melitopol by the end of the 15th day of the offensive," Gerasimov said. The Ukrainians then planned to advance towards the Sea of Azov, the city of Mariupol, and the border of Crimea, he added.

Ukraine losing 800 troops a day - ex-NATO officer

RT
Thu, 21 Dec 2023 07:54 UTC

Kiev's manpower is "significantly worn out" as Russia's "strategy of attrition" is taking effect, a former German Air Force Colonel has said

Around 800 Ukrainian troops are being killed and wounded daily amid the conflict with Russia, retired German Air Force Colonel and prominent military analyst Ralph D. Thiele has claimed.

In an opinion piece for Focus magazine on Wednesday, Thiele, who used to serve in the personal staff of NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, claimed that Kiev needs to recruit more than 20,000 soldiers every month in order to replace its dead and injured. He did not reveal his sources or basis for his calculations, however.

Ukraine also requires additional personnel to be able to rotate its troops on the frontline, so that "exhausted soldiers" may recover and units may replenish their material supplies, he wrote.

Comment: If we consider the Russian figure of 600 rather than 800, then it is still a lot. There is also the possibility that some Ukrainian soldiers, loose their lives because they are shot after refusing to go on. In addition, some may die because they do not get proper care for minor injuries. Another angle is that the need for 20,000 more does not mean that 20,000 have died, a great number may simply be unable to return.

See also:
Ukrainians refusing to fight for 'corrupt government' - WaPo
RFK Jr. speaks about Ukraine losses: 'We're killing a lot of Ukrainians' in US-led proxy war against Russia
US Empire views Ukrainians and Russians as lab rats for weapons testing
'Brave Ukrainians doing dirty work', ex-Pentagon chief says in prank call
NATO 'slaughtering' Ukrainians to fight Russia - Kremlin
Slovak PM says 'death merchants & West using Ukraine in efforts to weaken Russia, until the last Ukrainian'

'We're hunting them down and shooting them like pigs': How the Ukrainians are taking brutal revenge on pro-Russian 'collaborators'
Ukraine's war on women: Untold horrors of state-sanctioned torture?
Zelensky party MP tells Ukrainian women to go to the front lines
CDC says Ukrainians bringing treatment-resistant infections to Western Europe
Lavrov slams US bioweapon activities near Russia for creating 'very dangerous precedents' and the 'direct threat to public health'
China urges US to clarify military-biological activities following Russian Parliamentary report exposing plans for 'universal genetically-altered bioweapon'
Empire of bioweapon lies

Nearly 10 million Ukrainians have fled to EU - commissioner (Sep 2023)
Russia says US is PLOTTING to create 'new pandemic' using virus mutations as bioweapon, poses 'global threat'
Almost 80% of Ukrainians have close relatives or friends injured or killed since Russian invasion - poll (June 2023)
Ukrainian trial demonstrates 2014 Maidan massacre was false flag

Ukraine conflict could ruin EU - Borrell

RT
Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:24 UTC

The bloc's top diplomat has admitted that not all member states see Russia as a "strategic threat"

Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, has emphasized the potentially severe consequences for the bloc if it fails to address the Russia-Ukraine conflict and resolve the ongoing Middle East crisis.

At a summit organized by Le Grand Continent journal on Wednesday, Borrell highlighted the urgency of the Israel-Hamas conflict but deemed the Moscow-Kiev hostilities as "the most important existential threat that we are facing."

Describing Russia as an "imperialist" and "colonial power, which is in search of its identity," Borrell warned that the actions against Kiev pose a significant threat not only to Ukraine but also to Europe as a whole.

Comment:
The EU policies concerning Russia are hardly distinguishable from those of an antagonistic military alliance. Since there are no signs of reflection on its responsibility in the situation that has developed since 2013, is there not a fair chance the worst fears of Joseph Borrell will come to fruition? Despite his voiced fear, is that outcome the unspoken goal, even his?

EU cuts off its nose to spite Russia: Yields to US blackmail on sanctions (2014) In the same article the SOTT editor posted these links:
Senior EU official: EU should avoid economic sanctions against Russia
Realism: Italian PM Renzi speaks against building Europe in opposition to Russia
Russia may impose retaliatory sanctions against West if third wave of isolation measures is introduced
Whistleblower explains 'massive blackmail' potential from NSA spying on politicians
Is NSA spying really about blackmail?
EU opts to prolong its own economic misery - agrees to sanction Russia until January 2016
Lavrov: Western 'partners' have much work to do to restore Russia's trust (2016)
'Any questions?' Juncker states EU should enhance relations with Russia for sake of bloc's security (2017)
But later:
EU wants China to help sanction Russia
Serbia's President reveals West pressuring them to sanction Russia
European Parliament drafts 'veto overhaul' following Hungary's possible dissent to not sanction Russia
'Can't offer help with one hand & smother with the other': Russia slams West & its allies after anti-sanction draft fails at UNGA (2020).

Putin opens longest Trans-Siberian tunnel

RT
Sat, 16 Dec 2023 15:44 UTC

Russian President Vladimir Putin took part via video link in the opening of the longest tunnel on the famous trans-Siberian railway route, on Friday. The passage, named the Kerak Tunnel, spans 927 meters and is in Amur Region.

The president's participation comes shortly after he announced that Russia will see numerous major infrastructure projects undertaken in the coming decade, particularly in railroad transport.

"To switch from the 1911 tunnel to a modern facility - that means a lot to us in general, a for today's situation, in particular," Putin noted, referring to the fact that the existing passage was declared no longer operational back in 2010 due to its poor condition. Experts concluded that it would make more sense to build a new tunnel than try to repair the original one.

The double-track tunnel was completed almost a year ahead of schedule, Omur Region Governor Vasily Orlov noted. The iconic Trans-Siberian railway spans 9,289km (5,772 miles), running from Moscow all the way to Vladivostok.

Fighting terrorism did not mean Israel had to 'flatten Gaza', says Emmanuel Macron

The Guardian
Wed, 20 Dec 2023 23:40 UTC

© Christophe Ena/AP‘We cannot let the idea take root that an efficient fight against terrorism implies to flatten Gaza or attack civilian populations indiscriminately,’ Emmanuel Macron told the France 5 broadcaster.

Emmanuel Macron has said that Israel's goal of fighting terrorism did not mean it had to "flatten Gaza", referring to its response to Hamas's attack on 7 October.

"We cannot let the idea take root that an efficient fight against terrorism implies to flatten Gaza or attack civilian populations indiscriminately," Macron told the France 5 broadcaster.

The French president called on Israel "to stop this response because it is not appropriate, because all lives are worth the same and we defend them".

While acknowledging "Israel's right to defend itself and fight terror", Macron said France called for the protection of civilians and "a truce leading to a humanitarian ceasefire".

The bloodiest-ever Gaza war began when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Germans are 'thieves' - Lavrov

RT
Thu, 21 Dec 2023 23:57 UTC

Washington is advising the EU on how to find a legal loophole to steal Russian assets, Russia's foreign minister has said

Washington is directing Western efforts to find a legal loophole which can allow them to steal Russian assets worldwide and use them to fund the government in Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Thursday.

German officials in Karlsruhe announced plans this week to seize almost $800 million in assets from a Russian bank's account in Frankfurt, due to alleged violations of EU sanctions. Lavrov reacted to the news by calling the German authorities kleptomaniacs.

"They are thievish, we realized this a long time ago. They have been treacherous all along in political terms, you know: in the sense of reneging on agreements and trying to deceive someone. Now they have turned out to be thieves in the literal sense," Lavrov told journalists following his visit to Tunisia.

In a new German report, the scale and seriousness of the efforts and the strong likelihood of a peace agreement being concluded has been reviewed; a likelihood of which, the same report demonstrates, was strangled by NATO, President Biden, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

EU makes new attempt to seize frozen Russian money
Russian ambassador: Poland used bogus charges to seize Russian funds
EU should seize Russia reserves to rebuild Ukraine, says top policy chief
Swiss banks confirm stance on frozen Russian assets - no confiscation permitted

Moscow warns it could seize EU assets if von der Leyen follows through with threat to steal Russia's frozen funds
Own goal: NYT says Western firms lost $103 billion from exiting Russia

Best of the Web: 'Lethal combination' ravaging Gaza - WHO

RT
Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:21 UTC

Palestinians line up for food in Rafah, Gaza, December 21, 2023

The Palestinian enclave is on the brink of famine, the organization has warned.

Almost everybody in Gaza is facing "crisis levels" of hunger, and rates of disease among children have skyrocketed, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Amid the declining humanitarian situation, both Hamas and Israel have vowed to keep fighting.

Around 93% of Gaza's 2.28 million people are facing "crisis" or worse levels of hunger, the WHO stated in a post to X (formerly Twitter). Citing a joint report compiled by the UN and other international bodies, the WHO warned that 17% of the strip's residents face "catastrophic" levels of food insecurity, defined by the report as imminent danger of starvation and death.

Comment: See also:

Poland's new pro-EU government dismisses state media chiefs

Al Jazeera
Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:52 UTC

© Jakub Wlodek/Agencja Gazeta/via ReutersFILE: A placard reading, 'Free media. Free people. Free Poland' is seen during a demonstration in defence of media freedom in Krakow, Poland in 2021.

Culture ministry announces sackings citing need to restore impartiality of state news outlets.

The management of Polish public television, radio and state news agency PAP have been dismissed and one public news channel that critics say was politicised under the previous government has gone off air.

The culture ministry under Poland's new pro-European Union government announced the dismissals of the chairmen and boards in a statement on Wednesday, citing the need to restore the outlets' impartiality.

Critics say that state-run media, in particular 24-hour news channel TVP Info, became an outlet for propaganda during Law and Justice's (PiS) eight years in office.

Comment: If Tusk's time in the EU is anything to go by, there's no reason to believe that this move has anything to do with freedom of the media.

How it's done: Malaysia closes its ports, waters to Israeli ships - 'sanctions are a response to Israel's actions'

RT
Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:13 UTC

Malaysia has made the move to protest "atrocities" against the Palestinians in Gaza

Malaysia will not allow Israeli-flagged ships or vessels headed for Israel to dock or load cargo at its ports, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Wednesday. The ban was implemented in protest against Israeli "atrocities and massacres" in Gaza, he added.

The Southeast Asian country had opened its ports to Israel-based ZIM Integrated Shipping Solutions in 2002, but has chosen to reverse that decision.

"These sanctions are a response to Israel's actions ignoring the basic principles of humanity and breaking international law through continued massacres and atrocities against Palestinians," Anwar said in a statement.

Comment: Malaysia's move may be only 'symbolic', but a powerful statement it is. One hopes other countries will follow Malaysia's lead, by economically and diplomatically isolating Israel as the pariah state it is. Yemen has got the ball rolling, interdicting Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea.

Quote of the Day

"The purpose of GLADIO was to attack civilians, the people - women, children, innocent people, unknown people, far removed from any political game. The reason was quite simple: to force the public to turn to the State and demand greater security. Under a strategy of tension, you 'destabilize in order to stabilize', to create tension within society and promote conservative, reactionary social and political tendencies."

~ Italian neo-fascist whose prosecution led to the discovery of NATO's 'Gladio' networks across Western Europe

- Vincenzo Vinciguerra

”

They will never stop trying to destroy Iran. They should just sink all those boats and raze Israel to the ground.

Fool on the Hill

As soon as “Christians” figure out that Zionists hate them and would treat them the same if they weren’t stealing so much money from US, only then...

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. — John F. Kennedy, March 13, 1962

JohnDukes

This is a predictable outcome when a wild animal is removed from its native environment and relocated to an area with an indigenous population...

Psstoffgoy

Has Israhell ever actually contributed anything to the world?

ReRan

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