Germany and EU have been handed over a declaration of war

Pepe Escobar

The Greanville Post | September 29, 2022

This episode of Hybrid Industrial/Commercial War, in the form of a terror attack against energy infrastructure in international waters signals the absolute collapse of international law, drowned by a “our way or the highway”, “rules-based”, order.

The attack on both pipelines consisted of multiple explosive charges detonated in separate branches close to the Danish island of Bornholm, but in international waters.

That was a sophisticated operation, carried out in stealth in the shallow depth of the Danish straits. That would in principle rule out submarines (ships entering the Baltic are limited to a draught of 15 meters). As for prospective “invisible” vessels, these could only loiter around with permission from Copenhagen – as the waters around Borholm are crammed with sensors, reflecting fear of incursion by Russian submarines. (!)

Drunk on their own hubris, the Americans got too smart by half. The sabotage of the pipelines will open the eyes of many around the world about the honor and goodness of the indispensable nation. The US actions make its allies look like the imbeciles or pathetic whores they are.

Energy, cost of living and recession

Michael Roberts Blog | September 04, 2022

The G7 governments have a problem.  The war in Ukraine against Russia is not won.  It looks set to be a long grinding conflict, possibly with no end.  And yet the world and particularly Europe depends on Russian energy supplies.  The G7 has agreed to stop buying Russian oil, as part of its programme of using economics sanctions as a war weapon.  But up to now, energy imports from Russia have not been stopped because it would mean a catastrophe for the EU countries, particularly Germany.  And Russia is still selling huge volumes—globally – albeit at a discount from the world price—to India, China and other energy-thirsty economies.

Greek working class extends solidarity to protesting workers of Malamatina Winery

The workers accuse the management of using the anti-worker labor law brought in by Labor Minister Kostis Hatzidakis of the conservative New Democracy (ND) government to subdue workers’ rights

Peoples Dispatch | August 24, 2022

A press briefing by the protesting workers at Malamatina Winery. (Photo: via 902.gr)

Support and solidarity has been pouring in for workers of the Malamatina Winery in Thessaloniki, Greece, who have been protesting against the dismissal of several of their compatriots and demanding a collective agreement from the employer. On Wednesday, August 24, cadres from the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) and the Federation of Greek Women (OGE), among others, visited the protesting workers at Thessaloniki and expressed their support. Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), also expressed his solidarity with the workers. Nikolaou-Alavanos has submitted a written petition to the European Commission seeking intervention to prevent the implementation of anti-worker policies in Greece and EU-dictated labor reforms. The All Workers Militant Front of Greece (PAME) had earlier also expressed solidarity with the workers at Malamatina.

The workers of the Malamatina Winery plant in Thessaloniki have been waging a militant strike for the last four weeks, demanding that the employer sign a collective labor agreement and reinstate 15 employees who were dismissed by the management. According to reports, the management has tried to intimidate the protesting workers with repression and court action, as well as with the arrest of their leaders. 

West prepares to plunder post-war Ukraine with neoliberal shock therapy: privatization, deregulation, slashing worker protections

Western governments and corporations met in Switzerland to plan harsh neoliberal economic policies to impose on post-war Ukraine, calling to cut labor laws, “open markets,” drop tariffs, deregulate industries, and “sell state-owned enterprises to private investors.”

Jake Kallio and Benjamin Norton

Multipolarista | July 28, 2022

While the United States and Europe flood Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars of weapons, using it as an anti-Russian proxy and pouring fuel on the fire of a brutal war that is devastating the country, they are also making plans to essentially plunder its post-war economy.

Representatives of Western governments and corporations met in Switzerland this July to plan a series of harsh neoliberal policies to impose on post-war Ukraine, calling to cut labor laws, “open markets,” drop tariffs, deregulate industries, and “sell state-owned enterprises to private investors.”

Ukraine has been destabilized by violence since 2014, when a US-sponsored coup d’etat overthrew its democratically elected government, setting off a civil war. That conflict dragged on until February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded the country, escalating into a new, even deadlier phase of the war.

Global warming: 400 million tonnes CO2 pumped to atmosphere a year from this source the world is blind to

Gas flared at and gas facilities is greater than EU’s total import from Russia and a key source of methane emission

Down To Earth | May 06, 2022

Something that has not changed over 160 years of oil production is the deliberate burning of gas associated with it, called gas flaring. It is turning out to be a major source of methane emission, a greenhouse gas (GHG) “over 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a warming gas on a 20-year timeframe”.

The World Bank’s latest 2022 Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report underscored that the efforts to curb this global warming causing activity have “stalled” in the last one decade.

Ukraine Update: Oil Hits 10-year High And Closes In On $120 A Barrel

Countercurrents | March 04, 2022

On incidents centering Ukraine, media reports said:

French President Emmanuel Macron thinks “the worst is yet to come” in Ukraine after talking with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

A senior French official said Macron’s warning came after the two leaders spoke for 90 minutes, which did not yield any diplomatic progress.

The official said Putin was determined to carry out the ongoing war in Ukraine until “the end.”

PEPE ESCOBAR JOINS JEFF J. BROWN FOR A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THE US, EU, CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN AND DPRK, PLUS MUCH MORE.

WORLD

Greanville Post | March 31, 2021

Pictured above: Jeff J. Brown on the left and Pepe Escobar on the right, cover news and events on every continent on Earth, except the Antarctic, but especially Asia and East v West.

 

This is Jeff’s most recent conversation with one of our dearest colleagues, the well-known geopolitical analyst and (genuine) journalist Pepe Escobar. The focus is on the tug of war between the US empire and its vassals in the EU and elsewhere, and the emerging bloc of truly independent powers led by Russia, China and Iran. As the talk of war and all sorts of interventions increases on the American side, the world is watching the birth of a new order. American global hegemony, enforced by lies, hypocrisy, economic blackmail and brutal military power is on the way out, largely victim of its own arrogance and excess, and the incurable problems of capitalism  Meanwhile, Moscow and Beijing are busy constructing a multilateral order based on mutual benefit and respect for every nation’s sovereignty.  

—The Editor

By Jeff J. Brown

Sorry to be a pest, dear friends, but unfortunately our work is kept alive only through your donations. China Rising and The Greanville Post have no rich donors or funders. There’s no billionaire or secret government agency paying our bills. Nor would we acept such if it existed. So, please consider it. Right here, it takes just a second…Support our  many hours of research and articles on CRRS via FundRazr! FundRazr also accepts bank cards and PayPal…

Syria & Iran: Israeli missiles repealed while EU-U.S. offer for direct talks on nuclear deal rejected

WORLD POLITICS

A Journal of People report

Syrian air defenses have shot down most of the missiles targeting the area outside Damascus, the Syrian capital, from the territory of the occupied Golan Heights, reported SANA, Syria’s state media.

Syria blamed Israel for the attack.

Citing a military source SANA said: The missiles were launched towards the Syrian capital at around 10.16 pm local time. Few of the projectiles are believed to have reached the ground.

The source said Syria’s missile defenses took down “most of the enemy missiles.”

[UPDATED] EU Imposes Further Sanctions on Venezuela as Maduro Visits UN Human Rights Council

IMPERIALISM 

Paul Dobson

Venezuelanalysis | February 22, 2021

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. (EU)

Mérida, February 22, 2021 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela has blasted the imposition of additional European Union (EU) sanctions against nineteen politicians, state officials and security chiefs.

According to an EU statement released Monday, the individuals are penalised for their alleged role in “acts and decisions undermining democracy and the rule of law” or “as a result of serious human rights violations.”

The Brexit Deal

IMPLICATIONS OF BREXIT

Michael Roberts’ Blog | December 29, 2020

The UK finally leaves the European Union on 31 December, after 48 years of membership.  The initial decision to leave, made in the special referendum back in June 2016, has taken over four tortuous years to implement.  So what does the deal mean for British capital and labour?

For British manufacturers, the tariff-free regime of the EU’s internal market has been maintained.  But the British government will have to renegotiate new bilateral treaties with governments across the world, whereas previously they were included within EU deals.  People will no longer be able to work freely in both economies by right, all goods will require significant additional paperwork to cross borders and some will be checked extensively to verify they comply with local regulatory standards.  Frictionless trade is over; indeed, that’s even between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain with a new customs border across the Irish Sea.