news - kbin.social

Russia: Loss of state-owned energy giant Gazprom, the first in decades, shows the Kremlin's struggle to fill EU gas sales gap with China (www.reuters.com)

- Gazprom posted a loss of $7 bln in 2023, first since end-1990s***- Gazprom’s pipeline gas sales to Europe slump******- Russia banks on business with Asia******- Price of Russian gas for China seen gradually declining***...

Israel breaking international law, says Germany's Habeck – DW – 05/25/2024 (p.dw.com)

Polish foreign minister calls for long-term rearmament of Europe (www.theguardian.com)

Radosław Sikorski also says he favours deepest possible inclusion of UK in EU defence structures...

Gaza: World court orders Israel to halt military operations in Rafah (news.un.org)

As governments crack down on fast fashion’s harms, could Shein lose its shine? (theconversation.com)

By Elaine L Ritch, Reader in Fashion, Marketing and Sustainability, Glasgow Caledonian University...

Pakistan scrambles for relief on $15bn debt owed to China after investments of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (southasiajournal.net)

Archived link...

Mexico's drought, heatwave and water shortage are so bad even police are blocking traffic in protest (apnews.com)

'No one can act with impunity’: ICC arrest warrants in Israel-Hamas war are a major test for international justice, academic says (theconversation.com)

***Written by Amy Maguire, Associate Professor in Human Rights and International Law, University of Newcastle ***...

Whistleblowers allege widespread abuses at Israeli detention camp: Palestinian inmates being beaten, kept shackled to hospital beds or made to stand for hours (www.theguardian.com)

Prisoners held at an Israeli detention camp in the Negev desert are being subjected to widespread physical and mental abuses, with at least one reported case of a man having his limb amputated as a result of injuries sustained from constant handcuffing, according to two whistleblowers who worked at the site....

Bulgarian prosecutor files lawsuits to dissolve pro-Russian paramilitary groups linked to German extremists (www.euractiv.com)

Archived link...

China launches 'punishment' war games around Taiwan (www.reuters.com)

A furious China launched “punishment” drills around Taiwan on Thursday in what it said was a response to “separatist acts”, sending up heavily armed warplanes and staging mock attacks as state media denounced newly inaugurated President Lai Ching-te....

China's food security dream faces land, soil and water woes (www.reuters.com)

- In 10 years, China aims to slash grains, soybean imports***- Outlook diverges sharply with US forecasts for China******- Lack of arable land, soil damage pose challenges******- China needs bigger farms to speed productivity growth***...

Julian Assange’s appeal to avoid extradition to the US will go ahead, and it could be legally groundbreaking, legal expert says (theconversation.com)

The High Court in UK rejected the US government assurances that Julian Assange’s rights to freedom of expression would be protected. The court gave a brief judgement stating there would be a full appeal on the freedom of expression and nationality discrimination grounds in relation to all charges Assange faces, allowing Mr...

Uyghur organisation says members of the ethnic group in France face “intimidation and harassment” amounting to “repression” by the Chinese state in legal complaint (www.euractiv.com)

Archived link...

China Dissent Monitor: protests by Chinese people increase in first quarter 2024 with labor protests being the most widespread reasons for dissent, researchers say (freedomhouse.org)

Archived link...

Russia’s misinformation machine targets Slovakian assassination attempt, debunked narratives suggest Ukrainian military aid was a factor in attack (www.bloomberg.com)

It didn’t take Russia’s misinformation machine long to settle on who was to blame for the first assassination attempt on a European national leader in more than two decades....

UK defence minister says intelligence has evidence of Chinese lethal aid to Russia in its war against Ukraine (www.reuters.com)

British defence minister Grant Shapps accused China on Wednesday of providing or preparing to provide Russia with lethal aid for use by Moscow in its war against Ukraine....

Japan protests over Chinese ambassador's "extremely inappropriate" comment about Japanese people who would be "dragged into the fire" if they support Taiwan's independence (www.reuters.com)

Japan has lodged a protest against the Chinese ambassador’s “extremely inappropriate” comments about Taiwan, chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Wednesday....

Ireland and Spain have followed Norway in announcing their recognition of a Palestinian state (www.dw.com)

Norway, Spain, and Ireland will recognize an independent Palestinian state as of May 28....

Russia is waging a shadow war on the West that needs a collective response, Estonian leader says (www.independent.co.uk)

Perched on the open ramp at the rear of a British Chinook helicopter, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas flew home from the annual Spring Storm military exercises, pleased to see NATO allies cooperating. But she later said that other types of warfare were on her mind....

China: Mass Relocations of Tibetans Coerced by Extreme Pressure and Misleading Information, Rights Group says (www.hrw.org)

- The Chinese government is using extreme forms of pressure to coerce Tibetans to relocate their long-established villages.- Chinese officials misleadingly claim that relocation will lead to improved employment and higher incomes.- The Chinese government should suspend relocations in Tibet and conform with Chinese laws and...