(2021-12-28). Putin hints at military options in Ukraine. globalresearch.ca The Rossiya 1 state television in Moscow broadcast today President Vladimir Putin's annual press conference on Friday. It conveys a much fuller picture of the grave crisis brewing in the Russian-American relations than what the excerpts in the Russian …
(2021-12-28). Headlines for December 28, 2021. democracynow.org World Coronavirus Cases Hit Record High as Omicron Surges, Israel Tests Fourth Vaccine Doses as COVID Surges in Largely Unvaccinated African Nations, Biden Warns Governors of Looming Shortages of Hospital Beds as COVID-19 Cases Near Pandemic Highs, CDC Recommends Shorter Isolation for People with Asymptomatic Coronavirus Infections, Afghan Taliban Bans Women from Road Trips Without Male Escort, Talks on Reviving Iran Nuclear Deal Resume in Vienna, Iraq's Top Court Ratifies Results of October's Contested Election, Russia to Hold Talks with U.S. and NATO Allies over Ukraine Border Tensions, New German Government Mo…
(2021-12-28). French government rejects lockdown as COVID-19 cases skyrocket past 100,000. wsws.org The seven-day rolling average of cases in France is now over 70,000, more than 50 percent higher than the previous peak in November 2020.
(2021-12-28). "Opposition to the herd immunity policy is overwhelming": European Network of Rank-and-File Committees for Safe Education meeting outlines strategy to end pandemic. wsws.org Amid the exponential spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus across Europe, an online meeting of the Network of Rank-and-File Committees for Safe Education expressed the immense opposition and willingness to fight against the criminal herd immunity policies of governments everywhere.
(2021-12-27). The West Might Deliberately Start A War In Ukraine. popularresistance.org On Monday, Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced that the West might provoke a war in Ukraine to blame Russia and impose economic sanctions on it. | "I do not rule out that there is such a desire to fuel militaristic sentiments [in Ukraine] to stage a 'small war' and then accuse us and impose new sanctions to suppress our competitive advantages," Lavrov said. | The Foreign Minister, who has repeatedly reiterated that the concentration of Russian troops in the vicinity of Ukraine is not for aggressive purposes, denounced that the West has sent over US$2.5 billion in weapons to Ukraine since 201…
(2021-12-27). The West Might Deliberately Start A War In Ukraine: Lavrov Says. popularresistance.org On Monday, Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced that the West might provoke a war in Ukraine to blame Russia and impose economic sanctions on it. | "I do not rule out that there is such a desire to fuel militaristic sentiments [in Ukraine] to stage a 'small war' and then accuse us and impose new sanctions to suppress our competitive advantages," Lavrov said.
(2021-12-27). Russia is reacting to NATO's policy of expansion. indybay.org Russia is accused of calculating power and bellicose behavior. As far as the situation in Ukraine is concerned, however, the political facts speak a different language. Russia is being built as an enemy for peace. With its Ukraine policy, Russia is actually reacting to NATO's expansionist policy.
(2021-12-27). Venezuela: 87% Of Vaccinated Against COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Regarding the omicron variant, he indicated that this Monday, two other new cases were detected in people coming from flights coming from the United Kingdom and Panama, both asymptomatic. | RELATED: | He pointed out that while Spain, for example, registers 1,200 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants, in Venezuela, 6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants are reported "thanks to the fact that we take care of ourselves collectively, thanks to…
(2021-12-27). Why is Turkey so Eager to Run Five Afghan Airports? journal-neo.org 
On the sidelines of a recent meeting of member-states of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed operating Afghan airports with acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. After these deliberations, Ankara announced that Turkey, together with Qatar, was going to offer services to Taliban (banned in Russia) regarding operating …
(2021-12-27). Turkey's Economic Difficulties and the Fate of Erdogan. journal-neo.org 
Turkey's economy is in freefall: the lira is falling, inflation is rising, and food prices are spiraling. The government has resorted to disinformation, lies, and conspiracy theories to deflect blame from itself and shift it to others. But the lower living standards of the common people and the country's future is unlikely to end the …
(2021-12-27). Proposals to amend Belarusian Constitution include ban on starting military aggression. tass.com The draft document was published on Monday…
(2021-12-27). Anti-vaxx kickboxing king dies from Covid complications after discharging himself from hospital. rt.com 
An anti-vaccine former kickboxing champion died from Covid complications at the age of 41 shortly after discharging himself from hospital, according to reports. | Frederic Sinistra passed away at his home in the town of Ciney, southern Belgium, after deciding he would personally treat what he described as a "little virus". | Forced to finally get medical help in November by his coach,
(2021-12-27). Russia not delivering enough gas to Europe is 'a pack of lies' — Gazprom. rt.com 
Claims that Russia is deliberately causing natural gas shortages in Europe are baseless, according to Sergey Kupriyanov, spokesman for energy major Gazprom. | "All the allegations against Russia and Gazprom relating to delivering an insufficient amount of gas to the European market are absolutely groundless, unacceptable and untrue. In other words, it is a pack of lies," he said in an interview with the Russia-24 TV channel. | Kupriyanov added that Gazprom is ready to deliver additional gas volumes to Europe under the terms of existing contracts, with the costs of these supplies to be lower than spot market pr…
(2021-12-27). James Webb Telescope heads out to explore the origin of the universe. peoplesdispatch.org 
The mission is a joint effort by NASA, the ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency, with an aim of finding the light emanating from the early universe's first galaxies by exploring the solar system and the exoplanets…
(2021-12-27). Poland States Germany Wants To Turn EU Into 4th Reich. telesurenglish.net Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Poland's ruling party declared on Friday that, Germany as the Europe's most powerful nation today, is trying to turn the European Union into a "German Fourth Reich." | RELATED: | The head of the Law and Justice party (PiS) stated that some countries "are not enthusiastic at the prospect of a German Fourth Reich being built on the basis of the EU." | "If we Poles…
(2021-12-27). The Geopolitics Surrounding Nord Stream 2. journal-neo.org 
Multiple US interests continue to hinder the completion of Nord Stream 2 project and its uninterrupted supply of gas to Germany/Europe. For the US, Nord Stream project is, to a great extent, a tool to privatise European gas-markets for US gas supplies. While the Joe Biden administration was quick to waive sanctions on the project …
(2021-12-27). The Weekly Round-Up: New COVID-19 rules for three nations and no investigation into Met on Downing Street Christmas party. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the news: From 26 December new Covid rules came into effect in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. All three nations have limited the size of public events and face coverings are compulsory in most indoor public spaces. Covid passports or proof of a negative test result is required at many venues. Nightclubs will close in Wales and Scotland from 27 December and in …
(2021-12-27). Italy: Economic Paralysis Due to Quarantine Measures. telesurenglish.net On Monday, health experts asked the Italian government to reduce the severity of COVID-19 quarantine measures to avoid economic paralysis. | RELATED: | According to the rules, people who have been in contact with infected ones have to self-isolate for seven days if they are vaccinated already; if not, they must spend ten days in self-isolation. | The head of the Gimbe health foundation, Nino Cartabellotta, explained that every p…
(2021-12-27). Russia Won't Turn Into a Fortress Because of Western Sanctions. telesurenglish.net Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia would find a way to respond to the West strengthened sanctions, but they will not turn the country into a fortress because of it. | Foreign Minister of Russia declares they won't turn the country into a fortress because of Western sanctions. Dec. 27, 2021.
(2021-12-27). Russia's nonproliferation policy and global strategic stability. moderndiplomacy.eu While the weight of accumulated problems and troubling instabilities in strategic sphere is significant, relations among nuclear powers are very far from being well-tempered. The situation is heavily overshadowed by disintegration of the arms control architecture, mostly due to the destructive course of the previous U.S. Administration. The New START Treaty is practically the last …
(2021-12-27). The Neo-NAM: From Vision to Reality. moderndiplomacy.eu The latest Putin-Modi Summit was a global geostrategic game-changer unlocking the potential for the two great powers to jointly assemble a new Non-Aligned Movement ("Neo-NAM"). Their meeting came against the backdrop of both countries recalibrating their respective "balancing" acts. Russia has been engaged in high-level diplomacy with the U.S. while India defied America's CAATSA sanctions …
(2021-12-27). JOURNALISTS FROM US, RUSSIA, AND YEMEN TAKE TOP HONORS AT RT'S INTERNATIONAL AWARDS FOR WAR JOURNALISTS. rt.com 
MOSCOW, DECEMBER 27, 2021 — The jury of the Khaled Alkhateb International Memorial Awards 2021, an annual competition that recognizes top-class journalism from conflict zones, has announced its winners. They are war correspondents and journalists from Russia, the US, and Yemen. The awards were established in honor of RT Arabic freelancer Khaled Alkhateb, who died on July 30, 2017 while reporting from the front lines in Syria. |
(2021-12-27). Russia in the Eastern Mediterranean: The Art of Balancing. moderndiplomacy.eu Strictly speaking, Russia is not an Eastern Mediterranean country. It does not have direct access to the Mediterranean Sea; its most important strategic and economic interests belong to other parts of the world, such as the North Atlantic or East Asia. However, for a long time Russia has been trying to make its presence in …
(2021-12-27). North Shropshire — Not the End of Boris, the End of Everybody! journal-neo.org 
On December 16th a parliamentary by-election was held in the United Kingdom, to fill the vacancy created by the forced resignation of Conservative MP Owen Paterson, who was found guilty of breaking lobbying rules and then thrown under the proverbial bus when Boris Johnson tried to change the rules to stop him being censured for …