(2021-12-08). The United States pushes Russia to the brink of war, then cries "wolf" mronline.org 
The Russians have plainly said that they deem the Ukrainian government to be U.S-controlled, not a free agent, and they hold Washington directly responsible for whatever may happen on the ground in their neighborhood.
(2021-12-08). Putin: Ukraine Is to Russia What Cuba Was to America in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. moderndiplomacy.eu In an almost universally ignored speech by Putin, on December 1st (titled "Ceremony for presenting foreign ambassadors' letters of credence"), he said, merely as an aside [and I here shall add clarifications in brackets]: By the way, the threat on our western border [he was referring mainly to Ukraine] is really growing, and we have …
(2021-12-08). The Heat: Biden-Putin discuss Ukraine in video call. america.cgtn.com 
The stakes couldn't be any higher for diplomatic relations between the United States and Russia. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a two-hour video call on Tuesday about the Russian buildup of troops along Ukraine's border and fears of a …
(2021-12-08). A One-Sided Narrative: U.S. Press Focuses on "Russian Aggression" While Ignoring U.S. Escalation. democracynow.org 
During a virtual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Biden threatened to impose new economic sanctions and other measures if Russia invades Ukraine. The talks were held amid growing tension between the two countries over the expansion of NATO in Eastern Europe and Russia's deployment of tens of thousands troops along the border of Ukraine. Editorial director and publisher at The Nation Katrina vanden Heuvel says the U.S. has a "one-sided narrative" of the Russia-Ukraine conflict that neglects to acknowledge its own role in escalating tensions. "This [t…
(2021-12-08). PSOE-Podemos government, Spanish trade unions agree to savage austerity. wsws.org The pseudo-left Podemos party is imposing attacks on the working class in close collaboration with the European Union.
(2021-12-08). 'The Last Duel': Medieval epic explores rape culture. greenleft.org.au Isaac Nellist reviews Ridley Scott's medieval epic detailing the last judiciary trial by combat in 14th century France.
(2021-12-08). Hunger Is Over, If We Want It. zcomm.org Globally, in this now-or-never moment, we can remake governance to answer to all of us, to finally make policy with the understanding that hunger will only be uprooted if we tackle the anti-democracy forces at its roots…
(2021-12-08). Fascistic provocateur Eric Zemmour announces his presidential campaign bid in France. wsws.org For months, even before formally announcing his election campaign, Zemmour has enjoyed widespread coverage in the French media.
(2021-12-08). Amid backlash World Economic Forum launches "Global Center for Urban Transformation" in Detroit. peoplesdispatch.org Protestors rallied in downtown Detroit to protest the opening of the World Economic Forum's "Global Center for Urban Transformation." The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a non-governmental lobbying group made up of political and business leaders, including representatives from major financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and the European Central Bank. In August, it
(2021-12-08). Biden threatens economic sanctions and a repositioning of NATO troops in meeting with Putin. wsws.org The meeting was preceded by threats against Russia from Biden and Germany's new Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and took place amidst the drum beat of war propaganda in the American and European press.
(2021-12-08). Understanding Germany's 'traffic light' coalition. peoplesdispatch.org Germany's new coalition government is set to be voted in today. Pawel Wargan, organizer, researcher, and coordinator of the International Secretariat of the Progressive International, speaks on the contradictions of the coalition…
(2021-12-08). The Far Right Continues to Build Its International. fpif.org 
What alt-right guru Steve Bannon failed to create, German taxpayers have just stepped in to revive: a Nationalist International. Thanks to the German government, the far right is about to get its own well-heeled global think tank, complete with the sort of political academy that was so dear to Bannon's Germany's gift to the far right is the Desiderius Erasmus Foundation, the public-policy arm of the country's most prominent extremist party, the Alternative fàºr Deutschland (AfD). Era…
(2021-12-08). Germany's New Green Foreign Minister Baerbock threatens Russia and China with nuclear weapons. wsws.org With an aggressiveness that is otherwise seen only from extreme right-wing and militarist circles, Annalena Baerbock linked Germany's ability to pursue an aggressive foreign and great power policy with nuclear rearmament.
(2021-12-08). The COVID-19 pandemic, the return of the class struggle and the tasks of the Socialist Equality Party in Germany. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Party, the German section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, held its party congress November 19—22. We publish here the resolution unanimously adopted by the delegates.
(2021-12-08). What Britain did to Ireland 100 years ago haunts today's UK. dissidentvoice.org 
File Photo: © Getty Images / Charles McQuillan The final cut in partitioning Ireland came with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty 100 years ago. That colonial division of a nation, conducted as a fait accompli by British rulers, continues to have harmful repercussions. Ironically, it is today's British rulers who are reaping the bitter …
(2021-12-08). Lithuania: pensioners get ready for death. moderndiplomacy.eu Main attention of the Lithuanian media has been focused on migrant crises and security issues for several weeks. This problem has become also a good reason to once again draw the attention of the population to the need of increasing defense capabilities. This problem has become a good excuse for further increasing of the armed …
(2021-12-08). Russian-Vietnamese Relations and the Joint Fight Against the Pandemic. journal-neo.org 
The history of relations between Russia and Vietnam goes back to Soviet times when the USSR supported the Vietnamese communists in their war for creating their state, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV). After that, the Soviet Union became a major partner of the SRV for many years. The common ideology, joint opposition to the …
(2021-12-08). The UK's travel ban: Why Nigerians must look towards their leaders. moderndiplomacy.eu Once again Nigeria's image problem rears its ugly head, only this time, it has to do with how little care is taken by other countries before stepping on the toes of Africa's proverbial giant. On December 6, 2021, Nigeria joined seven other African states on the United Kingdom's red list, which essentially bans Nigerians from …
(2021-12-07). War In Ukraine? NATO Expansion Drives Conflict With Russia. popularresistance.org Russia is seeking a legally binding pledge that NATO will stop expanding east, including to Ukraine. If the US refuses, is war next? Scholar and author Richard Sakwa analyzes the growing Russia-Ukraine conflict and how Russiagate fueled it. | Guest: Richard Sakwa. Professor of Russian and European politics at the University of Kent. His books include "Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands" and his latest, "Deception: Russiagate and the New Cold War."
(2021-12-07). Ukraine asks for weapons meant to fight Taliban — report. rt.com 
Ukraine has requested a supply of American military equipment that was originally intended to go to Afghanistan, before the American-backed government fell to the Taliban earlier this year. | Minister of Defense Alexey Reznikov made the request during a visit to Washington last month, according to a report published in Foreign Policy magazine on Monday. He had flown to the US to ask for assistance in a number of military matters, including support for air and naval defense, as well as electronic warfare. | An unnamed Ukrainian defense official reportedly told Foreign Policy that Reznikov's list of requests fea…
(2021-12-07). The United States Can Solve the Ukraine Crisis. strategic-culture.org By Melvin GOODMAN | The seeds for the crisis in Ukraine were planted 25 years ago when the Clinton Administration decided to expand the North Atlantic Treaty into East Europe, accepting membership from former members of the Warsaw Pact. In doing so, Clinton turned his back on commitments from President George H.W. Bush and Secretary of State James Baker in 1990 not to "leap frog" over a reunified Germany in order to expand NATO. Bush and Baker made this commitment in private discussions with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze in order to gain the removal of 380,000 Soviet…
(2021-12-07). Biden Threatens "Killer" Putin With 'Strong Response' Over Ukraine Build-Up. strategic-culture.org 
Notably, the US is only threatening to sanction Russia or move more troops into the region as opposed to intervening militarily to fight the Russians. In earlier statements, Biden and other US officials have been vague about what Washington's response to a Russian invasion would be, warning "consequences" and committing to Ukraine's "sovereignty."
(2021-12-07). The Ukraine: The USA is responsible of the escalation, and must stop it before provoking a world war. mronline.org 
Today, the Ukraine is not only the epicenter of a new cold war, but also one of the three most dangerous points on Earth, along with Iran and Taiwan, where a nuclear conflict could be ignited, leading to the end of mankind.
(2021-12-07). Headlines for December 7, 2021. democracynow.org Justice Department Sues Texas Over Political Maps That Diminish Power of Voters of Color, New York City Announces First-in-Nation Vaccine Mandate For Private Employers, Biden Meets Putin as Russian Troops Mass on Ukraine Border, Russia and India Agree to Deepen Military Ties, Haitian Kidnappers Release 3 More Missionaries, 12 Remain Hostages, Civil Rights Office's Warnings Over Haiti Deportations Went Ignored by DHS and ICE , Biden Administration Reinstates and Expands Trump-Era "Remain in Mexico" Policy, Trump-era Oil & Gas Drilling Boom Continues Under Biden, Despite Campaign Pledge , Top Mike Pence Aide Will C…
(2021-12-07). U.S.-Ukraine Plan Emerges… Make Another Afghan Quagmire for Russia. strategic-culture.org U.S. President Joe Biden and his top aides continue to assert that Russia is building up forces to attack its western neighbor. | A senior U.S. Democratic Senator revealed more than he intended when he gleefully expressed a desire to see Russia invade Ukraine and for it to become another "Afghan quagmire". | Senator Chris Murphy who sits on the policy-influencing Senate Foreign Relations Committee
(2021-12-07). The real reason for US aggression against China (opinion). newatlas.report 
December 7, 2021 (Angelo Giuliano — DotDotNews) — In 1945, the world woke up to a new reality, a new world order. The US had escaped World War II unscathed while Europe and Asia were completely destroyed. Throughout the war the US developed a massive industrial base to supply the war effort and its share of …
(2021-12-07). ECHR rules on Poland refugee pushbacks. rt.com 
Asylum seekers who successfully made it across the Belarusian border and into Poland must not be expelled and cannot legally be returned, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled, following a complaint by 198 migrants. | The ruling follows last month's massive growth in the number of refugees on the Belarus-Poland border. The migrant crisis began earlier this year, with people, mainly from the Middle East, flocking to Minsk in an attempt to cross over into the EU. The situation escalated on November 6, when several thousand asylum seekers marched together to the border. Some of them tried to enter P…
(2021-12-07). Russia Calls For Agreements to Prevent Expanding NATO Eastward. telesurenglish.net On Tuesday, Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed out that the reduction of military tensions in Europe requires credible agreements to prevent the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) towards her country's borders. | RELATED: | "Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has received repeated assurances that NATO jurisdiction and troops will not move an inch to the…
(2021-12-07). Eritrea Versus AFRICOM: Defending Sovereignty From Imperialist Aggression. popularresistance.org The U.S. has built military-to-military relations with 53 out of the 54 African countries that include agreements to cede operational command to AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command. The broad network of AFRICOM military bases, as well as those from France and other world powers, are examples of how African states are surrendering their sovereignty through neocolonial relationships with Western countries. African self-determination and national sovereignty are impossible as long as the U.S. and its European allies are allowed to use military power to control African land, labor, and resources. As Netfa Freeman pointe…
(2021-12-07). French troops fire on growing protests against French presence in Africa. wsws.org Nearly nine years after France invaded Mali, opposition to the French-led European military presence is reaching explosive levels across the region.
(2021-12-07). Trade unions in Turkey call for demonstrations demanding revision in minimum wage. peoplesdispatch.org The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey has said that the current national minimum wage is not sufficient for workers to meet their basic needs amid rising prices and an economic crisis intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic…
(2021-12-07). Punishing the Unvaccinated: Europe's COVID-19 Health Experiment. dissidentvoice.org Forget any notions of juicy carrots; the stick approach of savage punishment is in vogue with the Greek government in pushing vaccination rates. It is far from the only one. Across a number of countries in Europe, governments wishing to drive up levels of COVID-19 vaccination have decided to abandon suasion and the generous supply …
(2021-12-07). Venezuela's Oil Production Reaches 930,000 Barrels per Day Peak in December's First Week. orinocotribune.com 
Venezuela's state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) achieved a total oil production of 930,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the first week of December. The level approaches PDVSA's forecast of one million bpd by the end of the year, as detailed in an internal PDVSA report. The nation's oil industry, in addition to millions of Venezuelan citizens, have seen their livelihoods damaged by illegal coercive measures (or "sanctions") issued by the United States and Europe in an attempt to oust President Nicolas Maduro. | The level of production was reached due to the efforts of exploration and production workers…
(2021-12-07). Russia set to limit Europe's reliance on Gazprom's energy supplies. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly ordered the government to outline detailed proposals for the state-run energy giant Rosneft to supply up to 10 billion cubic meters of pipelined natural gas exports to Europe. | The proposals are set to be worked out in close cooperation with Rosneft management and rival energy major Gazprom by March 1, Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday. | Gazprom currently holds a monopoly on European gas supplies. | The project was initially proposed by Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin with the purpose of lowering gas prices across Europe, and generating additional bu…
(2021-12-07). US explains position on NATO expansion. rt.com 
The US State Department has argued that continued NATO expansion in eastern Europe is justified on the basis of an "open door policy," despite Moscow claiming Washington previously gave assurances that the alliance would not grow. | At a press briefing on Monday, diplomatic spokesperson Ned Price was asked about pledges that then-US Secretary of State James Baker allegedly made in the 1990s, assuring then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that the US-led military alliance would not expand close to Russia's borders. | "Look, we have been clear, as have past administrations of both parties, that NATO has an open d…
(2021-12-07). Europe passes 75 million COVID cases, as Omicron variant found in at least 17 countries across the continent. wsws.org According to a Reuters analysis, in 2021 "Europe has reported highest daily average of 359,000 new cases in second half as compared with highest daily cases of about 241,000 a day in the first half of the year."
(2021-12-07). Kremlin warns of 'very difficult' situation ahead of Putin-Biden showdown. rt.com 
The Kremlin has warned that expectations should be kept low for President Vladimir Putin's Tuesday virtual summit with his American counterpart Joe Biden, calling the current situation "very difficult." | Speaking to reporters hours before the planned showdown, spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that any optimism might be misplaced. According to him, the current escalation of tensions in Europe is off the charts. | "It is extraordinary. And, of course, it requires a personal discussion at the highest level," he said, calling any communication between presidents a good thing in itself, even if no breakthroughs a…
(2021-12-07). 14,000 Airbus workers take part in "warning" strikes in Germany. wsws.org Without a common European struggle of Airbus workers, not a single job can be defended.
(2021-12-07). The trade unions become the fourth partner in Germany's new coalition government. wsws.org From the first to the last line, the coalition agreement is imbued with the spirit of corporatism which the German Trade Union Confederation and its individual unions also worship.
(2021-12-07). Pendant found in Poland could be the oldest surviving jewellery made by humans. peoplesdispatch.org Carbon dating has established that the pendant found in southern Poland inside the Stajnia cave is thousands of years older than artifacts decorated similarly and found in other sites…
(2021-12-07). Two killed in shooting at Moscow government building. rt.com 
Two people have been killed and a further four injured after a man opened fire in a Moscow government facility used by Russian citizens for processing official documents. | Writing on Twitter, the city's Mayor Sergey Sobyanin explained that the shooter had been detained. | "I offer my condolences to the victims and the families of the victims," he wrote. "Doctors are doing their best to help the wounded." | Read more | | Th…
(2021-12-07). The Fate of Russian Literature in the Arab World. journal-neo.org 
Russia recently took part in the Sharjah International Book Fair, the largest one in UAE. The exposition featured books published in the Russian Federation, which included Arabic. Russian representatives held talks with the Emiratis to launch a major joint project, translating and publishing a series of Russian classical and modern literature into Arabic. There was …
(2021-12-07). US Build Up in Asia Drives China and Russia Closer Together. journal-neo.org 
While the US-Russia relations have, for historical reasons, always remained uneasy, the US' recent 'war on China' and Washington's subsequent efforts to bolster its military build up in Asia are directly driving its two strategic competitors into a strategic partnership. In this regard, ways have been suggested — and attempts have been made — to drive a …
(2021-12-07). Putin Stresses Broadening Economic Cooperation With African States. moderndiplomacy.eu Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated some aspects of Russia's foreign policy agenda when he received letters of credence from 20 foreign ambassadors, including seven from Africa, who had arrived in the country to begin their duty tour. The seven new African ambassadors are from Republics of Angola, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Mauritania and Somalia. …