August 17, 2022

Chinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in joint military exercises led by Russia

Last month, Moscow announced plans to hold “Vostok” [East] exercises from 30 August to 5 September, saying that some foreign forces would also participate.

China said the exercises would include forces from India, Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikistan.

The exercises will be the first conducted by Russia since 2018, when China took part for the first time.

The ministry said the exercises were “part of an ongoing bilateral annual cooperation agreement with Russia” and “unrelated to the current international and regional situation”.

Guardian Live feed


We need to shut down all economic ties with that evil empire ASAP.

August 16, 2022

Its a start: Finland has decided to limit the number of visas issued to Russians by 90% starting 9/1

According to Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Finland will cut the number of visas issued to Russians to 10% of the current amount starting Sept. 1, Reuters reported

Haavisto said Russians were using Finland and its Helsinki-Vantaa airport to access other European holiday destinations.

I know a few countries are planning on doing this, I hope all nato/EU countries do.

August 13, 2022

Stop issuing tourist visas to Russians!

Across Europe, beaches and cities are filled with tourists. Among them, perhaps keeping their voices low, is a sprinkling of Russians. But if some politicians have their way, this may be the last summer Russian tourists can spend on a Mediterranean beach.

Countries including Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Finland and the Czech Republic have called for the EU to limit or block short-term Schengen visas for Russians, in protest at their country’s invasion of Ukraine.

After six months of war, the proposal echoes widespread frustration with a Russian public that seems either unable or unwilling to mount a meaningful resistance to the war being waged in their name. The situation has been aggravated by high-profile incidents including a Russian woman harassing two Ukrainian refugees in Europe.

“Stop issuing tourist visas to Russians,” Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas wrote on Twitter last week. “Visiting #Europe is a privilege, not a human right.”

per Guardian live feed

August 13, 2022

Russia is readying itself for a prolonged war in Ukraine, according to ISW

according to the US-based analysts Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

A new budget is reportedly available that would boost industrial spending by $10bn and support war efforts.

The ISW reports the The Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) as saying that the Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation, chaired by Russian president Vladimir Putin, is preparing to change the state defense order programme by early September to increase expenditures by 600-700 billion rubles (approximately $10bn).

Russian media outlet Ura reported that Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu likely visited the Uralvagonzavod factory, the largest tank manufacturer in Russia and the producer of Russia’s T-72 main battle tanks, on 12 August, the ISW said.

per Guardian live feed

The US needs to step up its sanctions including sanctions on countries still supporting russia like china, turkey india which are the top worst on the list.

August 13, 2022

Europe's rivers run dry as scientists warn drought could be worst in 500 years

In places, the Loire can now be crossed on foot; France’s longest river has never flowed so slowly. The Rhine is fast becoming impassable to barge traffic. In Italy, the Po is 2 metres lower than normal, crippling crops. Serbia is dredging the Danube.

Across Europe, drought is reducing once-mighty rivers to trickles, with potentially dramatic consequences for industry, freight, energy and food production – just as supply shortages and price rises due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine bite.

Driven by climate breakdown, an unusually dry winter and spring followed by record-breaking summer temperatures and repeated heatwaves have left Europe’s essential waterways under-replenished and, increasingly, overheated.

With no significant rainfall recorded for almost two months across western, central and southern Europe and none forecast in the near future, meteorologists say the drought could become the continent’s worst in more than 500 years.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/13/europes-rivers-run-dry-as-scientists-warn-drought-could-be-worst-in-500-years

August 12, 2022

So, what to you think? Good spot to hide stuff

Question of the day:

Given that Trump left the WH in financial trouble with nuclear weapons documents worth billions to foreign governments, and the Saudis just gave his family $2 billion, what might he have stashed in Ivana's grave on the 1st hole of his golf course?


https://twitter.com/Thom_Hartmann/status/1558159144540024832

August 10, 2022

Ukraine on Wednesday called on the European Union and G7 countries to stop issuing visas to Russians

citing what he said was their support for the invasion of Ukraine.

“Russians overwhelmingly support the war on Ukraine. They must be deprived of the right to cross international borders until they learn to respect them,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

The tweet echoed earlier calls by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a one-year travel ban and the apparent expulsion of Russians living in the West so they can live “in their own world until they change their philosophy”, Reuters reported.

August 9, 2022

Estonia and Finland want fellow European countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens

saying they should not be able to take holidays in Europe while the Russian government carries out a war in Ukraine.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wrote on Tuesday on Twitter that “visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right” and that it is “time to end tourism from Russia now”, the Associated Press reported.

A day earlier, her counterpart in Finland, Sanna Marin, told Finnish broadcaster YLE that “it is not right that while Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe, Russians can live a normal life, travel in Europe, be tourists”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy went further in a Washington Post interview on Monday, saying all Western countries should ban Russian tourists.

guardian live feed


get it done, keep all russians out of western countries until they "dispose" of putin and his evil deputies.

August 9, 2022

Ron DeSantis is defending Donald Trump instead of the rule of law

https://twitter.com/NikkiFried/status/1556818406648709129

@NikkiFried
Ron DeSantis is defending Donald Trump instead of the rule of law, so I’ll be holding a press conference tomorrow in front of the governor’s mansion to remind Floridians that nobody is above the law.


this is DeathSantis's statement:

"The raid of [Mar-a-Lago] is another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents, while people like Hunter Biden get treated with kid gloves."

August 7, 2022

Democrats face last-minute hiccup as Sen. Kyrsten Sinema could back GOP amendment to their sweeping

climate and health care bill

(CNN)The Senate is continuing to work Sunday on a series of amendment votes but faced new drama early afternoon as Democrats look to pass their sweeping climate, health care and tax package.

The amendment process, known on Capitol Hill as a "vote-a-rama," started Saturday night shortly after 11:30 p.m. ET. A final vote on the bill will take place after the amendment votes end, the timing of which is not yet clear.
But senators are looking at making changes to the bill, just hours before the chamber is expected to pass it.
Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are in discussions with Senate GOP Whip John Thune on the 15% corporate minimum tax. The two Democrats -- who are pivotal in writing and passing the legislation -- were seen by CNN going into Thune's office on Sunday.

"We're having conversations and continuing to work it," said Thune.
The issue has been percolating since Saturday after Sinema discovered language in a draft of the bill showing how subsidiaries of companies owned by private equity firms could be hit by the 15% corporate minimum tax if their combined book income exceeds $1 billion, according to a Senate source familiar with the matter.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/07/politics/senate-democrats-climate-health-care-bill-vote/index.html?utm_term=link&utm_content=2022-08-07T18%3A26%3A25&utm_source=twcnnbrk&utm_medium=social