Global politics

[Shhon]

[Psy-Fi]

Iran installing and starting cascades of advanced centrifuges

[Psy-Fi]

U.S. lifts weapons and training ban on Ukraine's Azov Brigade

The United States has lifted restrictions on providing weapons and training for the high-profile Ukrainian military unit the Azov Brigade. The U.S. State Department confirmed Monday that the unit, which has played a significant role in Ukraine's effort to repel the ongoing invasion launched by Russia in February 2022, could now be trained by U.S. military personnel and use U.S.-provided weapons.

The State Department's move reversed a decade-old prohibition imposed on the Azov forces under the Leahy Law, which prohibits the U.S. from supplying weapons or financial assistance "to units of foreign security forces where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights."

The State Department said it had concluded there was "no evidence of Gross Violation of Human Rights committed by the 12th Azov Brigade."

[Shhon]

[Shhon]

 

[Shhon]

[Lisnaholic]

I see this as a very worrying development, which enhances the military power of two "wild card" countries with repressive dictatorships and territorial ambitions.

I presumed that Fox 32 was an affiliate of the notorious Fox News, so I was surprised that they squeezed in a quote that calls the two countries "an Axis of Evil", but at the end of the clip we realize that it's Joe Biden's fault all along.

[SGR]

I see this as a very worrying development, which enhances the military power of two "wild card" countries with repressive dictatorships and territorial ambitions.

I presumed that Fox 32 was an affiliate of the notorious Fox News, so I was surprised that they squeezed in a quote that calls the two countries "an Axis of Evil", but at the end of the clip we realize that it's Joe Biden's fault all along.

Given that NK is economically dependent on China for its survival, is this pact signing a bit of political gamesmanship that is, at its root, a pact between Russia and China, done by proxy through North Korea?

[Lisnaholic]

Given that NK is economically dependent on China for its survival, is this pact signing a bit of political gamesmanship that is, at its root, a pact between Russia and China, done by proxy through North Korea?

I haven't read much about this pact, but an agreement to mutually defend each other if attacked is a big deal in terms of the diplomatic relationship between two countries, so I'm guessing that there's nothing "by proxy" going on, but yes, "at its root" it's certainly making firmer the bonds between Russia, NK, and by implication, China.
Perhaps I've read too much about the causes of the two World Wars, but isn't there now a case for NK to say, "Ukraine is attacking Russia, so, as per our new pact, we will attack Ukraine" ?!

[Shhon]

[jimmy jazz]

Wind your neck in Sunak, your time is over pal.

[Psy-Fi]

Iran overturns the death sentence of rapper Toomaj Salehi

[Jwb]

Sunak was asked as someone who is wealthier than the king, how can he relate to people in Britain now?

He said multiple times his parents had to make sacrifices he was a kid and when pushed he came out with, "well we didn't have Sky TV".

He was 10 when Sky was founded and it wasn't really a common thing until he was about 16 anyway.

am I the only one who intrinsically hates the veneration of the working class and watching rich people pander to us and pretend like they used to be one of us?

It's  not even the phoniness I hate, it's the impulse to debase yourself by pretending to be of lower stock than you are. As if it's some kind of personal virtue of yours that your parents were fuck-ups with little education and no financial planning.

[Psy-Fi]

Gaza operation winding down, Lebanon war could be next, Netanyahu says

[Psy-Fi]

Russia vows retaliation on America after Ukraine allegedly fires US-supplied missile at Crimea, killing at least 4