#russia politics

[head-post]

EU agrees to move forward on use of Russian assets for Ukraine

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that the leaders of the EU member states have agreed to allocate to Ukraine the proceeds from frozen Russian assets subject to EU sanctions and their implementation is expected this summer.

At the end of the first day of the EU summit in Brussels, von der Leyen commented on EU decisions on Ukraine. She announced on Thursday that leaders had endorsed a proposal by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, saying:

“This will provide funding for military equipment to Ukraine.”

It expects about 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in 2024 and similar amounts in subsequent years, von der Leyen said. If the proposal is finalised quickly, the first 1 billion euros could be transferred as early as 1 July.

Read more HERE

[workersolidarity]

🇷🇺 🚨 ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS FROM RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN'S PRESS CONFERENCE

🔻The Russian President highlighted the Russian economy, pointing to the different elements that make up economic strength: the first element is the unity of the Russian society; the second element is the stability of the economic system, in this regard, Russia has accumulated a sufficient margin of safety and stability; the third element is the growing capacity of the army and security agencies.

🔻main indicators of economic growth are stable; GPD is expected to grow 3.5% by end of year, compared with last year's -2.1%. Putin said returning to 3.5% would mean making up those losses and gaining on top of them.

🔻 Inflation has persisted and is expected to reach between 7.5-8%, with the Central Bank taking necessary measures to lower the baseline inflation rate.

🔻Industrial output increases steadily at 3.6%, while Manufacturing output has grown by 7.5% year-on-year.

🔻Investment in fixed capital has risen by 10%, indicating sustainable growth in the medium term. Investors provide capital, production expands, and new jobs are being created.

🔻Businesses have added 24% in profits, with banks earning over 3 million rubles by the end of year, which is good news for people who invest in Russian banks.

🔻Real wages, after inflation is accounted for, will grow at 8%. Though this will not be true for everyone, but on average across the Federation, this is true; while real disposable income is also increasing to around 5%.

🔻 The Unemployment rate has recently hit historic lows of 3%, and has now reached 2.9%.

🔻 The minimum wage will increase by about 18%, beginning January 1st.

🔻Foreign Debt is decreasing, indicating macro-economic stability; government debt has reduced from US$46 Billion, to US$32 Billion. While Private debt has decreased from US$337 Billion to US$297 Billion. Repayment is proceeding at a steady pace, often ahead of schedule.

🔻Considerable growth in Russian life expectancy from 70.06 in 2021, to 72.73 in 2022, and is expected to reach 74 in 2023.

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[lgbtawarenessproject]

Part 5: Russia and Holy See(the Vatican)

Sometimes my mom gets worried that I don't read enough. Anyone want to point her to my source lists on these?/lh

Anyways, enjoy! Another one should be posted later today/tonight. Also, I hope I figure out some way to make these easier to write.

In 2013 Russia rolled out its first “Gay Propaganda” law, banning distribution of knowledge on gay rights, and equating homosexual and heterosexual relationships to minors. Moments after passing this, the Duma also approved prison sentences of up to three years for “offending religious feelings” in a new law.

The “Gay Propaganda” law remained unchanged until December of 2022, when Putin signed an even worse version passed unanimously by lawmakers. This bill makes it illegal for everyone in Russia to speak positively about homosexual relationships, and disallows same-sex couples from talking about their relationships. This bill also bans “propaganda of pedophilia and sex change” with harsher penalties.

It is important to note that queer people are often called pedophiles just for existing, and as such they may be charged under “propaganda of pedophilia” when posting or talking about queer peoples lives. In addition, while I do not know how this bill translates from Russian, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, propaganda can be defined as “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person”, and as such may apply to saying that queer people are not pedophiles. 

This law does not protect anyone. It instead pushes hate against humans, and puts them in danger. Russia wasn’t always like this either, in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia legalized gay sex. A couple of years later and the age of consent and punishments for sexual assault were equal. In 2008, gay men were able to donate blood. It was legal in 1997 to change your gender on legal documents, and in 2018 it was legal without surgery. The downfall in gay rights during Putin's leadership is disgusting and terrifying.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Holy See, also called the Vatican(even though Vatican City State is its own country), is considered the Catholic church's central government. It, and Vatican City, are run by Pope Francis.

Pope Francis has released several statements concerning homosexuality, both in and out of the church. In one statement, recorded in an interview with Associated Press, Pope Francis makes a statement where he condemns laws criminalizing homosexuality, however he also says that gay sex is a sin. In written clarification, Francis explains that he meant it in the same way that sex outside of marriage is considered a sin. However, in a statement released by the Vatican, and supported by Francis, marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman. Meaning then, that gay sex is always a sin. Pope Francis does support civil unions, but is that enough?

Francis is quoted in an interview with La Nación saying "Gender ideology, today, is one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations." When asked to explain, he said "Because it blurs differences and the value of men and women." Pope Francis also maintains that priesthood is for men.

On the brighter side, Pope Francis has instructed Catholic Bishops to welcome LGBT+ members, and has instructed parents to welcome their gay children in their homes.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Part 1

Part 4<- ->Part 6

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[andiatas]

This short passage in Navalnaya’s speech once again proves a point that has been made many times already: Navalny’s team, one of the most powerful and famous organizations opposing Putin, does not want to listen to the Indigenous peoples of Russia, whose perspective confronts them with an inconvenient and unpleasant truth.

[hellojustussando]

Watch "President Vladimir Putin #fypyoutube #viralreels #putin" on YouTube

[elfofthetardis]

i didnt saw one of these so here is the news

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #26

July 5-12 2024

The IRS announced it had managed to collect $1 billion in back taxes from high-wealth tax cheats. The program focused on persons with more than $1 million in yearly income who owned more than $250,000 in unpaid taxes. Thanks to money in Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act the IRS is able to undertake more enforcement against rich tax cheats after years of Republicans cutting the agency's budget, which they hope to do again if they win power again.

The Biden administration announced a $244 million dollar investment in the federal government’s registered apprenticeship program. This marks the largest investment in the program's history with grants going out to 52 programs in 32 states. The President is focused on getting well paying blue collar opportunities to people and more people are taking part in the apprenticeship program than ever before. Republican pledge to cut it, even as employers struggle to find qualified workers.

The Department of Transportation announced the largest single project in the department's history, $11 billion dollars in grants for the The Hudson River Tunnel. Part of the $66 billion the Biden Administration has invested in our rail system the tunnel, the most complex Infrastructure project in the nation would link New York and New Jersey by rail under the Hudson. Once finished it's believed it'll impact 20% of the American economy by improving and speeding connection throughout the Northeast.

The Department of Energy announced $1.7 billion to save auto worker's jobs and convert factories to electronic vehicles. The Biden administration will used the money to save or reopen factories in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia and retool them to make electric cars. The project will save 15,000 skilled union worker jobs, and created 2,900 new high-quality jobs.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development reached a settlement with The Appraisal Foundation over racial discrimination. TAF is the organization responsible for setting standards and qualifications for real estate appraisers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics last year found that TAF was 94.7% White and 0.6% Black, making it the least racially diverse of the 800 occupations surveyed. Black and Latino home owners are far more likely to have their houses under valued than whites. Under the settlement with HUD TAF will have to take serious steps to increase diversity and remove structural barriers to diversity.

The Department of Justice disrupted an effort by the Russian government to influence public opinion through AI bots. The DoJ shut down nearly 1,000 twitter accounts that were linked to a Russian Bot farm. The bots used AI technology to not only generate tweets but also AI image faces for profile pictures. The effort seemed focused on boosting support for Russia's war against Ukraine and spread negative stories/impressions about Ukraine.

The Department of Transportation announces $1.5 billion to help local authorities buy made in America buses. 80% of the funding will go toward zero or low-emission technology, a part of the President's goal of reaching zero emissions by 2050. This is part of the $5 billion the DOT has spent over the last 3 years replacing aging buses with new cleaner technology.

President Biden with Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau and Finnish President Alexander Stubb signed a new agreement on the arctic. The new trilateral agreement between the 3 NATO partners, known as the ICE Pact, will boost production of ice breaking ships, the 3 plan to build as many as 90 between them in the coming years. The alliance hopes to be a counter weight to China's current dominance in the ice breaker market and help western allies respond to Russia's aggressive push into the arctic waters.

The Department of Transportation announced $1.1 billion for greater rail safety. The program seeks to, where ever possible, eliminate rail crossings, thus removing the dangers and inconvenience to communities divided by rail lines. It will also help update and improve safety measures at rail crossings.

The Department of the Interior announced $120 million to help tribal communities prepare for climate disasters. This funding is part of half a billion dollars the Biden administration has spent to help tribes build climate resilience, which itself is part of a $50 billion dollar effort to build climate resilience across the nation. This funding will help support drought measures, wildland fire mitigation, community-driven relocation, managed retreat, protect-in-place efforts, and ocean and coastal management.

The USDA announced $100 million in additional funds to help feed low income kids over the summer. Known as "SUN Bucks" or "Summer EBT" the new Biden program grants the families of kids who qualify for free meals at school $120 dollars pre-child for groceries. This comes on top of the traditional SUN Meals program which offers school meals to qualifying children over the summer, as well as the new under President Biden SUN Meals To-Go program which is now offering delivery of meals to low-income children in rural areas. This grant is meant to help local governments build up the Infrastructure to support and distribute SUN Bucks. If fully implemented SUN Bucks could help 30 million kids, but many Republican governors have refused the funding.

USAID announced its giving $100 million to the UN World Food Program to deliver urgently needed food assistance in Gaza. This will bring the total humanitarian aid given by the US to the Palestinian people since the war started in October 2023 to $774 million, the single largest donor nation. President Biden at his press conference last night said that Israel and Hamas have agreed in principle to a ceasefire deal that will end the war and release the hostages. US negotiators are working to close the final gaps between the two sides and end the war.

The Senate confirmed Nancy Maldonado to serve as a Judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Maldonado is the 202nd federal Judge appointed by President Biden to be confirmed. She will the first Latino judge to ever serve on the 7th Circuit which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Bonus: At the NATO summit in Washington DC President Biden joined 32 allies in the Ukraine compact. Allies from Japan to Iceland confirmed their support for Ukraine and deepening their commitments to building Ukraine's forces and keeping a free and Democratic Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. World leaders such as British Prime Minster Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, praised President Biden's experience and leadership during the NATO summit

[odinsblog]

Give 👏 Amal 👏 Clooney 👏 her 👏 roses 👏

[poet-by-heart]

The 2020s news cycle is just a really long version of We didn’t start the fire

[head-post]

Russian ships in Cuba? Consequence of NATO’s eastward expansion

Four Russian vessels, including a nuclear submarine, would arrive in Cuba next week, Cuban officials reported.

Cuba’s Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that the ships, none of which carrying nuclear weapons, would dock in the Cuban capital between 12 and 17 June. However, authorities assured that their presence “does not represent a threat to the region.”

This visit corresponds to the historical friendly relations between Cuba and the Russian Federation and strictly adheres to the international regulations.

At the same time, the deployment of the nuclear submarine Kazan and three other naval vessels so close to the United States comes amid serious tensions related to the war in Ukraine. The United States is only 145 kilometres (90 miles) away from Cuba.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry stated that in addition to the Kazan, the Russian vessels would include the frigate Gorshkov, the fleet oil tanker Pashin, and the salvage tug Nikolay Chiker.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow could take “asymmetric” steps if the Ukrainian ally NATO continued to supply weapons, which would then be used to conduct strikes on Russian territories.

What should we do in response [to NATO weapons strikes on Russian territory]? We will, of course, improve our air defence systems. We will destroy those [Western weapons].

Measures include supplying Russian long-range weapons to countries that could launch sensitive strikes against allies supplying Ukraine.

The president did not specify to whom Russia could deliver the missiles. However, he could be referring to Iranian-backed military groups in the Middle East. For instance, Houthis reportedly conduct regular strikes on European and US merchant ships, disrupting shipments in the region.

We think that if someone considers it possible to supply such weapons to a war zone to strike our territory, to create problems for us, why don’t we have the right to supply our weapons of the same class to those regions of the world where strikes will be carried out against sensitive facilities of those countries that are doing this against Russia?

In response, the US and other countries emphasised that Ukraine could supposedly use the missiles only in border regions where Russia had recently launched a retaliatory offensive.

Read more HERE

[workersolidarity]

🇷🇺 🚨

VLADIMIR PUTIN WINS A DECISIVE VICTORY IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

📈 An inforgraphic breakdown of the Russian Federation Presidential elections, which was held from March 15th through the 17th, and detailing Vladimir Putin's decisive win.

Turnout in the Russian Presidential elections was relatively high at 77.44%, with President Putin taking 87.28% of the vote, while in second place, Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation taking 4.31% of the vote, Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party taking 3.85% and Leonid Slutsky of the LDPR Party taking 3.2% of votes.

To win in Russian Presidential elections, a candidate must receive at least 50% of the popular vote.

More than 8 million Russian voters took advantage of remote electronic voting procedures, while another 2.6 million participated in early voting.

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[mysharona1987]

BBC not even trying to hide its bias anymore.

[hellojustussando]

Watch "Malaysia PM Anwar I brahim discuss with president Vladimir Putin #putin #viralreels #putintoday" on YouTube

[baby-girl-aaron-dessner]