Friday, March 7

Domestic Politics

Presidential Election in France Shows Populism Is Still Alive
20Apr By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Types of News: Analysis

Presidential Election in France Shows Populism Is Still Alive

French President Emmanuel Macron Faces Run-Off With Right-Wing Candidate Marine Le Pen April 20, 2022—This Sunday's French election happens in the midst of various crises. For one, while most of Europe has loosened Covid-related restrictions, the pandemic and its economic damage are still present. At the same time the continent is dealing with the biggest war it's seen since the 1990s when Yugoslavia imploded. In that regard, the two candidates for the top job of the French government couldn't be more different. On one side is Emmanuel Macron, the incumbent president who at the age of 44 has become the heir-apparent to Germany’s Angela Merkel for leading European diplomacy. (Merkel retired at the end of 2021, making way for a new German leadership.) On the other side is Marin...
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Peru’s Protests Put Its President In An Uncomfortable Spot
13Apr By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Peru’s Protests Put Its President In An Uncomfortable Spot

Economic Impact of War And Sanctions Reaches Far And Wide April 13, 2022—Pedro Castillo won a very close election last year as the left-wing option to Keiko Fujimori, the right-wing daughter of a dictator. It's been a rough ride for President Castillo with multiple crises taking place and government ministers changing frequently. But all that turmoil grew worse in the last few weeks. Castillo now finds himself in a position where you can usually find right-wing leaders: Fending off a protest movement started by transport syndicates. The last few weeks in Peru have seen the people take the streets and even call for a countrywide strike. What started with a protest against the rise in oil price by truckers escalated to more and more sectors of society. In some places, it turned violent...
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PROFILE: Alexey Navalny, Kremlin-Critic And Founder Of Anti-Corruption Foundation
25Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Videos

PROFILE: Alexey Navalny, Kremlin-Critic And Founder Of Anti-Corruption Foundation

Alexey Navalny is the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. 'Corruption Kills,' Says Navalny Pointing to Russia's Bombing Campaigns On Ukrainian Cities March 25, 2022--Alexey Navalny is the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. Now based in New York, the ACF conducts investigations into corruption and produces documentaries about oligarchs' wealth. He's been poisoned and jailed by the Russian government. Navalny is serving a sentence on charges the rest of the world recognizes as politically motivated by the Kremlin. Ironically, the Russian government's actions only shed more light on the state's corruption and repression of civil liberties. Russian Chemical Weapons In 2020, Navalny survived a nerve agent attack linked to the Russian Federal Security Service. As a...
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Europe Shores Up Its Defence, Sets Up Security Plan
23Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Europe, EU, Eurozone, Geopolitics, Types of News: Brief

Europe Shores Up Its Defence, Sets Up Security Plan

NATO Also To Strengthen Its Defense Capabilities In Europe And Perhaps Beyond March 23, 2022--This week political leaders are meeting on two tracks to build up security in Europe: in the NATO Alliance and in the European Council. Josep Borrell speaks ahead of European Council March 21, 2022 meeting. Even before Russia invaded Ukraine, European countries started plans to shore up their own defenses. It started in 2017 with talks of a voluntary defense arrangement among EU countries. Over time, it grew in. ambitions. After Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August, European leaders began talking about strengthening their own defense capabilities and building stronger autonomy in foreign policy. That led to the culmination of the Strategic Compass. It is a forward-looking defense ...
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International Agency Says Europe Can Cut 1/3 Of Its Russian Gas Imports
7Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Energy Policy, Oil & Gas, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Geopolitics, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

International Agency Says Europe Can Cut 1/3 Of Its Russian Gas Imports

March 7, 2022--Europe is notoriously dependent on Russian oil and gas. That reliance is making strict penalties on Russia's invasion difficult to carry out. But that trade isn't set in stone. In a new report, the International Energy Agency recommends 10 steps for European leaders who want to break that dependency. Under the IEA plan, Europe would be able to reduce its natural gas imports from Russia from 155 billion cubic meters (bcm) a year to 95 bcm--a savings of one third. These figures assume Europe refills is gas storage facilities in 2022. According the the report, the steps are in line with the European Union's goals for climate action and a European Green Deal. However, the agency also recommends additional steps in light of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. 10 Steps ...
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Protests And Political Imprisonment In Russia
4Mar By Jacob DavenportNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Human rights, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

Protests And Political Imprisonment In Russia

Photo by @Martin_camera Russian Opposition Leader Alexey Navalny Calls For Anti-War Protests Editor's Note: As Russian President Vladimir Putin accelerates its war against Ukrainians, world leaders and foreign policy watchers are increasingly counting on Russian citizens to take responsibility for ending the war. Mohr Media's intern Jacob Davenport reports on the unfolding developments and some background. March 4, 2022--In response to the military invasion of Ukraine, Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny encouraged his fellow citizens to continue protesting against the war. From Prison, Navalny Says 'Go Protest' Navalny said Russian citizens should be prepared to “fill prisons and paddy wagons” as a means of demonstration and protest in response to “Moscow’s unprovoked...
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Biden Shifts From Partisan Agenda To One Of Unity
3Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis, United States

Biden Shifts From Partisan Agenda To One Of Unity

Russia's War Is Uniting Democrats, Republicans, And Independents In Fight For Freedom March 3, 2022—Before the war in Europe started a week ago, you could say U.S. President Joe Biden led a country deeply divided by bitter politics and a populace upset by soaring inflation. The foul mood was evident in day-to-day life, even if you avoided the daily barrage of noise and diatribes of cable news. "Biden," a man muttered as we crossed paths in the post office parking lot in late February. It happened to be Presidents Day—a U.S. holiday celebrating past presidents—and the very mention of the word brought on a tirade of complaints. "Gas prices... That Biden." Then just a few days later, everything changed in America. It happened when Russian leader Vladimir Putin sent his troops and mis...
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The Weird History of the Venezuela-Colombia Relationship Under Chavismo
28Feb By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Diplomacy, Domestic Politics, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

The Weird History of the Venezuela-Colombia Relationship Under Chavismo

Photo of Colombia-Venezuela border by El Espectador. By Ernesto Rodriguez February 28, 2022—Neighbors can be a complex issue in international politics. While having an economic and political ally next door can be beneficial—after all, that’s the whole conceit of the European Union—it doesn’t always work that way. When you have a neighbor that has significant political differences or is even an open enemy, it can be catastrophic. Just ask Ukraine. In South America, relations between Colombia and Venezuela are quite complicated. They have been difficult and complex since Hugo Chávez-led Chavismo, a radical left-wing ideology, came to power in the late 1990s.  A Shared History And Culture The two countries share a 2,219-km (1,379-mile) border, a common language and many si...
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Hundreds Of NGOs Pressure Olympics Sponsors For Action
8Feb By Ramsha ZubairiNo Comments
Diplomacy, Domestic Politics, Human rights, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

Hundreds Of NGOs Pressure Olympics Sponsors For Action

Photo by Chinese-Australian Artist Badiucao for the Human Rights Watch February 8, 2022—As Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 commenced on February 4 in China, more than 240 non-governmental organizations from around the world joined hands to demand answers from the corporate sponsors of the games. "It’s not possible for the Olympic Games to be a ‘force for good,’ as the International Olympic Committee claims, while the host government is committing grave crimes in violation of international law," said Sophie Richardson, a director at Human Rights Watch, in a news release. According to the HRW, human rights advocates have documented scores of abuses by China since the Olympic committee selected Beijing for the 2022 Winter Games. These include: Arbitrary detention, torture, and forced...
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Australia Has Ruled, And It’s A Grand-Slam Crackdown On Speech
16Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Domestic Politics, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Type of Post: Essays & Travel Writing, Types of News: Analysis

Australia Has Ruled, And It’s A Grand-Slam Crackdown On Speech

Three-Panel Judge Backs Immigration Official's Right to Make Personal Decision over Visa Status January 16, 2022—A three-judge panel made a decision today in the case of Novak Djokovic versus an immigration minister, and the decision is final. The 20-time-Grand Slam title champion lost his appeal to stay in the country; the government's deportation order stood, and Novak Djokovic left the country. Game over. What Happened? The troubling part of the story is the legal reasoning behind the decision. The court order on January 16 said, "reasons to be published at a later date." Ruling by three-judge panel that gave the final word in the Novak Djokovic visa case. In short, it was not because of Djokovic's vaccination status or visa status. Either one of those issues, if they ...
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