Europe

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5954308

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In 2014, Lemeshchenko moved from the Russian city of Voronezh to Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine with her husband and son. ... In the spring of 2024, the athlete underwent training in shooting, drone control, and the manufacture of explosives in Kyiv. She then traveled to Russia via third countries. In October, Lemeshchenko blew up power line towers near St. Petersburg, and then monitored Colonel Alexei Loboda, the commander of an airbase in Voronezh, who is linked to the bombing of Kharkiv. The saboteur was arrested in January 2025. Lemeshchenko did not deny the facts of the charges, but said that she did not consider herself guilty “from a moral point of view.”

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Here is the closing statement of Yulia Lemeshchenko in court.

As you can see, I don’t have any notes, I haven’t really prepared, but I think I’ll improvise. I will probably repeat some of the things I have already said during the hearings, but let this be a kind of summary in a general monologue.

So, as I’ve already said, in any war, there is a clash between sides, and each side defends its own truth, its own justice. I’ve taken a side. I am not a citizen of the country I have decided to fight for. Nevertheless, I consider Ukraine my home. I love this country, I love Kharkiv infinitely.

There‘s a district in Kharkiv called North Saltivka. About 500,000 people lived there, half a million. Some of my acquaintances lived there, including my hairdresser. After Russian shelling and bombing, not a single building in this district remains intact. Not a single one. I’m not just talking about broken windows—I’m talking about entire parts of buildings that have collapsed.

There were explosions right next to my house. My neighbor Anya lived on the first floor with her four-year-old son Nikita. A shell exploded right under their windows, under the first floor. The apartment was completely destroyed. I don’t know what happened to Anya and her son Nikita. I still don’t know if they are alive or not.

In this war, I lost friends, one relative—my second cousin—and my colleagues. War is terrible. I couldn’t just stand by and watch. In any war, people who find themselves involved in it either try to fight or run away. I don’t know, maybe they run away because of cowardice or weakness. I don’t consider myself a cowardly or weak person. I decided to fight against this—against Russian military aggression.

Perhaps what I’m saying is making my situation worse, but my honor and conscience are more important to me. I did what I thought was necessary within my power. Regret, remorse—well, maybe on my deathbed. But for now, everything is as it is. That’s it, I have nothing more to add. Thank you.

You'll find more information on the linked site.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5952260

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This is not rhetoric; it is the logic of deterrence. Discussing the use of Russian assets is not an ideological crusade. It is a rational choice and a matter of preventive security.

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Some will point to corruption in Ukraine, a criticism revived by the recent revelations in the energy sector. Yet this scandal shows the opposite of what critics claim.

It was uncovered by Ukraine’s own oversight bodies. Investigations began immediately. And Ukraine’s civil society, one of the strongest in Europe, continues to scrutinise every euro, every contract, every decision.

A sick democracy hides its scandals. A functioning democracy exposes them and acts on them. Ukrainians are defending European values not only on the battlefield, but also through watchdog institutions, investigative bodies and rigorous public accountability.

This is exactly why funds directed to Ukraine today have a genuine chance of being monitored, audited and used properly.

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The option now being discussed in Brussels and across the EU is not a “donation” to Ukraine. It is a European reparation loan mechanism supported by the immobilised Russian assets.

Under this approach, Ukraine receives the funds it needs today. Repayment would take place once Russia pays the reparations it is legally obliged to provide. And until that happens, the interest generated by the frozen assets would cover the costs.

This fully aligns with international law: the aggressor pays, the victim survives.

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https://archive.ph/2025.12.05-112208/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-05/musk-s-x-fined-120-million-by-eu-in-first-content-law-penalty

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43056920

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The EU should activate a never-before-used trade tool to counter Chinese restrictions on exports of critical raw materials if a new plan unveiled on Wednesday fails, the EU’s industry commissioner Stéphane Séjourné said.

“If this doesn’t work, and in one or two years we find ourselves with value chains that close down from a lack of Chinese sourcing – because we’ve not diversified quickly and we’re still too dependent – we will probably have to use the anti-coercion instrument,” Séjourné said in an exclusive interview with Euractiv.

The European Commission’s “RESourceEU” strategy is a Japanese-inspired plan to weaken China’s vice-like grip on trade flows of materials crucial for the tech and defence industries, like gallium, lithium and cobalt.

The aim is to cut Europe’s overwhelming dependence on China – without making the Brussels-Beijing relationship even more tense than it already is.

“The idea is not to break dialogue with the Chinese, but we need to accelerate our diversification projects around the world,” the EU industrial strategy chief said.

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cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43056816

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The E.U. blacklisting will further isolate Russia’s financial system, making cooperation significantly riskier for foreign banks and investors. “In practical terms, landing on this list serves as a global warning: engaging with this country entails serious risk,” Shumanov explained. He pointed out that the designation will force even “friendly countries” like China and Turkey to curb Russia-linked operations to avoid “ending up among the pariahs or rogue states that assist those on these blacklists.” Credit-rating agencies may incorporate the blacklist status into sovereign credit assessments, reducing Russia’s access to investment, technology, and partnerships. “Entire industries face long-term contraction,” Shumanov explained.

Inclusion among countries like Myanmar, Mali, Kenya, South Africa, Venezuela, and Syria has nothing to do with attracting investment or developing global commerce. Instead, Shumanov said, it signals Russia’s erasure from numerous investment programs and bars Russian businesses from prospective projects, largely because numerous governments closely track European economic policy.

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https://archive.ph/qNbQc

The Netherlands will not take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest following the decision by organiser EBU not to exclude Israel.

Public broadcasting company NPO said no other broadcaster will step in to send a Dutch entry after AvroTros’s withdrawal, although it will ensure the contest is still broadcast for Dutch viewers.

European public broadcasters met at the EBU headquarters in Geneva to discuss the future of Eurovision on Thursday. AvroTros, together with broadcasters from Ireland, Iceland, Spain and Slovenia, had argued that Israel’s public broadcaster should be barred because of the war in Gaza.

AvroTros also said the Israeli government had used the contest as a “political instrument”, pointing to a government-run promotional campaign for the country’s entry.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43026095

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The carbon border tax, which comes into force from January, was behind an attempt by the big exporters to scupper wider negotiations on climate action at the latest UN summit in Brazil.

Speaking in the aftermath at COP30, Wopke Hoekstra told the Financial Times that the petrostates had also been “more assertive” across the board in a bid to thwart climate agreements as the shift to cleaner energy systems accelerates.

“Some of those making money out of [fossil fuels] are seeking to prolong that process. We have seen this quite explicitly,” he said. “Some of the petrostates are seeking to at least slow down rather than speed up [the energy transition].”

He added: “I have sensed a certain sense of assertiveness that might not have been there five or 10 years ago.”

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During public and closed-door meetings at the two-week talks, some of the developing countries argued the tax, or carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), was a unilateral measure that would drive up costs, restrict trade and hinder their ability to grow their economies.

The tax will initially apply to products such as steel, cement and fertilisers, and aims to ensure imported goods meet similar green standards to those produced inside the EU or face an additional charge.

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Hoekstra said the criticism was “clearly not very credible”, adding that in one-on-one conversations many countries “acknowledge it is clearly a climate tool” rather than a trade measure.

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More than 80 countries had rallied around a proposal at COP30 for a so-called road map to help countries wean their economies off fossil fuels. But the plan failed to appear in the final agreement after objection from more than 30 other countries [particularly China, Russia, and petro-states in the Middle East].

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cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43023884

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[Prada was among] 13 brands asked to hand over documents about their work practices this week as [Italian] investigators lift the lid on the widespread use of Chinese-run sweatshops in Italy. Workers put in 90-hour weeks for as little as €3.5 an hour to produce some of the world’s top fashion wear.

One investigator said: “We’ve seen squalid dormitories set up in sweatshops so workers are forced to sleep where they work, and safety protection removed from machinery to accelerate work. This means bags and clothes can be turned out for €50 before selling them for up to €1,000.”

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The top cashmere maker Loro Piana was also placed on the list after a Chinese workshop owner near Milan was shut down due to accusations he beat up a worker who asked for unpaid wages.

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While discreetly supplying low-cost fashion to Italy’s big firms, the Chinese-run sweat shop industry in Prato has also attracted the attention of Chinese mafia groups which have muscled into the lucrative business of trucking clothing from the city across Europe.

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In April, Zhang Dayong, an alleged extortionist for a Prato-based mob boss, was shot in Rome in an alleged inter-clan war. Marco Wong, a former city councillor in Prato, said that conditions for workers may slowly improve, although the process would not be driven by prosecutions or corporate codes of conduct.

He said: “What could make the difference is the growing use by Chinese sweatshop owners of Pakistani workers since fewer Chinese are now migrating from China. As opposed to the Chinese, the Pakistanis are protesting about working conditions and holding strikes backed by assertive unions.”

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cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43001121

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Maintaining and strengthening pharmaceutical manufacturing within the European Union should be a strategic priority, Greek health minister Adonis Georgiadis ... The concept of ‘Made in Europe’ must be clearly defined to include all key production steps: active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), essential starting materials, and finished dosage form (FDF) manufacturing, he said. Georgiadis underlined that a definition focused solely on the API is unacceptable.

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The Greek health minister said resilience as a procurement criterion is crucial. However, he pointed out that it must be accompanied by mandatory multi-supplier contracting in tenders, as it is essential for supporting domestic production, diversifying supply sources for critical medicines, and controlling public expenditure.

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The EU is considering legally forcing industries to reduce purchases from China to insulate Europe from future hostile acts, the industry commissioner, Stéphane Séjourné, says.

He made his remarks as the European Commission unveiled a €3bn (£2.63bn) strategy to reduce its dependency on China for critical raw materials amid a global scramble caused by Beijing’s “weaponisation” of supplies of everything from chips to rare earths.

The ReSourceEU programme will seek to de-risk and diversify the bloc’s supply chains for key commodities with a funding initiative to support 25-30 strategic projects in the sector.

It will include new rules to stop scrap aluminium leaving the bloc, recycling of magnets used in car batteries and a new €2bn a year fund backed by the European Investment Bank to support industries diversifying away from cheap Chinese supplies.

Underlining the threats posed by over dependency on China, Séjourné said if industry did not respond, the commission reserved the right to introduce legislation.

“We would force European companies legally to diversify their sources of supply. That is not the case now, and it is not what is proposed in the plan [ReSourceEU] but this is a wake up call, a strong wake up call,” said Séjourné.

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Senior EU officials said that “while the direction is clear” there was a need to “accelerate the process” as China continued to “weaponise” its hold on raw materials for “geopolitical purposes”.

To kickstart the implementation of the strategy, two projects, a molybdenum extraction in Greenland and a lithium mine in Germany will get immediate funding.

The EU will also look at financial support to enable companies to buy from more expensive sources than China and it will set up a “raw materials platform” that will pool company orders and build joint stockpiles.

New restrictions will be introduced on scrap exports in 2026 of the metal and of scrap copper if necessary.

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The EU said the strategy was designed to reduce the impact of “market shocks” such as the disruption to the car industry caused by the recent, now lifted, ban on exports of chips by China in response to the Dutch government taking control of the Chinese-owned chip firm Nexperia.

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Up to €3bn in funding will be mobilised within the next 12 months, with €2bn a year made available by the European Investment Bank in the form of loans, venture debt and private debt plus financing such as loans already issued to a Finnish lithium mine project Keliber.

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The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Ksa) has fined Optdeck Service Limited, the firm behind Unibet, €4m (~£3.51m) due to lapses in player protection duties from July-2022 until July-2024.

During that period, the Dutch gambling operator was required to implement protections for players to avoid excessive gambling and possible addiction. Ksa found failures in the operator’s monitoring system that allowed players to bet significant amounts without adequate interventions.

Michel Groothuizen, Chairman of the Ksa Board, noted: “When there are signs of excessive gambling behaviour, and someone wagers a large amount of money in a short period of time, a provider must promptly investigate the source of the money.

https://archive.ph/fJPYz

The UK government closed the final day of the judicial review into Palestine Action by presenting secret evidence, hidden from both the group’s lawyers and the public, to justify its ban on the direct-action organisation.

Following brief open-court submissions from government lawyers on Tuesday, the court asked lawyers representing Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori, as well as members of the public and journalists, to leave.

A portion of Tuesday’s hearing was held in closed session to allow the government to present material it says cannot be disclosed on national security grounds. It means that if Ammori loses her case based on the secret evidence, neither she nor her team will know what the government argued against her or Palestine Action.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/42932411

A draft legislation informally agreed with the Council seeks to protect the EU’s interests from the weaponisation of energy supplies by the Russian Federation.

• Pipeline gas imports from Russia in to the EU under long-term deals must halt by Sept. 30, 2027, with a possibility of an extension to Nov. 1, 2027, depending on fulfillment of gas storage targets set by the EU. That compares with an end-2027 ban on those contracts originally put forward by the commission.

• Short-term contracts for LNG concluded before June 17, 2025 will be prohibited as of April 25, 2026. Pipeline gas brought into the EU under short-term deals will be banned as of June 17, 2026.

• To phase-out Russian energy, the deal obliges member states to prepare plans to diversify their supplies. The commission also plans to put forward a legislative proposal on phasing out Russian oil imports no later than the end of 2027.

Titan OS aims to expand its independent TV operating system in Europe and Latin America.

The head of a police force at the centre of a row over a ban on Israeli football fans has defended his decision in front of British MPs.

The West Midlands Police assessment which led to the ban was based on intelligence provided by Dutch police about the conduct of Maccabi fans during a match against Amsterdam in November 2024.

A Guardian report on 21 October said that the police assessment "concluded the biggest risk of violence came from extremist fans of the Israeli club".

Middle East Eye seperately revealed that Dutch police told their British counterparts that over 200 Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans who wreaked havoc in Amsterdam were "linked" to the Israeli military.

Documents seen by MEE said hundreds of fans were "experienced fighters", "highly organised" and "intent on causing serious violence". Dutch police reported that "significant numbers of Maccabi fans were actively involved in demonstrations and confrontations".

Early reporting by media outlets on the violence in Amsterdam in 2024 characterised the violence as a "pogrom" against Jewish football fans. Footage later emerged of Maccabi fans attacking locals and chanting racist slogans against Arabs.

Violence involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans is not limited to matches outside of Israel. On 19 October, Israeli authorities in Tel Aviv cancelled the match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv due to what police there described as "violent riots".