Europe

A standard lie that Russia has used since 2014 to try to justify its armed aggression against Ukraine has been the claim that Russians and Russian speakers were being subjected to intimidation or even persecution.

In fact, wherever Russia has seized control, it is Ukrainian speakers and the Ukrainian language itself that have come under attack. Efforts to eradicate education in Ukrainian began immediately in occupied Crimea, and within five years (at the latest), there were no schools offering education in Ukrainian. In the Russian proxy ‘Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics’, the Ukrainian language was systematically eliminated from all areas of life (details here and here)

Russia was still pretending back in 2014, and largely hid behind paramilitary formations in occupied Crimea, or its proxy ‘republics’, rather than wielding open terror against those viewed as ‘too pro-Ukrainian’.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/46128382

https://archive.is/pHndN

Following the destruction of numerous power plants in Ukraine and the anticipated large electricity deficit during the winter 2024-25, the Transmission System Operators (TSOs) of Continental Europe have evaluated the feasibility to increase the electricity export capacity from the neighbouring EU countries to Ukraine and Moldova, while ensuring power system stability and operational security.

To this end, the TSOs have jointly assessed the power system conditions and looked for ways to maximize capacity for this winter. The results of the calculations have enabled the TSOs to secure an increase of the export capacity limit to Ukraine and Moldova to 2,100 megawatts (MW) during this winter. It represents an increase of 400 MW from the previous value.

The 2.100 MW export capacity limit will apply from 1 December 2024. From March 2025, TSOs will be able to reassess the commercial capacity limit between the EU and Ukraine and Moldova on a monthly basis.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he told China’s President Xi Jinping that North Korean activities with Russia were an escalation and provocation in a message on behalf of NATO and the EU during talks in Beijing on Tuesday.

Stubb and Xi met as North Korea’s foreign minister arrived in Russia, with Western military alliance NATO and South Korea warning that Pyongyang’s troops could soon be entering the Ukraine war on Moscow’s side.

[...]

“My message to the president was that North Korean activity right now，both in terms of arms exports，especially in terms of sending troops to (…) Russia, is escalation，expansion and provocation. So we had a good discussion about this,” Stubb told reporters.

[...]

Stubb, who met various European leaders in recent weeks, said he delivered to Xi messages coordinated with Finland’s allies in NATO and the EU.

[...]

Stubb said he felt the Chinese-North Korean relationship “is not very comfortable at the moment”, and that he had warned Xi supporting Russia would have negative implications for EU ties.

“The more China supports Russia, the more difficult the relationship with Europe, and especially the European Union, becomes,” Stubb said.

[...]

The war has strained ties between some Baltic states and China due to Beijing’s perceived support of Moscow. China has a “no limits” alliance with Russia but has also sought to mediate an end to the Ukraine war.

[Edit typo.]

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/46109509

Norway asks the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to clarify whether Israel is violating international law. On Monday, Israel adopted new laws that effectively ban the UN aid organization for Palestinian refugees.

Norway, the UN, the USA and several countries have reacted strongly to the fact that the majority in the Knesset passed two new laws on Monday evening which will ban the UN aid organization for Palestinian refugees, UNWRA.

One law prohibits UNWRA from operating in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories from next year.

The second law stipulates that Israel labels the UN aid organization as a terrorist group and breaks diplomatic ties with the organization.

This means that the Israeli authorities are prohibited from having any contact whatsoever with the UN organisation.

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) said in a press release yesterday that Norway strongly distanced itself from the decision.

Now the Norwegian government is going one step further.

Eide wants the UN's highest court to assess whether Israel is violating international law when they want to ban UNRWA's work.

- No one is above the law and no one is above international law. The occupying power Israel has a duty to facilitate support for the people living in Palestine under occupation. Therefore, we believe this decision is simply illegal, says Eide to NRK.

According to the government, a number of countries have expressed support for the initiative, in addition to the United Nations Organization for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Doesn't think anyone can replace UNRWA now

Norway has long been critical of how Israel has operated in Gaza and the West Bank after the Hamas attack in October last year.

Following Israel's decision to ban the UN aid organisation, Norway fears that the consequences could be dramatic for hundreds of thousands of civilians.

The organization has provided aid to millions of displaced Palestinians for over 70 years. They have also continued to work, while the war has raged in Gaza.

Eide believes that the Israeli government is now making it difficult for the Palestinians to get vital help and basic services such as health care and school.

The Israeli authorities say they are working on other solutions that can replace UNRWA, but Barth Eide believes that is not good enough.

- All the important emergency aid organizations are clear that they need the UN's emergency aid organization for Palestinian refugees. They are the ones who have the experience, they are the ones who have the expertise and those who have the entire infrastructure both in Gaza and the West Bank, says Eide to NRK.

He does not believe that anyone can replace the UN organization in the current situation.

- I do not believe that there is an alternative plan for this that can be put in place in time. The need and the crisis are now, not in the future. So this must be reversed, says Eide.

- Undermines the work on a two-state solution

Eide also believes that Israel's decision could undermine the work for a viable Palestinian state and a two-state solution.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, is well satisfied with Monday's decision.

- UNRWA staff involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable, he wrote on X after the new laws were passed.

Israel has claimed that 450 UNRWA staff worked for militant groups in Gaza and that several participated in the terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October last year.

Several countries put payments to UNRWA on hold. Norway was not among them.

An independent commission of inquiry later determined that Israel lacked evidence. UNRWA also fired around 20 staff for having a role in the 7 October attack.

Via NRK, the Norwegian public broadcaster.

The UK Government has made substantial progress in removing China’s Hikvision surveillance cameras from sensitive sites, with over 50% of these devices already replaced, according to a report by the UK Defense Journal.

Efforts are ongoing to ensure full removal by April 2025 amid growing concerns about the security risks posed by Chinese-made technology in government buildings, the report by the UK Defense Journal said.

[...]

However, the security concerns extend beyond surveillance equipment. Lord Coaker’s letter also addressed potential risks posed by electric and connected vehicles, particularly those manufactured in China.

He clarified that while the focus has often been on Chinese-made technology, the security risks apply to specific on-board systems found in a variety of vehicles, not solely Chinese or electric models.

“The potential national security risks apply to specific on-board systems, and therefore, these risks are not exclusive to Chinese-made vehicles or electric vehicles,” on lawmaker said.

[...]

[Edit title for clarity.]

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/46074243

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/46074166

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/46073845

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska urged international organisations to take responsibility and called for "tangible answers" to help restore peace in Ukraine.

The systematic deportation of Ukrainian children has been the most painful thing to watch during Russia's war in Ukraine, Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska said.

[...]

"The taking of 19,000 children to Russia is an act witnessed by the world that met with inadequate action," she said.

"[...] We must critically evaluate the effectiveness of international organisations and their responses, or rather their inaction," said the Ukrainian first lady during her presentation.

[...]

Addition:

Empty Beds: a mural highlights the abduction of Ukrainian children

Artist Phil Buehler has constructed a reminder of the almost 20,000 kids taken by Russian forces, on show in Little Ukraine, Manhattan

cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/18562130

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/46047655

Europe has a new lobbying body, one with a self-stated mission to “improve competition, transparency, and resilience” in the cloud computing sector.

The Open Cloud Coalition (OCC) counts 10 members at launch, the most notable one being Google, supported by cloud providers spanning international and local markets including Centerprise International, Civo, Gigas, ControlPlane, DTP Group, Prolinx, Pulsant, Clairo and Room 101. Part of its work will involve conducting cloud market research and presenting the results to regulators both in the European Union and the U.K., while “engaging in consultations on competition and market fairness,” according to a statement issued today.

The launch comes just hours after Microsoft deputy general counsel Rima Alaily preempted the announcement, publishing a blog post accusing Google of conducting a “shadow campaign” to influence cloud regulation in Europe. Alaily called the new organization an “astroturf group organized by Google,” adding that Google had “gone through great lengths to obfuscate its involvement, funding, and control” by using smaller European cloud providers as the face of the coalition.

[...]

The Governments of Ireland, Norway, Slovenia and Spain condemn the approval by the Knesset [the Israeli parliament] of legislation to prevent UN Relief Agency (UNRWA) from operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

UNRWA has a mandate from the United Nations General Assembly. The work of the Agency is essential and irreplaceable for millions of Palestinian refugees in the region, and particularly in the current context in Gaza. The legislation approved by the Knesset sets a very serious precedent for the work of the United Nations and for all organizations of the multilateral system.

Warning strikes have begun in Germany's metal and electrical industries as collective bargaining continues amid Volkswagen's plant closure plans.

Chinese EV battery maker SVOLT Energy plans to shut its European operations by January 2025, in a move that clearly points to China’s retreat from the market - and declining EV sales in Europe.

In 2020, SVOLT announced plans to invest €2 billion in two battery plants in Germany’s Saarland, creating up to 2,000 jobs. However, it halted plans for a plant in Lauchhammer [in the German state of Brandenburg] due to losing a key customer and concerns over tariffs and subsidies.

[...]

A lawsuit and local protests have also delayed a planned factory in Ueberherrn [in the German state of Saarland] until 2027. SVOLT's Heusweiler plant [in Saarland], intended to produce battery packs, was set to open in July, but reports suggest the company has now ceased all production in Germany.

Meanwhile, just like in the U.S., the EV market in Europe is cooling. New car sales in the EU dropped 18% in August, with Germany down 28%, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. EV market share fell 44%, with Chinese brand BYD selling only 218 cars in Germany, or 0.1% of the country's EV sales.

[...]

SVOLT, spun off from Great Wall Motor in 2018, counts Geely Auto, XPeng, and Great Wall among its clients but has struggled financially, reporting a cumulative loss of 4.4 billion yuan ($618 million) from 2019 to 2022.

The company aimed to raise $2.1 billion through a Shanghai IPO in 2022 but abandoned the plan a year later.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/21891697

Big Tech is facing increasing governmental attempts to challenge its monopolistic power. But Big Tech itself, as well as the law firms defending these behemoths from antitrust investigations, are recruiting former regulators through the revolving door, and with seeming impunity.

For example, law firm Monckton Chambers caught a real big fish earlier this month when it recruited Nicholas Khan KC, a member of the commission's legal service.

Khan has represented the commission in hundreds of cases before the European Court of Justice, including some of the most high-profile cases, such as the Google antitrust cases and the Illumina/Grail merger cases.

He won’t be a stranger to his new colleagues. Monckton Chamber has been involved in exactly the same competition cases from the other side of the aisle, defending corporate clients the commission has been investigating.

And Khan’s insider knowledge of how the commission carries out antitrust investigations is set to benefit his new employer. Monckton Chamber explicitly welcomes Khan’s “unmatched expertise of how the European Commission investigates infringements of EU competition law”.

Study says harmful gases linked to heart and lung disease shave nearly two years off a person’s life

Bulgarians voted in their seventh general election in just over three years. Former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's center-right GERB party appeared to have come out on top, with between 25% and 27% of the vote.

Lithuania’s center-left opposition parties celebrated victory after prevailing over the center-right ruling coalition in the final round of national elections.

Christian Dürr’s 75-second video, part of efforts to challenge far right party’s influence on platform, triggers slew of ‘cringe’ comments