RT News - November 28th 2022

Russian troops repelled a number of Ukraine attacks in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions yesterday (Sunday). Reports of 200 Ukraine soldiers and mercenaries lost. The conditions there are "stable, violent" and Ukraine troops and mercenaries alike are "bashing their poor heads against a brick wall"

Protests across Europe have continued over the weekend. They are calling for peace negotiations and an end to sanctions to Russia and an end to the supply of arms to Ukraine. Paying so high for Ukraine may lead to political change. NATO's Chief Jens Stoltenberg insists EU state's citizens must tighten their belts and provide more support to Kiev despite many Europeans already being exhausted by the consequences of the crisis.

Germany regaining sovereignty: RT speaks to a German Rapper using music to call for his government to get out of Washington's grip and restore ties with Russia.

Food -vs- famine: India's farmers are forced to increase wheat production as sanctions on Russia push grain prices to record highs. Report

Massive riots break out across Belgian and Dutch cities after Morocco upsets the football giants in the Qatar World Cup. Dozens of people have been detained.

Nigeria: In the north of the country a new oil drilling project has commenced after years of exploration and shedloads of money invested. Nigeria has around 37 billion of crude oil reserves, puts out 2 million barrels of oil each day but is still in economic crisis. The old export mechanisms have failed and it's time for new.

Venezuela: Chevron resumes activity for oil but will the money realised from the limited licence go to Venezuelan government?

Poland: In Poland, MPs react to the appointment of the new Ukrainian Foreign Minister. (QS: if you don't know the background of the Volyn massacres, an award winning, fact based Volyn full movie here https://youtu.be/7qdwUmI6hAw - in HD and with excellent subtitles)

China: Updates on COVID19 lockdown protests. They started off really peacefully....
=====================================

via RT website 27 Nov, 2022 18:14

---- Underage migrants detained as adults in UK – media ----

Activists say the children were then subjected to unsafe conditions

At least 16 asylum seekers had their birth dates changed by British officials so they could be interned at a controversial detention center run by the Home Office, The Observer reported on Sunday, citing a group that helps migrants entering the UK.

The Refugee Council told the British newspaper that it interviewed 16 children recently released from the Manston Asylum Center in Kent. The boys told the organization that they were all aged between 15 and 17, but were recorded as over 18 by Home Office staff. Three had photographs of passports or ID documents apparently proving their age, but the Council said this evidence was ignored.

The boys were then held in Manston for up to 20 days at a time, before the center was closed last week following allegations of overcrowding and violence, and the death of one detainee allegedly infected with diphtheria.

The Manston center was built to handle record numbers of migrants crossing the British Channel to enter the UK. More than 40,000 people have made the journey so far this year, according to Home Office data – the highest figure since record keeping began in 2018. The largest share of the migrants are from Albania, a country that is considered “safe” by the British government.

Once released from temporary centers like Manston, children registered as adults can be sent to adult accommodation, usually in hotels, across the UK. The Refugee Council argues that minors should be placed into care instead, and said it has taken 92 minors out of the adult system and into care since September.

While activists say the system is failing children, Home Office figures from January 2018 to March 2022 show that 2,722 out of 4,814 unaccompanied migrants claiming to be children were discovered to be adults once investigated. The remaining 9,394 unaccompanied migrants claiming to be underage were not investigated.
https://www.rt.com/news/567283-asylum-seekers-children-adults/
====================================

via RT website 27 Nov, 2022 14:18

‘Hard times’ ahead for Europe – NATO

Backing Ukraine is causing living costs to soar, the bloc's chief Jens Stoltenberg admitted

Europeans are about to face numerous hardships due to the Ukraine conflict, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Germany’s Welt an Sonntag newspaper on Sunday.

Nevertheless, he insisted that the members of the US-led military bloc and their allies should boost their efforts to bolster Ukrainian forces and keep the fighting going.

In his comments, Stoltenberg admitted that citizens of Western countries are being negatively affected by the conflict in Ukraine. “Rising food and energy bills mean hard times for many households in Europe,” he said, adding, however, that those affected “should remember that the people of Ukraine pay with their blood every day.”

The NATO chief also noted that the West could “strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table if we provide military support to the country.” “The best way to support peace is to support Ukraine,” he stated.

He praised Germany for the weapons it is sending to Kiev, claiming that they “save lives.”

According to Stoltenberg, Russia will try to use “winter as a weapon” against Ukraine. This statement echoes recent remarks in which he warned that the coming months would be difficult for Kiev.

Russia started targeting Ukrainian energy facilities in early October after accusing Kiev of attacking its critical infrastructure, including the strategic Crimean Bridge.

Western nations imposed new sweeping sanctions on Russia in the wake of Moscow having launched its military operation in Ukraine. The restrictions led to skyrocketing gas prices, thus fueling the burgeoning energy crisis in the EU. This also came as the bloc announced plans to wean itself off of Russian energy.

However, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, these policies will lead to “very deplorable consequences” for the EU, with up to 20 years of deindustrialization ahead. In early October, he also noted that by relying on expensive energy from the US, the bloc is making its economy “less competitive.”
https://www.rt.com/news/567269-hard-times-europe-ukraine-stoltenberg/
=======================================

via RT website 28 Nov, 2022 08:04

---- US worried about unintended consequence of arming Ukraine: WSJ ----

Newspaper claims that Washington is worried military aid to Kiev can hurt Taiwan

The US government's policy of arming Ukraine is exacerbating delays of weapon shipments to Taiwan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing congressional and government officials familiar with the matter.

The US has spent more than $18.2 billion on security aid for Kiev, including long-range artillery and missile systems, since Russia launched its military operation in the neighboring state in late February, according to the Pentagon. At the same time, the backlog of deliveries to Taipei has reportedly grown from more than $14 billion to $18.7 billion since last December.

It was said that the promised but not yet delivered arms include 208 Javelin anti-tank weapons and 215 anti-air shoulder-fired missile systems, both ordered by Taiwan in 2015. The Taiwanese government did not comment on the report, but its Defense Ministry acknowledged earlier this year that the US may not deliver certain orders on schedule “due to changes in the international situation.”

In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said the US would “continue to diligently work to provide capabilities to Taiwan as fast as possible while also making sure Ukraine can defend itself against Russian aggression.”

The news regarding the delivery problems comes as global supply chains still work to recover from disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the US accuses Beijing of stoking tensions surrounding Taiwan.

Beijing considers the island, which has had a separate government since the late 1940s, part of its own territory and strongly opposes any form of diplomatic recognition or foreign military aid to Taipei.

During a summit in Indonesia on November 14, US President Joe Biden met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and brought up concerns over Beijing’s “increasingly aggressive actions” towards Taiwan, according to the White House. Xi was quoted by China’s Global Times newspaper as saying that the island is Beijing’s “red line,” while urging Washington to respect the One-China policy, meaning no country should treat the island as an independent state.
https://www.rt.com/news/567300-us-weapons-delays-taiwan/
============================