City that could have been: Untold story of Russia’s Vologda

If fate had played out differently, Russian city of Vologda might have been crowned capital of Russia

Elena Teslova |17.09.2024 - TRT/AA



MOSCOW

Far in the northwest of Russia lies Vologda, a city nestled in one of the country’s most authentically Russian regions and known for its developed industries and beautiful nature.

If fate had turned out differently, it might have been crowned the capital of Russia.

Vologda is as old as Moscow itself, with both cities born in 1147, according to ancient manuscripts. Throughout the turbulent centuries, as foreign invaders swept across the land, Vologda's geographical embrace shielded it from destruction.

By the 16th century, it had blossomed into one of the most vital hubs for Russia’s trade with England, Holland and other Western lands. In 1555, the British, drawn by its promise, opened their trading office in Vologda, and the first Russian ambassador to England, Osip Nepea, hailed from this storied city.

But the winds of history took a dramatic turn in 1564. Ivan IV, known as Ivan the Terrible, found himself beleaguered by both foreign invasions and the threat of rebellion. With turmoil brewing in Moscow, the tsar sought refuge in Vologda. Accompanied by his family, the royal treasury, priceless icons and symbols of power, he made his way to this northern city with dreams of forging a new capital.

Vologda, strategically positioned at the gateway of the Northern Sea Route, held immense promise. Its coat of arms, adorned with an open gate, symbolized an invitation to Europe, a pathway to the world beyond. The tsar envisioned fleets sailing from its shores, and in moments of peril, he imagined Vologda as a safe haven from which he could retreat.

"Without hesitation, Ivan IV set his grand plans into motion. He commanded the construction of a magnificent cathedral and a mighty kremlin, a fortress to rival even Moscow's Kremlin. Noble families, drawn by the tsar's vision, began to buy land and build their lives in Vologda's embrace," Larisa Gulneva, head of the Excursion and Educational Department of the Vologda Museum, said in an interview with Anadolu.

In the tsar’s grand design, the new fortress was to be twice the size of the Moscow Kremlin, which today stands as the largest active fortress in Europe. Vologda also became the spiritual heart of a new diocese, elevating the city to a place of religious significance, she said.

"Yet, as fate would have it, destiny had other plans. In 1571, as Ivan IV personally oversaw the construction of the grand Saint Sophia Cathedral, a mysterious omen appeared. A brick, or perhaps a piece of plaster, fell from the cathedral and struck the tsar. According to the chronicler Ivan Slobodsky, the tsar interpreted this as a sign — a rejection by the very ground on which he stood," she noted.

In Russian folklore, such signs were powerful, Gulneva emphasized, adding: "Holy places were believed to possess great spiritual energy, and for one to be rejected by such a place was an ill omen indeed, fraught with dire consequences. Whether it was superstition, paranoia or a deep-seated fear that drove him, Ivan IV decided that Vologda was not meant to be his capital. Mounting his horse, he left the city, never to return."

But Vologda’s story did not end there. The city thrived, bolstered by the tsar’s investment and vision, she said.

"In 1918, following the Great Russian Revolution, Vologda briefly became the "diplomatic capital of Russia," hosting embassies, consulates and missions as diplomats sought refuge from the advancing German troops. Though the diplomats eventually left, Vologda’s legacy remained," she added.

Today, the Vologda region is a beacon of prosperity, with thriving industries, rich agriculture and historic treasures. Its educational and sports centers are strong, and its people, the region's greatest asset, continue to shape its future.

According to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, Vologda stands as the most mono-national city in Russia. Over 96% of its residents are Russian, their features reflecting the global image of the Russian people—blonde hair, blue eyes and freckled faces.

The region's nature is also quintessentially Russian, painted in soft hues of green, white, blue and violet, a serene palette that soothes the soul.

Vologda may not have claimed the title of Russia's capital, but its spirit remains indomitable. Its story is one of resilience and quiet strength, where the past and present weave together to create a city like no other. As head of the region Georgy Filimonov declares, Vologda’s success is a testament to its people — the true treasure of this northern land.

 

Iran’s nuclear chief meets senior officials from Russia, Hungary and Norway

Tehran, IRNA – Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami has held meetings with counterparts and senior officials from Russia, Hungary and Norway during his stay in Vienna where he is taking part in the 68th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Eslami said in a post on his X page on Tuesday that he had discussed peaceful nuclear energy cooperation between Iran and Russia during a meeting with the Director General of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev, including issues related to the construction of second and third units at Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. 

He said that he had discussed issues like training, nuclear regulation, and safety standards with the Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

Eslami said he and Norway’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik had agreed in their meeting that the Western parties to a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers should comply with their commitments under the deal. 

The Iranian nuclear chief said he would hold further talks with officials of other countries during his stay in Vienna.

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Iran Releases Jailed Austrian Citizen After 2 Years

September 17, 2024

Nasser Atabati, the Chief Justice of West Azerbaijan province, announced that Weber was handed over to the Austrian ambassador following his release


Christian Weber, an Austrian citizen, has been released from prison in Iran's West Azerbaijan province after being jailed for around two years, according to local authorities.

Nasser Atabati, the Chief Justice of West Azerbaijan province, announced that Weber was handed over to the Austrian ambassador following his release.

Atabati said that Weber had been imprisoned "for committing crimes" in the province. However, specific details about the nature of these alleged crimes were not disclosed.

The Chief Justice indicated that the handover to the Austrian ambassador was to facilitate Weber's departure and transfer from Iran.

The Iranian state media has not reported additional information or context surrounding his imprisonment and subsequent release.

In 2022, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the arrest of one of its citizens in Iran.

At that time, they said that the arrest was unrelated to the nationwide protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini.

Human rights groups have long criticized Iran for its criminal justice system's lack of due process, with foreigners and minorities often caught up in vague charges.

Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of taking dual and foreign nationals hostage for the sole purpose of using them in prisoner swaps or as a bargaining chip in international negotiations.

Many European countries have urged their nationals not to travel to Iran, warning that they face the risk of arbitrary arrest or unfair trial.

CLIMATE CRISIS: FLOODS

Myanmar villagers battle to save rice crop as flood death toll jumps to 226

Loikaw (Myanmar) (AFP) – War-weary Myanmar villagers salvaged crops from flooded fields Tuesday as the country's death toll in the wake of Typhoon Yagi doubled to 226 and the UN warned as many as 630,000 people could need assistance.


Issued on: 17/09/2024 - 

Farmers carry bags of rice as they evacuate their homes near Phayarphyu village in Loikaw township in Myanmar's Karenni state © STR / AFP

Yagi swept across northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar more than a week ago with powerful winds and an enormous amount of rain, triggering floods and landslides that have killed more than 500 people, according to official figures.

State TV in junta-ruled Myanmar confirmed 226 fatalities late on Monday, with 77 people missing, doubling the previous toll of 113.

The crisis has only deepened people's miseries in Myanmar, where millions have suffered through more than three years of war since the military seized power in 2021.

In Loikaw district in eastern Kayah state -- which has seen fierce fighting between junta forces and armed groups opposed to its rule -- villagers rued their latest trial.

"We have already faced wars and fled from villages many times," local Chit Thein told AFP.

"We have many troubles and now it's floods again -- so much suffering in our lives."

In nearby fields, farmers laboured to save a rice crop completely submerged in paddies by the floodwaters.

More than 150,000 homes have been flooded and nearly 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) of rice paddies and other crops destroyed, according to Myanmar state media.

The junta has begun relief efforts, opening more than 400 camps according to state media, and appealed for international aid.

But in Loikaw district, Chit Thein said the people of Phayarphyu village were still waiting for help.

"There are many things we have lost. We lost houses, clothes in the wars, and now floods have hit our house so we have nothing left," he said.

"We are sheltering at a monastery. But there is not much food for us and no donations, and no-one has come to help us."

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said an estimated 631,000 people had been affected by flooding across Myanmar.

Food, drinking water, shelter and clothes are all urgently needed, UNOCHA said, warning blocked roads and damaged bridges were all severely hampering relief efforts.

The UN's World Food Programme on Monday said the floods were the worst in Myanmar's recent history, without giving precise details.

Homes surrounded by flood waters in Phayarphyu village following heavy rains brought by Typhoon Yagi © STR / AFP

Severe flooding hit the country in 2011 and 2015, with more than 100 deaths reported on both occasions, while in 2008 Cyclone Nargis left more than 138,000 people dead or missing.

The junta issued a rare appeal for foreign aid at the weekend, with neighbour India so far the only country to respond, sending 10 tonnes of materials, including dry rations, clothing and medicine.

UNOCHA said more resources are urgently needed.

In recent years Myanmar's military has blocked or frustrated humanitarian assistance from abroad, including after powerful Cyclone Mocha last year when it suspended travel authorisations for aid groups trying to reach around a million people.

Even before the latest floods, people in Myanmar were grappling with the effects of three years of war between the junta and armed groups opposed to its rule, with millions forced from their homes by the conflict.
Thailand compensation

Across southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee over the past week as Yagi rains swelled rivers and creeks beyond bursting point.

Many had to wade through murky brown waters up their chins, while others used whatever means they could -- including elephants in Myanmar and jetskis in Thailand.

Thailand's northern provinces were hit hard, with one district reporting its worst inundations in 80 years.

The death toll in the kingdom rose to 15 on Tuesday, according to new figures from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's government said it would make $90 million available for flood relief, announcing financial aid of up to $6,000 per household for those affected by the floods.

In Vietnam, the death toll stands at 292, with 38 missing, more than 230,000 homes damaged and 280,000 hectares of crops destroyed, according to authorities.

Yagi, the strongest typhoon to hit the north of the country in decades, tore across the densely populated Red River delta -- a vital agricultural region that is also home to major manufacturing hubs -- damaging factories and infrastructure, and inundating farmland.

The typhoon caused an estimated 40 trillion dong ($1.6 billion) in economic losses, state media reported, citing an initial government assessment.

burs-pdw/fox

© 2024 AFP

17 dead as central Europe braces for more 'apocalyptic' floods, evacuations 

The border areas between Poland and Czech Republic were hit the hardest over the weekend due to flooding. Poland's government announced that it has set aside 1 billion zlotys ($260 million) to help victims.


A drone view shows a flooded area in Glucholazy, Poland.

Reuters
UPDATED: Sep 17, 2024


In ShortBorder areas between Poland, Czech Republic hit hardest over the weekend
Poland government sets aside 1 billion zlotys ($260 million) to help victims
Affected countries to seek EU aid


Residents of several areas of Poland and the Czech Republic rushed to evacuate on Monday as others in central Europe began cleaning up after the worst flooding in over two decades left a trail of destruction and a rising number of deaths.

Border areas between the Czech Republic and Poland were hit hard over the weekend as heavy rain that has fallen since last week and surging water levels collapsed some bridges, forced evacuations and damaged cars and houses.
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At least 17 people have died in flooding from Romania to Poland in the past few days. On Monday afternoon, the mayor of Nysa, a town of more than 40,000 people in southern Poland, called on residents to evacuate immediately after a nearby floodbank was damaged.

In the northeastern Czech city of Ostrava, a broken barrier on the Odra river at its confluence with the Opava river caused flooding of the city's industrial area, including the BorsodChem chemical plant, coking plant OKK Koksovny and others. Hundreds of people were being evacuated from more residential areas as well.

In the Czech town of Litovel, 70% of which was submerged by water up to a metre deep (3.2 feet) on Monday, residents described their fear as waters rose quickly over the weekend.

"I was just very, very afraid... I ran away because the water was rising very quickly near the house," said Renata Gaborova, 39.

'APOCALYPSE'

Poland's government announced a state of natural disaster in affected areas and said that it had set aside 1 billion zlotys ($260 million) to help victims.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was in touch with the leaders of other affected countries and that they would ask the European Union for financial aid.

Szymon Krzysztan, 16, standing in the town square of Ladek Zdroj, described losses from the floods as "unimaginable".
"It's a city like in an apocalypse... It's a ghost town," he said.

Reuters footage showed the town strewn with debris and mud.

"Armageddon... It literally ripped out everything because we don't have a single bridge. In Ladek, all the bridges have disappeared. We are practically cut off from the world," Jerzy Adamczyk, 70, told Reuters.

In Jesenik, a Czech town across the border that was inundated on Sunday, a clean-up was started after waters receded to show damaged cars and debris on the streets.

"There were two metres of water that ran through the street... There are many, many destroyed cars," said resident Zdenek Kuzilek. "Telephones are not working, there is no water, no electricity."

In eastern Romania, where villages and towns were submerged over the weekend, Emil Dragomir, mayor of Slobozia Conachi, told Romanian television some people had been left with just the clothes they had on.

While water was receding in some areas, others, including Wroclaw, a Polish city of some 600,000 people, were shoring up defences for floodwaters heading their way.

In Romania, flooding has killed seven people over the last few days. An Austrian firefighter died on Sunday. In the state of Lower Austria that surrounds Vienna, two men aged 70 and 80 were found drowned in their homes, a police spokesperson said on Monday.

Polish police said four people died as a result of floods in Poland, and in the Czech Republic three have died, a police official said.
Slovakia's capital Bratislava and the Hungarian capital Budapest were both preparing for possible flooding as the River Danube rose.

Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter said efforts were focused on keeping the river and its tributaries within its banks and said up to 12,000 soldiers were on standby to help.

In Austria, the levels of rivers and reservoirs fell overnight as rain eased, but officials said they were bracing for a second wave as heavier rain was expected.

Published By:
Nakul Ahuja

 

Nigeria: Severe Flooding in Northeast Nigeria Impacts One Million, Sparks Disease, Food Shortage Fears

WFP

Azimi Abubakar, 50, a resident of Gasamu, wades through the floodwater in Jakusko 

LGA of Yobe State, Nigeria (file photo).

17 September 2024

Radio France Internationale

By Melissa Chemam With RFI

Severe flooding continues to wreak havoc in northeastern Nigeria, impacting over one million people and raising concerns about the spread of diseases and widespread food shortages. Authorities are currently working to coordinate relief efforts for those affected by the disaster.

The crisis was caused by torrential rains, which caused a dam to overflow, flooding vast regions and affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Among the impacted areas was a state-owned zoo, releasing crocodiles and snakes into nearby communities overwhelmed by the rising waters.

The dam was damaged in Alau, near Maiduguri, on the Ngadda River, 20 kilometres south of Maiduguri, on 9 September.

Over the weekend, an additional 50,000 people were displaced in northeastern Nigeria as the floods intensified, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Monday.

Local authorities are mobilising aid for the disaster victims, but the scale of need is overwhelming, and healthcare workers are concerned about the potential for an outbreak of disease.

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Accept Manage my choices Displacement and disease

The United Nations coordinator in the country, Mohamed Malick Fall visited the region over the weekend, and reported that "a good half of the city [Maiduguri] is impacted."

"At least 400,000 people in the city are affected, with enormous health needs," Malick Fall told RFI. "The need for latrines, access to drinking water and food as well. My big fear now is to see an epidemic of cholera or another water-borne disease."

The flood has killed at least 30 people according to Nigeria's emergency agency and affected a million others, with thousands of people forced into camps for displaced people.

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Accept Manage my choices The authorities first set up eight camps to accommodate people displaced by the disaster.

The figure rose to "30 camps around the city" of Maiduguri, Trond Jensen, head of OCHA, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in Nigeria, told RFI on Monday.

But according to the NGO Save The Children, some other families "are still trapped in their homes" and the city's two main hospitals are flooded.

They are exposed to waterborne diseases, and diarrhoea, according to Medecins Sans Frontieres; malaria is around with a lot of mosquitoes.

The floods are described as the worst in 30 years, by the local authorities.

In one of the camps, Bintu Amadu was among hundreds of frustrated people waiting for hours to see a doctor because her son had diarrhoea.

"We have not received any aid, and our attempts to see a doctor have been unsuccessful. We have been waiting for medical attention since yesterday, but to no avail," she said.

Hunger risks

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that "more than 550,000 hectares of agricultural land have been flooded" this year across the country, especially in the Northeast, where malnutrition is already chronic because of the insecurity that reigns in this region.

Mathias Goemaere, a field coordinator for MSF, said that even before the floods, residents in Borno were struggling with malnutrition, following years of the Islamist insurgency that has driven people from their farms.

Meals, shelter and basic necessities are gradually being distributed, but "it's a race against time to help the victims," warned the United Nations coordinator, Malick Fall.

"This crisis comes on top of the one linked to the Boko Haram, which has already displaced many people," for 15 years," he said.

In the last two weeks of August, more than 1.5 million people were displaced across 12 countries in West and Central Africa due to floods, and about 465 have been killed, according to the United Nations humanitarian affairs office.

Prison break

The city centre of Maiduguri was not spared: the market, schools, administrative buildings were hit by the floods.

Last week, as the rains continued to pour, over 280 prisoners even managed to escape a jail in Maiduguri, when its walls collapsed.

Seven of the escaped inmates have been recaptured in operations by security agencies, Umar Abubakar, spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Services said in a statement.

"The floods brought down the walls of the correctional facilities including the Medium Security Custodial Centre, as well as the staff quarters in the city," Abubakar said.

Operations to recapture the remainder of the inmates are underway.

(with newswires)

Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website.

Canada ruling party MP voices concern over attacks on Bangladesh minorities

In a statement made in Parliament, Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya said that he is ‘deeply concerned by violence targeting religious minorities’ in Bangladesh

ByAnirudh Bhattacharyya
Sep 17, 2024 
Hindustan Times 

Toronto: 

As the House of Commons began its new session on Monday, a Member of Parliament (MP) from the ruling Liberal Party expressed concern over violence impacting minority communities in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Hindu community members participate in a protest and block the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 10. (PTI)

In a statement made in Parliament, Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya said, “I am deeply concerned by violence targeting religious minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists and Christians in Bangladesh. Every time there is instability in Bangladesh, religious minorities, particularly Hindus, face the brunt.”

He added the share of religious minorities in the population of Bangladesh had significantly decreased since it achieved its Independence in 1971, declining from 23.1 per cent, including about 20 per cent Hindus, to the current approximately 9.6 per cent, including about 8.5 per cent Hindus.

He pointed out that Canadian Hindus who have families in Bangladesh are concerned about their security and safety, their temples and properties.

He said they will be holding a rally on Parliament Hill next Monday, to highlight the current situation there. They will be joined by Canadian Buddhists and Christians with families in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh-origin Hindu community members have held several protests in Canada after the fall of the Government led by Sheikh Hasina and the installation of an interim regime headed by Mohammad Yunus.

The advocacy group Bangladeshi Canadian Hindus has called on Ottawa to publicly denounce the violence against minorities while expediting granting of refugee status to those fleeing religious persecution in Bangladesh.

Following the change of dispensation in Dhaka, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly said that Ottawa “supports a peaceful way forward in the resolution of the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh” and welcomed the inauguration of the interim Government.

“During this period of transition, Canada looks forward to engaging with the interim government in supporting a process that is inclusive with broad political participation by all sectors of society, including religious minorities, youth, women and other minorities,” she added.

Volkswagen crisis: How can Europe's auto industry survive?

Thomas Kohlmann 

DW

09/17/2024

While VW and other European automakers are considering closing factories, new competition from China is searching for production sites on the continent. 

What's going wrong at Europe’s once-proud automakers?

VW workers are fearing for their jobs. They are not the only ones in Europe

Image: MORITZ FRANKENBERGZ/dpa/picture alliance

Europe's auto industry has fallen on hard times: fewer of their cars are being sold than expected, and their new electric-vehicle (EV) models are struggling to find favor with customers. It's not just the continent's biggest carmaker Volkswagen that is facing potential factory closures — French carmaker Renault and Italy's 14-brand car group Stellantis are also producing significantly more cars than they can sell.

According to business data and research company Bloomberg Intelligence, one in three European factories of carmaking behemoths like BMW, Mercedes, Stellantis, Renault, and Volkswagen is underutilized. In some of their plants, less than half of the vehicles that could theoretically be produced are actually being made.

The situation is particularly dire at the Stellantis factory in Mirafiori, Italy, where the fully electric Fiat 500e is built. Production there fell by more than 60% in the first half of 2024. Meanwhile, even the Belgium plant of premium automaker Audi, which produces the luxury Q8 e-tron model, is facing the risk of being shut down.

VW mulls German job cuts, factory closures as sales plummet  02:40

Sales problems are also dampening the mood at the Renault plant in Douai, northern France, and at VW in Dresden, Germany. The electric cars produced there are struggling to find buyers, and the manufacturers are incurring losses.

The chief economist at Dutch bank ING, Carsten Brzeski, sees the European car industry "in the middle of a structural transformation" which does not only affect VW but the entire automotive industry. "We're clearly seeing that the global trend towards more electric mobility is leading to more competition," Brzeski told DW.
Cut-throat competition in Europe

The pressure on European automakers is particularly strong from China. Despite EU tariffs on China-made EVs, manufacturers from the Asian powerhouse are determined to establish a foothold in the European market. In order to circumvent higher duties on their cars, manufacturers such as Geely, Chery, Great Wall Motor, and BYD even plan to produce electric cars in their own factories in Europe.

Carsten Brzeski says Europe's auto industry is currently struggling with many issues simultaneously, and that multiple problems are converging, such as intensified global competition and Europe's declining competitiveness.

Hans-Werner Sinn, the former president of the Munich-based Ifo Institute, dismisses widespread criticism that company managers have failed. "You can't say that anyone has slept through the market trend," he told DW. The "failure" lies in not recognizing "how quickly and decisively [pro-EV] policies in China and Europe are being enforced."

As one of Germany's most renowned economists, Sinn argues that policies like Europe's Green Deal, an EU ban on combustion engines from 2035, and increasingly stringent fleet emissions standards have radically upset market conditions in a relatively short period of time. This has forced the industry onto a politically motivated transformation course that is leaving those companies on the sidelines that fail to adjust quickly enough. Moreover, VW's diesel-emissions scandal has put the entire industry on the defensive.

EU-made electric cars are currently struggling to find buyersI

mage: Julian Stratenschulte/dpa/picture alliance

Sinn also said that China, and partly also France, have seen the ramp-up of EV production as an opportunity to break the dominance of German automakers in combustion-engine technology. Meanwhile, however, all carmakers in Europe would regard the Chinese as their primary competitors because they are currently benefiting the most from the transformation.

Brzeski blames the "back-and-forth" of political decision-making for the current problems as questions such as "What about the combustion engine? Is it staying or not? When is the phaseout happening? Will it be extended or not?" are causing uncertainty. A particularly "unfortunate decision," he added, was the German government's abrupt abolition of EV subsidy at the end of 2023.

What must be done?

For ING Chief Economist Brzeski, there is no doubt that the decline of the auto industry in Germany and Europe will threaten the region's prosperity. In Germany alone, the auto sector — including suppliers, vendors, and other companies depending on the sector — accounts for 7% to 8% of the country's annual economic output.

In order to preserve the industry in Europe and, most importantly, its thousands of well-paying jobs, Hans-Werner Sinn proposes a so-called climate club aimed at leveling the playing field for all carmakers operating in the global car market.

First floated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the idea is to convince developed and developing countries — notably the biggest CO2 emitters such as the EU, China, India, Brazil and the US — to cut support for and the use of fossil fuels.

Anything else would be "the darkest form of central planning, which has no place in a market economy," Sinn told DW. Aligning European economies, including their carmakers, with sweeping climate goals may be "well-intentioned," but will "put the ax to our prosperity," he warned. Any attempts at "overriding market principles" will "ultimately ruin" Europe's economies.

"You can see the public outcry on these issues, and now it's intensifying with [the troubles at] VW. It's already showing in election results," said Sinn, referring to a far-right shift in recent elections in eastern Germany.

Frank Schwope, a car-industry expert at the University of Applied Sciences for Small and Medium Enterprises (FHM) in Hanover, Germany, is convinced though that VW will be able to ride out the current sales slump.

"The truth is, Volkswagen is making very substantial profits," he told German regional radio station NDR, and pointed to the carmaker's operating profit of €22.6 billion ($25.14 billion) in 2023, and an expected operating profit of €20 billion this year. In his opinion, VW's management has created a doomsday scenario aimed at suppressing current wage demands and pushing for new state subsidies for EVs.

Italian manufacturer Stellantis is indeed hitting the brakes due to its sales crisis. At its Mirafiori plant near Turin, production of the Fiat 500e will be halted for a month, the carmaker has announced.

Hans-Werner Sinn isn't so sure about the industry's ability to ride out the crisis. VW is only "an early victim," he told DW, adding that "there's more to come."

This article was originally written in German.

Disaster averted in Red Sea as burning tanker saved

David Gritten
BBC News


The EU naval mission said it provided protection for the salvage operation


A burning oil tanker that was attacked by Yemen’s Houthi movement has been towed to a safe area in the Red Sea without any spill, an EU naval mission says.

The Greek-owned and flagged MV Sounion, carrying about a million barrels of crude, was abandoned by its crew after being hit by missiles on 21 August. Houthi fighters later detonated explosives on board, sparking several fires.

A photo released on Monday night showed three vessels belonging to what the EU mission described as “private stakeholders” carrying out the salvage operation, protected by a warship.

The Sounion’s destination was not given, but Saudi Arabia has reportedly offered to help the salvagers offload its oil.


“The completion of this phase of the salvage operation is the result of a comprehensive approach and close co-operation between all stakeholders committed to prevent an environmental disaster affecting the whole region,” the EU’s Operation Aspides said on X.

A potential spill from the Sounion could be almost four times larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, which saw 2,100km (1,300 miles) of coastline contaminated after a tanker ran aground off Alaska, according to the US.

The Iran-backed Houthis said at the end of August that they had agreed to allow the Sounion to be towed away from Yemen after being contacted by “several international parties”.

They also stressed that the attack on the tanker showed their “seriousness in targeting any ship that violates the Yemeni embargo”.

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November, sinking two vessels, seizing another and causing the deaths of at least four crew members.

They say they are acting in support of the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They have claimed - often falsely - that they are targeting ships only linked to Israel, the US or the UK.

They have not been deterred by the deployment of Western warships to protect merchant vessels, nor by US and British air strikes on territory they control in north-western Yemen.

Israel also bombed Yemen in retaliation for a deadly drone strike on Tel Aviv, and it has vowed to make the Houthis pay a “heavy price” for a missile attack on Sunday.

In a separate development on Monday, the Houthis said they had shot down a US-made MQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen’s Dhamar province and released videos which they said showed the charred wreckage on the ground. The US military said it was aware of the claim.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for MV Sounion 

AMERIKAN BARBARISM
US woman died after abortion law delayed urgent medical care

A Georgia woman died from delayed life-saving surgery caused by the US state's restrictive abortion law, ProPublica revealed on Monday, sparking outrage from reproductive rights groups. Amber Nicole Thurman, 28, experienced a rare complication after taking abortion pills and died during a critical procedure in what ProPublica said was the first abortion-related death officially deemed "preventable" .


Issued on: 17/09/2024 

Abortion rights advocates participate in a protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Building on June 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. 

© Anna Moneymaker, Getty Images/AFP

By: NEWS WIRES

Reproductive rights groups erupted in outrage Monday after ProPublica revealed that a Georgia woman died from delayed medical care caused by the US state's restrictive abortion law.

Amber Nicole Thurman, 28, developed a rare complication from abortion pills and died during emergency surgery in August 2022, with an official state committee blaming the fatal outcome on a "preventable" lag in performing a critical procedure.

Georgia had just passed a law that made performing dilation and curettage (D&C) a felony offense with medical exceptions that doctors had warned were vague and difficult to interpret.

"Amber would be alive right now if it wasn't for Donald Trump and Brian Kemp's abortion ban," said Mini Timmara, president of Reproductive Freedom for All. "They have blood on their hands."

The US Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn national abortion rights unleashed a wave of bans and restrictions in 22 states, thrusting reproductive rights to the forefront of the upcoming presidential election.

08:36

ProPublica said this was the first abortion-related death officially deemed "preventable" and plans to publish details of a second case soon.

These official reviews are not made public, but ProPublica obtained copies of the reports.

Thurman, an otherwise healthy medical assistant and mother of a six-year-old boy, made the decision to terminate a twin pregnancy to preserve her newfound stability, her best friend Ricaria Baker told ProPublica.

She and her son had recently moved to a new apartment complex and she planned to enroll in nursing school. She wanted a surgical abortion, but Georgia's six-week abortion ban forced her to seek care at a clinic in North Carolina.

On the day of the procedure, the hours-long drive was hampered by traffic, and Thurman missed her 15-minute appointment window.

The clinic offered a medication abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol. While overwhelmingly safe, rare complications can occur.

Thurman's condition worsened over several days, turning into heavy bleeding and vomiting blood. She was taken to Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge.

Doctors found she had not expelled all the fetal tissue from her body and she was diagnosed with "acute severe sepsis."

But despite her rapidly deteriorating health, the hospital delayed Thurman's dilation and curettage procedure for 17 hours.

By the time they operated, the situation was so dire it required open abdominal surgery. The doctor performed the operation and found a hysterectomy was also required -- but during the procedure, Thurman's heart stopped.


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Her mother recalled her last words: "Promise me you'll take care of my son."

The state committee found there was a "good chance" that an earlier procedure could have saved Thurman's life.

"Life of the mother" exceptions have widely proven inadequate, forcing women to cross state lines in desperate bids for lifesaving care.

"She died in a hospital, surrounded by medical providers who could have saved her life," feminist author Jessica Valenti wrote on X. "This is what abortion bans do."

(AFP)

Abortion rights demonstrators rally to mark the first anniversary of the US Supreme Court ruling in the Dobbs v Women's Health Organization case in Washington, DC on June 24, 2023 © ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP/File

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

Premier League champions Manchester City face historic sanctions as 'trial of the century' begins

Issued on: 17/09/2024 - 

01:19

Facing 115 charges of breaching financial regulations, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, one of football's most consistently dominant teams of the past decade, risk being hit with massive point deductions that could knock them into the UK's second league.

UN General Assembly to debate call for end to Israeli occupation

United Nations (United States) (AFP) – UN member states will debate Tuesday a push by the Palestinians to formally demand an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories within 12 months.


Issued on: 17/09/2024 - 

A draft UN text calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territories, a halt to new settlements, the return of seized land and property, and the possibility of return for displaced Palestinians © Bashar TALEB / AFP

The text, which has faced fierce criticism from Israel, is based around an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice calling Israel's occupation since 1967 "unlawful."

"Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible," read the opinion, requested by the General Assembly.

In response, Arab countries have called for a special session of the assembly just days before dozens of heads of state and government descend on the UN headquarters this month to address the kick off of this year's General Assembly session.

"The idea is you want to use the pressure of the international community in the General Assembly and the pressure of the historic ruling by the ICJ to force Israel to change its behavior," said Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, who acknowledged the draft resolution had "shocked many countries."
'Reward for terrorism'?

The draft resolution, due to be voted on late Tuesday or Wednesday, "demands that Israel brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," and that this be done "no later than 12 months from the adoption."

The first draft text gave only six months.

The draft resolution also "demands" the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territories, a halt to new settlements, the return of seized land and property, and the possibility of return for displaced Palestinians.

A paragraph calling on member states to halt arms exports to Israel disappeared from the draft text during negotiations, however.

"I hope that we will have good numbers," Mansour said, underlining the "tremendous amount of sympathy and solidarity" with the Palestinians.

While the Security Council is largely paralyzed on the Gaza issue -- with the United States repeatedly vetoing censures of its ally Israel -- the General Assembly has adopted several texts in support of Palestinian civilians amid the current war.

In May the assembly overwhelmingly supported a largely symbolic resolution on full Palestinian membership of the UN, garnering 143 votes in favor, nine against with 25 abstentions.

The push had previously been vetoed by Washington at the Security Council.

Although General Assembly resolutions are not binding, Israel has already denounced the new text as "disgraceful."

The resolution's adoption would be "a reward for terrorism and a message to the world that the barbaric slaughter of children, the rape of women and the kidnapping of innocent civilians is a worthwhile tactic," said Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon.

Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

600 WERE IDF MEMBERS RESERVISTS AND REGULAR

Militants also seized 251 hostages, 97 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel's offensive has killed at least 41,226 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children.

© 2024 AFP
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