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President Biden finishes his much-publicized trip to Ireland today in my tiny hometown. We're enjoying the pomp, but it's a reminder that the glory days of Irish America are well and truly gone.
-Essay-
BALLINA —U.S. President Joe Biden has come to visit my hometown of Ballina — population of just over 10,000. To put that in perspective, the press pack for his four-day visit to Ireland is around 1,000 people, or one-tenth of the town’s population.
On Thursday, the day before Biden's arrival, during a normally peaceful countryside walk, I saw the bizarre image of three large U.S. army helicopters landing on the football pitch of my old high school. They’re much bigger and even louder than they seem on television. They’re about 20 meters in length, and blowback from the choppers’ blades caused trees to bend almost to the point of snapping.
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The President himself wasn’t on board. He was still in Dublin, so this was presumably just part of the security detail's advance planning. Pray for those trees when the whole cavalcade actually arrives.
So, what is one of the most powerful people in the world doing in a small town in remote county Mayo, in the west of Ireland — a town that had previously been best known for its salmon festival?
Biden has always embraced his Irish roots, and referred to the trip as a “homecoming.” He speaks regularly of his heritage and quotes Irish poetry, and 10 of his 16 great-great grandparents were from Ireland.
A kind of homecoming
Well, a certain Patrick Blewitt, born in 1832, was Biden's great, great, grandfather, and was from Ballina, county Mayo, emigrating to the U.S. in 1850 during Ireland’s Great Famine, which killed more than a million people.
The town has been decked out in U.S. flags, and Biden will deliver an outdoor address.
Biden visited Ballina once before during his time as Vice President in 2016, when he did a one-hour walkabout around the town.
This time, the visit is much bigger, and so are the security arrangements for when a U.S. president visits. The town has been turned upside down — almost literally. Every manhole has been screened, teams of divers checked out the river andcouncil officials have drawn up 20 different traffic management plans to account for possible changes in the President’s route.
Still, people seem to be enjoying the pomp and ceremony. The town has been decked out in U.S. flags, and Biden will deliver an outdoor address, behind bullet-proof glass, at Ballina Cathedral to an estimated 20,000 people — twice the town’s normal size. Biden’s ancestors are believed to have provided bricks for the cathedral, adding extra resonance to the occasion.
The Cathedral of St. Muredach stands on the banks of the Moy River in Bellina, Ireland.
But Biden is no JFK, and times have changed. As one of Ireland’s foremost political commentatorsFintan O’Toole pointed out that while “JFK embodied an idea of what Ireland aspired to be, Biden embodies an idea of what we used to be.”
One in 10 Americans claim Irish heritage, second only to German. So if Biden’s connection to Ireland sounds far-fetched, he could also be eyeing up a substantial voting bloc at home. But Irish America is ageing and not being replaced. Irish people emigrated in massive numbers after the 2008 crash, but we went to the UAE, Canada, Australia and to other parts of Europe.
These are places where you can have a decent life as a teacher, nurse, construction worker and so on. The idea we once had in Ireland while I was growing up, of America being the Promised Land, is long gone.
The trip, like all U.S. presidential trips, is heavily stage managed — and you’d be forgiven for thinking that they were at least partly funded by Diageo, the owner of Guinness. Biden gave a speech in a pub surrounded by Guinness paraphernalia. Obama did the same during his trip here, saying “Guinness really did taste better in Ireland.” But there were strong rumors that the barrel his Guinness came from had been flown in from the U.S. for security reasons.
Those homecoming visits will be rarer.
What’s more, U.S. presidents finding long-lost cousins in Ireland is a trope so established it’s become a parody. In the 1997 film The Matchmaker, a Senator’s assistant is sent to find Irish relatives to whip up the Irish vote back home. The film plays on Irish America’s perceptions of Ireland as quaint and backward.
In one hilarious scene, when the U.S. media arrives, the relatives pretend not to have indoor plumbing and pass around a bucket, loudly arguing about how many more shits they can take in it before it needs to be emptied.
So Biden may be the last Irish-American president, and those homecoming visits will be rarer. Still, it’s nice to enjoy the ceremony — and it beats the salmon festival for entertainment.
Canada has become the most recent country to impose restrictions on non-residents buying real estate, arguing that wealthy investors from other countries are pricing out would-be local homeowners. But is singling out foreigners the best way to face a troubled housing market?
PARIS — It’s easy to forget that soon after the outbreak of COVID-19, many real estate experts were forecasting that housing prices could face a once-in-generation drop. The logic was that a shrinking pandemic economy would combine with people moving out of cities to push costs down in a lasting way.
Ultimately, in most places, the opposite has happened. Home prices in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand rose between 25% and 50% since the outbreak of COVID-19.
This explosion was driven by a number of factors, including low interest rates, supply chain issues in construction and shortages in available properties caused in part by investors buying up large swathes of housing stock.
Yet some see another culprit deserving of particular attention: foreign buyers.
Governments around the world are increasingly intervening in a bid to push down prices by limiting access to buy real estate to only residents. Canada made headlines recently as it introduced a two-year ban on non-resident foreigners from buying homes in the country.
Soaring housing costs in Canada
Non-citizens can still buy property if they live in Canada, as can refugees and some international students. It’s an issue that may shuffle the usual ideological lines, as the “foreigners” being shut out are often wealthy investors having a negative economic impact on struggling locals.
Canada’s liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has argued that placing limits on foreign buyers is not about shutting out individuals: “The desirability of Canadian homes is attracting profiteers, wealthy corporations, and foreign investors,” Trudea’s Liberal Party promised before the last Canadian election. “This is leading to a real problem of underused and vacant housing, rampant speculation, and skyrocketing prices. Homes are for people, not investors.
"The cost of buying a home has exploded in Canada — when Trudeau announced the plan in 2022, prices were up by more than 27% compared to the previous year.
“So many new homes are being looked at as assets, as investments — as opposed to places to raise families and create communities,” Trudeau said at the time.
The Globe and Mail reports that in Vancouver, on the west coast of Canada, many local politicians have called for a ban on non-resident buyers for years, hoping to stem the “flipping” of properties and deflate the city's overpriced housing market.
For more than a decade, the city has been consistently ranked one of the most unaffordable places to live anywhere in the world. In the 2010s, a tear-down home in the Vancouver area cost at least half a million Canadian dollars — a bargain compared to the average price of $1.9 million for a detached home in 2022.
The mangroves along the Tapi River in Surat Thani, Thailand
But not everyone agrees with the new policy — notably, realtors, who claim that foreign ownership is not a significant factor in Canada’s sky-high home prices.
Brendon Ogmundson, chief economist at the British Columbia Real Estate Association, told Le Monde that he believes the ban is “very much a political policy, more than an economic policy,” which will eventually hurt the housing market.
But when British Columbia introduced its own tax on non-residents buying homes in 2016, the number of foreign buyers plummeted from 13.2% of sales before the tax to 2.5% three years later — a move that appeared to cool the market, at least temporarily.
In 2020, non-resident foreigners owned 3.4% of homes in Ontario, and 4.7% in British Columbia — with the highest rate in the city of Vancouver at 6.2%, according to data from the Canadian government.
Countries with more people owning homes tend to exhibit lower wealth inequality.
According to the OECD, homeownership has a wealth-equalizing effect, as countries with more people owning homes tend to exhibit lower wealth inequality.
As the global wealth gap widens and affordable housing becomes a mirage in many cities, and even entire countries, how will a ban on non-resident home buying affect the housing market? Is the move to crack down on foreign ownership as radical as it seems?
Though each housing market has its own particularities, a similar dynamic is playing out in countries around the world, with governments imposing restrictions or outright bans on foreigners buying real estate.
A man rides a bicycle at Mission Bay in Auckland, New Zealand
How have other countries dealt with non-resident buyers?
Southeast Asia has been at the forefront of implementing such laws, with foreigners restricted from owning land or certain kinds of property in many countries in the region.
In Singapore, for example, foreigners need to be a legal resident for at least five years before being able to purchase a house. They are forbidden completely from purchasing Housing and Development Board apartments, which are affordable apartments subsidised by the government.
Thailand traditionally had a ban on foreigners owning land, which made it almost impossible for them to purchase it property unless it was through local companies. However, the government approved legislation at the end of last year to allow wealthy foreigners to purchase houses and land as it seeks to attract investors and digital nomads. Foreigners can now purchase property if they show an investment of 40 million baht ($1.2 million).
Similarly, Indonesia has also moved to overturn a ban on foreigners owning housing units in the country.
Many parts of Europe now restrict non-resident buyers
There are examples in Europe as well. In Spain, the tourist hotspot of the Balearic Islands is pushing ahead with plans to ban non-residents from buying property. The islands are the most expensive place to buy property in Spain, even more so than the capital Madrid.
The sale of properties to non-resident foreigners in Spain is soaring, with the latest figures showing a 30.65% increase in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. Local politicians argue that foreign buyers — who can afford to pay higher prices than many locals — are driving up prices and creating “ghost villages.”
Switzerland has had similar but more restrictive regulations since the 1960s, which largely prevent non-resident foreigners and non-EU citizens living in Switzerland without a long-term permit from buying residential property.
Denmark also bars non-residents from buying homes, while in Malta, people who have lived in the country for fewer than five years — including Maltese citizens — are not allowed to buy more than one home. Non-EU citizens need a permit to buy property in much of the country, regardless of how long they have lived there.
And in the Alto Adige region of Italy, foreigners and Italians from outside the region have been banned from buying vacation homes in some towns since 2018, with government officials arguing that the restrictions were needed to prevent wealthy foreign buyers from pricing locals out of the market. After a court challenge, the European Commission confirmed the ban is a legal exception to EU regulations.
Attracted not just by Italy itself, but also the country’s relatively cheap real estate prices, foreign buyers have snatched up properties there, making it the top foreign choice for North American and UK residents buying second homes, according to a Sep. 2021 survey.
Meanwhile, there are fears in Australia that foreign buyers will shift their focus there now that Canada’s ban has come into place. Australia is struggling with its own housing crisis and there are already calls for the country to follow Canada’s lead.
In neighboring New Zealand, a ban similar to Canada’s has been in place since 2018, after the government blamed wealthy foreigners for driving up prices. Overseas buyers at the time accounted for 22% of housing sales in central Auckland.
It may take time for the impact of restrictions like Canada’s to become clear. Some have argued the ban, which sets a maximum $10,000 fine and exempts some short-term residents and those who live in apartment buildings, doesn’t go far enough.
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Russia extending “anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda” law
Blood donation progress in Ireland
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🇺🇸 Senate Passes Bill Protecting Same-Sex Marriage Rights
The U.S. took a big step towards granting same-sex marriage rights federal protection on Tuesday. The Senate voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act by 61 to 36, meaning a significant bloc of Republicans supported the bill. It now moves to the House, where it is expected to pass early next week.
The bill is in response to abortion rights being overturned last June by the U.S. Supreme Court, which currently has a conservative majority. Some feared that the same could happen to same-sex marriage rights if they weren’t protected by federal law.
⚽️ World Cup Update: Blinken Speaks Up, London Transportation Boycott, Qatar Diary…
Mario Ferri waving a rainbow flag during the Portugal-Uruguay game.
The conversation around the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which kicked off a week ago, is still dominated by the issue of human rights and the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in the host country. Here’s an update on everything LGBTQ+ related happening at the event:
Italian Streaker Released After LGBTQ+ Flag Turns Out To Be Peace Flag ... But ...
Italian activist Mario Ferri stormed the pitch during the game between Portugal and Uruguay carrying a rainbow flag. He ran across the field while wearing a Superman T-shirt displaying messages in support of Ukraine and of Iranian women. First thought to be the LGBTQ+ flag, it was later discovered to be the “PACE” peace flag, explaining why the streaker was promptly released by Qatari authorities — although he will not be allowed to attend any more matches. It's worth noting that Ferri has spoken in favor of LGBTQ+ rights on multiple occasions, and therefore may have chosen the similar-looking flag knowingly.
U.S. Secretary Of State Blinken Speaks Against Rainbow Armband Ban
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently came out against a ban on rainbow armbands at the World Cup tournament in Qatar, which a few European team captains had intended to wear in support of LGBTQ rights. Blinken flagged the ban as “concerning” as well as a restriction on “freedom of expression”.
Olympic Diver Tom Daley Slams Qatar, Calls For Unity
While accepting his award for Changemaker at the sixth annual Gay Times Honours ceremony on Nov. 25, Olympic diver Tom Daley hit out at the Qatar World Cup as he delivered a speech about unity and LGBTQ+ visibility. He stressed the importance of “every single person” within the LGBTQ+ community working together to combat hate, discrimination and violence.
London Transport Bans Qatar Ads Over LGBTQ+ Rights
London's public transport operator is not allowing advertising that “portrays Qatar as a desirable destination” or encourages people to attend the World Cup.
Live From Qatar Thanks To A Gay Soccer Fan’s Updates
Phil, 39, is a lifelong football fan and is currently in Qatar for his fourth World Cup in a row. Even though Qatar had said "everyone is welcome", he does not feel safe traveling in the country as a member of LGBTQ+ community. He has been keeping an online account of his every day experience and the challenges he has faced.
🇮🇱 Israel Forms Coalition Government With Far-Right, LGBTQ+ Rights Opponent Avi Maoz
Former Israeli Prime Minister and Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu have reached a coalition agreement with far-right leader Avi Maoz, leader of the Naom Party. The alliance threatens to form the most far-right government in Israel's history, which will affect the rights of sexual minorities in the country, The Guardian reports.
Maoz is an outspoken opponent of LGBTQ+ rights and women in the military, and has spoken against having Arab teachers educate Jewish students in Israeli schools. He also denies the legitimacy of non-Orthodox Judaism, including the Reform and Conservative movements.
🇺🇸 Veteran Sues U.S. Military For Denying Gender-Affirming Surgery To Trans Daughter
A military dad and his transgenderdaughterhave filled an unprecedented suit against the U.S. Department of Defense for “unconstitutionally” denying the right to gender-affirming surgery for military dependents. The daughter’s claim for gender-affirming surgery was rejected by her dad’s military health insurance, even though she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria at age 17.
Since 2016, the Department of Defense has provided gender-affirming surgeries for active-duty military personnel but not to dependents.
“A victory in this case would ensure that all dependents of military personnel who are transgender would have access to the critical medical care they need, free of discrimination of exclusion,” said Ben Klein, an attorney with advocacy group LGBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, which represents the father and daughter.
🇲🇽 Mexico State Introduces Platform To Centralize Acts Of LGBTQ+ Discrimination
The Mexican state of Yucatán unveiled the Visible platform, aimed at collecting data on discriminatory acts experienced by the LGBTQ+ population across the state.
Visible is a project created in partnership with the Collective for the Protection of All Families (PTF) in Yucatán, Amicus, Colmena 41 and the Trans Youth Network. The platform, where users can register their experience quickly and anonymously, won first place in the country's Transparency Innovation Contest in 2022 for the relevance of the data it was able to collect.
During its launch, representatives of the platform spoke about the importance of working in partnership with local organizations, as it sends a message to the state government and the Yucatán society in general that "there is homophobia and transphobia, even if they don't want to see it."
🇮🇳 Indian Lesbian Couple Wins Case For Right To Be Together
A lesbian couple from India has won a court battle for the right to be together after the family of one forbade her from seeing her partner. Adhila and Fatima won the case against Fatima's family in the Kerala High Court, with the help of local human rights organization, the Vanaja collective.
Same-sex relationships were decriminalized in India in 2018, although marriage is not yet recognized in the country.
🇳🇬 Call To Stop Homophobic Nigerian Comedian AY From Performing In UK
A petition has been drawn up to block Nigerian-based comedian AY from performing in the UK as part of his international tour. The campaign calls his act "toxic and homophobic" after a video surfaced online of him publicly mocking gay men. AY has also called for a gay “witch hunt” in his country.
The petition, started by the openly gay British-Nigerian Reverend Jide Rebirth Macaulay, has now garnered over 1,500 signatures.
🇿🇦 Famous Cape Town Jeweler Refuses To Sell Engagement Ring To Lesbian Couple
A South African lesbian couple are suing Craig Marks, one of Cape Town's best-known jewelers, after he refused to make an engagement ring because it was for two women.
Candice van Eck toldMamba that after she decided to propose to her partner, she ordered engagement rings from the jeweler’s website. But as soon as the owner discovered the order was for a lesbian couple, he immediately stopped responding to messages.
The jeweler stated that his religious beliefs prevented him from fulfilling the order.
🇮🇪 Ireland Removes Sexual Orientation From Blood Donation Restrictions
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service announced that sexuality will no longer be included as a restriction in its blood donation guidelines. Historically, this has impacted trans people, and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. They have had to abstain from sexual activity for minimum periods of time in order to be eligible to give blood. Now, anyone in an exclusive relationship for over four months can donate, regardless of their or their partner’s gender and sexual orientation.
The service says it will now conduct evaluations on a person-to-person basis with the newly introduced Individual Donor Risk Assessment.
Members and supporters of Thailand’s LGBTQ+ community joined the Thailand Pride Parade 2022, united under the theme of "unity & diversity."
This is the second such Pride march this year in Bangkok in 2022: In July, the Bangkok Naruemit Pride Parade was the first such event to take place in the city for over 16 years.
🇸🇬 Singapore Revokes Colonial-Era Law Criminalizing Gay Sex, But Blocks Same-Sex Marriage
Singapore has repealed a law inherited from the British Empire that banned gay sex, which was still penalized with up to two years in jail.
"I'm glad we finally got our way," French media Komitid quoted the representative of a Singaporean LGBTQ+ community as saying. "But this is only the first step in eliminating the social and religious prejudices that plague our community because of outdated beliefs and media censorship."
🇷🇺 Russia Extends “Anti-LGBTQ+ Propaganda” Law To All Ages
The Russian State Duma has passed a law that entirely bans "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among people of all ages — and not just minors, as has been the case in Russia up to now.
The bans will affect the book and film industries, the media, and Internet sites. Russian state censorship will also be able to monitor and block resources which, in the agency's opinion, will spread "LGBTQ+ propaganda" — although there is currently no clear definition or criteria as to what constitutes "LGBTQ+ propaganda" according to the new legislative initiative.
🇬🇧 Helena Bonham Carter Defends J.K. Rowling Over Transphobia Accusations
British actress Helena Bonham Carter voiced her support to J.K. Rowling, calling the backlash against the Harry Potter author for her views which some deem transphobic “horrendous.” In an interview with The Times, the actress who played the Bellatrix Lestrange in the film adaptation of the book series said “the judgmentalism of people” had been “taken to the extreme” and that Rowling was “allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse.”
The British author came under fire in 2020 for controversial tweets about the transgender community, causing several actors from the Harry Potter franchise to speak out against her. Rowling also recently criticized proposed amendments to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill in Scotland that would make it easier for people to legally change their gender.
• Harry Allen was a bonafide cowboy: "skilled barroom brawler, trick shooter, and dashing womanizer" — and as LGBTQ Nation writes, the "transgender heartthrob of the Wild West."
• Gaysi offers a deep dive into Joyland, the first Pakistani film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and bring home the Jury Prize as well as the Queer Palm.
• Gay Times scored an exclusive interview with actress Cara Delevingne who talks about her new BBC documentary Planet Sex and her relationship with her queerness.
The European Union is committed to setting up a special court with the backing of the UN to investigate and prosecute Russian war crimes in Ukraine, and force Russia and its oligarchs to pay the growing pricetag for the destruction of the country.
Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, with our exclusive international coverage.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised in a video statement that “Russia’s horrific crimes will not go unpunished.” She said that it was estimated so far that 20,000 Ukrainian civilians and 100,000 Ukrainian military officers had been killed so far.
Von der Leyen laid out revised figures for the pricetag of the destruction inflicted: “The damage suffered by Ukraine is estimated at €600 billion. Russia and its oligarchs have to compensate Ukraine for its damage and for the costs for rebuilding the country,” she said. “And we have the means to make Russia pay. We have blocked 300 billion euros of the Russian Central Bank reserves and we have frozen 19 billion euros of Russian oligarchs' money.”
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky has accused Russia of committing 400 war crimes during the occupation of the southern region of Kherson alone.
Russia To Invest In Nuclear Weapons Infrastructure
Russia will focus on building infrastructure for its nuclear forces in 2023, Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu announced Wednesday. The country has the largest nuclear stockpile in the world, of over 6,000 warheads. Shoigu also said that Russia was building facilities to accommodate new missile systems.
Moscow pulled out of nuclear arms talks with the U.S. that had been scheduled to take place in Cairo this week, accusing Washington of “toxic” anti-Russian behavior.
U.S. And Germany Provide Aid To Help Repair Ukraine Energy Infrastructure
Germany said Wednesday it will provide "more than 350 generators" as well as 56 million euros of financial aid to Ukraine. This follows the announcement that the United States will provide more than $53 million to buy critical electricity grid equipment. The aid packages come as Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is being targeted for more than a month by intense Russian strikes.
Meanwhile, the French Economy Ministry also announced a bilateral loan of 100 million euros to help support the Ukrainian economy, which comes on top of 300 million euros granted in March.
Can Ukraine Still Win? German Daily Asks On Its Front Page
“Can Ukraine still win?” asks Tagesspiegel on its front page today. The Berlin-based daily features an interview with former CIA director David Patraeus, who voices his skepticism as to the possibility of victory, instead saying the war can only end with a “negotiated solution.”
Czech Activists’ Call For “Gift” For Putin: Cutting Off Electricity As Payback
Screenshot website Gift for Putin
https://www.weaponstoukraine.com/
The Czech project Gift for Putin published a petition calling to cut off electricity to any building in the country belonging to the Russian Federation, including the embassy building in Prague.
"Russia has decided to break Ukraine with darkness and cold. From the point of view of a higher moral principle, we ask the relevant state and private energy distributors to give the Russian diplomats in Prague a taste of their own medicine. We request the disconnection of all buildings owned by the Russian Federation from gas, water, and electricity," reads the petition's text.
The Gift for Putin project was launched by Czech activists in the first weeks of the war and is now successfully collecting donations to buy cars, drones, and ammunition for the Ukrainian army.
Jailed Belarusian Opposition Leader In Intensive Care
The jailed Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova has been admitted to intensive care and undergone surgery according to reports. “Maria is in the emergency hospital in Gomel, in the intensive care unit,” said the press service of Viktor Babaryko, another opposition politician.
Her father, Alexander Kolesnikov, said his daughter was in a serious but stable condition. The doctors did not share her diagnosis or any other details with him about the surgery, Kolesnikov said.
Kolesnikova, who is serving an 11-year sentence, was one of a trio of female leaders along with Veronika Tsepkalo and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who led demonstrations against Alexander Lukashenko in 2020 against the strongman’s claim to a sixth presidential term.
In September 2020, the country’s KGB security service drove her to the Ukrainian border after putting a sack over her head and pushing her into a minibus, but at the frontier Kolesnikova ripped up her passport so she could not be deported.
“Surrender Hotline” Has Received More Than 3,500 Calls
The “I Want To Live” project is a hotline where Russian troops can call and arrange the best way to surrender to Ukrainian forces. Officials in Kyiv now say they've had more than 3,500 contacts from Russian soldiers, as well as their families, since the hotline was opened in September.
There's been an increase since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mobilization of hundreds of thousands of Russian men, and since the city of Kherson was liberated. BBC met with a Ukrainian call handler who speaks to Russian soldiers every day, who either get in touch over the phone or via messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp.
Some of the callers don’t call to surrender, “but to find out how they could if needed. It's different every time,” she says. Moscow has recently blocked the phone numbers from being reached inside Russia.
Estonia Issues New 2-Euro Coin In Support Of Ukraine
\u201cEstonia's central bank @EestiPank issued 2-euro coins dedicated to #Ukraine. Today they go into circulation.\n\nThe coin is designed by Ukrainian refugee Daria Titova. \n\nIt will be a daily reminder of Ukraine's fight for freedom and its future in the EU.\nhttps://t.co/diMTgryMkF\u201d
The bank of Estonia is issuing two million €2 coins with a special design in support of Ukraine. Set for distribution to banks and retailers, the coin can also be bought as a commemorative product, with proceeds to support Ukraine. "This coin reminds people that freedom is the highest value and it comes at a very high price," said Eesti Pank Governor Madis Müller.
The new two-euro coin features the words “Slava Ukraini” (Glory to Ukraine) and shows a girl protecting a bird in her hand, as a symbol of tenderness. It was designed by Daria Titova, a Ukrainian refugee from Kharkiv.
Fears of European discord over energy prices, as Ukraine is facing what the UN calls "appalling conditions of life" amid Russia's onslaught timed with the arrival of winter.
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky declared Friday that Europe remains unified in its support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. In a virtual address to “The Idea of Europe” conference in Lithuania, Zelensky said “There is no split. There is no schism among Europeans. We have to preserve this so this is our mission number one this year.”
Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, with our exclusive international coverage.
Zelensky made the case that both Europe and Ukraine are suffering from Russia’s military aggression and manipulation of energy markets.
“It's not just in Ukraine that millions of people have no heating, and no power. We are talking about millions of Europeans who suffered from the Russian terror. It's not just Ukraine that is attacked by Russia... it's Europe and we are all part of the same home,” Zelensky said.
European Union governments remained split on Friday over proposed caps on Russian oil prices. Western leaders must find a deal that undercuts Moscow’s ability to use oil revenue to pay for its war without sparking a global oil supply shock. Reuters reports that six of the EU’s 27 countries are said to be opposed to the current price cap level proposed by the G7.
As negotiations continue, it is Ukraine alone left trying to restore cut-off power after Russian attacks over the past month have deliberately targeted critical infrastructure — just in time for winter.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said Friday estimated that millions of Ukrainians have “plunged into extreme hardship and appalling conditions of life.”
In the capital of Kyiv, only 30% of residents have power and the city is operating on reduced power of 2-3 hours a day. Ukraine’s largest private energy company DTEK said it will report back to scheduled outages when the system is stabilized.
NATO Will Not “Back Down” From Supporting Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference on Friday, that the military alliance will not reduce its support for Ukraine.
“Most wars end with negotiations. But what happens at the negotiating table depends on what happens on the battlefield. Therefore, the best way to increase the chances for a peaceful solution is to support Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said, speaking ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting, which will take place next week in Bucharest, Romania. “So NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will not back down.”
Stoltenberg also said foreign ministers are providing “unprecedented military support” and he expects they will agree to increase “non-lethal support,” at the Bucharest meeting. NATO has been delivering fuel, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jammers, according to the secretary general.
Multiple Billions In Additional Aid For Ukraine From UK And World Bank
President Volodymyr Zelensky. While in the capital, Cleverly announced the UK would send 24 ambulances to Ukraine, along with 11 other emergency vehicles, including six armored vehicles, which will all be part of the emergency package the UK is providing.
The aid package will also include $3.6 million in funding to aid the rebuilding of Ukraine's damaged infrastructure, such as schools and shelters, that have been destroyed since the start of the war. The funds will also be used to support survivors of sexual assault.
On Thursday, World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe (Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine) Arup Banerji signed an agreement to provide Ukraine with an additional $4.5 billion.
Boris Johnson Awarded Honorary Citizen Of Kyiv
Boris Johnson on a surprise visit to Kyiv back in August
The Kyiv City Council has awarded former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson with the title of Honorary Citizen of Kyiv, Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko wrote on Telegram. “Boris has visited the Ukrainian capital several times — both during peace and the most dramatic period of our struggle against the Russian aggressor,” Klitschko said, adding that Johnson is a “great friend of Ukraine."
He said that he is confident Johnson will continue to do "everything possible" to ensure continued support for Ukraine from the UK and other world leaders.
Johnson’s successors, led by fellow Conservatives, have maintained strong UK support for Kyiv.
Ukraine-Russia 100 Prisoners Exchanged Include Mariupol And Chernobyl Veterans
Russia and Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange on Thursday with 100 soldiers in total returning to their respective home countries, 50 from each side.
Among the released Ukrainian prisoners of war were 19 from the battle of Mariupol, including 12 who participated in the siege of the Azovstal steel facility, 15 people who’d been taken prisoner at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, and seven from Zmiinyi Island, reports Andriy Yermak, a top official at the Ukrainian presidency.
Since March, more than 1,000 Ukrainian civilians and military personnel captured by Russia have been brought back home. ‘We’ll bring everyone back,’ Yermak wrote.
Russian “Revenge” Killing Of Civilians In Kherson, Three Weeks After Withdrawal
Russian forces launched a series of 17 attacks on the liberated city of Kherson, using artillery and multiple rocket launchers. Kherson Oblast Governor Yaroslav Yanushevych reported that 20 civilians had been killed and 54 wounded following Russia's attacks on the city.
"Today is another terrible page in the history of our hero city," Yanushevych wrote on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that the Russian attacks on Kherson and the surrounding area "began immediately after the Russian army was forced to flee from the Kherson region" early in November.
Zelensky said Thursday's deadly shelling was an act of revenge for those defeated Russian forces. The Russians do not know how to fight he said: "The only thing they can do is terrorize."
Kherson Tears On Belgian Daily Front Page
Antwerp-based daily De Morgen reports from Kherson, where “after the liberation and the euphoria,” more and more residents are choosing to leave the warn-torn city.
Swedish Spy Case Shines Light On Rise in Russian Espionage Of Nordic Neighbors
This week marks the opening of what's been described as the biggest Swedish espionage case since the end of the Cold War, as tensions rise in the face of the Russian war in Ukraine.
Over the last decade, due to rising geopolitical tensions, the threat from spies has increased all over Europe. According to a study published by the Swedish Total Defence Research Institute in May, the most active spies are in Northern Europe and the Baltics, and work in their vast majority on Russia’s behalf. No doubt the beginning of the war in Ukraine has raised the stakes, and activity, for those working undercover on both sides. Read more here.
Russia Has Spent $82 Billion On The War, How Do You Calculate Total?
During the nine months since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has spent around $82 billion on the war, totaling a quarter of its annual budget,Forbes reports.
As part of its financial calculation, the U.S. magazine estimated that Russia was using 10,000 to 50,000 shells per day, and that the average price of a Soviet-caliber shell was around $1,000.
Taking artillery supplies alone, Russia has spent more than $5.5 billion. Russia has also fired over 4,000 missiles into Ukraine, the average cost of which is $3 million each.
Russia has also lost 278 combat aircraft, each with an average cost of $18 million, and 261 helicopters, with an average cost of $10.4 million. The total losses of Russian aviation amount to roughly $8 billion.
“Only Power Counts” Merkel Says Putin Refused 2021 Talks Because Her Term Was Ending
In a candid interview with German weekly Der Spiegel, former Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had tried to organize talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in the summer of 2021, but that plans had failed to materialize due to her nearing the end of her chancellorship. “For Putin, only power counts," Merkel lamented.
As Deutsche Welle reports, Merkel wanted to create “an independent European discussion format with Putin”, as she felt the 2014 Minsk Agreement (designed to resolve the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv) was no longer effective.
More Than 15,000 People Reported Missing Since Beginning Of War
More than 15,000 people have been reported missing as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) reports.
Matthew Holliday, the ICMP’s program director for Europe, said Thursday that it was difficult to state precisely how many people had been forcibly transferred, held in Russian detention, separated from family or had been killed and were buried in makeshift graves.
In this respect, the 15,000 figure is a conservative one, he told Reuters, as in the southern city of Mariupol now occupied Russia, where authorities estimate a possible 25,000 people are either dead or missing.
Why Is The Russian Military Interested In Foreign Home Appliances?
A recent increase in European exports of washing machines, refrigerators and even electric breast-pumps to Russia’s neighbors is raising security concerns. Why? There are special chips in these appliances that the Russian army needs in order to repair their military equipment.
“The Russian military is taking chips from dishwashers and refrigerators to fix their military hardware, because they ran out of semiconductors,” warned European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.
Welcome to our new exclusive weekly round up of LGBTQ+ news from around the world.
Welcome to Worldcrunch’s LGBTQ+ International. We bring you up-to-speed each week on a topic you may follow closely at home, but can now see from different places and perspectives around the world. Discover the latest news on everything LGBTQ+ — from all corners of the planet. All in one smooth scroll!
This week featuring:
Aftermath of Colorado gay bar shooting
A trans first in Bangladeshi election
Grindr’s NYSE debut
… and more
✉️ You can receive our LGBTQ+ International roundup every week directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.
TW: This content may address topics and include references to violence that some may find distressing.
🇷🇺 Russia Toughens "Gay Propaganda" Ban, Cancels Children's Play
The new law (nicknamed the Answer to Blinken Law, after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called it as "blow to freedom of expression") was approved by Russian parliament's lower house. It still has to receive President Vladimir Putin's approval, but this is largely considered a formality.
This comes just days after The Princess And The Ogre, a children's play for kids from 6 up, was suddenly canceled on Nov. 20, in the southern Russian city of Novosibirsk. Officially, the performance could not happen due to technical difficulties. Unofficially, the cancelation occurred after social media users claimed the play was "propaganda for non-traditional sexual relationships to minors" and should be investigated. The local Culture Ministry authorities replied they would investigate whether the performance violated anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
The cast is all-male and the play is based on the works of the late Russian writers Igor Kholin and Genrikh Sapgir. As their characters imagine stories, actors bring them to life on stage, including tales with female characters — thus played by men — interacting romantically with male characters. "Actors are for acting, so they can play animals, and children, and women, and gods, and goddesses, and even objects. What harm can there be?" First Theater's artistic director, Igor Yuzhakov, commented on social media.
🇶🇦 Rainbow Apparel War As World Cup Kicks Off In Qatar
All eyes are on Qatar and its abysmal record on human and LGBTQ+ rights — and the 2022 World Cup is already off to a rough start.
FIFA president draws ire with insensitive speech
Even before the games kicked off last Sunday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino made waves during an hour-long speech accusing Western critics of hypocrisy, saying he felt “gay” (and other things...)
Comparing his childhood to the oppression that LGBTQ+ minorities face in Qatar, Infantino said, “I know what it feels to be discriminated [against] … I was bullied because I had red hair. Plus I was Italian,” before adding: “I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arabic. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel [like] a migrant worker.”
German team cover mouths in reaction to “OneLove” armband ban
Captains from seven European teams intended to wear the “OneLove” rainbow armband for their games, but decided not to before the first round of group matches, after fearing repercussions. FIFA decided to penalize players at the World Cup who show support for the LGBTQ+ community by issuing yellow cards to any players wearing the armbands. The move led to the German players to cover their mouths just before their match against Japan on Wednesday.
“I love my identity,” Josh Cavallo, an Australian footballer who came out as gay last year said in a statement. “Seeing you have banned all teams from wearing the One Love armband to actively support LGBTQ+ at the World Cup. You have lost my respect.”
Announcers at the World Cup are also doing what they can to support the LGBTQ+ community, such as BBC’s Alex Scott, who was filmed wearing the One Love arm band the same day that the England and Wales teams decided not to wear the armbands for their matches.
🇺🇸 U.S. Reeling In Wake Of Colorado Springs Shooting At Gay Bar
Singer Dove Cameron took the opportunity to speak out at Sunday’s American Music Awards, delivering a speech dedicated to the victims the attack. “Queer visibility is more important than ever right now,” she said. “It’s in a permanent state of importance because of how much our rights are up for grabs right now.”
Other groups have offered support for the victims and the LGBTQ+ community as well, such as the Denver Broncosfootball team, which held a moment of silence in remembrance of those killed in the attack.
🇺🇸 Mormon Church Speaks In Favor Of Protecting Same-Sex Marriage
A new Senate bill which would protect same-sex marriage is getting support from an unlikely party — the Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints. Although it stands firm in its belief that same-sex relationships are a sin, the church voiced its opinion that LGBTQ+ individuals are entitled to rights.
“We are grateful for the continuing efforts of those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters,” the church said in a statement on Tuesday.
🇮🇹 Lesbian Couple Wins Right To Not Be “Father” And “Mother” On Daughter’s ID Card
LGBTQ+ protests in Bogota, Colombia, in July 2022.
A lesbian couple in Italy has won the right to not be identified as “mother” and “father” on their daughter’s identity card. A judge in Rome ruled that as both members of the couple are the legal mothers to the child, none should go by “father”. Alessia Crocini, the president of Famiglie Arcobaleno or Rainbow Families NGO, said that the ruling “tells us that in Italy the political persecution of the rainbow family is simply shameful and profoundly ideological.”
Even if the ruling is a victory for the LGBTQ+ community, it applies only to the specific couple. Until 2019, identity cards referred to children’s guardians simply as “parents,” but in 2019, the then far-right interior minister Matteo Salvini changed it to “mother” and “father”. Recently elected Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has the LGBTQ+ community deeply concerned as she opposes same-sex couples' adoption and marriage equality, which has not been legalized in Italy.
🇪🇬 The LGBTQ+ Climate Activists Who Chose To Attend Egypt’s COP27
Many LGBTQ+ climate activists chose to skip the recently-concluded COP27 climate summit, which took place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt — a country notorious for its abuses against the LGBTQ+ community. Some cited Egypt's "moral code" as the reason for their boycotting the negotiations, as the code allows for the incarceration of individuals believed to be engaged in “promiscuous behavior”— especially those in the LGBTQ+ community.
But others bravely still chose to go, to highlight the necessity their voices to be heard at the event.
“As a water protector and a person who has spent the last several years on the frontlines starting with Standing Rock and then continuing onto others, including Line 3, I think it’s safe to say that I’m willing to take risks for our environment because I’m a frontliner — and that’s no different here,” said Big Wind Carpenter, an indigenous climate activist who moves fluidly between genders, after attending COP27.
🇧🇷 Liniker Barros Becomes First Trans Artist To Win Latin Grammy
Liniker Barros is the first transgender artist to win a Latin Grammy
Liniker Barros became the first transgender artist to win a Latin Grammy. Born in 1995, the trans woman released her first solo album Índigo Borboleta Anil in 2021, for which she won Best Brazilian Popular Music Album at the Latin Grammy Music Awards on Nov. 17. The album features samba, soul and reggae beats that delve into her identity, ancestry and passion to empower the LGBTQ+ community.
Fighting tears, the singer said in her acceptance speech: “Hello, I am Liniker, I am a Brazilian singer, songwriter and actress. Today something historic is happening in the history of my country. It is the first time that a transgender artist has won a Grammy [...] thank you very much to all my team who were with me from the beginning dreaming together with me” she said through tears.
Her prize was greeted by congratulation messages, including by new Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
🇧🇩 Trans Woman Elected To Government Council In Bangladesh First
Payal Khatun recently became the first trans person elected to government council in Kushtia district, Bangladesh. She is a popular leader in the region, especially because she has always stood up for vulnerable people. “Besides trying my best to develop the area, I will do my best to improve the quality of life of women who are backward in the society,” said Khatun after her election.
Payal Khatun has been widely congratulated on her election, in particular by the Human Rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh and its founder, the attorney and gay rights activist Shahanur Islam. Islam said her election was “an encouraging, positive development” and a victory against “torture, neglect, and exclusion from family and from the mainstream society” that transgender people experience in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world.
🇮🇹 Milan Holds First Trans Lives Matter March
Milan's demonstration for Trans rights, on Nov. 20, 2022.
The Italian city of Milan held its first march for the rights of transgender and non-binary people on Nov. 20.
The day for silent march was chosen to coincide with the international Transgender Day of Remembrance, and tributes were held for Chiara, Cloe, Naomi, Noah, Elios and all the victims of transphobia in Italy and around the world.
In attendance were Gianmarco Negri, Italy’s first transgender mayor in Italy, as well as the first transgender parliamentarian in Europe, Vladimir Luxuria.
🇨🇱 Santiago Pride Pays Tribute To Bullying Victim
Thousands of people participated in the 15th edition of the Santiago Parade, March for Equality in the capital of Chile, organized by the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation.
The main demands of the march were the creation of an anti-discriminatory institution and the approval of the José Matías Law, currently discussed in Congress, and named after a young trans man who committed suicide after suffering bullying at school. According to Presentes, “this project seeks to reinforce school tolerance and increase sanctions in cases of discrimination against students from the LGBTQ+ community.”
🇵🇰 First Ever Trans Rights March In Pakistan
Hundreds of members of the Khwaja Sira, a community of transgender, non-binary individuals in Pakistan, took part in the country’s first march in support of their rights on Nov. 20, in the city of Karachi. The crowd chanted slogans demanding equality and protection. The community has been facing growing violence in Pakistan, where hate crimes have increased this year.
“We do not get respect in the society — people hurl abuses and slurs at us but I hope we will get accepted,” Paya, who participated to the Sindh Moorat march (the indigenous term for "transgender") told The Guardian.
Gay dating and hookup app Grindr made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange last week. The move saw its share prices jump from just under $17 to over $71. Grindr announced its merger with Tiga Acquisition Corp last year in a deal valued at over $2 billion.
Its entrance to Wall Street was celebrated with a drag event. The company’s new CEO George Arison said that a queer-focused company going public would have been unheard of 20 years ago.
The French President leads a growing chorus of outrage against Russia, including the strongest condemnation to date from Pope Francis.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday led a rising chorus of outrage after unprecedented Russian air attacks on civilian infrastructure targets, which left up to 75% of Kyiv residents without power and water, and killed 10 people across Ukraine.
Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, with our exclusive international coverage.
“Strikes against civilian infrastructures are war crimes and cannot go unpunished,” Macron said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the United Nations Security Council to take action against the Russian strikes, which have accelerated as the cold weather sets in.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock called Russia's attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine an inhumane crime and initiated a meeting of G7 foreign ministers to consider how to support Ukraine in the face of constant missile attacks.
"Russia's attacks on civilian infrastructure are an intolerable, inhumane crime. Putin likes to plunge the people of Ukraine into cold and darkness with his missiles. He will never break your desire for freedom and our support," Burbok wrote on Twitter.
In the wake of the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting to address leaders, urging them to “take concrete steps to protect humanity and life … the world should not be held hostage by one international terrorist.” He also invited UN experts to visit the damaged infrastructure in order to better assess the situation.
Ukraine Struggles To Reconnect Energy Grid After Mass Shelling
View of Kyiv from the observation deck in the evening during a blackout
Following Russia’s latest large-scale missile attack across Ukraine, blackouts and water shortages were reported across the country, including Kyiv, Lviv and even parts of neighboring Moldova. As many as 25% of Kyiv households are still without power and water on Thursday.
In a Facebook post, Ukrainian Interior Minister, Denys Monastyrskyi, reported that the massive bombardment had killed ten people. Half of those were killed in Vyshhorod, where Russian strikes wiped an apartment building. Power supply to critical infrastructure facilities has already been restored, the minister reported.
Ukraine’s nuclear power plants are again set to be connected after having been cut off on Wednesday due to Russia’s mass missile attack on energy infrastructure. This should “significantly reduce the deficit” caused by Russian missile attacks, according to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Power was also largely back in the northern region of Sumy, where 3,000 miners who had been trapped underground during an outage had been rescued in central Ukraine, regional officials said.
“Rain Of Missiles” On Italian Daily Front Page
Rome-based daily La Repubblica reports on how “Putin turns Ukraine off” as a barrage of rockets hit Ukraine overnight, targeting critical energy infrastructure across the country.
Pope Compares War To Holodomor Genocide In Strongest Condemnation To Date
Pope Francis compared Russia's war on Ukraine to the “terrible Holodomor genocide,” the famine experienced by Ukrainians under the Soviet authorities, which killed millions in 1932-1933.
With Vladimir Putin’s strategy increasingly an attempt to starve and freeze Ukrainian civilians, comparing the current situation with Holodomor amounted to the pope's strongest condemnation of the Russian invasion to date.
“The terrible Holodomor genocide, the extermination by hunger of 1932-33 artificially caused by Stalin,” the Pope said. “Let us pray for the victims of this genocide and let us pray for all Ukrainians, the children, the women and the elderly, the babies who are today suffering the martyrdom of aggression.”
EU Officially Calls Russia “State Sponsor Of Terrorism,” Prompting Harsh Response
The European Parliament designated Russia a state sponsor of terrorism on Wednesday, saying its strikes on Ukrainian civilian targets, including energy infrastructure, hospitals and schools violated international law.
Moscow responded furiously: "I propose designating the European Parliament as a sponsor of idiocy," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram.
Gulf States Mediate Possible Major Prison Exchange
Russian and Ukrainian representatives met last week in the UAE to discuss prisoner-of-war exchanges.According to Reuters, the exchanges, which could include a large number of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners, would be contingent on the resumption of Russian ammonia exports via a Ukrainian pipeline.
Ammonia is a crucial ingredient to making fertilizer. The talks were apparently mediated by the Gulf States without the involvement of the United Nations, which had been previously involved in negotiating the export of agricultural products from three Black Sea ports.
Forget Russia When Thinking About The Future
In Kyiv-based Livy Bereg, David Stulik, senior research analyst at the Prague-based European Values Research Center, explains the risks of continuing to calculate all our choices according to hypothetical fears of and future compromises with Russia.
“It will be up to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Ukraine included, to point out that Russia has not really changed. On its face, yes—but the system itself will have remained as it was. Instead, it is up to us to determine the future that we want, and let everything follow from there.” Read more here
Ukrainian Modern Art In Madrid After Works Transported As Shells Were Falling
Oleksandr Bohomazov’s Sharpening the Saws (around 1927) features in the show
An exhibition of Ukrainian Modernist works will debut next week in Madrid in what is considered the largest ever legal transfer of art from a war-torn country, after the paintings were transported amid shelling in Kyiv.
In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine, 1900-1930s will open at Madrid’s Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, and will include 51 works loaned from the National Art Museum of Ukraine Namu, and the State Museum of Theater, Music and Cinema of Ukraine, both located in Kyiv.
The works of art were secretly packed into trucks and transported to Madrid on November 15, a day of heavy Russian shelling.The show will open with an address by President Volodymyr Zelensky and a symposium calling for a European cultural deal with Ukraine.
The exhibition will depict the development of the Ukrainian Modernist period amid various political shifts, including the First World War and the creation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
On Wednesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda said there is “no indication” that the missile strike was an intentional attack on the country. U.S. President Joe Bidenhad already commented that it was “unlikely” the missile was fired from Russia.
The Ukrainian Air Force has said it will “do everything” in order to facilitate the ongoing investigation into the strike.
“What happened was the Air Defense Force repelling the air attack,” Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for Air Force Command Ukraine, said. “What happened next – whether it was a Russian missile, or this was the wreckage of both rockets falling – this has to be inspected at the site. And that is what is happening right now.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, beyond the details of the investigation, Moscow is to blame for having invaded its neighbor. “Let me be clear, this is not Ukraine's fault," he added. "Russia bears ultimate responsibility, as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine."
The missile landing is the first time a NATO-member country has been hit directly since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It had raised fears that NATO would be drawn into a direct conflict with Moscow.
In Warsaw daily Gazeta Wyborcza, Paweł Wroński writes that the incident is a reminder of the dangers of the war spilling over into NATO territory, and the need for the alliance to deploy missile defense at the Polish border.
Would A Missile Strike In Poland Force NATO To Attack Russia?
Article 5 was invoked for the first time after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. Eight measures were enacted to support the United States, including intelligence sharing, providing aerial radar patrols over the US, and naval patrols in the Mediterranean.
With the latest missile that killed two in Poland, even if it had come from Russia, William Alberque, director of strategy, technology and arms control for International Institute for Strategic Studies,said that it probably would fall short of what is intended by Article 5. “‘Deliberate armed attack’ is a real thing. Two misfired cruise or ballistic missiles ain’t it.”
“Putin’s Rockets” Fall On Polish Front Page
The front page of Warsaw-based tabloid Super Express features a photo of Vladimir Putin overlayed on scenes of destruction after a missile landed in eastern Poland near the Ukrainian border, killing two.
New Russian Missile Barrage Is Biggest Since Feb. 24
Russia’s massive attack on Ukraine’s infrastructure Tuesday, including 96 cruise missiles, aircraft missiles, Shahed attack drones, and others, was the worst assault since the first day of the war. Ukrainian air defenses say they shot down 75 missiles.
The strikes were carried out from the Caspian Sea, Volgodonsk (Rostov region), and the Black Sea. In the Black Sea near the coast of the temporarily occupied Crimea, 14 enemy ships and boats are maneuvering, according to the operational command "South."
At least 15 infrastructure facilities were hit, leaving more than seven million users of the Ukrainian power grid without electricity, water, and communication.
In Kyiv, rocket fragments hit residential buildings, killing one person. In Kharkiv and the region, as a result of missile strikes, there is virtually no electricity supply. Some 80% of Lviv is left without electricity, heat and hot water.
On Wednesday morning Russian continued its missile strikes, though at a slower pace; including targets in Zaporizhzhya and Kharkiv regions; and an air alert has been declared in most of Ukraine.
G20 Ends With “Most” Countries Condemning Russia, “All” Agree On Nuclear Warning
Chinese President Xi Jinping takes part in the closing session at the G20 Leaders Summit
The G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia concluded Wednesday with a joint declaration saying “most member states strongly condemn” Russia’s war in Ukraine. The declaration’s limit of “most” countries likely means China and India continue to refuse to blame Russia explicitly for the war.
Still, China did join in stating the shared opposition to the prospect of nuclear weapons being used in conflict. The G20 leader’s 1,100 page document stated: “The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today’s era must not be of war.”
G20 Urges Continuation Of Black Sea Grain Deal
World leaders at the G20 summit in Bali have called for the “full implementation” of the Black Sea Grain initiative emphasizing its importance in order to maintain global food security. Members said they "welcomed" the UN-brokered grain deal and its efforts to "ease tension and prevent global food insecurity and hunger in developing countries.”
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, told Russia state media RIA Novosti that Moscow’s decision on the continuation of the grain deal will be made taking into account the implementation of the Russia-UN document regarding the export of Russian fertilizers and agricultural products.
Northern Ireland School Sends Truck Full Of Christmas Presents To Ukraine
Truck is being loaded up with Christmas presents
Jerome Mullan
A school in the city of Londonderry in Northern Ireland has filled a truck full of toys to be sent to children in Ukraine for Christmas. The students from Lumen Christi College have donated more than 200 Christmas boxes in the last six weeks when the Christmas gift initiative was launched. The aid truck is the 18th one to be leaving Northern Ireland since the war began
Welcome to Worldcrunch’s LGBTQ+ International. We bring you up-to-speed each week on a topic you may follow closely at home, but can now see from different places and perspectives around the world. Discover the latest news on everything LGBTQ+ — from all corners of the planet. All in one smooth scroll!
This week featuring:
Top UK bishops preaching to the same-sex marriage choir
Peru’s late public apology for torturing a trans woman
✉️ You can receive our LGBTQ+ International roundup every week directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.
TW: This content may address topics and include references to violence that some may find distressing.
🇵🇪 Peru Publicly Apologizes To Trans Woman Tortured 15 Years Ago
Peru has publicly apologized to Azul Rojas Marín, a trans woman who survived rape and torture after being arbitrarily detained by three police officers in 2008. Fifteen years of legal battle saw the case reach the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Peru’s official apology comes two years after the Inter-American Court issued a sentence calling for ten binding reparations — the first time that the Peruvian state has offered public reparations to a member of the LGBTQ+ community. These reparations include providing medical and psychological assistance to Azul, the adoption of investigation protocols and the administration of justice in cases of police brutality, and the development of a plan to sensitize and train state agents on respectful treatment of LGBTQ+ people.
🇲🇽 Hidalgo Becomes First Mexican State To Recognize Non-Binary People
On Nov. 3, the Congress of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, approved reforms to legally recognize non-binary people over 18 years of age. Although previously two non-binary people had already been legally recognized through lawsuits in Mexico, this makes Hidalgo the first Mexican state to enshrine it in law.
The 84 municipalities that make up the state of Hidalgo can carry out for free the administrative process that recognizes the identity of both trans and non-binary people. The law reform was presented earlier this year by deputy Miguel Martínez and Luis Ángel Tenorio Cruz, the first openly gay deputy in that state.
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires Pride Draws Hundreds Of Thousands
The 31st LGBTQ+ Pride March in the city of Buenos Aires welcomed hundreds of thousands of people between fairs, party atmosphere and shows that accompanied the parade from Plaza de Mayo to Congress.
With just days left before the 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar, outcry is mounting against the Gulf state’s harsh LGBTQ+ laws and recent demonstrations of prejudice.
• UK star Beth Mead says Qatar “not the right place”
Openly gay Arsenal forward, Beth Mead, has spoken out against the World Cup, saying Qatar isn’t the “right place” for the event to be held, and that she won’t be “backing or promoting” the World Cup due to the country’s extreme anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
• Qatari World Cup official calls homosexuality “damage in the mind”
While interviewed for a documentary by German broadcaster ZDF, Khalid Salman, an ambassador for the World Cup in Qatar, described homosexuality as a “damage in the mind” and “a spiritual harm,” leading the interviewer to cut off the exchange.
• Head of Wales soccer voices support of LGBTQ+ initiative
The chief executive of the Football Association of Wales, Noel Mooney, said the organization will be supporting the LGBTQ+ OneLove initiative, a campaign was started by the Netherlands to promote diversity and inclusion, and fight discrimination during the World Cup in Qatar.
• Gay Qatari activist speaks against “sports washing”
Dr. Nas Mohamed, who became one of the few Qataris to come out on a public platform in May, has spoken out about the World Cup, saying he will do whatever he can to shine a light on the persecution of LGBTQ+ people in his country, determined to not let authorities succeed in “sports washing”.
• “Shockingly scandalous”: LGBTQ+ fans groups blast FIFA
In response to a letter sent by FIFA saying that teams should focus on the sport at the World Cup, LGBTQ+ groups and allies in England and Wales have issued a joint statement alongside Pride in Football, calling their hypocrisy “sickening, and their silence in light of Qatar’s prejudice against LGBTQ+ people “shockingly scandalous”. The statement from the football governing body says that attendees should “try to respect all opinions and beliefs without handing out moral lessons.”
🇵🇱 Poland Recognizes Same-Sex Marriages Held Abroad
In a rare judgement in favor of LGBTQ+ rights, Poland’s highest administrative court has ruled in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages of Polish citizens legally married in other countries on Nov. 3. The case was brought up by Jakub Kwieciński and Dawid Mycek, two Polish men who got married in Portugal but whose union wasn’t recognized in their home country.
Though the country’s constitution describes marriage as “a union of a man and a woman,” the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the article couldn’t “in itself constitute an obstacle to transcribing a foreign marriage certificate.” Poland, which has been ranked as the worst country for LGBTQ+ people in the European Union for two years in a row by Rainbow Europe, doesn’t legally recognize same-sex unions.
🇬🇧 Embattled Trans Children Charity Targeted By Death Threats
After British media giant Telegraphpublished a series of articles in September attacking trans children’s charity Mermaids, which provides support to trans children and their families, members of the organization’s staff are reporting cases of severe abuse.
Telegraph accused Mermaids of unsafe practices and inaccurately suggested the use of chest binders. Much of the mainstream British press relayed the news, prompting abuse toward Mermaids staff. CEO Susie Green says that within the last month, the charity has received 130 threatening calls and messages, 80 of which were so severe that they had to be reported to the police.
“It’s a concerted attack that’s intended to bring a lot of negative publicity to the organization but also to invite the harassment, particularly on social media, of the people who are working for the organization. It’s an all out attack,” said Cleo Madeleine, communications officer at Gendered Intelligence.
🇬🇧 Prominent UK Bishop Calls For Same-Sex Marriage, Other Bishops Follow Suit
Reverend Dr. Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, has become the highest-ranking member of the Church of England to call for it to allow same-sex marriages, saying that clergy members should be offered the same affordance.
In his 52-page essay, Dr. Croft apologizes that his “own views were slow to change”, and said that any debate on same-sex marriage within the church should be “founded on love and respect”. Following suit, the bishops of Worcester, Dudley, Buckingham, Reading and Dorchester have joined him in speaking out in support of same-sex marriage in the Church of England.
🇺🇸 At Least One LGBTQ+ Candidate In Each U.S. State, A First In Midterms History
For the first time in US history, an LGBTQ+ representative from each of the country’s 50 states were in the run for the midterm elections this week — an almost 20% increase from the last elections. That’s 678 LGBTQ+ people who ran for seats in the House of Representatives and Senate on Nov. 8.
🇺🇸 U.S. Beauty Pageant Allowed To Reject Trans Contestants
Green had sued the organization in federal court in Portland last year after her application to participate in the pageant was denied. “It is commonly understood that beauty pageants are generally designed to express the ‘ideal vision of American womanhood,’” wrote Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke, a Trump appointee.
🇿🇦 Africa’s First LGBTQ+ Chamber Of Commerce Is Fighting Discrimination
South Africa legalized same-sex marriage in 2006, but queer people still face significant stigma. A 2016 report found that seven out of 10 South Africans felt homosexual sex and breaking gender norms was “wrong”. LGBTQ+ business owners feel the effects particularly strongly. For example, Zimkhitha Guma, the manager of PLUS, gives the example of a chef’s food business, which experienced a sharp drop in support after the chef came out.
PLUS aims to support LGBTQ+ business owners by hosting networking events and advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion and diversity in companies.
🇺🇬 First Northern Uganda Pride Takes Place As A Display Of LGBTQ+ Resistance
It has not been an easy few months for the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda. In August, the government shut down a prominent LGBTQ+ rights group. Critics say the move is a “witch hunt” against queer people. Gay relationships in the country can still result in life prison sentences.
Against this difficult backdrop, the first Pride in Northern Uganda took place this week with the support of Pride Uganda. LGBTQ+ people from the Northern and Western Nile regions of the country came together as a display of resistance and as a celebration of queer talent.
In the words of one of the organizers: “We were scared putting this together but it was more terrifying to not be true to ourselves.”
For a year, Émilien Buffard, a French photographer based in Rosario, Argentina, has traveled through the country to meet and shoot pictures of more than 500 players belonging to 18 LGBTQ+ sports teams. The result is a book, Sport Friendly: The Field of Diversity!, which revisits the traditional sticker album and features athletes from 12 disciplines, from tennis to martial arts and rugby.
The project was conceived as a way to promote diversity in the sports where discrimination is still very present. “What I hope is that this dialogue about diversity in sport opens up through cultural institutions and the media. Maybe we're missing the next Messi because he's gay,” Buffard told Argentine medium Presentes.
OTHERWISE
• “I am a bisexual and non-binary Muslim and my connection to Islam has never been an easy journey,” Rayyan Aboobaker writes to coincide with Islamaphobia Awareness Month.
• By drawing the portrait of a loving LGBTQ+ family, TIME tells the story of discrimination faced by the community in Thai society.
• Gay Times speaks with Betty Mayeya, the manager of Stonewall Football Club, which is for women and non-binary people, about the importance of opening up football to everyone.
• Advocate tells us everything about the U.S. Trans Survey (the largest survey in the country specifically geared toward trans and non-binary people) and why it matters.
Representatives for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, detained in Russia since February, have confirmed they do not know her current whereabouts. This comes after her attorneys said the courts had ordered her transferred to a Russian penal colony on Wednesday.
Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, with our exclusive international coverage.
“Our primary concern continues to be Brittney Griner’s health and well-being,” the WNBA player’s agent Lindsay Colas said in a statement. “As we work through this very difficult phase of not knowing exactly where she is or how she is doing, we ask for the public’s support in continuing to write letters and express their love and care for her.”
The 32-year-old American basketball superstar, who was playing in Russia during the off-season, was sentenced in October to nine years of prison for drug smuggling after a small amount of cannabis oil was found in her luggage.
The case has become a major diplomatic pawn amid the Russian war in Ukraine, with Washington and Moscow trading accusations about her treatment. In the latest step, Griner was in the process of being moved to a Russian penal colony where she is due to serve the remainder of her sentence.
“We do not have any information on her exact current location or her final destination,” said attorneys Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov.
Ukraine Says G20 Must Address Russia’s Deportation Of Children
Kyiv has collected thousands of reports of Ukrainian children being deported to Russia. Now Ukraine wants the issue addressed at next week’s G20 summit in Indonesia.
Presidential chief-of-staff Andriy Yermak released a statement saying: “The Russian Federation continues to commit its crimes in connection with Ukrainian children […] The removal of children continues.”
The statement also said that Ukraine’s National Information Bureau had shown that 10,500 children had been deported or forcibly displaced to Russia. The UN has called the claims “credible”.
Despite dozens of attacks reported on the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the country “will not yield a single centimeter there.”
Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian strikes hit more than 30 settlements in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. Multiple drone attacks on the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region have also wounded people and damaged civilian facilities, according to the head of the regional military administration.
Russia And U.S. To Try To Resurrect Nuclear Treaty
Russia and the United States are looking to meet in the coming weeks to discuss resuming inspections of nuclear weapons facilities under the New Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty (New START), Bloomberg reports.
The treaty was put on hold after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price did not specify when and where the meeting would take place, but two people in Moscow familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the likely venue is Cairo.
In August, Russia banned U.S. inspectors from visiting its nuclear facilities. Moscow said the move was in response to visa restrictions that prevented Russians from entering the U.S.
$140 Million In Cash And Weapons: Details Emerge About Russia-Iran Drone Deal
A Russian military aircraft has delivered 140 million euros in cash and a number of seized UK and U.S. weapons to an airport in Tehran, Iran in August, Sky News reports, citing an unnamed source. In return, Iran provided Russia with more than 160 drones.
The Western munitions that Russia reportedly transported to Iran include a British NLAW anti-tank missile, a U.S. Javelin anti-tank missile, and a Stinger anti-aircraft missile. Sky News’ source claimed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are planning to study the weapons and copy them for future use.
This revelation comes as Secretary of the Russian National Security Council, Mykola Patrushev, arrived in Tehran, invited by Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Iranian National Security Council. Patruchev is also set to meet with some other high ranking Iranian officials to discuss “further expansion of bilateral relations and international developments of mutual interest.”
Russian Tankers Sailing By Danish Front Page
“Russian gas is shipped to the EU like never before” writes Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten daily on its front page, as tankers carrying Russian natural gas sail past the Danish coast on their way to the rest of Europe. Although several countries have denied the ships access, the Danish daily reports that imports are breaking records.
U.S. And UK To Provide More Aid To Ukraine Ahead Of Winter
“With these new funds, the United States will expand upon its existing winterization planning and response efforts,” the statement reads.
The UK is also set to donate 12,000 sleeping kits for extremely cold weather and 150 heated tents to the Ukrainian military. The plan is to deliver 25,000 sets of extreme cold weather clothing by mid-December, ensuring troops are able to operate and survive the plunging temperatures in Ukraine.
North Korea Factories Busy Producing Winter Gear For Russian Soldiers
At least three factories in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and a number of others in different parts of the country are producing “large quantities” of winter uniforms, underwear, and footwear for Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, Radio Free Asia reports.
The factories are reportedly using Russian raw materials and plan to export finished uniforms via the Tumen River-Khasan freight train.
Sean Penn: The Oscar Goes To Zelensky
\u201cSean Penn has given his Oscar to Ukraine - @ZelenskyyUa \nThank you, sir!\nIt is an honor for us.\u201d
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Anton Gerashchenko)
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Sean Penn has given one of his Oscars to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting Tuesday in Kyiv. “This is for you. It’s just a symbolic silly thing, but if I know this is here then I’ll feel better and strong enough for the fights,” Penn tells Zelensky in a video of the encounter. “When you win, bring it back to Malibu, because I’ll feel much better knowing there’s a piece of me here.”
Zelensky later gave an Order of Merit to Penn for his “sincere support and significant contribution to the popularization of Ukraine in the world.” Penn, who was filming a documentary in Ukraine when the Russian invasion began, has been one of the most outspoken celebrities supporting Kyiv and Zelensky.
Ukraine Postal Service Unveils Christmas Stamp, Designed By A Teenager
Stamp "Separated by war"
Ukrainian postal service
Ukraine’s post office released a holiday stamp designed by an 11th grade girl from Mykolaiv, Valeria Mykhailova, who was forced to flee her country. Her design was chosen after winning a public competition. The illustration, called “Separated by War,” is a split image of a woman sitting in front of a Christmas tree, contrasting with a soldier reloading his rifle.
Vladimir Putin told the world yesterday "don't worry" about a nuclear attack, even as he's setting up a scenario that makes it more likely.
Vladimir Putin used his wide-ranging foreign policy speech Thursday to strike an overall threatening tone toward Ukraine and its Western partners, including a warning that the coming decade would be the “most dangerous and unpredictable” since World War II.
Stay up-to-date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, with our exclusive international coverage.
Putin did, however, try to allay one specific fear: that he might choose to use nuclear arms in the war in Ukraine. Putin said Russia “had never talked about using nuclear weapons" and that using them “made no political or military sense.”
Yet the words have by no means reassured Kyiv or Washington about the Russian leader’s plans. “If he has no intention, why does he keep talking about the ability to use a tactical nuclear weapon?,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a Newsnation interview. “He's been very dangerous in how he's approached this.”
Putin has previously declared that he would use “all means” available in the current war over territory he claims as Russian; and on Wednesday he decided to attend military drills with Moscow’s nuclear arsenal for the first time since the war began.
Russia’s president also repeated claims in the same Thursday speech that Ukraine was preparing to use a so-called “dirty bomb” that sets off deadly radiation when activated. It all appears intended to keep Putin's enemies off-guard with his latest use of what George Orwell dubbed "doublespeak," where words are employed to obscure a leader's intentions.
U.S. National Security spokesman John Kirby told CNN that there were no signs of imminent Russian preparation to use nuclear arms. But he did say the dirty bomb rhetoric looked like a so-called “false flag” operation. “They often blame others for that which they are doing themselves or about to do,” Kirby said. “So that's why we have to take that seriously.”
Zelensky Says Total Of 4,500 Russian Missile Attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during nightly address standing next to a drone
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia has deployed, over the last two days, more than 30 drone attacks on Ukraine. He also added that in total, Moscow had launched around 4,500 missile attacks and 8,000 air raids since the war began.
In recent weeks, Russian attacks have increased, targeting Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and damaging the country’s electricity and water supply as winter approaches.
Half Of Kyiv Could Lose Power, Zelensky Declares Ukraine Is “Not Afraid Of The Dark”
Power outages are seen in the city center of Odesa, Ukraine
Some 320,000 homes in the capital Kyiv were left without power. In a post online, Yasno asked residents for patience as “almost half of Kyiv may remain without light” and urged residents to turn off energy devices.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia for deliberately aiming at harming civilians during the approaching winter season. But Zelensky declared late Thursday that the “shelling will not break us – to hear the enemy’s anthem on our land is scarier than the enemy’s rockets in our sky. We are not afraid of the dark.”
Chechen Leader’s Rare Admission Of Battlefield Losses
In his first public acknowledgement of major casualties, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has confirmed losses in his ranks after artillery shelling by Ukrainian troops. “Twenty-three fighters have died, and 58 have been injured,” Kadyrov posted on his Telegram channel.
The Chechen leader, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, used the occasion to call on his compatriots to be mobilized to fight in the war.
South Korea's President Denies Supplying Weapons To Ukraine
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has denied that Seoul provided lethal weapons to Ukraine, hours after his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin claimed South Korea had decided to supply arms to Kyiv and warned such a move would destroy their bilateral relations.
“We are putting efforts to maintain peaceful, good relations with every country in the world, including Russia,” Yoon Suk-yeol told reports on Friday.
South Korea has so far sent only non-lethal supplies to Ukraine such as bulletproof vests, helmets and medical supplies and has turned down Kyiv’s requests for weapons. “How would the Republic of Korea react to the fact if we started, if we resume cooperation with North Korea in this area?,” asked Vladimir Putin during a speech at the 19th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow.
As Kherson Battle Looms, Civilian Evacuation Completed As New Recruits Arrive
The head of the Moscow-annexed Crimeasaid the evacuation of civilians from Kherson had been completed. “The work to organize residents leaving the left side of the Dnipro (river) to safe regions of Russia is completed,” Sergei Aksyonov, the Moscow-appointed head of Crimea, said on Telegram.
Vladimir Saldo, a Russian appointed official in Kherson, said that at least 70,000 residents had left their homes from the area in less than a week. The city had a pre-war population of around 288,000. It has been occupied by Russia since the early days of the war.
Meanwhile, Russia has sent up around 1,000 mobilized personnel to the west bank of the Dnipro river in order to defend the city of Kherson according to a statement made by Ukrainian armed forces. The statement also said that the mobilized military personnel were resettling in the homes of the residents who had left the area.
UK Prime Minister And German Chancellor Agree To Maintain Pressure
They agreed to continue supporting Ukraine and maintain pressure on Putin through “robust sanctions,” the British government's press service reported. They also discussed global energy security across Europe and in the UK.
U.S. To Send More Ammo To Ukraine
The Pentagon is set to send Ukraine a new $275 million package of weapons and other aid, U.S. officials told Associated Press. There are no major new weapons in the U.S. package, but it will include large quantities of ammunition rounds for weapons systems already in Ukraine, including for the HIMARS which the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been successfully using in its counteroffensive against Russia.
The U.S. State Department also announced that it had developed a program that would prevent weapons supplied to Ukraine from falling into the hands of the Russian military or ending up on the black market.
The little-known Energy Charter Treaty protects oil and gas firms from regulation that harms their interests. The Dutch government has pulled out, and now the rest of Europe may follow.
AMSTERDAM — For many, the big climate story of the week was the two young activists who tossed tomato soup on a Van Gogh painting in London. But the real story with lasting impact was unfolding in the Netherlands, which announced on Tuesday that it intends to withdraw from the “Energy Charter Treaty” (ECT).
Environment policy experts say the Dutch exit — with Spain and Poland poised to leave — could set in motion the complete collapse of this little-known pact.
Climate activists were jubilant. Dutch politician Christine Teunissen of the Party of the Animals described it as a “huge win”. Just last week, Greta Thunberg announced that five young victims of the climate crisis were taking action against the ECT at Europe’s top human rights court.
But outside climate circles, few had even heard of a treaty that brought risks of leaving governments open to billion-dollar lawsuits by fossil fuel companies.
Here's what you need to know:
What is the Energy Charter Treaty?
Signed in 1994, the treaty currently has 53 signatories, including all EU member states, and encourages cross-border cooperation in energy investment, principally in fossil fuels.
It was initially intended to bring the East and West closer in the field of energy after the end of the Cold War.
The ECT primarily protects energy investments, which has turned out to be extremely problematic in a climate crisis. It can hold governments liable for policies that can harm the interests of those who've invested in energy projects. Often those who turn to it are linked with the oil industry, which is facing new limits and regulations.
Increasingly, experts say the treaty is fundamentally incompatible with the targets of the Paris Agreement, which is aiming to keep temperature increases to below 2 degrees Celsius.
Why are countries withdrawing from the ECT?
The main problem is the treaty's provision for an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism. This allows investors the option of pursuing monetary compensation when a government measure negatively impacts their investments. And many companies have taken advantage of that mechanism to bring expensive lawsuits against governments.
Even more controversial, the treaty allows countries to sue for the loss of future profit. In August, Italy was ordered to pay Rockhopper, an oil and gas exploration company, in excess of €250 million plus interest. The Italian government had taken the decision to ban new oil and gas projects within 12 nautical miles of the coast. Rockhopper’s initial investment had only been €29.2 million.
Ascent Resources has started arbitration against Slovenia for half a billion euro because the country’s measures against fracking harmed the company’s investment.
It is unlikely that the treaty can be updated to be relevant for this moment of energy transition and environmental awareness.
After years of negotiations, the sticking point is its incompatibility with the Paris Agreement. In announcing his decision, Dutch Energy Minister Rob Jetten said: “Despite many of the modernizations that are now in the negotiation outcome, we do not see how the ECT has been sufficiently aligned with the Paris Agreement."
Italy withdrew in 2016. Poland and Spain are already in the process of doing the same. The Dutch decision will put further pressure on the rest of the EU member states, and Jetten has said he will encourage the entire European Union to withdraw.
Why is it hard for countries to leave the ECT?
The big question now is how many EU countries will follow the Dutch. A planned EU consultation on the treaty for next week has been canceled.
But it’s not as simple as just leaving. Countries are bound by a 20-year survival clause on exiting. However, Christina Eckes, a law professor at the University of Amsterdam, points out that: “If all of Europe does the same, European companies will no longer be able to submit claims to other European countries on the basis of the ECT. Exiting countries could also agree to uphold the survival clause.”
The head of the ECT, its secretary-general Guy Lentz, has also apparently been feeling the pressure. He had a very public meltdown on Twitter when responding to criticism by a researcher at Columbia University.
In n very undiplomatic language, Lentz tweeted: "Who is paying those clowns for this kind of shit? Hey man, wake up, wonderland is for kids."
