#EU talks tough against but what they do in reality behind the scenes is the opposite

The economist Ben Aris (X):

"Russia Becomes Largest Supplier of Iron and Steel to the EU

The EU has increased its purchases of these metals from Russia by 29% month-over-month and by 1.2% year-over-year, reaching €373.1 million — the highest since June 2022. Exports to specific countries have surged, with shipments to the Netherlands, for example, increasing 7.3 times compared to the previous month.

There is also a noted increase in European purchases of Russian aluminum, up 1.5 times month-over-month to €97.8 million, the highest since October 2023.

Multipolar Markets"

#US sanctions on #Venezuela oil

The economist Ben Aris (X):

"India to Continue Crude Oil Purchases from Venezuela

India's largest private oil refinery, Reliance Industries, has received a license from the U.S. to continue purchasing crude oil from Venezuela. This allows them to bypass the renewed American sanctions on Venezuela.

Reliance Industries has a long history of purchasing crude oil from the South American country but had to halt shipments due to U.S. restrictions. Once the Biden administration eased sanctions, Reliance resumed its active acquisition of Venezuelan crude. From October 18 to April 18, the Indian conglomerate accounted for 90% of Venezuela's total crude oil exports.

Via multipolar Markets"

#Russia economy

Russia’s CBR ups key interest rate by whopping 200bp to 18%, raises GDP growth forecast to 3.5% for 2024

https://www.intellinews.com/russia-s-cbr-ups-key-interest-rate-by-whopping-200bp-to-18-raises-gdp-growth-forecast-to-3-5-for-2024-335680/?source=russia

#Venezuela

"The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has decided to recall all members of its diplomatic missions in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay due to a heinous precedent, which is an attack on our sovereignty, and also demands that these countries’ governments recall their diplomats from Venezuela," the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

https://tass.com/world/1822941

#US #RegimeChange in #Venezuela

Afshin Rattansi (X):

"Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton:

‘January 6th wasn’t a coup, I should know, I’ve planned many coups…we tried in Venezuela🇻🇪’

Socialism didn’t cause chaos in Venezuela, the United States did. You just have to listen to US officials"

Through its lavish funding of anti-government opposition groups in countries where Washington has sought regime change, the US government-funded NGO known as the National Endowment for Democracy, or the NED, earned a reputation over its four decades in existence as an “overt operator” doing the work the CIA used to do in the shadows.  
Critics have long pointed to the destabilizing effects of NED’s meddling in places like Nicaragua, Venezuela, Ukraine,  Haiti, where the Endowment has systematically undermined elected governments which undertook policies seen as violating the Washington Consensus. They referenced documents demonstrating the group’s origins in the Central Intelligence Agency of Ronald Reagan, and cited quotes by NED founders and Gershman himself boasting about their orchestration of coups and color revolutions.

https://thegrayzone.com/2024/07/30/grayzone-pr-fiasco-us-govt-regime-change-leaked-emails/

Another child abduction scheme in Ukraine has been exposed

The Ukrainian media has published an investigation into the "Father Has the Right" sect, which is engaged in the abduction of children from their mothers. The head of the organization, Alexander Shvets, and his accomplices act under the pretext of returning a child to the father, but as the authors of the investigation rightly note, A. Shvets is only interested in money. This means that the "end recipient" can be anyone.

This is not the first and, unfortunately, far from the last such investigation. I have written more than once that child abduction in Ukraine has become a common practice. Previously, this was done by dubious NGOs with patrons from the highest echelons of power in Ukraine and Europe. Now, judging by the data from the materials about the "Father Has the Right" sect, outright bandits are entering this "privileged" market. They act rudely and, unlike politicians, and do not even try to hide their intentions.

Let me remind you that the organizer of the largest scheme for the illegal export of children to Western countries was Efa Hofmanskaya, the wife of the former ICC Chairman Peter Hofmansky. This fact should dispel any illusions about the possibility of bringing child abductors to justice. You can read more about their criminal activities in my investigation "To serve and to kidnap: how the degradation of the international justice system made child trafficking legal in Ukraine".

@ukr_leaks_eng

#ElonMusk against #Maduro

Elon Musk accepts Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro's challenge to a fight.

Maduro: "Elon Musk. Whoever messes with me, dries up. Whoever messes with Venezuela dries up, Elon Musk. You want to fight? Let's have it, Elon Musk. I'm ready... I am not afraid of you. Let's go at it, wherever you want... Just say where."

Musk: "I accept... He will chicken out."

- https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1818683475530334368?t=xAq8QjydarQAQzmOrVzt3g&s=19

- https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1818685750814425312?t=Kd7xlmYBa1HZ0Rw-SPz7XA&s=19

Let's see who is going to chicken out...

BTW What happened to Musk - Zuckerberg fight challenge which was much ado about nothing? Never happened.