Qatar to help Germany cut reliance on Russian oil amid Ukraine conflict – WION

Let’s talk about China, supply chains, and not being done – Beau of the Fifth Column

Why Billionaire Philanthropy Won’t Solve Anything – Second Thought

You ever notice how oligarchs like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates are cast as these uber-wealthy saviors who are singlehandedly raising the world out of poverty? That doesn’t happen by accident. In this week’s episode, we’re taking a look at the insidious philanthropy scheme billionaires use to make sure their reputation remains squeaky clean. Hope

I’m Ready to Be Arrested”: Activist in Moscow Says Mass Russian Protests Can Stop Putin’s War – Democracy Now!

We go to Moscow to look at the growing antiwar movement in Russia, where activists are risking a brutal crackdown to oppose their government’s assault on Ukraine. Arshak Makichyan is a climate activist who recently joined protests against the invasion and says the actions of the Russian government do not reflect the will of the

What is SWIFT and why does Ukraine want Russia banned from it?

The European Union is being criticized for not cutting off Russia from the global payments system. But what exactly is SWIFT? What would a ban mean for Russia? And why is the EU dragging its feet? DW explains. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba didn’t mince his words in calling out the European Union for dragging

The Cold War: Crash Course US History #37

In which John Green teaches you about the Cold War, the decades long conflict between the USA and the USSR. The Cold War was called cold because of the lack of actual fighting, but this is inaccurate. There was plenty of fighting, from Korea to Viet Nam to Afghanistan, but we’ll get into that stuff

America Has Entered the Weimar Era: Walden Bello on How Neoliberalism Fueled Trump & Violent Right – Democracy Now! (January, 2021)

Democrats in Congress are pushing ahead with impeachment following the violent insurrection that killed five people at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. The single article of impeachment against President Trump cites his incitement of insurrection and accuses him of subverting and obstructing the certification of the 2020 election. This comes as authorities are warning

Chinese real estate developer Evergrande defaults on debt – CBS News

The fate of one of China’s largest real estate developers is in limbo after a major credit rating firm says Evergrande defaulted on major bond debts. CBS News contributor and the founder of Strategy Risks Isaac Stone Fish, break downs Evergrande’s situation and explains how the company got there.

Omicron Triggers ‘Unprecedented’ COVID Surge Hitting Under Children Under Age 5 in South Africa

Until now, the coronavirus pandemic has largely spared the youngest children. That’s all starting to change in variant-swamped South Africa. The “highly transmissible” Omicron variant of coronavirus ripping through South Africa is putting disproportionately large numbers of children under 5 years old in hospitals, a top South African government medical adviser said Friday. The alarming development raises

Autocracy is Winning – The Atlantic

THE BAD GUYS ARE WINNING If the 20th century was the story of slow, uneven progress toward the victory of liberal democracy over other ideologies—communism, fascism, virulent nationalism—the 21st century is, so far, a story of the reverse. By Anne Applebaum The future of democracy may well be decided in a drab office building on the outskirts