The Divided State of Europe

nivek

As Above So Below
 

nivek

As Above So Below
The last messages from Hitler's bunker: Telegram from Fuhrer's private secretary Martin Bormann telling his family 'things are screwed here, chief will remain no matter what' is revealed 76 years after French soldier took it as souvenir



Historians Xavier Aiolfi and Paul Villatoux have combed through dozens of papers sent from the bunker (pictured inset right) in Berlin as Soviet forces encircled the German capital in April 1945, including Hitler's futile orders commanding his soldiers come to the rescue of Berlin (pictured left). In one telegram, Hitler's private secretary Martin Bormann admits: 'Things are screwed here', while in another, head of the Gestapo and Nazi armed forces Herman Goring attempts to take advantage of the chaos and assume control of the Third Reich. A poignant drawing of colourful flowers and insects by Bormann's daughter, Eike, was also salvaged (pictured right). Hitler killed himself in April 1945 (body pictured inset left).

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nivek

As Above So Below
 

nivek

As Above So Below
 

AD1184

Celestial
Probably the most significant crisis in Europe (well, the EU) at the moment is the European Union's stand-off with its member state Poland. Poland's current ruling party, Law and Justice, which came to power in 2015 with an outright majority, has packed the country's Constitutional Court with its own supporters, compromising the independence of its judiciary (in the EU's view) and muddying the separation of powers. Just lately the court has returned a ruling that Polish national law takes precedence over EU law. A guiding principle of the EU is that EU law has primacy over national law, as without this there could not be a functioning union:

Glossary of summaries - EUR-Lex

This puts Poland at odds with the EU's core principles, and as a result, has kicked off a major constitutional crisis in the EU.

Poland’s Attacks on Rule of Law Leave Europe at Odds With Itself

On the face of it, it would seem that something has to give in one of three ways: Either Poland overturns this ruling, Poland unilaterally leaves the EU, or the EU removes Poland. Might we see Poland be the next to exit? What does this mean for the future of the EU? Now that Britain is out of the EU, I'm not sure if I wish it well or not (when Britain was a member state, I wished it nothing but ill).
 

wwkirk

Divine
Probably the most significant crisis in Europe (well, the EU) at the moment is the European Union's stand-off with its member state Poland. Poland's current ruling party, Law and Justice, which came to power in 2015 with an outright majority, has packed the country's Constitutional Court with its own supporters, compromising the independence of its judiciary (in the EU's view) and muddying the separation of powers. Just lately the court has returned a ruling that Polish national law takes precedence over EU law. A guiding principle of the EU is that EU law has primacy over national law, as without this there could not be a functioning union:

Glossary of summaries - EUR-Lex

This puts Poland at odds with the EU's core principles, and as a result, has kicked off a major constitutional crisis in the EU.

Poland’s Attacks on Rule of Law Leave Europe at Odds With Itself

On the face of it, it would seem that something has to give in one of three ways: Either Poland overturns this ruling, Poland unilaterally leaves the EU, or the EU removes Poland. Might we see Poland be the next to exit? What does this mean for the future of the EU? Now that Britain is out of the EU, I'm not sure if I wish it well or not (when Britain was a member state, I wished it nothing but ill).
The Times article is behind a paywall. What specifically did Poland do that the EU is opposed to?
 

AD1184

Celestial
The Times article is behind a paywall. What specifically did Poland do that the EU is opposed to?
I mentioned in the text of my post: the Polish Constitutional Court returned a ruling that Polish constitutional law takes primacy over EU law. I can read the article, as I suppose that I am not over a monthly free article limit.
 

wwkirk

Divine
I mentioned in the text of my post: the Polish Constitutional Court returned a ruling that Polish constitutional law takes primacy over EU law. I can read the article, as I suppose that I am not over a monthly free article limit.
Do you know more? What was the initial dispute or disputes that led to the Polish court's ruling? I'm assuming it wasn't ruling in a vacuum. Or was it?
 

nivek

As Above So Below
'We will defend our country and the entire EU': Polish soldiers use pepper spray to push back hundreds of migrants at its border after Belarus dictator Lukashenko sent 1,000 refugees to invade



Videos today showed an enormous procession of migrants near the Bruzgi-Kuznitsa frontier checkpoint, on a highway that links Belarus to Poland, being led towards the border by what appear to be Belarusian soldiers (pictured: the desperate migrants at the border, main; and being met by Polish soldiers, right). A NATO official called the use of migrants 'a hybrid tactic', meaning a combined military-political operation, and said: 'NATO stands ready to further assist our allies, and maintain safety and security in the region'. Lukashenko is accused of flying people in from the Middle East and Africa to use them as human cannon fodder in his battle with the EU, the United States and Britain, who imposed sanctions on Belarus after Lukashenko unleashed a violent crackdown on mass protests against his disputed election win last year. He was slapped with further sanctions in May for diverting a Ryanair flight between EU capitals in May to arrest a dissident Belarusian journalist and his girlfriend on board, and for a brutal crackdown on the opposition.

Footage shows soldiers believed to be under the command of Lukashenko coercing the migrants and pushing them towards Poland to orchestrate what Stanislav Zharyn, Minister-Coordinator of the Polish Intelligence Service, has called 'an invasion'. Poland is stepping up security at its border with Belarus in response, with Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak declaring on Twitter that that more than 12,000 soldiers have been deployed on the border, up from the 10,000 soldiers that were there recently.

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nivek

As Above So Below
Putin sends Nuclear Bombers over Belarus to signal support for Lukashenko as migrants among the 2,000 trying to enter Poland say: 'Half of these people are going to the UK'

Vladimir Putin has sent nuclear bombers over the skies of Belarus as migrants on the Polish border try to flee towards Britain and escape alleged beatings from Alexander Lukashenko's soldiers.

Two supersonic Tu-22M3 bombers performed 'tasks of combat alert for air defence' in support of the Belarus leader, the Russian defence ministry said in response to the rising tensions on the border.


Footage has shown Belarusian soldiers firing shots to intimidate terrified women and children desperately trying to escape and head towards Britain for safety, one of the estimated 2,000 migrants said.

Western governments accuse Belarusian strongman Lukashenko of luring the migrants, mostly from the Middle East, to his country and sending them to cross into Poland to provoke a renewed European migrant crisis in retaliation for sanctions imposed against him for his brutal crackdown of protesters.

Belarus's former ambassador to France and Poland claims the migrants are Afghan and Iraqi war veterans trained by Russian intelligence.

Pavel Latushka who fled to Warsaw after joining Belarus's pro-democracy movement added that the tactics were 'a form of Nazi-era propaganda.'

Speaking amid the border crisis, one unnamed male said even though the UK is no longer in the EU, Britain was the real target for half of those now trying to flee.

'Half of these people are going to UK,' the man said in clear English during an interview with Russian state-run news outlet RIA Novosti.

'They are not staying in Germany, nor Poland,' he insisted. 'We've got nobody, not even one person stay in Poland.'


(More on the link)

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Standingstones

Celestial
I wonder how long it will take for the whole world situation to come crashing down around our ears? There is strife no matter where you look. I wonder if the powers that be have been orchestrating this for some time.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
I know the UK isn't a part of Europe, however I need to say this somewhere lol...Britain, recall Harry and Megan!!...I grow weary of seeing them meddling in American politics and visiting military bases as if they hold some distinguished level of power and influence in America, they do not...Take them back please...

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AD1184

Celestial
I know the UK isn't a part of Europe, however I need to say this somewhere lol...Britain, recall Harry and Megan!!...I grow weary of seeing them meddling in American politics and visiting military bases as if they hold some distinguished level of power and influence in America, they do not...Take them back please...
We don't want them back.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
We don't want them back.

Yeah, I expected such a response, unfortunate, maybe the land of Oz has a use for them...

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AD1184

Celestial
Yeah, I expected such a response, unfortunate, maybe the land of Oz has a use for them...

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With the Markles, Meghan is very much in charge of the relationship, and she is very much American. She only lived in Britain for two years, and never carried out her previously stated aim of attaining British citizenship. I don't think she has much love for Britain. The couple announced they were moving to Canada, a couple of years ago, but then that turned somehow into California. They were difficult to stomach already (with their simultaneous demanding to be left alone by the press and constant publicity-seeking), but Meghan's reputation was tarnished irretrievably in this country, I think, with the Oprah Winfrey interview.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
Interesting choice using "the Markles" hehe, she definitely wears the pants in that family affair...Although she may be American, her values are very unamerican in my opinion and that Oprah fiasco was the Anil in the coffin for me as well in regards to her and Harry...Yes, they want all the attention they can muster but on their terms and think they can switch it off whenever it suits them...I don't know what happened in Canada but they really should be living in a British Commonwealth country, not here in the US...We have enough problems already without Harry meddling in or that wife of his using what's left of his credibility to pursue her meddling agendas...

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nivek

As Above So Below
 

nivek

As Above So Below
I wonder if this situation on the Polish border could be a trigger for a near future creation of an European Union military force?...(Army/Airforce/Navy)

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nivek

As Above So Below
Macron quietly CHANGES the French flag without announcing it to the public - so can you tell what he has altered?

French president Emmanuel Macron has subtly changed the colour of the French flag, it has been revealed. The shade of blue that makes up the Tricolour is now navy, a darker shade of blue than was used previously.

The change was confirmed by the Elysée and was changed last year in a bid to reconnect with the French flag of 1793 - a symbol of the French revolution, according to Europe 1.

The decision was the subject of much debate within Macron's government, the news outlet reports as some of officials considered the new colour ugly while Macron felt the darker shade was more elegant.

The new flag is on display at Government buildings across the capital including Elysée Palace and the National Assembly.


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nivek

As Above So Below
Netherlands police fire 'warning shots' at anti-lockdown rioters leaving several hurt amid rising anger at Euro Covid restriction as Austria makes vaccine MANDATORY and Germans face 'Christmas lockdown'

Dutch police fired warning shots on Friday after riots erupted in the port city of Rotterdam against a partial coronavirus lockdown, causing an unknown number of injuries, local police said. Police also fired water cannons to disperse demonstrators who lit fires and set off fireworks in one of Rotterdam's main shopping streets, one week after the new Covid-19 measures came into force.

'A demonstration that started tonight at 8 pm on the Coolsingel has resulted in riots,' Rotterdam police said in a statement on Twitter. 'Fires have been set in several places. Fireworks were set off and police fired several warning shots. There are injuries related to the fired shots,' the statement added.

Video posted on social media showed burnt out police cars and rioters throwing fireworks and rocks at police, while photos in Dutch media showed at least one police car ablaze and another with a bicycle smashed through the windshield.

Local news outlet NL Times reported that a journalist was attacked of the street, while local broadcaster Rijnmond said the reporter was beaten and his camera was destroyed. Local media also reported gangs of soccer hooligans were involved in the rioting.

'We fired warning shots and there were also direct shots fired because the situation was life-threatening,' police spokesperson Patricia Wessels added, speaking to Reuters news agency. 'We know that at least two people were wounded, probably as a result of the warning shots, but we need to investigate the exact causes further,' she said.

Police said that riot police later launched charges at the demonstrators, adding: 'The water launcher has been deployed.' At least one police car was set on fire during the protest, a police spokesman confirmed to AFP. The spokesman would not confirm the number of people injured.


(More on the link)

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