Comment: Few people in the West think about the ethics of buying fossil fuels from Vladimir Putin’s Russia. What is the truth.. beyond the fact that the US and CIA are spending millions on anti Russian propaganda?

Many climate activists think that accepting US frack gas instead, thus also accepting the impunity and coercion of the plant’s biggest climate criminal, would be even worse.

Fracking has made the US more than self sufficient in gas and oil, with over a million wells drilled, with  immunity from clean air and water laws,, with toxic and radioactive tailings , destroyed aquifers , innumerable abandoned wells, etc.

But worst of all US laws make it non obligatory to even measure the gigantic methane leaks in fracking, over 20 times as bad as CO2 in the short term. . Though great clouds have been measured from space over the fracking fields this is blamed on natural causes and the Trump regime has made even the voluntary measurements introduced at the end of Obama’s term unnecessary  US forcing and bribing Europe to accept Frack Gas   . 

Meanwhile the Russian state cynically supports the Paris agreement while largely doing the opposite and fomenting the nationalist fantasy of turning the Arctic into a Russian lake. It is expanding its planet destroying fossil fuels industry with pipelines through Turkey, the Baltic and as far as China. Russia largely ignored the record breaking fires sweeping the arctic tundra and forest last summer.

Russia is doing less than nothing about the mounting evidence of permafrost meltdown, the ‘climate bomb’ which, according to irrefutable science,  would release billions of tons of methane and tip the climate forever into ‘unsuitable for human occupation’ mode. The Methane Bomb: New Proof that Frack Gas is Twice as Bad as Coal for Climate.  Check out Russia’s attitude on RT, where daily articles laud fossil fuels and attack science based climate activists, especially Greta Thunberg, to the delight of their far right nationalist followers.

Both sides must be opposed. Now that we are winning the battle against dirty coal its time for an all out attack on gas and oil. The industry has known about climate change for 50 years, and still receives TRILLIONS in state aid and tax breaks. Even a fraction of that cash could put the planet on course to achieve the modest climate goals, with some chance of saving us from catastrophe and extinction.

A world revolution is necessary but still largely unprepared. Meanwhile reforming alternatives exist. For example even in a place like the Yamal peninsula there are year round winds and there is 24 hour sun in summer.

Renewable electricity could make millions of tons of fossil free ammonia, transportable from Gasprom’s gas port. Ammonia can now be transformed cheaply in situ into green hydrogen and used for industry, and in principle all internal combustion engines could be adapted to run on green ammonia.

Such technologies exist already, while the owners and investors in fossil fuels continue to get richer and richer, diverting their wealth to tax free havens, as they push the world climate over tipping point cliffs. see https://co2freefuelexistsnow.wordpress.com/

The info below suggests that both options, US Fracking and Russian Gas,  are equally execrable.  Death to the Climate Killers! Leave It In The Ground!!

Gazprom’s Bovanenkovo gas field on the Yamal Peninsula (Photo: TASS/Kremlin)

WARNING..the writer Yevgeniya Chirikova is a longtime exiled environmental activist , but … In March 2011, she received the Woman of Courage Award handed over by US Vice President Joe Biden.^{[4] and ..}  In 2012, she was a winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize, receiving a USD$150,000 prize.^[2] In November 2012, Foreign Policy named Yevgeniya Chirikova one of its 2012 Top 100 Global Thinkers.^{[6] WIKIPEDIA}

What is the real cost of cheap Russian gas?

^{By Yevgeniya Chirikova} Published on 22/10/2019, 1:28pm by Climate Change News ..Oil and Gas  

Are Europeans really aware of where their cheap Russian gas comes from? Let’s start with the place where the gas is extracted: in the Yamal Peninsula.

Continue reading “What is the real cost of cheap Russian gas? STOP both US and Russian Climate Criminals”

note.. this ‘TheFreeOnline’ blog is now banned in Turkey with Dozens more pro Rojava and anti Fascist sites

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One of the latest assertions by Donald Trump is that the Syrian Kurds self defense volunteers are ”terrorist PKK and worse than ISIS, etc’.

What seems just another ignorant comment was surprisingly given world headlines on 17th Oct by the main western mass media. This may be a sign they now approve of Trump’s invitation to Turkey to commit genocide by invading Syria. Next day Trump heaped praise on Erdogan for declaring a pause in some areas and began to also speak of the SDF as ”terrorists”.

The designation of the PKK as terrorists and Turkey’s inclusion of all Kurdish groups as part of the PKK gives it impunity to massacre the YPG/YPJ and SDF  who are also thus restricted from seeking international support.

But we can argue with plenty of evidence that the PKK guerillas are ‘ANTI TERRORISTS’ They are something more like the Jewish defense network who tried to stop Hitler before he massacred millions of them. Read on to find out more.. or accept the daily Turkish lie machine.

At the beginning of 2019 0ver 1,000 people, mostly Kurdish prisoners in Turkey , were on indefinite hunger strike. Many of them reached the stage of permanent health damage and death. And 6 of the strikers went on to commit suicide in protest before Erdogan’s regime gave in and let Ocalan’s lawyers visit him.

They were striking not to protest their obvious innocence or the shocking conditions, but for the right of their leader, Ocalan, to have contact with the outside world.

That may seem a strange thing to die for, but Ocalan in the past has declared 2 ceasefires with the Turkish State, respected by all Kurdish organisations, including the PKK guerillas, which have lasted years and had sparked a promising peace process and ‘Kurdish Spring’..

Ocalan above all is responsible for consistently rejecting terrorism, stalinism and the fight for a new State in favour of ‘municipal anarchist’ communal pacifist ideals and feminist emancipation which have swept through the 18 million Kurdish population (out of 81m in Turkey).

So when the hunger strikers demanded Ocalan be allowed to speak they were demanding the first step in a new Peace Process, and the end of the ongoing anti Kurdish pogrom in Turkey and the north of Syria.

When Ocalan was finally allowed to speak, through his lawyers, he again set out detailed Peace Plans and offered a ceasefire along with them, see http://www.freeocalan.org/news .

But his offers have been rejected out of hand by Erdogan’s terrorist regime, even though his previous calls for peace led to 2 long ceasefires, and were accepted in principle by the Kurdish organisations where he has enormous credibility.

Erdogan evidently has no interest in peace, only in exploiting and victimizing the 18 million Kurds in Turkey and fanning race hatred among his conservative power base to successfully extend his position towards all powerful Fuhrer.

Because the PKK is still branded as terrorist by the US and EU they get little or no international support. But it is Turkey which is more like a terrorist regime with its disgraceful human rights record, which includes documented massacres or mass killings of Kurds in 1930, 1978, 1987, 2009, 2011, and 2016., without detailing the continuing Armenian genocide denial, the present mass jailings of opponents, the sponsoring of jihadi terrorism in Syrtia, etc etc.

Erdogan has presided over severe repression and discrimination for decades against the Kurdish and other minority populations, including by methodically trying to destroy their beautiful culture and language.

Turkey has already invaded Syria three times, the worst example being the bloody attack on the peaceful Kurdish area of Afrin where it installed various jihadi militias as its paid mercenaries and let them loose to murder, rape, kidnap and pillage, expelled most of the Kurdish population to refugee camps and began a ‘Turkification’ program, similar to that in the also Turkish occupied Jarablus, Azuz, Al Bab and Hatay areas.

He has also set himself up as a world Sunni leader, instigating jihadi type groups in Iraq, Pakistan, Greece, Cyprus, Indonesia, Egypt, Libya, etcetera, with the impunuity of being a key NATO member. So who is the terrorist?

The PKK terrorist listing by the USA, UN and EU is also repeated like an everyday mantra in statements from Turkish state, and many Kurdish organizations and parties, with zero proof, are branded as being terrorists as well. ..But why is this so, when the PKK, following Ocalan’s teachings, had abandoned terrorism and sponsored unilateral ceasefires?

This repeated claim that the PKK are terrorists usually includes the Kurdish YPG and Kurdish led SDF . But there is ample evidence to the contrary.

Indeed Erdogan regularily boasts to his followers in mass rallies that his real aim is to destroy any Kurdish autonomy, return Kurdish women to semi slavery, and take over Kurdish areas of Syria as a step forward in recuperating the Ottoman Empire. The ‘elephant in the room’ is the Rojava Revolution which he is keen to destroy at all costs. These are easily researched facts, and can be explained by looking a little deeper at the historical context, see much more below:

Continue reading “PKK are NOT terrorists! Erdogan rejected Ocalan’s Peace Plan, sabotaged their Truce. bombed their cities…”

LIVE BLOG ENDS HERE FOR TONIGHT

The ‘Tsunami Democratic’ goes on with daily strikes, blockades and actions, but Friday was the biggest day, due to the 525,000 demonstrators (and that’s a conservarive police estimate). The rioting was spectacular, though relatively little damage was done, mainly burnt rubbish containers.

Finally the general feeling in a among CDR Defense Committee we spoke to was RAGE. ” The police attacked us viciously, we barricaded for self defense, after 2 years of pacifist bowing which has only empowered right wing and nazi sentiment.

Images of the riots by LaMosca TV whch is part of Contrainfos Latele.. see YouTube

Then the unanimous media and politicians blame us, in a continuous bleating chorus, more and more hate speech to stir racism and get votes, power and money in the imminent elections. We are despised and blamed, despite us suffering 590 injured attended by health services and 4 losing an eye to rubber bullets…” (fired by the Spanish police despite being illegal in Catalunya due to a long struggle).

…”It seems there’s no point in being pacific, if we get beaten up and then blamed for defending ourselves, Barcelona was OURS, for some hours, and we could have destroyed their pot of money–the banks, stores and luxury hotels, etc” ..

…”On the other hand we lived the biggest street resistance in memory, thousands of young people in the decentralised and assembly organised CDRs have been further radicalized and learned to work together in groups and bands, feeling the joy of rebellion, evicting infiltrators and nazis, protecting each other and avoiding arrest, facing and defying danger and repression together….”

4 manifestants han perdut la visió d’un ull en uns disturbis que sumen 590 persones ateses

4 protesters have lost sight of an eye in disturbances with 590 injuries attended by health services
There are 14 people still hospitalized, including a very serious one, a girl in the Vall d’Hebron hospital

18 of our arrested companions have been incarcerated without bail 194 of us arrested over the first 5 nights of resistance

Quatre persones han perdut la visió d’un ull (Reuters -Juan Medina)

The general strike of 18-O, live news. with rough English translation.. from La Directa, with thanks (including various twitter videos)

https://directa.cat/la-vaga-general-del-18-o-en-directe/

Catalonia today faces the fourth call for a general strike in just over two years related to the independence process. Summoned by the Intersyndical Union Forces – CSC and the Alternative Intersyndical of Catalonia (IAC) and although formally with a work and social demands sheet, the 2017 referendum ruling is clearly in the background of today’s mobilization. It will coincide with the arrival of Barcelona with the March for Freedom that brings tens of thousands of people to demand the freedom of male and female political prisoners

Catalunya enfronta avui la quarta convocatòria de vaga general en poc més de dos anys relacionades amb el procés independentista. Convocada per les forces sindicals Intersindical – CSC i la Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya (IAC) i tot i que formalment amb un full de demandes de caràcter laboral i social, la sentència pel referèndum del 2017 és clarament al rerefons de la mobilització d’avui. Coincidirà amb l’arribada Barcelona amb les Marxes per la Llibertat que arrosseguen milers de persones per demanar la llibertat dels presos i les preses polítiques

🔴@RaholaOficial: "Aquí las pelotas de goma están prohibidas. La policía española que viene y manda, las usa. Ya tenemos dos personas que han perdido un ojo y la tercera vamos a ver".#EnJake @MAI_BASTIDA
➡ https://t.co/OY83zEh0fK@Xlapitz pic.twitter.com/GGAlnaAfoB

— En Jake (@enjakeETB) October 18, 2019

“Here the rubber balls are prohibited. The Spanish police who come and rule, use them. We already have two people who have lost an eye and the third we are going to see”

En #Barcelona en #Bilbao en #Madrid … allà dónde se proteste pacíficamente por #SentenciaDelProces, la Policia calla la gente violentamente.#LibertaddeExpresionEsUnDerecho #Tsunamidemocratic #VagaGeneral18O #EuskalTsunamia https://t.co/MT1zQJYAe8

— Maria Dantas (@_Maria_Dantas_) October 18, 2019

In #Barcelona in #Bilbao in #Madrid … wherever you peacefully protest by #SentenciaDelProces, the Police shut up people violently.

🔴📹 Plaça Urquinaona presa per les manifestants gràcies a les barricades.

🔥 Així, ens defensem de les càrregues policials. No són violència, són autodefensa! 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/AHomDpWCCw

— SEPC (@SEPC_nacional) October 18, 2019

🔴📹 Urquinaona Square taken by the protesters thanks to the barricades.

🔥 Thus, we defend ourselves from the police charges. They are not violence, they are self-defense! 💪🏾

Tarda i nit d'aldarulls a la Via Laietana i la plaça Urquinaona. La policia ha utilitzat gasos lacrimògens i bales de goma per dispersar els manifestants, que han fet barricades i fogueres i han llançat tota mena d'objectes #SentènciaProcés #VagaGeneral18O https://t.co/m0BTFC1agx pic.twitter.com/3IkefpHBup

— 324.cat (@324cat) October 18, 2019

Evening and night of riots on Via Laietana and Plaza Urquinaona. The police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters, who have made barricades and bonfires and have launched all kinds of objects

22.53h
18/10/19

Después de reducirlo en el suelo y darle golpes poniendo en riesgo su integridad y la de su material de trabajo, la Policía detiene a al fotógrafo Albert García del @elpaiscat
Lo habéis normalizado o podemos hablar de un Estado Terrorista? #SpainIsAFascitState #VagaGeneral18O pic.twitter.com/oqoMMb0PDF

— Victoria Canalla (@canalla_vicky) October 18, 2019

After reducing him on the ground and hitting him, jeopardizing his integrity and that of his work material, the Police arrested photographer Albert García of @elpaiscat
Have you normalized it or can we talk about a Terrorist State?

Agents antiavalots de la Policia Nacional espanyola acaben de detenir el fotoperiodista d’El País Catalunya, Albert Garcia. L’han arrossegat per la força i amb els braços emmanillats a l’esquena fins a la Prefectura de Policia de Via Laietana. Segons la periodista Anna Punsí, estava fent fotos d’una altra violenta detenció a Urquinaona.

22.12h
The photojournalist of El País Catalunya, Albert Garcia, has just stopped and arrestied by agents of the Spanish National Police. He was dragged by force and with arms handcuffed into the back to the Police Headquarters of Via Laietana. According to journalist Anna Punsí, she was taking photographs of another violent detention in Urquinaona. 18/10/19

Els Mossos d’Esquadra anuncien la intervenció del camió d’aigua a pressió per primera vegada des de que es va adquirir a una empresa israeliana l’any 1994. El traslladen ara a la Via Laietana. En paral·lel columnes de furgons de la Policia Nacional espanyola fan batudes per la plaça de Catalunya. Reproductor de vídeo00:0000:00 21.37h
18/10/19

Continue reading “The Catalan general strike of 18-O, live blog in English .. updated with contrainfos Videos +MoscaTV”

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• #Riseup4Rojava
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see also..UPDATE 9 Oct: Urgent Calls for Resistance against Turkish Invasion of Rojava

Last weekend headlines in most media around the world announced that Turkey had captured Serekaniye/Ras al-Ain where it planned to begin its ethnic cleansing zone. TOTALLY FALSE, the media has fallen again for Erdogan’s Propaganda machine.

16th Oct 2019 ”There is a fierce ongoing combat in Ras al-Ain, with the SDF mounting fierce defence using tunnels and trenches”, Ras al-Ain may be a small border town but it is key in Turkey’s plan to start ethnic cleansing along the border east of the Euphrates River

However latest reports say that the agreement of SDF with Syria/Russia to stop the Turkish genocide does NOT INCLUDE the area between Serekaniye/Ras al-Ain and Tell Abyad. So the Turkish attack may continue until the town is a mass grave in a heap of rubble.

Since the launch of the operation, Turkey and its allied Syrian rebel forces have managed to occupy a number of villages along the border region, according to the Turkish propaganda machine (almost all independent media are suppressed)…

Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ayn), occupied since neolithic times,

However, the town of Ras al-Ain has held out, with battles raging on Wednesday.  The area seems to be chosen as it is has a large Arabic community, maybe thinking they could be less hostile. However local Arab tribal leaders also demonstrated strongly before the thinly disguised invasion.

Al Jazeera reporters along the border said heavy gunfire and artillery fire was still heard across the city Wednesday amid a “fierce” battle for its control, with Kurdish fighters burning tyres in a bid to blind Turkey’s fighter jets and digging in against a ground offensive by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels.

“The fighting today in Ras al-Ain has been intense,” said Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from Ceylanpinar on the Turkey-Syria border. “The situation is incredibly tense.”

Smoke rises over Ras al-Ain, as seen from the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar [Murad

Serekaniye demonstration before ‘ethnic cleansing’ invasion’Down with the occupation’ Syrian Kurds protest

Report

Kurdish Fighters Mount Counterattack Using Network of Tunnels

The Syrian Democratic Forces have recaptured some territory from Turkish-backed forces.

By Lara Seligman | October 15, 2019, 12:16 PM

As Turkey continues its onslaught of northeast Syria, the Syrian Kurds are using a sophisticated network of tunnels and other battlefield tactics to recapture some of the territory seized by Turkish-backed forces, Foreign Policy has learned. 

Continue reading “Heroic Serekaniye/Ras al-Ain still holds out, to the last woman/man, under Turkish blitz”