Good morning,
Ukraine Darkness
A picture from space shows lights across Europe at night, but a dark Ukraine and millions in the dark blacked out because of missile strikes by Russia.
Its a humanitarian disaster as Russia seeks revenge for losses on the ground, by strike from the air and many Ukrainians have been left without water in heat in freezing cold.
The President of Ukraine Zelensky said on his nightly address these are terror attacks by Russia, and that Kyiv is the worst effected but that slowly the power is being turned back on.
Ukrainian officials say that for the first time 3 nuclear power plants had been taken off line because of Russia’s attacks, but they will soon be switched back on.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Ukraine‘s leadership could “end suffering” in Ukraine by meeting Russia‘s demands to resolve the conflict.
Ukrainian leaders say the losses of power and internet and water only serve to make Ukrainians more angry and more united.
Warsaw was promised Germany's Patriot missile defences but Polish officials now urge Berlin to send them to Ukraine instead. Berlin says their Patriot missiles are for NATO deployment only. It would be up to the U.S. to give a green light to Patriots in Ukraine.
The EU is considering a 9th round of sanctions against Russia, and discussing how to implement a Russian oil price cap that leader Putin has warned would have “grave consequences” for energy markets.
Putin was repeatedly snubbed by members of his security alliance known as the CTSO in Yerevan, Armenia. It includes Russia Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
The President of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan complained the organization had failed Armenia in its dispute with Azerbaijan and he physically distanced himself from Putin in a group photo.
Slowly this war and Russia’s desperate measure to cover up its losses, threatens the Kremlins grip on society, and anger is growing towards Putin himself.
The World Cup
This World Cup soccer championship is the most controversial ever it appears, as FIFA and the Qatari Government banned any symbols of LGBQ and refused to address issues Abuse of migrant workers, control of women, and allegations of Fifa corruption.
Regardless of the politics in Qatar, on the field competitions have been gripping including the Canada 0-1 loss to Belgium, which Canada clearly dominated but repeatedly failed to score in.
Cristiano Ronaldo made history as the first player to score at five different World Cups by bagging the opener for Portugal against Ghana.
Tonight, during the American Thanksgiving holiday, USA will play the country that invented soccer, England. (Called football because it was played on the ground not on horses)
The game tonight promises to bring in some of the highest ratings ever for a World Cup bringing soccer onto the North American ratings game and perhaps changing the way the game is treated by TV networks.
In four years don’t forget the World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, USA and Mexico in 16 cities.
Iran Violence
How do violent street protests end in Iran?
There is now an escalation of the ongoing violence by the Islamic regime in Tehran against a 10-week protest movement triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
My Iranian neighbour, who doesn’t dare go home to visit his family in Iran fearing arrest simply for being a dual national, told me he thinks Iran could unravel and turn into another Syria. That’s the danger as the fighting continues and Iranians are getting some arms from Iraq to fight the Mullah’s regime.
The protesters are demanding regime change from a regime backed up by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which so fare have been loyal and carried out orders of deadly repression. But will that change as the protests continue?
A military coup could be Iran’s best hope, but a distant dream for Iranians who want an end to religious rule that has suppressed women and uses rape and sexual assault as a tool of enforcement and terror.
Other News…
-Britain is being hammered with strikes as the Conservative Gov has largely refused to intervene in labour disputes driven by Brexit woes and rapid inflation. It’s a whirlwind every day to understand who is on strike with a long list of key workers having walked out. Rail workers, nurses, Royal mail, London buses, University staff, civil service and fire fighters make up a list of striking workers we need a daily schedule understand the flurry of services suspended.
-Elon Musk said on Thursday that Twitter will provide a "general amnesty" to suspended accounts starting next week after running a poll on whether to do so for users who had not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam. That includes former President Trump who is having his account reinstated. But Twitter risks huge fines in Europe if it doesn’t show it’s moderating violent and hateful content even if it is free to do so in the U.S.
-Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that his country’s air operations against the YPG militia in northern Syria were only the beginning and that it would launch a land operation there when convenient.
-On my wall in University was a poster of #21 Borje Salming. We are saddened to hear Hall of Fame defenceman Borje Salming, who starred for the Toronto Maple Leafs over 16 NHL seasons and was a trailblazer for Europeans who later made their mark in the world’s top pro hockey league, has died at 71 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Have a peaceful Thanksgiving if your American!
Dana Lewis
What would it take for Ukraine to have an "Iron Dome" (similar to Israel) over cities or power plants?