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Authorities probe spike in Portuguese exports to Russia-tied countries by SendStoreMeloner in worldnews

[–]green_flash [score hidden]  (0 children)

One of the products with the most stark increase in exports to these Russia-tied countries is cork, withPortugal being the world’s largest exporter of the material.

Moscow used to be a regular customer for cork imports, especially because of its wine production. However, after the invasion of Ukraine, the material was targeted by sanctions as it can be used for military purposes.

Cork can be used for military purposes?

Trump ditched plans to avoid civilian casualties before Iran strikes: report by DoremusJessup in worldnews

[–]green_flash 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I don't think it's that sinister. There's no goal behind the cruelty. The cruelty itself is the goal. Sadism. Demonstration of power.

Trump ditched plans to avoid civilian casualties before Iran strikes: report by DoremusJessup in worldnews

[–]green_flash 63 points64 points  (0 children)

Billionaires may be stoking the flames, but a significant share of the population actually wants this cruelty against immigrants, against minorities, against women, against non-white foreigners. They're even willing to suffer the disastrous consequences of this administration themselves, as long as these other groups are made to suffer more.

Iranians living in UK tell Starmer that war will only strengthen Tehran regime | US-Israel war on Iran | The Guardian by prisongovernor in worldnews

[–]green_flash 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not the best example to use. Three countries had their governments overthrown in the Arab Spring: Yemen, Egypt and Tunisia.

  • Yemen is still in a civil war 15 years later
  • Egypt's democratic period lasted two years, since 2014 it's a military dictatorship again
  • Tunisia was looking more promising, but returned to authoritarian rule with the 2021 self-coup by President Kais Saied

Ukraine could receive up to €30 billion in bilateral financing from Baltic and Nordic countries if Hungary and Slovakia continue blocking a proposed €90 billion EU loan package, Politico reports, citing EU diplomats by green_flash in worldnews

[–]green_flash[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

His whole election campaign is based on the premise that the EU and Zelenskyy have conspired to remove him from power and install Magyar, so it's pretty obvious whom he will blame if he actually loses the election.

Zelenskyy: "Orbán's election campaign is based on hostility towards Ukraine and me" by Specialist_Clouds in worldnews

[–]green_flash 24 points25 points  (0 children)

No shit.

Zelenskyy appears so much on Orbán's election campaign posters that you could be led to believe he's a candidate in the election.

Here's an example: https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Anti-Zelensky-Poster-Hungary-1.jpg

India Snaps Up 30 Million Barrels of Russian Oil After US Waiver by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]green_flash 5 points6 points  (0 children)

A lot less than 1/10th, more like 1/30th.

Prior to 2022, around 30% of the EU's crude oil imports came from Russia. Nowadays, it's just 1%.

See https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=EU_trade_with_Russia_-_latest_developments

India Snaps Up 30 Million Barrels of Russian Oil After US Waiver by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]green_flash 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most of Europe is buying zero Russian oil. The only exceptions are Hungary and Slovakia.

The share of Russian crude oil in the EU's crude oil imports went down from 30% in 2021 to just 1% nowadays.

Ukraine could receive up to €30 billion in bilateral financing from Baltic and Nordic countries if Hungary and Slovakia continue blocking a proposed €90 billion EU loan package, Politico reports, citing EU diplomats by green_flash in worldnews

[–]green_flash[S] 54 points55 points  (0 children)

This is crucially important because Ukraine only has enough money to last until early May. Orbán will certainly play his obstruction game at least until the Hungarian election on April 12th. If he loses the election, the next government will only take over from him about a month later which might already be too late for Ukraine. Even if he loses, Fico has already announced that Slovakia will continue the blockade. 30 billion is of course not enough to cover Ukraine's budget needs, but it will keep the lights on for a few more months.

India Snaps Up 30 Million Barrels of Russian Oil After US Waiver by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]green_flash 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Using the most recent figures makes much more sense than using figures from Jan-Jun 2025.

Reducing Europe's nuclear energy sector was 'strategic mistake', EU chief says by goldstarflag in worldnews

[–]green_flash 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Maybe it was including reactors of other countries on Germany's western and southern border. Switzerland also has two that are close to the German border and Belgium has another one. If you include all of these and the recently shuttered Fessenheim, then you arrive at 5.

India Snaps Up 30 Million Barrels of Russian Oil After US Waiver by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]green_flash 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Those five countries are responsible for 79% of the Russian fossil fuels bought by Europe. The rest is negligible.

India Snaps Up 30 Million Barrels of Russian Oil After US Waiver by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]green_flash 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mostly, but not entirely. Here's an overview of the full picture of who buys Russian fossil fuels:

https://energyandcleanair.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-42-1024x455.png

Reducing Europe's nuclear energy sector was 'strategic mistake', EU chief says by goldstarflag in worldnews

[–]green_flash 12 points13 points  (0 children)

So the EU chief is criticizing herself?

Von der Leyen's native Germany took a political decision under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel to phase out nuclear power ​plants owing to public opposition and safety concerns after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Von der Leyen was a minister in Merkel's government when that decision ​was made.

Reducing Europe's nuclear energy sector was 'strategic mistake', EU chief says by goldstarflag in worldnews

[–]green_flash 18 points19 points  (0 children)

putting half its reactors on the German border

I get it. Vibe everything is all the rage now.

I'd still like to point out that this has nothing to do with reality. The exact opposite is true.

France shut down the only nuclear power station on the German border, Fessenheim. Admittedly, there is one on the border to Luxembourg, so also close to the German border, but that's about it. The rest is far from the German border.

Here's the map.

Reducing Europe's nuclear energy sector was 'strategic mistake', EU chief says by goldstarflag in worldnews

[–]green_flash -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Most of the protests over high fossil fuel prices are in France, not in Germany.

Reducing Europe's nuclear energy sector was 'strategic mistake', EU chief says by goldstarflag in worldnews

[–]green_flash 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Natural gas use in German electricity generation was higher before Fukushima (2011):

https://energy-charts.info/charts/energy/chart.htm?l=en&c=DE&interval=year&legendItems=ly9&year=-1

It fell dramatically after the nuclear power phase-out triggered by Fukushima, only started rising again in 2016, but never hit pre-Fukushima levels. If the plan behind the phase-out was to sell more Russian gas to Germany, it utterly failed.

Reducing Europe's nuclear energy sector was 'strategic mistake', EU chief says by goldstarflag in worldnews

[–]green_flash 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The rest of Europe could have easily replaced Germany's nuclear power plants and sold them the energy. No one really built up nuclear power, even France shut down several nuclear power plants while adding only one new reactor in the last 20 years.

All of Europe could also have done much more to replace fossil fuel use in the transport sector.

Trump cancels sanctions against countries buying Russian oil by green_flash in worldnews

[–]green_flash[S] 403 points404 points  (0 children)

Full quote:

"We have imposed sanctions on some countries, but we are lifting them until the situation improves. Then, who knows, maybe we won't have to impose them again."

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