International Relations

Justice and fairness, but we'll sanction you if you try to prosecute our war criminals, or those of our friends.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/ … rime-probe

The US has decided that criminal investigations into those who mass murder civilians is a crime.

Ukraine:

EU to issue €90 billion in joint debt for Ukraine after hitting a wall on reparations loan

"EU leaders fail to strike a deal on an unprecedented reparations loan for Ukraine, turning to joint debt instead to finance a €90 billion loan. Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia will not participate in the scheme.

European leaders will raise €90 billion in joint debt to fund Ukraine for the next two years after hitting a wall on a plan to issue anations loan.

Faced with a stalemate over Belgian demands to obtain unlimited guarantees before tapping into the immobilised Russian assets hosted in the country, EU leaders turned to issuing joint debt to keep Kyiv afloat next year and in 2027 against the bloc's common budget.

Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia will not participate in the scheme."

Finally they managed to get something over the line in this year.   It's still not enough for UA (Ukraine) but it buys time.  And it could be enough time to eventually block the US benefitting from their (Russia and US) "peace plan" seizure of Russian funds held in Europe.   I couldn't believe anyone would take that seriously. 

Epstein:

Frustration mounts at Justice Department as it races to redact some Epstein files, sources say

"Frustration is mounting inside the Justice Department as it races to redact thousands of pages of files related to Jeffrey Epstein before they must be released Friday, multiple sources familiar with the process told CNN.

A substantial number of redactions are needed, one of the sources said, and the documents each attorney is processing since Thanksgiving week can number more than 1,000 — a time-consuming task that likely will come down to the wire. The sensitivities of executive and legal privacy, victims’ protections and other concerns all could play in to the choices the lawyers must make when it comes to potential redactions."

It's about time. Today (19 December 2025) is the day for release of the Epstein files.   If they aren't released, US DoJ is in big trouble for contempt of congress.  We've seen a lot of photos but there's nothing sufficiently salacious to gossip about.  Or to involve the very rich and powerful.  That's what we all want. To see people implicated. 

Ukraine:EU to issue €90 billion in joint debt for Ukraine after hitting a wall on reparations loanloan.Faced with a stalemate over Belgian demands to obtain unlimited guarantees before tapping into the immobilised Russian assets hosted in the country, EU leaders turned to issuing joint debt to keep Kyiv afloat next year and in 2027 against the bloc's common budget.Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia will not participate in the scheme.". - @fluffy2560

In the real news, Belgium wanted proof the EU weren't going to be landed with a massive bill to replace the stolen cash when the mess is over - The EU were unable to show that

Given they stole the money, it's not much of a surprise.

The new plan, if it's worthy of that designation,  is to borrow a fat sack of cash that amounts to around 20% of the EU's yearly defence budget,  but on a non-EU country.  At  the end of the day, the loan is down to the EU's taxpayers to fund.

I wonder how many individual tax payers would agree to paying for that.

I see three countries have shown common sense in so much as they have both rejected the massive financial debt AND refused to be part of an idiotic scheme that could easily drag many European countries into direct conflict with Russia.

This stupidity has the potential to start a far wider war, perhaps even a world War if the US uses the opportunity to attack China.

The level of idiocy is stunning,  and that is not just the political stupidly,  but includes the ordinary people who blindly support such moronic causes because they believe the lies about this not being about control of the oil industry and armaments companies' profits.

Share prices:

I reckon defence and resource stocks is a sector worth understanding. I've been looking at these companies and their involvement around the world.

1. Rheinmetal (Germany) - tanks, armoured vehicles etc
2. BAE (British Aerospace) - armaments including aircraft, guns and missiles
3. Rolls-Royce (defence parts, not the cars) - engines and turbines and nuclear energy
4. Rio-Tinto (mining all over) - copper and iron
5. BHP/Broken Hill (mining mainly down under) - various

With war potentially on the horizon and large injections of cash into these businesses, shares may rise quite some amount.   Even if there is no war, there's the deterrent investment. 

Obviously on the one hand there are ethical considerations in so many ways. On the other hand one might be seen as patriotic to support European and Allied industry (not including the USA) to defend one's country. 

I'm not convinced by the "AI boom" at all.  I think it's like the dot.com bubble. 

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerosp … 025-12-19/

This is getting dangerously close to a far more serious conflict.

Ukraine has once again attacked a civilian tanker from a third country.

The vessel is owned by a company on Oman.

The ship has been transporting oil from Russia to India.

It is purely civilian with no weapons of any sort.

When it boils down, Ukaraine has attacked a civilan vessel owned by a country that is not engaged in the war.

A clear crime.

Share prices:
I reckon defence and resource stocks is a sector worth understanding. I've been looking at these companies and their involvement around the world. - @fluffy2560

I agree

https://enaat.org/wp-content/uploads/20 … v22_EN.pdf

Corrupt EU politicians get bribes from armaments companies to keep up sales - in the latest case - the Ukraine war.

There you go - You now have understanding.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VorME7I6- … Jmcg%3D%3D

These protesters know what the real score is. The EU is pushing for a war, but at least some people know what that will mean.