Serbia’s deputy PM: Why the West has been twisting history since WW2
Historical revisionism began as soon as the Second World War had ended. Both the Serbs and Russians were involved in this process and allowed history to be reinterpreted in front of their eyes. We had once believed that evil wouldn’t repeat itself if we acted like “gentlemen” and graciously turned a blind eye to the actions of our neighbors, compatriots, and allies during WWII. Even today, we often talk about “Nazi Germany.”
But this is not true. There was no “Nazi Germany” – it was simply Germany. You won’t find Wehrmacht stamps with the word “Nazism” written on them; the decisions to execute Serbs, Russians, and Jews weren’t made in the offices of the Nazi Party – they were made by regular German officials; the German state was not called “Nazi Germany” but was referred to according to the Constitution and laws; and Hitler was not a “Nazi dictator” but a legitimately elected representative of the vast majority of the German people.
And so, whenever we talk about “Nazi Germany” or “fascist Italy,” we allow people whose ancestors had committed those atrocities to convince us that the crimes had been committed by someone else. Seven million German soldiers fought on the Eastern Front – and how many of them were members of the Nazi Party? Seven million German citizens consciously, voluntarily, and legally killed Russians, Serbs, Jews, and the Roma, since the ruling ideology of the German state called these individuals ‘subhuman’ and decided that they should be annihilated.
The first Soviet soldiers were killed by Western allies not decades after the war – they died in 1944 near Niš, when the US Air Force strafed a Soviet Army vehicle column. Several years ago, we erected a monument as a reminder of this forgotten tragedy for which no one ever apologized. Even then, the message was already clear.
Are you aware that this year, Russia will not be able to take part in the main events on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz? Is there a greater insult to common sense, historical truth, and the memory of all those murdered at Auschwitz than the fact that the liberating nation has not been invited to the commemorative event simply because Russia’s policy is currently “unpleasant” to the Polish leadership?
India targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, says Modi
India’s economy will become carbon neutral by the year 2070, the country’s prime minster has announced at the COP26 climate crisis summit in Glasgow. The target date is two decades beyond what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts. India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target, with China saying it would reach that goal in 2060, and the United States and the European Union aiming for 2050.
COP26: What climate summit means for one woman in Bangladesh
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Why China's climate policy matters to us all
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Deliver on promises, developing world tells rich at climate talks
A crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions. World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday. The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments at the weekend.