This is ‘Global Village Today’, which delivers major news from various countries around the world.
Moderator) What news do you have today?
From the 27th, Russia will cut its natural gas supply to Europe to 20% of its normal supply. Pope Francis visited Canada to apologize for the past abuses of indigenous peoples by the Catholic Church.
Moderator) Global Village Today, let’s see the first news. Russia has decided to cut back on gas supplies to Europe?
Reporter) Yes. Russian state-owned energy company ‘Gazprom’ announced on the 25th. From the 27th, the daily gas supply through ‘Nordstream 1’, a gas pipeline bound for Europe, will be reduced by 20%.
Moderator) That’s a talk about reducing 80% of the normal supply soon. What is the reason for Gazprom’s suggestion?
Reporter) Gazprom cited the technical condition of the gas tube turbine as a reason. He said that at the moment, only one of the two turbines is operational.
By the way, didn’t Gazprom resume gas supply to Europe just recently?
Reporter) That’s right. Gazprom stopped supplying gas to Europe for 10 days from the 11th, saying that the Nordstream 1 gas pipeline needs maintenance and repair, and then resumed on the 21st. Russia resumed gas supply after 10 days, as originally announced. But in Europe, concerns have been raised that Russia may not resume gas supplies even after repairs are over.
Moderator) So, Russia resumed gas supply as promised, but you’re going to cut supply in just a few days?
Reporter) Yes. Russia has already reduced its daily gas supply to Germany and other European countries through the Nordstream 1 gas pipeline by 40% compared to before the war. From the 27th, it will be reduced by half, and only 20% will be supplied.
Moderator) So, is there any room to increase the supply again after the gas tube turbine is repaired?
Reporter) I’m not sure about that. While Russia cites turbines as the reason, the West sees Russia as a weapon of energy and tyranny of European countries. The turbine in question was manufactured by Siemens of Germany, and a Canadian company was in charge of repairing it earlier. Although the repairs were completed, the conflict escalated as the Canadian government delayed the return due to Russian sanctions.
Moderator) So, is the turbine still in Canada?
reporter) No. After Russia strongly opposed and threatened to cut off gas supply, the German government requested sanctions waiver only for turbines. The turbine in question has been repaired and is now said to have been delivered to Germany. However, it is expected that it will take some time before it is returned to Russia and reinstalled.
Moderator) Will the European countries, which are highly dependent on Russian energy, be hit hard?
Reporter) Yes. Before the war, European countries depended on Russia for about 40% of their natural gas demand and 30% for oil. Especially in the winter, if Russia cuts off its gas supply, Europe could be literally in an energy crisis.
Moderator) Should European countries take emergency measures?
Reporter) Yes. In the past few decades, advanced European countries have been making efforts to switch to eco-friendly and renewable energy. But when gas supplies are on the rise, they are turning to fossil fuels like coal and oil again. In the midst of this, the European Union (EU) is seeking a cooperative response plan from member countries in preparation for the winter.
Moderator) Do you have specific goals?
Reporter) Yes. The EU is ordering member states to cut natural gas demand by 15% from next month to March next year and to secure gas and other fuel stocks for winter. The Associated Press reported that the energy ministers of EU member states reached an agreement on a draft bill containing these details on the 26th.
Moderator) Can you tell us about the situation of grain exports to Ukraine?
The UN and the Ukrainian government are saying that the first grain shipments will be possible within this week. A Ukrainian government official told Reuters that the first shipments will take place this week at the port of Chornomorsk and expect to see shipments from two other ports within two weeks.
Moderator) Russia attacked Odessaan, but grain exports can resume normally?
Reporter) Yes. On the 22nd, Russia and the Ukrainian government reached an agreement on the resumption of grain exports through mediation between the United Nations and the Turkish government. However, the very next day, it launched a missile attack on Odessa, Ukraine’s main grain exporting port, and caused a stir.
Moderator) Why did Russia launch a missile attack after agreeing to export grain?
Reporter) Russia claimed that its attack was an attack on a Ukrainian military installation in Odessaan, independent of grain exports. In other words, he explained that the so-called ‘military operation’ was carried out regardless of the grain export agreement.
Moderator) So, is the Russian government in a position to maintain the grain export agreement?
Reporter) Yes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed at a briefing on the 25th that the Russian military’s target of attack and the facilities necessary to implement the export of grain had nothing to do with it, and had no influence and should not be affected by the commencement of shipments.
Moderator) Looking at it differently, you mean that the Russian military could continue to conduct military operations in the Odessa area?
Reporter) Yes. In fact, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that the agreement to resume grain exports had nothing to do with Russia’s special military operations, destroying certain military facilities, and prohibiting others.
How did the Ukrainian government and the United States react to the Russian missile attack?
Reporter) Yes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the Russian attack as a barbaric act and said it is difficult to trust Russia to implement the grain export agreement. US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln pointed out that Russia violated the agreement with an attack the day after. He stressed that Russia must be held accountable for the worsening global food crisis, halt its aggression and faithfully implement the terms of the agreement.
Moderator) Global Village Today, the next news. Did the Roman Catholic Pope visit Canada?
Reporter) Yes. Pope Francis visited Canada on the 25th and apologized for the mistakes the Roman Catholic Church had committed against indigenous peoples in the past.
Moderator) What is wrong with the past?
Reporter) Yes. In the early 19th century, the Canadian government created so-called boarding schools for Indigenous children. At that time, the Catholic Church collaborated with the Canadian government and commissioned most of the facilities. However, since May of last year, more than 1,200 Aboriginal children’s remains were discovered at three boarding school sites in northern Canada, causing controversy.
Moderator) Were there many such boarding schools?
According to statistics from the Canadian government, it is estimated that about 150,000 children were accommodated in about 140 schools across the country. It was supposed to teach Canadian culture and language, but at the time, many Aboriginal children were forcibly separated from their parents and caused a stir when it was reported that they were sexually, physically and mentally abused at these boarding schools.
Moderator) So, did the Pope personally visit Canada?
Reporter) Yes. Indigenous leaders and survivors have demanded an apology from the Roman Catholic Church after the body was found. The bishops of Canada issued an official apology in September last year. And Pope Francis also met with the representatives of the Canadian natives who visited the Vatican in April and delivered his apology. At this time, he also announced his intention to visit Canada in person in July.
Host) And as promised, did you visit Canada in July?
Reporter) Yes. Pope Francis will be in Canada for about a week. However, a visit to Ottawa, the capital, is not included in the itinerary. We plan to visit the Aboriginal settlements and boarding school sites in the northernmost provinces of Iqaluit, Edmonton, and Quebec.
Moderator) Let’s hear the story of Pope Francis, shall we?
Reporter) Yes. The Pope visited the grounds of the Edmonton Boarding School on the 25th and said he would beg forgiveness for the evils committed by Christians against indigenous peoples in the past. The pope said he apologizes for cooperating with the government’s erroneous assimilation policy, especially for many Christians who have imposed Western practices, wiped out the culture and history of indigenous peoples.
Moderator) How did the natives react to the Pope’s apology?
Reporter: Some residents listened with tears or clapping while the Pope spoke. Others listened to the Pope’s speeches in silence, without much emotional turmoil. A survivor who attended the event said he had been waiting for this apology for 50 years and finally heard it today. The important thing, he emphasized, is what the church should do from now on.
Moderator) How is the Canadian government responding to this issue?
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized last year for excavating bodies from dormitories and criticizing them, saying the government’s policies were incredibly harmful. Prime Minister Trudeau, along with government officials, also attended the Pope’s visit.
Moderator) But isn’t Pope Francis old now? How is the Pope’s health?
Reporter) Yes. The Pope is 85 years old this year. He has a bad knee due to his long-standing sciatica. He is known to have gotten worse since the beginning of this year. He hasn’t been walking well lately. He also schedules his visit to Canada in a wheelchair.
Moderator) Global Village Today, I will listen up to this point.
