Новости за 08.04.2024

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, to NATO Headquarters on Monday (8 April 2024) to discuss regional security issues and furthering the country’s partnership with NATO. 

On Friday, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Standards issued its monthly report on jobs — and it was a doozy. Jobs and real wages (wages adjusted for inflation) continue to rise. 

TotalEnergies said Monday it has agreed to acquire the 20% interest held by Lewis Energy Group in the Dorado leases operated by EOG Resources (80%) in the Eagle Ford shale gas play, increasing its natural gas production capacity in Texas and further strengthening its business integration in the U.S. LNG value chain.

On March 15, 2024, the Lyon Opera House presented Puccini’s “The Girl of the Golden West.” Premiering at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1910, this opera has predominantly graced American opera houses, though its performances have become less frequent in recent years.

Russia, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye have expressed concerns and criticisms regarding the April 5 trilateral US-EU-Armenia meeting, viewing it as a potential threat to regional stability and an attempt to undermine their influence.

Pakistan has made decision to proceed with the gas pipeline project with Iran, despite opposition from the United States, reflects the evolving geopolitics in the region. The diplomatic maneuver underscores Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding national interests and readiness to navigate around U.S. sanctions. The project holds promise for enhancing relations between Iran and Pakistan, strengthening economic partnerships, and tackling Pakistan’s energy shortfall.

Amidst the challenges of rising import costs and dwindling foreign reserves, Bangladesh’s recent move to adopt the Chinese currency for bilateral trade with China is a bold and strategic step. The inclusion of the Chinese Yuan in the Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system by Bangladesh Bank (BB) and the ongoing efforts to join China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), a system that mirrors SWIFT for international transaction messaging, are clear signals of this significant development. Читать дальше...

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad’s son Ibrahim, his companions tried to comfort him by saying that the sun eclipsed due to the greatness of  his loss. The Prophet corrected them by reminding them that the sun and moon are signs of God; and to not add any superstitions to why an eclipse happens. A very wise religious lesson. 

TotalEnergies and SONATRACH have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of concluding a hydrocarbon contract in the north-east Timimoun region, under the aegis of Law n°19-13 governing hydrocarbon activities. 

This Memorandum of Understanding outlines the realization of a work program for the appraisal and development of gas resources in the North-East Timimoun region, in synergy with existing processing facilities for production from the Timimoun field, to reduce costs and emissions. Читать дальше...

Last week the Israelis scored a bloody “hat trick” – slaughtering seven international food aid workers, demolishing the last operating hospital in Gaza, and – perhaps most dangerous – attacking an Iranian diplomatic facility in Damascus, Syria, in which several senior Iranian military figures were killed.

A new World Economic Forum report released today shows how the global space economy could tackle many of the world’s most pressing industry and societal challenges. The new research predicts that the sector’s valuation could surge up to $1.8 trillion by 2035 and roughly rival the size and reach of the global semiconductor industry – with space technologies expected to become as ubiquitous to everyday life as semiconductors are today. The growth will largely be due to space-based and -enabled technologies... Читать дальше...

In 2022, world leaders gathered in Bali for the G20 summit to chart a new path towards a sustainable green future. Leaders recognised the threat of climate change, whilst reaffirming their belief in the pursuit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

By George Leef

Among the many destructive ideas loose in American education is that black students should not be expected to master standard English because doing so is demeaning and demoralizing for them. Standard English is part of the power structure of “whiteness” that must be overthrown before we can have an equitable society. Professors at esteemed universities are making that argument and it appears to be catching on. Faculty who want to prove their “anti-racist” dedication are... Читать дальше...

By Termsak Chalermpalanupap

Former two-time prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra[1] has undoubtedly captured a great deal of media and public attention in Thailand lately. In a recent survey, the 75-year-old IT media tycoon turned politician was voted the most influential person in Thai politics, eclipsing Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who came a distant second.[2]

Thaksin’s youngest daughter, Paetongtarn (36), is now leader of Pheu Thai (PT), the main government party. Thaksin has been grooming her to be prime minister... Читать дальше...

By Martin Sherman

Largely ignored in western commentary, a dispute between two western-aligned governments in Africa threatens to erupt into open conflict. The dispute focuses on distribution of the waters of the continent’s mightiest river system among its second and third most populous nations—Ethiopia and Egypt, respectively.

The roots of tension are twofold, one legal; the other engineering—the former entailing an almost one-hundred-year-old legal document; the other a... Читать дальше...

By Daniel Lacalle

Thirty major central banks are expected to cut rates in the second half of 2024, a year when more than seventy nations will have elections, which often means massive increases in government spending. Additionally, the latest inflation figures show stubbornly persistent consumer price annualized growth.

In the United States, headline PCE inflation in February will likely grow by 0.4%, compared with a 0.3% rise in January, and consensus expects a 2.5% annualized rate... Читать дальше...

By David Wallace

Amidst Israel’s ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip and concerns over an increased Iranian role in the war, reports are emerging that Israel may acquire the new F-15EX soon. Following Israel’s bombing of the Iranian Embassy in Syria, serious questions must be raised concerning the operational intentions Israel has for this aircraft. An analysis of the fixed-wing combat aircraft of Israel’s primary adversaries in the region and an analysis of the ranges of the existing... Читать дальше...

By Shahar Hameiri

The fiscal after-effects of the pandemic have combined with global interest rate rises to create a new developing-world debt crisis — one where China’s role as creditor has come under intense scrutiny. But the Chinese approach to negotiations with sovereign debtors has done less to validate concerns that Beijing’s using debt as an instrument of geopolitical competition, than it has to showcase how China’s complicated domestic political economy produces incoherent responses to international policy challenges. Читать дальше...

The Philippines, the United States, Australia and Japan are holding a joint naval and air exercise in the South China Sea on Sunday, amid growing tensions fueled by China’s ongoing aggressive conduct in waters internationally recognized as Manila’s territory.

The doctrine of “assertive transparency” has dramatically escalated the South China Sea tensions. Among other things, it has been used to justify the trilateral alignment of the US, Japan and Philippines. How did it come about?

The landscape of terrorism and the strategies to counter it in Pakistan are constantly evolving. This dynamic interplay between terrorist organizations and counterterrorism forces is shaped by a myriad of factors, including geopolitical shifts, technological advancements, and the socio-economic context of the region. Its vital to examines into the future trends in terrorism and countermeasures in Pakistan, offering insights into the challenges and strategies that could define the coming years.

The international community has over the years frustrated the development processes of the region using the region’s own internal issues as key pushing factors to hamper the progress of each country individually and the region collectively. This has led to the region’s chronic instability and its failure to build a better future. The tribal and ethnic competition for power and hence the distancing of competencies, skills, experiences, and sincerity from the governance of each country and general... Читать дальше...

The Biden administration should immediately demand that Ecuador release former vice president Jorge Glas from custody, and allow him to return to the political asylum that the Mexican government had granted him, said Mark Weisbrot, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

Gabriel Said Reynolds, a Professor of Islamic Studies and Theology at Notre Dame University, wrote an article “On the Description of the Jews as ‘Killers of the Prophets’ in the Qurʾān,” in the Journal al-Bayān 10 (2012), ps 9-34 stating “A prominent element of the Qur’ān’s material on the Jews is its report that the Israelites killed prophets sent to them. 

The genocide of Palestinians is continuing. In Gaza, at least 33,037 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 13,000 children. Additionally, 8,000 children are missing. The total number of injured Palestinians amounts to 75,668, including 8,663 children. In the Occupied West Bank, at least 457 Palestinians are dead, including 117 children, with more than 4,750 injured. The mass killing of Palestinians through starvation, lethal military campaigns, and the destruction of hospitals amounts to war crimes. Читать дальше...