Seems to me big trouble comming sooner than later. Operation appear to have gone well. Walked today eat breakfast and lunch. Ice cream and jelly for diner. Amassing what they can do.
In June 29, 2022 the US scattered its forces already in Europe to bolster NATO’s Eastern Flank, to include the deployment of: attack aviation from Germany to Lithuania; an airborne infantry battalion from Italy to Latvia; elements of a Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Germany dispersed to Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary; Patriot batteries from Germany to Slovakia and Poland; and F-15s from the UK to Poland. These deployments have varied in length based on operational requirements and sustainability considerations.
Since February 2022, DoD deployed or extended over 20,000 additional forces to Europe in response to the Ukraine crisis, adding additional air, land, maritime, cyber, and space capabilities, bringing our current total to more than 100,000 service members across Europe. This included extending a Carrier Strike Group, deploying additional fighter squadrons and lift/tanker aircraft, and deploying an Amphibious Readiness Group and Marine Expeditionary Force. DoD added a Corps Headquarters, Division Headquarters, Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) battalion, and multiple enablers to the existing Corps Forward Command Post, Division Headquarters, and three BCTs already stationed in or deployed to Europe. Italian surface-based air defence system fully operational in Slovakia
Italy confirms Samp-T missile-defense donation to Ukraine.
RAMSTEIN, Germany The Italian Army SAMP/T surface-based air defence system deployed to Slovakia has officially been declared fully operational by Allied Air Command further enhancing Alliance interoperability and collective defence.
Italy deployed its SAMP/T to Slovakia in March and the system is now tied into the NATO defensive architecture shielding the eastern flank further enhancing Alliance interoperability and collective defence. Apr 6 2023
US Department of State approves M142 HIMARS sale to Italy on 16/12/2023.
Sri Lanka leased the Hambantota International Port is a deep water port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. It has been leased to China on a 99-year lease. Opened in 2010, it is Sri Lanka's second largest port, after Colombo. In 2020, the port handled 1.8 million tonnes of cargo.
Thanks mate can you please maintain watch on the ever changing developments, I'll be away about week and a bit I think, that's if I get back (!!) doggy stuff diving into liver department...emmm, oh well Its sad to see countries like Australia and America still offering solutions associated to the use of violence. While on the other hand most One Belt and Road Initiative member states are seeking a non violence transfer of changes in the international settlements instead of hundreds of years, mass murder to make profits at there expense, e.g. IMF offered so called third world nations loans to purchase gold bullion a long time ago, big mistake Uncle Sam.
I cannot see the likes of America, Australia the UK and others winning in any violent confrontation in any event, I think Australia is going to feel lot of pain sooner than later. Silly buggers in Canberra are clearly asking for trouble, oh well take care Butcher, thanks for your due diligence with your observations, your not wrong mate.
BRI partners -- By June 2023, China had signed more than 200 BRI cooperation agreements with more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations across five continents, yielding a number of signature projects and small-scale yet impactful projects. While On December 6, 2023, the Italian government formally announced that Italy will not renew the 2019 memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding its formal participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
BRI projects and investments have been implemented in numerous countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and even South America. As of recent months, over 200 BRI cooperation agreements have been signed with more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations.
The projects include constructing or upgrading roads, ports, railways, pipelines and other trade-related infrastructure. Internet connectivity and digital advancement programmes have been pursued, too. In Mozambique, for instance, a BRI-funded project brought satellite television to 1,000 villages.
BRI partners -- By June 2023, China had signed more than 200 BRI cooperation agreements with more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations across five continents, yielding a number of signature projects and small-scale yet impactful projects.
High-level forums -- China has hosted the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation twice, providing an important platform for participating countries and international organizations to expand exchanges, increase mutual trust and strengthen ties. China will host the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation from Oct. 17 to 18 in Beijing.
Infrastructure connectivity -- substantial progress is being made in the construction of six economic corridors: the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor, the China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor, the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor. And in Africa, railways such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway are now operational and have become important drivers of in-depth development in East Africa and across the entire continent.
Maritime connectivity -- The Maritime Silk Road network has continued to expand. By the end of June 2023, it had reached 117 ports in 43 countries, and more than 300 well-known Chinese and international shipping companies, port enterprises and think tanks, among other organizations, have joined the "Silk Road Maritime" association.
Strong demand for Russian crude oil in China resulted in record transit cargo on the Northern Sea Route in 2023. More than a dozen shipments delivered 1.5m tons of crude oil from the Baltic Sea to China through the Arctic. In total the route saw 2.1m tons of transit cargo, surpassing the previous high set in 2021.
US extended its claims on the ocean floor by an area twice the size of California, securing rights to potentially resource-rich seabeds. The so-called Extended Continental Shelf covers about 1 million square kilometers (386,100 square miles), predominantly in the Arctic and Bering Sea, an area of increasing strategic importance where Canada and Russia also have claims. The US has also declared the shelf’s boundaries in the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. However the significance of the claim is likely muted by the implementations and credibility, that challenges the U.S. in direct consequence of its continuing failure to ratify the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in which the process for arbitrating ECS claims is laid out, among many other areas of important maritime governance. As the U.S. is not a party to UNCLOS, it therefore cannot petition the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to validate American maritime claims.
Not surprise that Nikolai Kharitonov, the head of the State Duma Committee on the Arctic, told Sputnik that unilaterally expanding boundaries on the shelf in the Arctic by the United States is unacceptable and may lead to increased tension. ____________________________________________ Haiti, a Country Plunged into Extreme Violence Haiti closes an extremely violent year with almost 4,000 murders and some 3,000 kidnappings, as armed groups control three quarters of its capital while political forces seem to omit the figures and refuse to reach an agreement.
Papua New Guinea is committed to “expanding their humanitarian assistance disaster relief capability and to developing that resilient infrastructure we talked about so that they could have a fast response either for their own people or for others in their region,” Van Ovost said. “They want to be a leader in doing this.”
The 15-year defense agreement allows for unrestricted U.S. use of six sea and air ports in Papua New Guinea, including the capital Port Moresby’s airport and seaport, the Lombrum Naval Base and the airport and port at Lae, an industrial center.
The U.S. has sought to bolster its already significant military presence in the Pacific and East Asia in response to China’s claims to the South China Sea that impinge on several Southeast Asian countries’ waters, its belligerence towards Taiwan – which Beijing considers a rebel province – and other activity. _______________________________________________________ Australia will give new support to volatile Papua New Guinea’s overtaxed police force as part of a broad security agreement that reinforces Australia’s status as the main security benefactor for many of the Pacific’s island nations.
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed the agreement on Thursday in Canberra. Albanese said the pact was accompanied by a commitment of 200 million Australian dollars (US$131 million) in support of Papua New Guinea’s national security priorities. ____________________________________________________ The recently announced security agreement between Australia and Tuvalu, and the signing of a security pact by Australia and Papua New Guinea, have been touted as an Australian “win” in its strategic competition against China for influence in the sensitive domain of security cooperation with Pacific island countries (PICs).
They came soon after a series of developments in the region that had raised anxieties in Canberra. Among the higher profile announcements, in late October, the Solomon Islands said it would invite additional Chinese police to help provide security for the just-concluded Pacific Games. This followed Vanuatu’s requests to water down a security agreement with Australia, Fiji’s reconsideration of its decision to scrap its controversial police cooperation agreement with China, and Timor-Leste’s signing of a strategic partnership agreement with Beijing and request to the Chinese government to help the nation build police and defense facilities.
This blog is not intended for debate _______________________________________ General back ground of Gulf of Aden: Tucked in between the African continent and the Arabian Peninsula lies the Gulf of Aden. It connects to the Red Sea in the West and the Arabian Sea in the East.
The Gulf has had a long and exciting history, with numerous wars fought in the region. In this article, we will look at the many reasons why it plays a major role in the global economy. From trade and shipping to the piracy that plagues it, we cover every aspect of the Gulf that you should know.
The etymology behind the Gulf of Aden spans back to the early Greek era
At least 13 people were killed and 38 injured in eastern Indonesia on Sunday in an explosion at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant, the owner of the industrial park that hosts the facility said. The island of Sulawesi is a hub for the mineral-rich country's production of nickel, a base metal used for electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel, and Beijing's growing investment has stoked unrest over working conditions at its facilities. An initial investigation showed that the explosion happened during repair work on a furnace when a flammable liquid ignited and the subsequent blast caused nearby oxygen tanks to explode as well, the official said. The fire was successfully extinguished on Sunday morning, according to the statement. Tsingshan Holding Group, the world's biggest nickel producer and China's biggest stainless steelmaker, holds a majority stake in ITSS. ITSS is a tenant in the industrial park, which is also majority-owned by Tsingshan along with local partner Bintang Delapan. _______________________________________ Less than two weeks into the term of President Javier Milei, Argentina Thursday made a payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) worth US$ 921 million thanks to a loan from the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), it was reported in Buenos Aires.
The South American country's situation before the IMF is expected to change after the credit agency approved a 50% increase in the amount of the quotas that correspond to each member country. Now, Argentina's quota will amount to US$ 5.7 billion (SDR 4.78 billion), which means Argentina would have to contribute an additional US$ 2.13 billion, but at the same time it could pay less in surcharges.
”On December 15, 2023, the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Sixteenth General Review of Quotas and approved a 50% increase in member countries' quotas (SDR 238.6 billion, or US$ 320 billion), bringing total quotas to SDR 715.7 billion (US$ 960 billion),“ the IMF announced. _______________________________________________ Japan decided to approve a modified plan for landfill work to relocate a key US military base within Okinawa next week, bypassing the local government, which appears poised to defy a court order mandating the approval, local media reported. __________________________________________________ Venezuela might invade and spark the first interstate war in South America since the Falklands Conflict in 1982. Venezuela has long claimed ownership of Essequibo, a 61,000 square mile region which comprises about two-thirds of Guyana. Its hills and jungles are rich in gold, diamonds and bauxite, while huge oil deposits have been found off its coast. "HMS Trent will visit regional ally and Commonwealth partner Guyana later this month as part of a series of engagements in the region during her Atlantic Patrol Task deployment."Brazil deploys troops to Venezuela border Venezuela accuses opposition politicians of treason over Essequibo dispute: Venezuela and Guyana agree not to use force ________________________________________ China’s Colombo port logistic centre gets generous tax relief Sri Lankan exporters face crisis in Red Sea Exporters in SL are currently facing another crisis as they are hit with increased freight rates with terrorist attacks on ships via the Red Sea since shipping companies insist on charging more when some vessels re-route and insurance premiums are also set to rise that could impact buying patterns in future.
“Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated” chemical tanker was hit “by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran” some 200 nautical miles (370km) off the coast of India. Iranian officials have yet to comment on the allegation. 5 Million Barrels Of Russian Sokol Oil Stuck En Route To India: Report US sanctions on tankers carrying Russian crude in breach of a price cap imposed by the Group of Seven (G7) nations might be part of the cause, the report said, without citing any sources. Un-elected Biden been tried to apply the presume consent trick on India as he did with Indonesia: Russian exports to India are forecast to grow from $32.5 billion in 2022 to as much as $95 billion in 2030, while imports are predicted to surge from $2.5 billion to more than $20 billion over the same period.
Trade between the two countries was much less significant before 2022, although Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine conflict have forced Moscow to redirect exports to Asia. Earlier this week, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov stated, citing Indian government data, that the trade turnover between Russia and India reached $54.7 billion in the first ten months of 2023. Moscow has become one of New Delhi’s top four major trading partners, he added. _______________________________________________________ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy and military officials said the country's forces shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft on Friday on the southern front, hailing it as a success in the 22-month-old war.
The Russian military made no mention of the incident. But Russian bloggers acknowledged the loss, and analysts suggested U.S.-supplied Patriot missiles had probably been used.
Reuters could not independently confirm the reports
Reuters: China controls 95% of the production and supply of rare earth metals, integral to manufacturing magnets for electric vehicles (EVs) and wind farms, and this monopoly has allowed China to dictate prices and stir turmoil among end users through export controls.8 Nov 2023
memory somehow recalls Australia got the boot out of Malaysian rear-earth mining. Malaysia has large deposits of rare earth minerals and elements, such as lanthanide, with high importance in high-tech electronics and renewable technologies least we forget MH17 !!!
A lot of pressure being applied in our region...likely some big changers going forward !! Indonesia: Anies Baswedan, a former governor of the capital Jakarta, is in a three-way battle ahead of February's vote to lead the world's third largest democracy and fourth most populous nation, with polls showing him rising toward a spot in a potential second-round runoff. He has sought to paint himself as an alternative to the other two candidates, frontrunner and current defence minister Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo, who has the backing of incumbent President Joko Widodo's party. That includes strengthening the country's corruption eradication commission and distributing wealth more fairly, Baswedan has pledged. His campaign slogan "fair, prosperous Indonesia for all" promises economic development felt by everyone, not just the Indonesian elite, he said. Achieving that goal would take a "commitment for good governance, starting from the top leader," he said. On foreign policy, he chided Widodo for never attending the United Nations General Assembly in person, promising that he would represent Indonesia at the annual gathering of world leaders. ____________________________________________ Tesla is recalling just over 120,000 Model S and Model X vehicles in the United States over the risk of doors being unlocked and opening during a crash, the automaker said Friday. Tesla vehicles are parked at a parking lot as the company is recalling over 2 million vehicles in the U.S. to install new safeguards in its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system, after a federal safety regulator cited safety concerns, in Richmond, California, U.S. December 14, 2023 _______________________________________________ Russia splashes $12B to keep aviation sector in the air Western planemakers Airbus and Boeing halted supplies of services and spare parts in March 2022 and dropped regular maintenance support for flag carrier Aeroflot and other Russian airlines.
Since then, Russia has spent 1.09 trillion roubles ($12.07 billion) supporting the civil aviation industry, including aircraft manufacturing and financial assistance for airlines "Our fleet of aircraft is very overloaded ... with foreign-made planes," President Vladimir Putin said last week. "We plan to produce more than 1,000 aircraft by 2030, our own planes. Work is needed." _______________________________________________ Globally, gold scaled a more than two-week high on Friday, rising for a second week as the dollar and U.S. Treasury yields slipped on rising expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates early next year Spot gold was up 0.4% at $2,052.69 per ounce as of 3:50 p.m. ET (20:50 GMT), its highest level since Dec. 4, putting it on course for a 1.7% weekly gain. U.S. gold futures settled 0.9% higher at $2,069.1. ______________________________________________ Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports are estimated to reach a new record of $5.6 billion this year, up 65.5% from 2022 thanks to a surge in demand from China.
Fruits and vegetables exceeded all other key produce categories such as rice, cashew nuts, coffee, and cassava, according to a preliminary forecast by the Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association (Vinafruit).
The figure exceeded the target by 40%, mostly thanks to China, which accounted for two-thirds of all exports. China imported $3.4 billion worth of vegetables and fruit in the first 11 months, up 148% year-on-year. There were also increases of between 2% and 31% in demand from other countries such as the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Japan, and the Netherlands.
Durian accounted for 40% of exports, followed by jackfruit, watermelon, grapefruit, and longan, all of which grew by 50-200% compared to the same period last year.
Vinafruit general secretary Dang Phuc Nguyen said that that China has been opening its market to absorb more Vietnamese produce thanks to the signing of several import protocols.
China has suspended a US$6.5 billion currency swap agreement with Argentina, and the freeze remains in effect until President Javier Milei demonstrates a clear intention to engage with Beijing, Argentine media have reported.
China and North Korea pledged to deepen cooperation as senior officials met for rare talks last week amid broader efforts by Beijing to shore up relations with its neighbours to counter external risks.
The US will increase cooperation between its troops stationed in the Indo-Pacific and other militaries to deter armed conflict with China in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, analysts said.
Chinese warships are visiting Myanmar, highlighting the strong relationship between the two countries' militaries amid recent clashes in border regions that threaten to complicate relations.
Antoinette Lattouf, an Australian-Lebanese journalist with the ABC network, was fired over social media posts calling out Israel's atrocities in the Gaza Strip. Lattouf was filling in for fellow journalist Sarah Macdonald on the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) Sydney mornings radio show and had two remaining slots before she was axed. At least 20,057 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October, with thousands more feared to be trapped under rubble.
The destruction of civilian infrastructure – including hospitals – and dire shortages of aid have sparked concerns over the spread of fatal diseases in Gaza.
Israel’s bombing of hospitals, schools, and places of worship has been decried as tantamount to war crimes by several rights groups and nations.
Australia produces more than 50% of the worlds Lithium and China accounts for over 90% of Australian Lithium exports. In 2014, as the global lithium market heated up, the WA-based mine owner Talison Lithium entered into a joint venture partnership with China's Tianqi and US-based Albemarle.
Core Lithium opens the Northern Territory's first lithium mine amid surging demand for electric vehicles whoops Core Lithium considers halt to mining near Darwin as lithium market 'deteriorates' Core Lithium officially opened its Finniss lithium mine near Darwin in 2022 It has suspended early works on its proposed second mine BP33 It is considering halting production because of falling lithium prices
Australia's resources exports are forecast to fall from $460 billion last year to $390 billion in 2023–24 3 Jul 2023 After reaching record highs, fossil fuel export values are set to drop sharply Sales of critical minerals such as lithium continue to grow, worth $46 billion in 2022–23 Sales of critical minerals such as lithium continue to grow, worth $46 billion in 2022–23
US giant Albemarle makes $6.6 billion takeover offer for WA lithium miner Liontown Resources 4 Sep 2023
Greenbushes, Australia's largest hard rock lithium mine, may be forced to reduce productionas prices for the key battery metal collapse on lower Chinese electric vehicle sales. Greenbushes is 51 per cent owned by a partnership between ASX-listed IGO and Tianqi, a Chinese lithium giant.30 Oct 2023
Lithium export earnings are forecast to fall as lower prices more than offset higher export volumes. Exports will be $14–15 billion in 2023–24 and 2024–25, down from record levels ($20 billion) in 2022–23. Price declines since the September quarter reflect rising lithium inventories.5 days ago
In contrast to the F-16, the JF-17 is designed to deploy Chinese weapons on its seven hardpoints, including the PL-5 short-range air-to-air missile, LS-6 ‘Thunderstone’ GPS-guided glide bombs, and YJ-12 supersonic and YJ-83 subsonic anti-shipping missiles. Though not directly integrated, the JF-17 can also carry electro-optical/infrared sensors and self-defense jammers on external pods.
While the JF-17 is not really comparable to cutting-edge F-35 or J-20 stealth fighters and even warplanes like the Rafale and Su-35, it is quite capable for its price, particularly once it integrates AESA radar and the PL-10 missile. If Turkey has to acquire non-Western fighters, the ideal choice could be Russian Su-35S Super Flankers, but that would further antagonize the West.
The purchase of fighter jets is required to plug the capability gap until Turkey’s indigenously developed fifth-generation fighter jet, KAAN, enters the operational fleet by 2034. Its maiden flight is expected on December 27, 2023. ____________________________________________________________________ Chinese submarines and warships will dock right under India’s nose very soon. In place of supplying submarines to the Bangladesh Navy, China is constructing a port in Cox’s Bazar, which was inaugurated earlier this year.
Satellite imagery suggests that China has made significant progress on the naval base, and the size of the base indicates that PLA-Navy will soon gain “logistical access” to the base.
In other words, the Chinese submarines will call and dock at the Bangladesh port for refurbishment and servicing. The experts are calling it China’s “submarine diplomacy”.
Christened the BNS Sheikh Hasina Naval Base, after the incumbent Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the base is constructed on a sprawling 1.75 square kilometer. The construction began in 2020, and the base was inaugurated in March 2023 by PM Sheikh Hasina, who called it “ultra-modern.” Several Chinese officials, including at least two senior PLA-N officers, attended the ceremony.
“Satellite imagery from July 2023 shows that construction continues. Despite the ongoing work, Bangladesh has already stationed its Chinese-made submarines there. Once completed, the base will be capable of docking six submarines and eight warships simultaneously,” the report titled “Submarine Diplomacy- A Snapshot of China’s Influence along the Bay of Bengal” read.
The Bay of Bengal lies on top of the sea lanes of communication that connect China, Japan, and Korea with the Middle East and Africa, and through these lanes, half of the world trade passes. ______________________________________________________ Iraq’s Oil Ministry has approved the sale of Japanese oil major Inpex Corporation’s 40 percent stake in the Block 10 region that contains the vast Eridu oil fields in the southern part of Iraq, clearing the way for Russian Lukoil to take total control of the entire oil-rich area. ____________________________________________ Iran’s Deputy Defense Minister, Brigadier General Mahdi Farahi, announced that the arrangements to acquire a range of advanced Russian military aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Yak-130 jet trainers, have been finalized, reported Tasnim News. ______________________________________________ Nigeria lauds performance of three JF-17 Thunder jets bought from Pakistan ______________________________________________-
Turkey links Sweden's NATO bid to US approving F-16 jet sales and Canada lifting arms embargo
AP: Ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership by Turkey’s parliament hinges on the U.S. Congress’ approval of Turkey’s request to purchase F-16 fighter jets, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, calling on the two legislatures to act “simultaneously.”
Western currencies have almost been completely phased out in Russia-China trade, as nearly all payments between the countries are now carried out in rubles and yuan, according to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. _______________________________________________ US national debt has continued to mount, jumping by $2.6 trillion in the six months through December to reach $33.8 trillion, according to the Treasury Department.
Dec 14, 2023 Bulk carrier boarded, probably hijacked, MAERSK container ship fired upon UKMTO reported distress signal received via VHF in the afternoon Dec 14 from cargo ship in Arabian sea some 400 nm east of Sokotra island – the ship was boarded by unknown persons. No other details given, ship’s name wasn’t revealed. Most probably, it’s a Bulgarian bulk carrier RUEN – her coordinates coincide with given by UKMTO, ship went adrift before AIS went off, since around 1540 UTC. She’s en route from Singapore to Turkey.
Dec 15, 2023 Container ship MSC PALATIUM III was hit by missile at around 1040 UTC Dec 15 27 nm WSW of Mukha, Yemen, southern Red sea, while sailing in southern direction from Mombasa to Jeddah. The ship turned back and by 1600 UTC already passed Bab al Mandeb Strait in southern direction, destination unknown.
Container ship MAERSK GIBRALTAR, operated by Canadian SEASPAN, was fired upon by a missile in southern Red sea northwest of Mukha, Yemen, missile missed. Crew reportedly safe, before missile attack the ship was ordered by Houthis to change course and sail into Yemeni waters. No AIS since around 1120 UTC. She’s en route from Salalah Oman to Jeddah Saudi Arabia.
Dec 15, 2023 Container ship AL JASRAH at around 1000 UTC Dec 15, while sailing in southern Red sea roughly abeam of Yemeni’s Mukha port, was hit by either drone or missile, which hit portside of the ship in probably, cargo deck area, causing fire. At least one container was thrown overboard by an explosion. Crew are safe. AL HASRAH is sailing in southern direction, en route from Greece to Singapore
Dec 20, 2023 Bulgarian seaman who was medevaced by Indian Navy ship and finally, transported to Indian hospital, was as it has become known, shot in shoulder and hit in head with rifle butt, because he didn’t obey kidnappers’ orders. RUAN as of 1330 UTC Dec 20, remained anchored off Somalia northeast coast in Indian ocean.
Danish shipping giant Maersk on Friday ordered its ships to no longer pass through the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait "until further notice" after new attacks.
The German shipowner Hapag-Lloyd also announced on Friday that it was suspending crossings of its container ships on the Red Sea at least until Monday after the attack on the Red Sea. one of its ships by the Houthis.
The Malaysian government has decided to restrict and prohibit Israeli-based shipping company, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd from docking at any Malaysian ports, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. ________________________________________________________ Gaza death toll reaches 20,000 as UN ceasefire vote postponed
Earlier recorded Argentina & Chinese support however since then right-wing government has taking over. CIA assisted the overthrow of Argentinian government in 1976, 31,000 people were disappeared, 1969 Biden attended US House committee and stated he would send NATO into Ukraine at that time. So I haven't bothered following current Argentina USA relationships. I regularly visited Argentina News links but na mate I guard my mind
A growing number of Chinese semiconductor design companies are tapping Malaysian firms to assemble a portion of their high-end chips, keen to hedge risks in case the U.S. expands sanctions on China's chip industry, sources said.
The companies are asking Malaysian chip packaging firms to assemble a type of chip known as graphics processing units (GPUs), according to three people with knowledge of the discussions.
The requests only encompass assembly - which does not contravene any restrictions - and not fabrication of the chip wafers, they said. Some contracts have already been agreed, two of the people added"Due to trade sanctions and supply chain issues, many chip design houses have come to Malaysia to establish additional sources of supply outside of their home countries to support their business."
Chip design firms also see Malaysia as a good option because the country is perceived as being on good terms with their home countries, is affordable, with an experienced workforce and sophisticated equipment, two of the sources said.
least we for get MH17 ______________________________________________ Jailed since he was convicted and sentenced to three years on graft charges on Aug. 5, Khan is embroiled in dozens of court cases, with some trials held in prison behind closed doors, which legal experts say infringes the right to fair proceedings.
A political crisis has swirled around the 71-year-old former cricket star since his ouster last year in a vote of confidence in parliament. The party crackdown followed a May assault on military sites by supporters protesting his brief arrest.
Khan won the last general election in 2018, a victory his opponents say was achieved with help from the military, which often plays an outsized role in making and breaking governments in Pakistan.
He, too, blames his removal on the military, after a falling-out with generals over the appointment of the chief of Pakistan's main spy agency, although the military denies supporting or ousting him. _______________________________________________ Oil company BP pauses all transits through Red Sea amid attacks from Houthis in Yemen 'In light of deteriorating security situation for shipping in the Red Sea, bp has decided to temporarily pause all transits through the Red Sea,' says company ____________________________________________________ Cairo. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who has ruled with an unquestioned grip for the past nine years, won reelection to a third, six-year term in office, election authorities announced Monday. He ran against three virtually unknown opponents.
The North Korean Defense Ministry has accused the US and South Korea of preparing for “nuclear war,” warning that any use of force against North Korea would be “met with a preemptive and devastating response.” The ministry’s statement came after Pyongyang’s forces test-fired a ballistic missile.
The ministry’s statement also condemned the arrival of the USS Missouri, a nuclear-powered submarine, in South Korea on Sunday, and described military drills held in August by American and South Korean forces as “a blatant declaration of nuclear confrontation.”
“We will never stand idly by and watch the provocative actions of the United States,” the ministry stated, adding that North Korean forces are prepared to “thoroughly neutralize the attempt by the United States and its followers to provoke nuclear war.”
“Any attempt by hostile powers to use force against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will be met with a preemptive and devastating response,” the statement concluded. ________________________________________________________ Russian oil companies have boosted exports of ESPO (Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean) grade crude to China through the port of Kozmino, with deliveries hitting a record high this month, Kommersant reported this week citing tracking data.
Shipments of Russia's ESPO grade oil from the Far Eastern port reached an all-time high of 925,000 barrels per day (bpd) in December, 85% of which is headed to China, the outlet said, citing energy analytics firm Kpler. Industry experts attributed the surge in exports of this type of crude to increased railway supplies. ___________________________________________________________ Iraq's Central Bank (ICB) struck deals with foreign nations to support Iraqi private banks in foreign currencies, coinciding with lawmakers' no-confidence efforts against ICB's governor amid currency pressure from the US dollar.
ICB and US officials have reached a deal to strengthen the reserves of 10 Iraqi banks with the US dollar after detailed discussions in Abu Dhabi, the state-run Iraqi News Agency reported on Sunday, 12 November, citing governmental sources within the meetings.
"Furthermore, the number of banks allowed to enhance their reserves in the Chinese Yuan through the Singapore Development Bank will increase to 13 banks. Two banks have already fortified their accounts in Indian Rupees with the Singapore Development Bank," the agency added.
Russia’s military has been unusually active in the Indian Ocean in the past month. First, from November 7-9, Russia conducted its largest exercise with Myanmar. Russia’s Defense Ministry called the naval drills held with Myanmar in the Andaman Sea “the first Russian-Myanmar naval exercise in modern history.” Two anti-submarine ships, Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev of the Russian Pacific Fleet, participated in the exercises with a frigate and a corvette from Myanmar’s navy.
Just days after the Myanmar drills, the same Russian warships docked at Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port in the Bay of Bengal – the first such visit in 50 years. The Russian embassy in Dhaka called it a “huge milestone for Russia-Bangladesh relations.”
India and Russia, too, conducted a two-day day naval drill, PASSEX, in the Bay of Bengal in November to “strengthen naval cooperation.” While all these exercises had the stated goal to develop and strengthen comprehensive naval cooperation, the exercises with India were conducted to help “two navies to jointly counter global threats and ensure the safety of civilian shipping in the Asia-Pacific region.”
India, Russia is a long-term partner and the oldest defense supplier. India too has stood with Russia after it faced Western criticisms and even sanctions for announcing war with Ukraine. India continued to purchase Russian oil when the Western countries refused to do so. In that regard, converting this year’s edition of the Indra exercises to PASSEX was a noteworthy development in bilateral relations.
Admiral Grigorovich is finishing up its port visit at Algiers having spent the period between December 4th and 9th in a joint naval exercise with the Algerian Navy
Chinese and Russian military forces have conducted their second joint strategic air patrol of 2023 in an effort to improve their air and naval force co-operation.
The joint air patrol, which was conducted on 14 December, comprised a nucleus of two Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) XAC H-6K and two Russian Federation Tupolev Tu-95M strategic bombers. An estimated 13 other Russian and Chinese combat aircraft participated in the patrol at various stages, according to the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD). __________________________________________________ The world's largest shipping group, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has announced it is diverting its ships away from the Red Sea because of an increased threat of attacks. In its announcement, MSC said the situation in the area had become "serious".
It said that its container ship MSC PALATIUM III was attacked on Friday as it was transiting the Red Sea. There were no injuries to the crew, but the ship had been taken out of service.
Its ships were being re-routed via the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.
Houthi group targets 2 commercial ships heading to Israel Houthis say they would target all ships heading to Israel, warn all shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports. In a statement, the Houthi group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said his group "carried out a military operation against two container ships – MSC Alanya and MSC PALATIUM III – that were heading to Israel." He said the attack was carried out by two missiles and took place "after the two ships' crews refused to respond to calls from our naval forces." Saree also said the attack was in support of the Palestinian people, and stressed his group "will continue to prevent all ships from heading to Israeli ports" until food and medicines are allowed into the Gaza Strip. ________________________________________________________ US and British militaries say they've shot down 15 attack drones over the Red Sea as more major shipping firms suspend passage through a corridor vital for global trade. __________________________________________________ Pakistan army chief meets with UN chief in New York to discuss Gaza, Kashmir issues Asim Munir reiterates Pakistan's position on Palestine issue, urges Antonio Guterres to mobilize global community to end hostilities in Gaza and prevent human tragedy Munir reiterated Pakistan's position on the Palestine issue and urged Guterres to mobilize the international community for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip to prevent a human tragedy from unfolding, said a statement issued by the Pakistan Army's media wing in Rawalpindi on Saturday. He also emphasized that the only long-term solution to the problem is a two-state solution. _______________________________________________ Russia’s foreign minister on Friday called for the formation of a sustainable security and cooperation architecture throughout the Eurasian continent. “The task is to build a sustainable architecture of security and cooperation throughout Eurasia together with constructively minded states and relying on existing integration associations,” Sergey Lavrov told a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Sergey Aleinik in Moscow. Saying NATO is increasing its activities on the borders of the union state between Russia and Belarus, Lavrov said the outcomes from the Vilnius summit in July confirmed the alliance’s “commitment to the aggressive and assertive containment” of Moscow and Minsk. Russia and Belarus are formally part of a union state and have been in talks for years to move closer together, a process that has accelerated in recent years.
Two major freight firms including MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co, the world's biggest container shipping line, on Saturday said they would avoid the Suez Canal as Houthis in Yemen stepped up their assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. __________________________________________ A Bulgarian-owned cargo vessel sailing under the Maltese flag was boarded in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Yemen on Thursday, Bulgarian National TV (BNT) has reported.
New Zealand National Government Debt New Zealand National Government Debt reached 90.0 USD bn in Sep 2023 e.g. Government Debt in New Zealand increased to 155273 NZD Million in 2023 NZ$ Debit Clock looks like+ NZ$166,979,832,999 at the moment
Global government debt is projected to hit $97.1 trillion this year, a 40% increase since 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments introduced sweeping financial measures to support the job market and prevent a wave of bankruptcies.
French debt reached the €3 trillion mark at the beginning of 2023, equivalent to 112% of its GDP. It reached its first trillion 20 years ago, in 2003.
France is not alone in this regard. Together with Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Belgium, it’s one of the EU and euro area countries whose debt is higher than 100% of their respective GDP.
Australian Government gross debt was under $52 billion. Between 2007 and March 2020 total Australian Government Securities (AGS) on issue increased to $580 billion, and is $897 billion as of 5 May 2023.
In absolute terms, Africa's public debt is lower than any other world region but Oceania. The total debt stock owed by all African governments equates to over $1.8 trillion. Germany alone has a greater debt stock than this at $2.9 trillion. Even adjusted for GDP, African debt does not stand out as being uniquely high with 49 African countries having lower public debt-to-GDP ratios than the US (122.2%) in 2023. Japan (258.2%) and Greece (166.0%) have higher public debt-to-GDP ratios than any African country.
African public debts are mainly held by non-African lenders and in foreign currencies
African countries' public debts are uniquely burdensome, in part because they are mainly owed to international rather than domestic lenders, making debt harder to refinance or restructure. Of the 10 African countries with data on creditor residency, seven owe more than half of public debt to overseas creditors. By contrast, over 70% of public debt in Canada, China, the UK and US is owed to domestic creditors.
External lenders prefer to lend to developing countries in their own currency or international ‘hard currencies’ (e.g. US dollar or Euro). Foreign currency debt carries an exchange rate risk. Industrialised countries usually borrow in their own currencies e.g. In the UK (£), China (CN¥), Canada (C$), and the US (US$) over 98% of central government debt is denominated in the local currency. By contrast, over 70% of Africa’s total public external debt is US dollar denominated.
Yet eight of the nine countries listed by the IMF as being in ‘debt-distress’ in 2023 are African. This is because structural factors make debt uniquely burdensome for Africa. Countries with the Lowest National Debt, Brunei. 3.2%, Afghanistan. 7.8%, Kuwait. 11.5%, Democratic Republic of Congo. 15.2%, Eswatini. 15.5%, Palestine. 16.4%, Russia. 17.8%
robplum Blog Comments (923)
One Belt and Road Initiative growing stronger
Seems to me big trouble comming sooner than later.Operation appear to have gone well. Walked today eat breakfast and lunch. Ice cream and jelly for diner. Amassing what they can do.