The question mark can be taken off, the answer is a resounding NO! As Biden's polling numbers sink to a low point, even Biden will not survive this year's midterm elections and face a more hostile Congress.  You will not hear "four more years" in 2024.

'Sapere aude'

The current and full-fledged iteration of the EU treaties dates [waaaaaaaay] back to 2009 [worldwide financial panic], several years after a round of aggressive eastward expansion that saw 12 new members join.

The treaties are essentially the EU's constitution, ["]sketching out["] the bloc's institutions, ["]clarifying the breakdown["] of powers between the [European Council and Council of the] EU and [27 states + 4 EFTA] members, and ["]outlining["] how decisions < wipes tears> are made. Since the EU's founding in the 1950s, they have been revised several times as ["]the body["] morphs and grows.
[...]
In parallel, the EU in 2021 also launched a "Conference on the Future of Europe," an eight-month-long ["]self-reflection forum["]  that asked citizens to offer thoughts on revising the ["]current and full-fledged iteration of the["] international institution EU treaties.

feat. GRAPHIC WARNING Germany in race against time to deploy new LNG import terminals, 1 Jul

The government is fast-tracking FSRU deployment and in May parliament approved a law designed to accelerate the approval process for new LNG import terminals. And the German regulator in June said it planned to lower the feed-in tariffs at LNG terminals by 40%, significantly improving the competitiveness of direct access into the unified German gas market hub, the THE.

Accelerated efforts
But according to industry group Zukunft Gas, work needs to speed up. "In order to achieve a capacity of 13 Bcm via LNG terminals in the coming year, the pace of constructing and expanding LNG capacities needs to increase." Zukunft Gas chair Timm Kehler said in emailed comments.
[...]
The German government acted quickly to charter four FSRUs -- two via Uniper [.RU] and two via RWE -- but it takes time to prepare the sites to hook up the vessels.

"So far we only know of one of these floating LNG terminals, Wilhelmshaven, to have a clear realization perspective," Kehler said.

And having import capacity is only one part of the puzzle -- Germany also needs LNG supply. The [IEA] has warned that Europe's pursuit of LNG to phase out Russian pipeline supply and limited global LNG export capacity additions raised the risk of prolonged tightness in markets. Germany has held talks with Qatar and Canada on the potential for LNG supply deals, while utilities EnBW and RWE are also eyeing long-term deliveries of US LNG....

DE | Germany sees massive dip in Russia exports, uptick in China imports, 13 June

Germany's exports to Russia have taken a nosedive since the invasion of Ukraine, the Federal Stastical Office, or Destatis, reported on Monday. At the the same time, however, imports into Germany from Russia were booming.
[...]
"The import surplus in foreign trade with Russia in April was €2.9 billion euros. In March, it had amounted to €3.4 billion," Destatis wrote. The German term "import surplus" is often called a "trade deficit" in English.
[...]
Regarding the sharp increase in Chinese imports into [?!] Germany, this was largely due to the import of chemical products worth €4.4 billion, a six-fold increase on the previous year. Surging demand for raw materials used in pharmaceutical production, data processing equipment, and other electrical equipment also drove the rise in [GERMANY] imports.

May 10: Unstable Stablecoin: How Crypto's Crash Broke The Buck

archived pirate guideline UPDATE!

Germany will notably use less gas for producing electricity, replacing it with energy produced by coal plants. "That means, to be honest, more coal-fired power plants for a transitional period. That's bitter, but it's almost necessary in this situation to reduce gas consumption," Habeck, from the Greens, noted. Existing coal plants will be upgraded to temporarily compensate the decline of energy production from gas-fired plants.

"Due to the delayed return of gas compressor units from repair by Siemens ... and technical engines' malfunctions, only three gas compressor units can currently be used at the Portovaya compression station," Gazprom said.

Siemens Energy, which was spun off from former parent Siemens (SIEGn.DE) in 2020, said in a statement that it supplied so-called aeroderivative gas turbines for a compressor station for Nord Stream 1 in 2009. These were manufactured in Canada and needed to be regularly sent back for maintenance, Siemens Energy said, adding one of the turbines was currently being overhauled in Montreal.

"Due to the sanctions imposed by Canada, it is currently impossible for Siemens Energy to deliver overhauled gas turbines to the customer. Against this background we have informed the Canadian and German governments and are working on a viable solution," the company said.

#Ukraine is running out of #ammunition as prospects dim on the battlefield
"Hopes that Ukraine will be able to reverse #Russian gains are fading in the face of superior firepower"
"200 #Ukrainian soldiers are now being killed every day"[_link] #UkraineWar

— Venus Throw (@OneVenusThrow) June 11, 2022

Ukrainian finance minister Natalya Yaresko estimated the war is costing Ukraine $10 million dollars a day, earlier today. European finance ministers agreed to loan Ukraine €1.5 billion in addition to the €15 billion loan programme agreed by the EU and Ukraine last March, as the Ministry of Finance has estimated that the war has shrunk the country's economy by 20%.

However, Kiev is unwilling to scale back its military in response to its economic problems as it is now prepared to extend the bracket for the nation-wide call to military service towards female citizens in a bid to reinforce its national security services and deliver on its plans to mobilise and enlist 200,000 Ukrainians in its arm forces by the end of 2015.

not that old "Gold Coast", the NEW! one

YLE | Gold Coast Debates 2022, 12 June A/V, mostly EN (ironically), episodes 1- 5, in which FI President Sauli Niinistö and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ruminate courses of mutual national security in the event Türkiye (FKA Turkey) vetoes either SE or FI application to enroll in NATO.

Not to be confused with either war-time "media" censorship enforced by unilateral EC directive, information service provider "content" labeling and censure d/b/a "demonitization", UN Declaration of Human Rights, UNGA, UNSC, ICC, ICJ jurisdiction and orders, or normatively legit US Foreign Agents Registration Act (1938, et seq.), because Reasons®:

Court finds Russian 'foreign agents' law violates human rights convention

The European Court of Human Rights sided with 73 Russian organizations impacted by the regulation, finding the law impedes the work of civil society groups and violates freedom of expression.
The controversial bill, which passed the Russian Parliament in the summer of 2012 with overwhelming support, is widely seen as a response to protests following Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency the same year. Initially, the bill applied to nongovernmental organizations that engaged in political activity and received financial support from abroad. Its reach has since been expanded to media outlets as well. The law requires such groups to declare in all of their communications and publications that they are "foreign agents," a Soviet-era term referring to Western spies. ...

supra a geopolitical power
archived HUAC (1938-1956) et seq., aesopian language, LQD: US Federal Law Eats World, vomits, Free Speech

EU launches legal action over UK's Northern Ireland Brexit bill

Two days after the U.K. presented controversial legislation allowing ministers to effectively ignore parts of the Northern Ireland protocol, the European Commission took aim at Britain's "illegal" proposal. Brussels' move -- described as "disappointing" by London -- could eventually see the two sides face each other in court.

The Commission is launching two new lawsuits against the U.K., accusing it of failing to meet two obligations under the [NI] protocol, a crucial and long-negotiated part of the BREXIT divorce deal [EU Withdrawal Agreement as opposed to UK Withdrawal Bill]

"Let it be no doubt: There is no legal nor political justification whatsoever for unilaterally changing an international agreement," [EC VP Maroš Šefčovič] said. "Opening the door to unilaterally changing an international agreement is a breach of international law as well. So let's call a spade a spade. This is illegal."

The EU executive will also resume an infringement process [?!] launched against the U.K. last year [2021?!], which had been put on hold to create room for talks with London on how to make the operation of the protocol less burdensome on businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland.

"Ukraine has clearly demonstrated its aspiration and determination to live up to European values and standards," President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said.

The Commission on Friday also proposed making Moldova an EU membership candidate. The EU's executive said that this was premised on the understanding that the country would carry out reforms.

Von der Leyen said that Moldova  "is on a real pro-reform, anti-corruption and European path," adding, "It still has a long way to go. But we believe it has the potential to live up to the criteria."

The country shares a long stretch of border with Ukraine.

"What we must do to end the war is clear. Put pressure on Russia, maintain European unity, continue to support Ukraine and try to ensure that Vladimir Putin's aggressive plans do not succeed."

Fiala also emphasised the need for solidarity across the bloc to deal with the influx of Ukrainian refugees, of which the Czech Republic has received over 350,000. In cooperation with the European Commission, the presidency will focus on the allocation of sufficient funding to the relevant member states, organisations and civil society actors who tackling the crisis.

Moreover, the Czech Presidency hopes to organise an EU-Ukraine summit in October 2022, personally attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, depending on the security situation in the country at the time.
[...]
Prague has confirmed its full support of the EU's Fit for 55 and REPowerEU legislative packages, including all measures needed to end Europe's dependency on Russian energy imports by 2027.

"Last but not least, the Czech Presidency will focus on the role of nuclear energy in ensuring EU energy security and meeting the EU's climate goals," the official document, presented on 15 June, writes.

The European Commission is expected to publish its opinion on Ukraine's candidate status on Friday (17 June), which leaves EU leaders roughly a week to study the document before they are to decide on the matter at a crucial EU summit on 23-24 June.
[...]
Macron also stressed the EU would need to prepare for these upcoming enlargements "by modernising its structures and procedures."

"[President] Zelenskyy knows that it is a way forward, not just a step," said  Italy's [Grandpa] Draghi.

It was not immediately clear, however, what conditions would be attached to Ukraine's EU candidacy bid, but it is likely that the bloc might request strict requirements on rule of law, institutional reforms, as well as the fight against corruption, before agreeing to formally launch accession talks.

The aspiration to belong to the European Union has for many years been an important priority for Ukraine, its governments and citizens. It has been an underlying motive for democratic changes over the past decade and a driver of a number of key reforms founded on European values. The decision in late 2013, of the then-President not to sign, the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which symbolised for many Ukrainians a path towards the European Union, led to large-scale protests against the authorities.

Subsequently < wipes tears> , the Russian Federation moved against Ukraine, not accepting the independent choice of the Ukrainian people. While losing control over part of its territory and suffering human and economic losses because of the conflict in the eastern part of the country, Ukraine continued throughout the years as a resilient democracy moving closer to the European Union and gradually aligning with the acquis. ...

Sincerely commend EU leaders' decision at #EUCO to grant 🇺🇦 a candidate status. It's a unique and historical moment in 🇺🇦-🇪🇺 relations. Grateful to @CharlesMichel, @vonderleyen and EU leaders for support. Ukraine's future is within the EU. #EmbraceUkraine https://t.co/o6dJVmTQrn

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 23, 2022

Today I will vote for the Prime Minister he has my 100% support. He has got all the big calls right. Today I have spoken to my Conservative association chairman, Deputy chairman, voluntary agent and CWCC chairwoman all are fully behind Boris!

— Peter Bone MP (@PeterBoneUK) June 6, 2022

Mild respiratory COVID can cause multi-lineage neural cell and myelin dysregulation https://t.co/otPsUgZT5t

— Nat Rev Neurology (@NatRevNeurol) June 14, 2022

There may be limits on how much more capacity [sic] can be added [to WHAT?]. The U.S. Energy Information Administration on Friday released estimates that "refinery utilization will reach a monthly average level of 96 percent twice this summer, near the upper limits of what refiners can consistently maintain."

India has faced severe criticism from the [UKRAINE ALLIES] since it imposed restrictions on wheat exports on 13 May [after US, EU imposed sanctions against RU shipping, commercial "entities," and SWIFT transactions].

India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has suggested his country's export ban was imposed to prevent "diversion to high-income countries."

The Indian minister alleged that international traders based out of Singapore and Dubai stocked [hoarded] Indian wheat to later sell it off, resulting in a four-fold price increase [like, say, COVID-19 "vaccines" and patent-protected pHARMA licenses].

To plug the trade gap left by the war, the EU and other Western countries stress the need for trade flows to continue at all costs, while others advocate for countries' right to safeguard food stocks for their own populations. Since [PUTIN'S WAR] started on 24 February, some 27 [?] countries, including India, have put [export] restrictions in place.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged [REST OF WORLD] not to impose any restrictions on trade.

"The European Union keeps its food exports going [FALSE], and so should everyone else [except you-know-who]," she said following a meeting of EU leaders on 9 June.

"The WTO's attacks against our model of market regulation are extremely dangerous. The G33 [EME!] must continue to resist and build based on the aspirations and hopes of small-scale producers," he concluded.

Meanwhile, Morgan Ody, a French small farmer and general coordinator of La Via Campesina, called the WTO a "failed project".

"[We] call on all states, especially those in the South, to leave the WTO immediately. We must create a new international framework for agriculture and trade based on food sovereignty. Only then can we defend the interests of small-scale food producers," she said.

reference
coceral | MY 2021/2022 Total Grain Production per Country, 27 May
European Association of cereals, rice, feedstuffs, oilseeds, olive oil, oils and fats and agrosupply trade
circabc.europa.eu | Cereals Market Situation, 2 June *.ppt
EU Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets: MY 2021/2022 world production: world consumption, etc; MY 2022/2023 forecast

A: not even close to; src: AgManager | Grain Market Impacts a/o 21 Mar 2022

supra

Jaishankar: The answer is "B": You don't understand in the west. But it isn't just the west. I don't think people understand, because they are not actually tracking the trade. We have been exporting wheat. ... But what we then saw was a kind of run on our wheat, a large part of it done by international traders base out of Singapore and to some degree, maybe Dubai. The result was actually the low-income countries many of whom are our traditional buyers like our neighbor Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Napal ... the Gulf buys regularly from us... Sudan ... Yemen ... What we saw was the low-income buyers were being squeezed out in a way our goodwill was being used for speculation. So we had to do something to stop that.
[...]
Somewhere Europe has to grow out of the mind-set that  Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's. That it is you, it's yours; if it is me, it's ours.

As around 19 of the 30 raw materials that the European Commission has labelled `critical' are primarily produced in China, there is a high risk that these dependencies could lead to supply ["]disruptions["] for the EU's industrial sector.
[...]
The EU's dependency on China is particularly high when it comes to rare earths, a crucial element for many high-tech products, where China accounts for 95% of the bloc's imports.

"We should not accept that we have more than 25% of raw materials coming from one geographic area, whatever this area is, as such a dependency implies huge supply risks," [World Material Summit chair Phillipe] Varin added.

The dependency on China is even higher when it comes to the first stage of processing many of these critical raw materials intermediate goods. Andre Wolf, divisional head at the Centre for European Policy, told EURACTIV: "When it comes to the first stage of processing intermediate goods, I see perhaps an even greater dependence on China than it is the case regarding the physical concentration of reserves raw materials."

According to Wolf, China has already achieved a technological lead in this area, which would make it difficult for Europe to catch up in the foreseeable future.

The availability of strategic raw materials is also mentioned in the priorities of the upcoming Czech Presidency in the EU. The growth of  demand in the [EU, US] bloc is primarily driven by the Commission's goal of achieving [advanced economy] carbon neutrality.

To boost the diversification of supply chains, the EU is additionally also working on partnerships on raw materials with third states.

On Tuesday, the European Commission - alongside France and Germany - entered a Mineral Security Partnership with Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom to address the growing international demand EXISTENTIAL CRISIS.

However, according to Varin, more needs to be done in this regard. "We have to engage in a materials diplomacy that is forging long-term partnerships with friendly states and get access to resource-rich countries", Varin said, adding that ["]relations["] with Africa will be crucial here.

Senegalese President Macky Sall, who currently chairs the African Union, on Sunday called on Brussels to provide some scope for African countries to pay for imported cereals and fertilizers from Russia despite EU sanctions excluding Russian banks from [SWIFT] payment systems.

"We want to pay, but it is becoming impossible. So we ask the Europeans for the same mechanism as for gas and oil," Sall told Le Journal du Dimanche in an interview.[...] That problem was also discussed during a bilateral meeting in Paris between Sall and French President Emmanuel Macron last week. Macron then told Sall that disruptions have nothing to do with EU sanctions, according to an Elysée official.

Sall said that Senegal is not dependent on grain imports, but warned that fertilizer shortages will have an impact on local production.

"The destabilization of Africa due to famine is as important as the outcome of the war in Ukraine today," the African leader warned.

Politico.eu.com | G7 to discuss Russian oil price cap fixing via sanctions relief waiver sales, 24 June INNOVATION

Western countries NATO members are becoming increasingly frustrated that their currency embargoes on Russian oil have had the counterproductive effect of driving up the global petrol [sic] prices, meaning that Moscow, which continues to sell oil to countries such as India [!] and China [!], ends up earning more money for its war chest federal budget.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet "transitory *flation" Yellen has proposed to tackle this issue market failure with a price cap fixing: The idea is that the EU and ["post-BREXIT"] U.K., which are currently trying to restrain hamper Russian oil sales trade by banning maritime insurance for the cargo any ships that transport oil Russian cargo, would lift this sanction for those countries that accepted to only buy Russian oil at an agreed maximum REPowerEU Versaille "collective" market intervention "partnership" USD- or EUR-denominated price.

In addition, the [European Council and Council of the] EU would have to amend its latest sanctions package to lift ship insurance bans.

"It's all very, very complex ... but we're working together very constructively to get it done," a senior German official said.

Wagner company arrived in January 2022, western forces started leaving in February 2022.

Western forces leaving now is more likely due to the Mali governments collaboration with the Wagner company than any concern for democracy.

France and Germany put heavy pressure on African governments to attend the Zoom call, which was held on June 20.
[...]
France's major newspaper Le Monde described Zelensky's video call as "an address that the African Union (AU) has delayed for as long as possible and has been keen to keep discreet, almost secret." Ukraine had tried to organize the conference since April, but the AU had repeatedly pushed it back.
[...]
Citing an internal source, The Africa Report identified the very few African heads of state who attended the call as [AU and] Senegal's President Macky Sall, Côte d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara, [Mohamed al-Menfi from Libya Presidential Council, Moussa Faki from AU Commission,] and the Republic of the Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso.
[...]
The only official recognition of the call came from Faki, in a lone tweet [?], in which he cautiously "reiterated the AU position of the urgent need for dialogue to end the conflict to allow peace to return to the Region and to restore global stability."

Je remercie le Président @ZelenskyyUa pour son adresse conviviale de ce jour à la réunion virtuelle du Bureau élargi de l'@_AfricanUnion. L'Afrique reste attachée au respect des règles du droit international, à la résolution pacifique des conflits et à la liberté du commerce. pic.twitter.com/63jZCvamix

— Macky Sall (@Macky_Sall) June 20, 2022

The New Yella Cake reported Monday that a number of freight vessels have departed Russia-controlled ports with what US officials have described as "stolen Ukrainian grain." Reportedly, the US alerted 14 countries, mostly in Africa, that Russian ships carrying stolen Ukrainian grain, could be headed their way.

The U.S. alerted 14 countries, mostly in Africa, that Russian ships carrying stolen Ukrainian grain could be headed their way, posing a dilemma to countries facing dire food shortages.https://t.co/nl9tmN49uP

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 6, 2022

Question:  Second question is on Ukraine.  The Ukraine Foreign Minister [inaudible] said that Russia is allegedly stealing Ukrainian grain and must be investigated.  Is the UN aware of such conduct of Russia in Ukraine?

[Stéphane Dujarric]:  We have seen... there were recent media reports.  We are talking to our colleagues at WFP (World Food Programme), who would be in the lead.  There is no...  they have no way of verifying these allegations.  I think WFP, as we all have, have been advocating for free movement of food from the Black Sea to ensure that the needs of people around the world are met, and that is what the Secretary‑General has been working towards.

Moscow agreed with Kyiv and Ankara a preliminary scheme for the exit of Ukrainian ships with grain from Odessa: in the territorial waters of the neighboring country, the Turkish military will be engaged in de-mining, they will also escort the ships to neutral waters. There, the ships will meet Russian ships and escort them to the Bosphorus. This was stated to Izvestiya by a high-ranking informed source. According to him, so far the scheme has been agreed only for Odessa. The interlocutor also noted: all Ukrainian grain is now delivered to the EU by rail and bus, but it has not yet reached the end consumers. The Turkish parliament explained to Izvestiya that Ankara is participating in this operation, since it is important for it to resolve the world food problem.
[...]
As a high-ranking informed source told Izvestia, Ukraine agreed to allow Turkish ships into its territorial waters to clear mines from the agreed part of the water area and create a "grain corridor".
[...]
The scheme will be as follows: the Turkish military will be engaged in demining the coastal zone in the Odessa region. Vessels leave the port under the escort of Turkish ships to the neutral waters of the Black Sea, to the set coordinate. Further to the Bosporus, they will be escorted by Russian warships to ensure their safe passage through the Black Sea and prevent provocation.

According to him, the "road map" will be approved on June 8-9 during the visit of the heads of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry to Turkey. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov has already confirmed that Sergei Lavrov during his visit to Ankara will discuss the issue of the export of grain.

The source also specified that UN representatives would also participate in the talks. Most likely, it will be the head of the humanitarian mission of the organization Martin Griffiths - on June 3, the diplomat arrived in Moscow to discuss with the Russian authorities the clearing of the sea route for the export of grain and other food products from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine, Reuters reported .
[...]
Izvestia asked the Russian embassies in Ankara and Turkey in Moscow for details.

"So far, grain from Ukraine is delivered by rail and trucks to the EU countries and Moldova, but we have not yet seen this grain reach the end consumers. This begs the question: won't the EU keep Ukrainian wheat as payment for arms supplies? - added the source of Izvestia.

Joe Biden Promoting Human Rights In Middle East

Overthrow of Imran Khan and Biden's Blitzkrieg Arab States

'Sapere aude'

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department did not address questions about the requested preconditions. [...] Brazil's presidential palace did not respond to a request for comment about the tenor of the Burns meeting. The CIA declined to comment.

A ceremony was held yesterday at the mine site, during which a detonation was carried out, symbolising the beginning of open pit mining in a new area, the Engenho mine.
[...]
He added: "Today, INB is resuming production of uranium in Caetité, generating with this jobs in the order of 600 direct and about 1800 indirect. With this, there will be an injection of financial resources in the local economy of approximately 76 million reals (USD14.6 million) per year and almost 30 million per year in the collection of state and municipal taxes."

Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, who attended the ceremony, said: "This resumption is the first phase to consolidate our proposal to make Brazil self-sufficient and a yellowcake exporter."

Uranium mining was long banned in the Brazilian state of Ceara. But shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine, Jair Bolsonaro allowed mining to start.

The Spanish foreign minister will attend the Summit of the Americas in LA and the pledge is expected to provide a political boost to the Biden administration.
[...]
The resettlement of Central American refugees in Spain was addressed at the first meeting that the Spain-US Working Group on Central America held in Madrid on May 25, with two delegations chaired by Spain's Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean, Juan Fernández Trigo, and the US State Department's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Emily Mendrala.

According to a source at the Foreign Ministry, the delegations discussed "proposals and actions in order to address jointly and with the countries of the region the challenges posed by forced displacement and movements of irregular migrants from Central America."

Iranian President Raisi said the document establishes formal "cooperation in the fields of energy, thermal power plants, repair and overhaul of refineries, exportation of technical and engineering services, economic, defense and military relations in the current government are indicatiative of the existence of many potentials and capacities in the two countries."
[...]
This agreement follows another historic 25-year cooperation plan that Iran signed with China in 2021, which has been estimated at $400 billion. Top Iranian diplomats signed similar deals with Nicaragua's Sandinista government in May.
[...]
Maduro announced that, as of July, there will be regular flights between Caracas and Tehran.

He added that a large oil tanker built by Iranian company Sadra was delivered to Venezuela. The vessel has a capacity of 800,000 barrels. Iran has helped Venezuela circumvent illegal US sanctions, breaking the blockade that Washington has imposed on the South American nation, which makes it difficult to export oil and import the lighter petroleum and diluents that Caracas needs to process its heavy crude.
[...]
Before his trip to Iran, Maduro also visited Algeria and Turkey. In his meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Maduro said the leaders discussed "our firm solidarity with Palestine, support for the Saharawi people, and shared concern about the situation in brotherly Libya."

Crucially, Russia, isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine, approved the new policy, allowing OPEC to keep its main partner [RF] in the fold, while extending an olive branch to the US, which has pushed the alliance to pump more crude to tame soaring prices. In effect, however, most OPEC+ countries will be unable to fulfill the higher quotas, constrained by their own lack of upstream investment or internal instability. That would leave Saudi Arabia and the UAE able to capitalize as the two members holding any significant spare capacity.

a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement who has vowed profound social and economic change, will be Colombia's next president after beating construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez in an election on Sunday.

Petro, a current senator and previous mayor of Bogota, won 50.8% of votes, figures from the national registry office showed, while Hernandez trailed by 797,973 votes, tallying 46.9%.

His presidential campaign brought together a broad coalition of left-wing parties, under the name the Pacto Histórico (Historic Pact), ranging from liberals to the Communist Party.

Petro will face many obstacles to governing. He does not have a majority in the bicameral Congress; both the Senate and Chamber of Representatives remain dominated by right-wing, centrist, and neoliberal parties.

Colombia's state security services, which are closely linked to paramilitary groups, and which killed thousands of civilians in the "falsos positivos" (false positives) scandal, are also openly antagonistic to Petro. The chief of Colombia's armed forces, General Eduardo Zapateiro, publicly attacked Petro on Twitter, violating national laws that stipulate that military officers cannot interfere in the electoral process....

This was stated by its President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday during a discussion at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"In general, it has been calculated that if the right of nations to self-determination is actually realized throughout the globe, then instead of the 193 states that are now members of the UN, more than 500 or 600 states will arise on Earth. Of course, it will be chaos. For this reason, we we do not recognize either Taiwan, or Kosovo, or South Ossetia, or Abkhazia."

Officials from the U.S., IMF, World Bank and the Bank for International Settlements argue that by adopting cryptocurrencies, nations could facilitate money laundering and undermine capital controls, while exposing their citizens to severe price volatility.
[...]
Dong He, Deputy Director of the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department, said the prospect of a sudden drop in the price of Bitcoin -- which has lost more than half its value since November -- made it unsuitable as a national currency.

"What would happen to the tax revenue? What would happen to your obligations to spend on social services?" said He, who declined to address the anti-crypto provisions in Argentina's letter to the fund.
[...]
[G7] Activists and [*coin] investors ... contend that the reservations of the world's monetary stewards have less to do with protecting the well-being of citizens of the developing world than with preserving a system in which the central banks and governments of rich countries dominate the global ["messaging"] system.

"Bitcoin stands against everything the IMF stands for," said Alex Gladstein [!], chief strategy officer of the ["]Human Rights["] Foundation, an NGO that supports Bitcoin adoption sales. "It's an ["]outside money["] that's beyond the control of these alphabet soup organizations."

Celsius Network, a crypto lending margin loan business whose promise of eye-popping yields for retail consumers traders attracted a barrage of scrutiny from regulators, announced late Sunday night that it was halting withdrawals and crypto-for-crypto trading services for more than 2 million customers "due to extreme market conditions."
[...]
State and federal market regulators have targeted crypto lending strategies as a potential violation of securities law. BlockFi, a New Jersey-based platform brokerage, reached a $100 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission and 32 state agencies after it was accused of selling unlicensed investment products for about three years.

A representative of Ukraine told the Security Council that Putin's war threatens some 400 million people globally who rely on Ukrainian grain exports, which have almost stopped due to blockages of Ukrainian seaports. Russia is also seizing Ukrainian grain for its own consumption or to illegally sell it on international markets, he said.

Cafarliar falsely insinuates that Putin said that.
It was the moderator who said "Some people say [narrative]" [_link] pic.twitter.com/WCgiqM4xbg

— Moon of Alabama (@MoonofA) June 24, 2022

From this definition the so-called freedom fighters or jihadists supported by the Arab home countries and the US-UK have no legal status to be called a combatant in a foreign country with protection under UN Geneva Convention.

On the other hand, the Taliban or Al Qaeda fighters in their country of residence do have legal POW status .... from a brief summary. War crimes must always be punished, no loopholes. A long legal battle may ensue.

The U.K. Foreign Office did change tactics from encouraging Britons to volunteer to a warning doing so at their own risk. Nice reminder during busy months of PartyGate.

'Sapere aude'