Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

July 2022

by Bernard Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:37:17 PM EST

Your take on this month's news

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July 2022 | 226 comments (226 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
EUROPE
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:37:53 PM EST
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 0)
ukrgate | Poland will cancel payments to Ukrainian refugees: date set, 2 June
From July 1, Poland will stop paying financial assistance to refugees from Ukraine, which amounted to 40 zlotys (UAH 276) per day.
Details WSWS
According to government spokesman for refugees Pavel Bossernaker, benefits will not be waived for people with disabilities, pregnant women and those with many children. Others have to get a job.
[...]
"We pay huge social funds - from 300 zlotys for each to 500+ zlotys for each child and others that are the result of social benefits. In addition, we see that many Ukrainians are looking for work. We want to encourage others to be active. Four months full protection is, in our opinion, enough time, "said a senior politician, albeit on condition of anonymity.
TheHindu | Zelensky asks NATO summit for modern artillery, money, 29 June
"Russia still receives billions every day and spends them on war. We have a multibillion-dollar deficit, we don't have oil and gas to cover it," Mr. Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine needs around $5 BILLION A MONTH for its defence.
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 12:16:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 0)
Politico.eu.com | Commission proposes €1B in aid to Ukraine
"The European Commission today proposed to provide €1 billion in loans to Ukraine as macro financial assistance, as a first tranche of a €9 billion aid package announced over a month ago."

Eurozone new inflation record adds pressure on ECB
"Core inflation, which strips out [energy, food] components and is seen as a good indicator for underlying price pressures, eased slightly to 3.7 percent in June from 3.8 percent in May."

by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 01:31:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 0)
DW | EU to set up a PLATFORM for Ukrainian reconstruction, 4 July
Ukraine's PM says his country needs 750 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS for recovery plan

[Ukrainian PM Denys] Shmyhal also told the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano that there had been over $100 billion (€96 billion) of direct damage to infrastructure from Russia's invasion. He added that the Ukrainian government believed that a key source of funding for the recovery plan should be assets confiscated from Russian oligarchs. According to Shmyhal, Ukraine's recovery plan has three phases
[...]
The European Union will set up a reconstruction platform to coordinate the rebuilding of Ukraine after its war with Russia, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission said on Monday. The platform will be used to map investment needs, coordinate action and channel resources, von der Leyen told the Ukraine Recovery Conference in the Swiss city of Lugano.

"Since the beginning of the war, the European Union has mobilized around €6.2 billion ($6.48 billion) in financial support," von der Leyen said. "And... more will come. We will engage substantially in the mid- and long-term reconstruction."

Zelenskyy says Ukraine reconstruction is 'common task' of democratic world

"Reconstruction of Ukraine is the biggest contribution to the support of global peace," Zelenskyy said, speaking via video link to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, southern Switzerland. "Russia's war against Ukraine is not only an attempt to seize our land and destroy state institutions, to break our independence. It is a worldview confrontation. The anti-democratic and anti-European system built in Russia is trying to prove that it is supposedly stronger than all of us: Ukraine, Europe, and the democratic world," he said.

euractiv | EIB to raise €100 billion to help rebuild Ukraine, 4 July
The EU-Ukraine Gateway Trust Fund (E-U GTF) would seek to have an initial €20 billion in contributions from EU countries and the EU budget in the form of grants, loans, and ["]guarantees["].
DICTION CORNER: *-Eng. guarantee, guarantor, and ...collateral
The guarantees in particular would have A MULTIPLIER EFFECT [compound interest?], leading to infrastructure projects totalling some €100 billion, the document said, about half [?] of Ukraine's more immediate needs.

The EIB's proposal is set to be UNVEILED on Monday (4 July), the first day of the international Ukraine Recovery Conference in Switzerland that aims to provide resources to Ukraine and aid a post-war recovery.

archived $600 billion, $600 million
by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 05:22:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 0)
Ukrinform | Ukraine Recovery: Lugano Conference participants sign Outcome Declaration, 5 July "legally non-binding" USD 750B mortgage doc
The relevant statement was made in the Lugano Declaration, which was endorsed as part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference held in the Swiss city of Lugano on July 4-5, 2022, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"guarantors": EU-EC, AT, BE, HR, CY, ET, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, LA, LT, LI, LU, MT, MD, NL, MK, PO, RO, SK, SI, ES; SE, NO, DK; CH, UA; US, UK, CA, TR, IS,; JP, AU, KR, IL, AL; COE, EBRD, EIB, OECD
archived Zelensk* morality play, Apr
by Cat on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 05:14:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
bootstrap errata (none / 0)
.EE, not ET, is the tld of Estonia, the Baltic Tiger
by Cat on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 05:34:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 0)

captured from a Duran YT daily dispatch (mostly about EU *flation and US sales of SPR crude to off-shore buyers). Is it a A/V still frame or photo? I can't find a likely source, but the event is obviously the July 4-5 Ukraine Recovery/Reconstruction Conference in Lugano, CH--

Several countries and companies have made financial pledges for Ukraine. Switzerland said it would double its aid to Ukraine to CHF100 million by the end of 2023.
latest in the series of road shows since 2014. Am idly wondering if the territory allocation pitch was prospective or final.
by Cat on Thu Jul 7th, 2022 at 06:59:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 0)
EU Writes A Reconstruction Road Map

Outcome Document
of the Ukraine Recovery Conference URC2022
'Lugano Declaration'
Lugano, 4-5 July, 2022

... by the present political, legally non-binding, document.

Ukraine struggling now, but winter will be even worse: UNHCR chief

Next conference planned for 2023

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Jul 7th, 2022 at 08:19:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
supra (none / 1)
I posted a link to the declaration. I was only partly joking, when I cast the EU $750B capital raising venture as a mortgage note.

I'd like to believe there is no one left in this forum who honestly expects UA family, friends, and "Marshall Plan" angels to grant What I'm interested in is .*ppt proposal  presentations made by EC functionaries and UA "advisors" to High-level international "donors" whose demands for risk-rated return, secured collateral, fiduciary regulation, explicit term sheets, and exit such as option to sell "assets" (bonds) issued by this Solidarity/Recovery/Reconstruction "coordination" corp.

by Cat on Thu Jul 7th, 2022 at 10:58:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 1)
6 days ago
European Commission proposes first €1 billion tranche of the new macro-financial assistance for Ukraine
As for all previous MFA loans, the Commission will borrow funds on international capital markets and transfer the proceeds on the same terms to Ukraine. This loan to Ukraine will be backed for 70% of the value by amounts set aside from the EU budget.
[...]
In addition, earlier this year the Commission granted an MFA emergency loan of €1.2 billion, for which the Commission raised funds in two private placements in the first half of 2022. On 18 May, the Commission set out plans in a Communication [18.05.22] for the EU's immediate response to address Ukraine's financing gap, as well as the longer-term reconstruction framework.
8 hrs ago
BNN Bloomberg.ca | [EC Commissioner for Budget and Administration] Seen Blocking 1.5 Billion-Euro Loan to Ukraine
oh
by Cat on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 02:05:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 1)
Ukrinform is funded in whole or in part by the Ukrainian government.
Linguocide on the temporarily occupied territories, */V, running time 00:23:05

Patrick Lancaster is a crowd-funded journalist.

running time 00:34:13

LANCASTER: You say the word "of freeing," but what does that really mean to you? Why do you day it?
NIkOLAI: Why do you use the term "liberated"? Because we were bullied here. They prohibited us to speak Russian. It was not so strict in our area, but why it was also tough here, all documents were in Ukrainian. Even though half of the population here speaks Russian, and even those who proposed to introduce only Ukrainian language were not so smart in the Ukrainian lanugage themselves.
RAISA: They spoke Russian themselves!
NIkOLAI: They spoke surjik [a mixture of the Russian and Ukrainian languages]. If you ask them to translate a word, they can't.
by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 06:55:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 1)
While the $750B Lugano venture capital pitch idles, EU is accepting pirate guideline advice from Ukraine's Justice Minister Denys Maliuska -- graduate of the 9/11 School of Occasional Sovereign Immunities Law.

euractive | EU ["]freezes["] Russian assets worth €13.8 billion, but struggles to move towards seizure

"For the moment, we have frozen confiscated - coming from oligarchs and other entities - €13.8 billion, so it's quite huge," European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders told reporters in Prague.... German Finance Minister Christian Lindner put the value of assets frozen confiscated by the country alone at €4.48 billion in mid-June. At the end of June, [the Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs Task Force (REPO) ] said its members, including several EU countries, had blocked confiscated $30 billion in assets belonging to Russian oligarchs and officials.
reputed, deputed, noncombatant state actors
Ukraine's Justice Minister Denys Maliuska in Prague on Tuesday repeated calls for seized assets to be used to cover compensation for war damages.

"Currently they are protected by sovereign immunity [statutes of which nations?], but our understanding is that assets [such as citizens] of a state (that) started a war, committed aggression, shall not be protected by sovereign immunity," he said. "We are suffering from economic losses, and it does not make sense to [re]cover all those losses with Ukrainian or European taxpayers' money," Maliuska added.

"exploring" summary judgment
Many [EU] member states, for various reasons, are struggling to freeze confiscate assets of people sanctioned by the [European Council which "is not part of the EU"] for their ["]ties["] to the Kremlin government of the Russian Federation. Furthermore, they lack legal powers to confiscate frozen assets.
[...]
common EU rules, in theory, would make it easier to investigate, prosecute, and punish violations [by anyone of [European Council of the European Union] sanctions against any foreign state] and, in the next step, seize assets with the help of the new 'Freeze and Seize' Task Force, set up by the Commission in March [to raid Gazprom Germania?].
[...]
To determine the feasibility of seizures, the European Commission earlier this month gave its approval to a pilot project to explore aspects such as sanction adoption, asset freezes forfeiture, asset confiscation, and ["]reintroduction["] of the confiscated assets into [WHOSE?] national economy for ["]social use["], as well as into the EU budget for public spending in Ukraine.
Politico.eu.com | LAWLESS EUROPE: How EU states defy The Law and get away with it, 6 July
"Poland and Hungary are just the tip of the iceberg ...The stories they brought back from the four corners of the EU show widespread defiance of laws cooked up in Brussels"
archived EU constitution, infringement procedures
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 02:35:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 bootstraps infringement (none / 1)
Judgment of the Court in Case C-348/20 P | Nord Stream 2 v Parliament and Council [of the European Union]
However, by concluding that, in the absence of transposing measures adopted by the Member States, a directive cannot by itself, in any circumstances, create obligations for an individual, or be the direct and immediate source of such obligations, or consequently directly affect the legal situation of the person concerned, the General Court infringed its obligation to assess those effects having regard to the substance of the legal act concerned and not to its form.

The Court also holds that the amending directive, by extending the scope of application of the gas directive to interconnectors located between Member States and third countries, such as the interconnector that Nord Stream 2 AG intends to operate, has the consequence of subjecting the operation of that interconnector to the rules laid down by the latter directive.

Therefore, the Court finds that the amending directive directly affects the legal situation of Nord Stream 2 AG, with the result that, by arriving at the opposite conclusion on that point, the General Court committed an error of law. ...

CURIA, full text
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 05:40:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
ancient history bootstraps : 50% of zero (none / 0)
Nord Stream 2 to Put End to "ukrainian Monopoly" in Gas Transit, if It Makes It Past the EU Gas Directiv, 19 Feb 2019
the head of the Austrian OMV concern involved in the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project Rainer Seele said in an interview with the German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. After the launch of the gas pipeline, Eastern European countries will lose their ability to set too high transit prices, which is a positive thing in regard to competition, Seele said.
[...]
Separately, EADaily [EurAsia Daily] reported on the upcoming amendment to [EU] gas directive. After it, Nord Stream 2 will be able to work at half capacity and its management will be transferred to an operator independent from Gazprom.

The final version of the EU gas direct[ive] appears to be a compromise between France and Germany. Germany, having concluded an intergovernmental agreement with Russia, can make an exception and not demand that Nord Stream 2 be controlled by an independent operator, and half of its capacity be reserved for independent suppliers.
[...]
If Nord Stream 2 is limited to 50%, then half of the gas planned for delivery via it, the other 27.5 billion cubic meters, will have to be transferred via the Ukrainian route. And this is an additional $750 million a year in transit payments with an increase in the cost of transporting gas through the Nord Stream 2 due to underloading. ...


DW | Russia's Gazprom says no sign of Nord Steam 1 turbine, 16 July 2022
Despite the waiver, Gazprom has said it does not know if the turbine -- which is used at a compressor station for Nord Stream 1 -- will be returned.

"On July 15, Gazprom submitted an official request to Siemens to obtain the documents... to allow the export of the gas turbine engine of the Portovaya [Bay] station, a critical facility for the Nord Stream gas pipeline," the firm said in a statement.
[...]
The turbine is believed to still be in Canada, with a spokesman for Siemens saying company experts were "working intensively on all other formal approvals and logistics." ... Trudeau said the "difficult decision" to allow these parts to be shipped to Germany was taken to avoid a possible major energy crisis in Europe, and to prevent popular support for the West's backing of Ukraine from ebbing away....

by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 03:40:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 1)
eurativ | Lithuania won't challenge Brussels over Kaliningrad to avoid 'victory' for Russia, 14 July
Speaking in Vilnius a day after the decision, [Lithuanian PM Ingrida] Šimonytė said Lithuanian institutions are welcoming the parts of clarification regarding military and dual-use goods, the technology transit as well as monitoring the amounts of goods.
archived ec.europa.eu sanction "clarification" | ruble payment
Lithuanian institutions will take into account the clarification "but not because we think that there was something done wrong from 17 June, but because there were no clarifications or official explanations", she added.
[...]
Should Lithuania refuse to agree and align with the clarifications, the case would have to be looked at in the EU's top court, and Šimonytė it would be "irrational" to continue the discussions. "If we would give a lot of time for this debate, this would be a real victory of the Kremlin".
archived Berlin & Brussels push, Borell facts, ending unanimity,  e pluribus whot whot
by Cat on Thu Jul 14th, 2022 at 09:34:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 1)
APsplainin 'The money is gone': Evacuated Ukrainians forced to return, 25 July
Anna Protsenko was killed two days after returning home. The 35-year-old had done what authorities wanted: She evacuated eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region as Russian forces move closer. But starting a new life elsewhere had been uncomfortable and expensive.
[...]
Costs in Dnipro, already full of evacuees, were another concern. "We stayed with relatives, but if we needed to rent it would have been a lot more," [Oksana] Tserkovnyi said. "It starts at 6,000 hryvnia ($200) a month for a studio, and you won't be able to find it."

Taxi drivers who wait in Pokrovsk for the arriving train said many people give up on trying to resettle elsewhere.

"Half my work for sure is taking these people," said one driver, Vitalii Anikieiev. "Because the money is gone."

In mid-July, he said, he picked up a woman who was coming home from Poland after feeling out of place there. When they reached her village near the front line, there was a crater where her house had been.

syndicated: ru.euronews | Ukrainians are forced to return to the war zone, 25 July
by Cat on Tue Jul 26th, 2022 at 09:13:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 bootstraps (none / 0)
YLE | Government boosts social benefits to address cost of living crisis, 25 July 3.5% Kela COLA
... However, inflation is running well ahead of the increases. In June, inflation in Finland was at 7.8 percent and it is forecast to rise further, with some estimates suggesting that price hikes will peak by autumn.
After Shock | 'I'm going back to staple food from the 80s' - Finns reveal what they're saving on when interest rates rise, 26 July
... Last week, [Helsingin Sanomat] asked its readers how a rise in interest rates would affect their lives and if they had prepared in any way for this situation. More than 120 responses were received....
by Cat on Tue Jul 26th, 2022 at 11:49:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Trump's America is Alive (none / 0)
Future of America from Alabama

🤣 is this for real or a staged audition for a episode of The Onion?

This is GREAT! Americans are the best people alive, we are the greatest, most intelligent and at least the wealthiest EVER. 🥲

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 06:23:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]
omfg (none / 0)
by Cat on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 01:00:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
WTAF!? [Re: omfg] (4.00 / 2)


A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 01:22:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: WTAF!? [Re: omfg] (none / 1)
WTAF:"The Borne Supremacy: French PM pitches Macron's reform agenda amid parliamentary chaos"

are these idiots attempting to communicate

by Cat on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 09:37:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Trump's America immigrates (none / 1)
euractiv | MEPs seek to extend funding for political parties beyond EU, 13 July enlargement
One of the Commission's proposals is to allow European political parties and foundations to collect contributions from member parties or organisations located in countries belonging to the Council of Europe ... European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee, which endorsed their position by 18 votes to 4, want to make registration as a European political party and the subsequent funding subject to ensuring that member parties from outside the EU "observe equivalent values" [?] such as the rule of law.

The EU lawmakers also want to extend the scope allowing EU funding to be used for national referendum campaigns to cover "issues directly related to the EU", going beyond the European Commission's proposal that funding could only be used for campaigns concerning "the implementation of the Treaties" Constitution.
[...]
"high time for a more democratic and Europeanised political sphere" and that the Parliament proposals "provide the chance to strengthen citizens' representation at EU-level, also for people outside of it."

eh. What could go wrong?
by Cat on Wed Jul 20th, 2022 at 08:03:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Trump's America is Alive (none / 1)
"I don't remember Saddam Hussein's wife being on the cover of Vogue when Iraq was illegally invaded," stated another tweet.

more Orban-defying, "parallel society" agitprop w/e 30 July
New antisemitism scandal at Germany's documenta art exhibition

Documenta, which runs for 100 days, has taken place every five years since 1955, and is one of the art world's most important international events. This year, the Indonesian artist collective ruangrupa was selected to curate it.

Antisemitism accusations became audible long before the show opened. Ruangrupa was criticized for supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement [BDS], which is aimed at isolating [?] Israel for its treatment of Palestinians.

Just days after the show opened, the first major scandal erupted. In mid-June a massive banner by the Indonesian collective Taring Padi, "People's Justice," was first covered and then removed because of blatantly antisemitic imagery.

G20: FR, DE, IT, JP, UK, US, EU-CO, EU-EC, CA, RU, CN, AU, AR, BR, IN, ID, KR, MX, SA, ZA, TR
OPEC (1960 FTA): IR, IQ, KW, NG, SA, VZ, LY, AE, AL, AO, GQ, CG, GA; + OM*, s-SS*, SS*, BN*, RU*, MX*, AZ*, KZ*, MY*, BH*, EC*, ID*, QA*
OIC (1969 NGO): AZ, AE, IR, IQ, BD, TR, TN, SN, SL, GA, GW, QA, KW, ML, MR, YE, JO, ID, PK, AF, UZ, BH, AL, UG, BN, BJ, TM, BF, TJ, TG, TD, DZ, SA, SS, SY, SR, SO, OM, GM, GY, GN, PS, KM, KG, KZ, CM, CI, LB, LY, MV, MY, EG, MA, MZ, NE, NG
APEC (1989 FTA): CN, CN-hk, CN-tw, RU, ID, SG, VN, TH, PH, MX, PE, CL, BN, PG, MY, KR; US, AU, JP, NZ, CA
ASEAN (1967 FTA): BN, KH, ID, LA, MY, MM, PH, SG, TH, VN

POLITCO.eu.com | Arabic[-language] social media remains an unchecked Wild West, 28 July "spread of hateful content"

Twitter subsequently suspended the account after POLITICO flagged the content.
[...]
POLITICO was not able to confirm that attribution
[...]
It was subsequently deleted when POLITICO flagged the paid-for content to Meta.
[...]
the four groups reviewed by POLITICO.
by Cat on Fri Jul 29th, 2022 at 04:29:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 "It's democracy" (none / 0)
2021
DW | German media regulators say RT lacks broadcast license, 17 Dec
"The broadcaster has until the end of the year to comment on the matter," [MABB director Eva] Flecken said.
[...]
As of Thursday, the network's livestream can be seen on the channel's website among other places, including via satellite to 33 European countries using a license it secured in Serbia, where the government favors Russian interests. Critics say the Serbian registration is an effort to circumvent less favorable EU laws.
Moscow Times | Germany Takes RT Off Air, 22 Dec
YouTube, Eutelsat suspends broadcasting, Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg (MABB) sez, RT's "Serbian license insufficient because RT DE 'is in German and aimed at the German market.'"

2022
DW | [Turkish Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK)] blocks Deutsche Welle over licensing issues

In February, Turkey's media watchdog had called on DW and other international media outlets to apply for broadcasting permits, in line with a 2019 media law, or "face a broadcast ban" and have their websites blocked.
[...]
DW Director General Peter Limbourg said: "We had outlined in an extensive correspondence and even in a personal conversation with the chairman of the media control authority why DW could not apply for such a license. For example, media licensed in Turkey are required to delete online content that RTUK interprets as inappropriate. This is simply unacceptable for an independent broadcaster ['funded in part or whole by the BRD"]."
archived A Trip to the Woodshed
"With this decision, Erdogan is putting Turkey in line with countries like China, North Korea and Iran, whose citizens are fundamentally only free to use the internet in ways that suit their government," [CDU agent, Jürgen] Hardt said
[...]
In addition to DW, Voice of America and France-based Euronews were also given the notice to apply for a license.

[FRANCE 24 got a pass]

by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 12:19:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 "It's democracy" (none / 0)
Grandpa resigns. Again
"leaving Italy, the EU's third-largest economy, bereft of strong leadership at a critical juncture, and heading for snap elections in October, about six months earlier than scheduled"

by Metternich,

duly noted, Today -100

The NYT thinks the next Italian government may not have the same problem with violence: "Communists and Fascisti fight hard enough, but their energies are usually exhausted after a few days and they go home till the next inspiration moves them." So much New York Timesiosity in that combination of ethnic stereotype and both-sidesism....
&tc &tc
by Cat on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 09:38:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 "power to the councils" (none / 0)
euractiv | EU deal on car CO2 standards leaves door ajar for ["]e-fuels["]
Tabled by Germany and backed by EU member states [European Parliament] reluctant to accept the 2035 cut-off date, the clause obliges the European Commission [College of Commisioners] to prepare a report by 2026 [?!] that looks into [PROBES] technologies such as "plug-in hybrids" and "CO2 neutral fuels".

This report must "[take] into account technological developments, including as regards plug-in hybrid technologies," says the text of the [Consilium with "EEA relevance"] agreement, which was made public on Thursday (30 June).

"pre-industrial levels"? wtaf
archived No Deal 2035
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 02:51:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "power to the councils" (none / 0)
translations don't write themselves, yo, 3 Jul walk-out
[European] Parliament interpreters walked off the job last week, angry at deteriorating health conditions from spending hours trying to translate people calling into [ZOOM] meetings from cars and restaurants over bad connections. They were suffering from tinnitus and ["]ear fullness["], they said, not to mention insomnia, nausea and vision deficiencies.

"It's like driving at night under the rain versus traveling by day under good weather," said one EU interpreter. "You get to your destination at the same hour, but in the first case, there's a growing risk of accident and increased fatigue once you get there."

bad connections, 1 Jul
The market in crypto assets bill, dubbed MiCA
Budgets                                    decided not to give an opinion.
Industry, Research & Energy          decided not to give an opinion.
Internal Market & Consumer Protection    decided not to give an opinion.
Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs     decided not to give an opinion.
Legal Affairs                              decided not to give an opinion.
will set industry standards and investor safeguards for crypto assets and companies that service them. The rules will come into force late next year or early 2024, depending on when they're published in the EU's official ledger for legal acts.

Negotiators from the European Parliament, ["]EU capitals["] and the European Commission needed just six hours in the final round of talks to seal the deal, which comes as the battered market is exposing corporate scandals, Ponzi schemes and false promises of riches. ...

by Cat on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 09:27:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
SIDEBAR "power to the councils" (none / 0)
2015
Politico.eu.com | Juncker consolidates staff power, 8 Nov more with less
Juncker and his powerful chief of staff, Martin Selmayr, have spent the last year shifting more top jobs from individual departments to the secretariat-general, already one of the most powerful offices in the bureaucracy. The latter has played a key role in the functioning of the EU executive, coordinating its decision-making work.

2022
Politio.eu.com | European Parliament plots backroom deal to appoint top bureaucrat, 6 July less with more

The new department will give the Parliament a ROBUST 13 directorates general, or DGs, far more than, say, the German Bundestag, which has five -- stoking accusations that political groups are inflating the administration to dole out jobs. Indeed, the DG names give the sense of redundancies: There's a DG for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences, a separate DG for Translation and yet another DG for Infrastructure and Logistics. Each of those DGs has four directorates with politically appointed, and well-paid, directors who report to the directors general.
archived Selmayr resigned, unwritten rule in Merkel for President, eine Zangengeburt tweet
by Cat on Sat Jul 9th, 2022 at 04:01:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "power to the councils" (none / 0)
by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 08:54:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "power to the councils" (none / 1)
Politico.eu.com | Black Sea grain deal is close, says Erdoğan, 6 July Kubler Ross bargaining
Let's recap 24 Feb - present
• Who laid mines in Azov and Black Seas launches is a Montreux mystery
• UA demands ["]guarantees["], rejects UN, RF, TR mediation
• US, EU sanctions against RF shipping wtf; AFRICA is starving without 20 mt UA "grains" stored in Odesa instead of trucked to EU ports
• UA claims RF fenced stolen UA "grains" from unidentified UA and RF Azov ports to SYRIA, threatens African Union with sanctions
• UN, RF, and TR clear "corridor" of mines, demo escort service from Mariopul
In peacetime [MY 2021/2022], Ukraine was a VAST contributor to global food supplies, but a blockade of its Black Sea ports since the invasion by Russia has prevented the shipping of crops leaving for Egypt, Yemen[,] and other countries in DESPERATE NEED [OF WHEAT]. Russia has also ATTACKED Ukrainian [WHEAT] SILOS and is alleged [by UA] to have SEIZED [WHEAT] stocks.
[...]
Draghi said that Turkey had "a central role" in the plan, which he said had been outlined at the G7 meeting of leading economies by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. "That role is to guarantee the security of ships, and ensure that the ships don't carry [NATO] arms [?!]" Draghi said.
[...]
Draghi said the plan was "very encouraging" as it did not require de-mining of [UA] ports, potential routes had already been identified, and the working group had been established. The missing element was "the final agreement of the Kremlin," [FALSE] he said.
archived conditions, no need to de-mine, no way of verifying these allegations, Zelensk* demands, marry in haste, Guterres
by Cat on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 10:54:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "power to the councils" (none / 0)
DW | Ukraine, Russia sign grain export deal, 22 July Montreux UPDATE
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed separate but identical "mirror" deals with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
[...]
Full details of the plan, which Turkey and United Nations [Sec. Gen.] Guterres have been working on for months, were not immediately released.
[...]
Guterres said that commercial food exports will be restarted from the three Black Sea ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny. Shoigu said that Russia "will not take advantage of the fact that the ports will be cleared and opened. We have made this commitment."
[...]
Reports suggest that the parties have agreed that ships bound for Ukraine will first be searched to ensure no weapons or other military equipment are on board. Searches will also take place when ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports want to move in the other direction through the Bosphorus Strait.
[...]
The United States has cautiously welcomed the deal. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Washington would focus on holding Moscow accountable for keeping to the terms of the agreement.
oh
by Cat on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:59:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "power to the councils" (none / 0)
CNBC | Italian president rejects ["Granpa"] Mario Draghi resignation as Rome plunges into political crisis, as is the custom 14 July
"After Mattarella's rejection of Draghi's resignation late Thursday, the former European Central Bank chief will now have to go back to Parliament to hold a vote of confidence [again] in the government itself," IT bond yields rise
archived energized, in transit, distracted, pragmatic, 24 Jan
by Cat on Thu Jul 14th, 2022 at 08:37:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
A problem with "pre-industrial levels"? (none / 0)
They are well-attested. My own preference would be for pre-agricultural levels; we would be on track for an ice age, and the concomitant greening of the Sahara etc.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:45:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"concomitant greening of the Sahara" (none / 0)
1,000 years from now
by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 03:54:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "power to the councils" (none / 0)
Council of Europe | Overview of Co-operation Activities in Kosovo*, a/o 7 Dec 2021
"All proposed and current projects aim to address the needs and strategic priorities of the local authorities. They are relevant to the adherence to Council of Europe's standards, including those specific standards required via the Copenhagen Criteria, and represent areas of exclusivity or where the contribution of the Council of Europe is of added value. Co-ordination with other activities and actors in situ, in particular with the European Union (EU) Office, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), as well as the OSCE Mission in Kosovo* and the competent UN agencies, is a guiding principle for all Council of Europe's interventions."

RFERL | Kosovo Applies For Council Of Europe In Move Sure To Anger Serbia 12 May
"Kosovar Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz delivered the application in person on May 12 at a meeting with the leadership of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, according to a video posted by her ministry."
Millennium Challenge Corporation | Notice of Entering Into a Compact With the Government of Kosovo, 15 July

MCC's five-year Compact with the Government of Kosovo in the amount of $202M aims to reduce poverty through economic growth by targeting a binding constraint to economic growth in the country: the unreliable supply of electricity. The Compact will address this constraint through three projects: the Energy Storage Project, the Just and Equitable Transition Acceleration (JETA) Project, and the American Catalyst Facility for Development (ACFD) Project. The ACFD Project leverages U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) financing to complement the objectives of the Energy Storage Project. MCC's investments in Kosovo's energy sector will accelerate Kosovo's transition towards an energy future that is more sustainable, inclusive, reliable, and affordable.
euractiv | Kosovo to apply for EU membership by end of 2022, 26 July
Kosovo will be the last of the six countries in the Western Balkans to apply. Serbia and Montenegro are already working through the chapters of the negotiations process, while Albania and North Macedonia opened formal talks last week. Bosnia-Herzegovina applied in 2016 but has yet to become an official candidate.
[...]
[Kosovo FM Donika Gërvalla]  specified that Kosovo has already implemented most of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the European Union's framework for "stabilising the region and establishing a free-trade area".  ... Difficulties could be encountered along the way as EU members Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, and Slovakia do not recognise Kosovo's independence, declared in 2008, mostly due to their own territorial disputes.
[...]
The country also announced its intention to apply for NATO's Partnership for Peace programme, but again, this is likely to face obstacles as unanimity is required from members.
Atlas News | Kosovo Military Deploys to Serbian Border, Crossings Closed, 31 July facsimiles
• NATO communique (KFOR)
• Serbia MoD
• Ukraine MP
MSN | Kosovar Serbs cut off two border crossings with Serbia, 31 July
"The dispute began in September 2021, when Kosovo ordered all drivers entering Kosovo from Serbia to use temporary license plates valid for 60 days, a measure that was already in place for drivers entering Serbia from Kosovo since 2008."

* asterisk: "without prejudice to positions on status"

archived Millenium Challenge: It's a war game AND a perpetual poverty relief policy!, June 2022 enlargement

by Cat on Sun Jul 31st, 2022 at 10:43:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 1)
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 03:41:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 power of the 'tags (none / 0)
by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 05:28:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
wut (none / 1)
Politico.eu.com | The ECB is now a prisoner of war, 29 June
"Keeping stigma out" of the German-Italian spread

destatis

by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 09:54:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: wut (none / 0)
Politico.eu.com | 5Star Mattarello Di Maio festival, 16 July
"Mario Draghi's enemies are doing Putin's work, minister says"
by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 04:54:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: wut (none / 0)
As far as categorizing cats as "a****," [the state-run Polish Academy of Sciences] noted that "Felis catus" was domesticated probably around 10,000 years ago in the cradle of the great civilizations of the ancient Middle East, making the species a**** to Europe from a strictly scientific point of view.
archived a Ukrainian textbook on geography, The A-word; not that one, the other one, how we would react to a**** life

Danish parliament passes contentious 'ghetto plan', 2018

"We do not believe it's advantageous to grow up in a neighbourhood where there are many social and integration-related problems"
DW | Why Denmark is clamping down on 'non-Western' residents, 2021
Western countries under this concept include EU states, as well as the UK, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, the Vatican State, Canada, US, Australia, and New Zealand."All other countries are non-Western countries," the ministry said in a statement to DW on Tuesday.
VOA | Denmark Eyes Plans to Break Up Migrant Communities, 2021
The strategy aims to prevent the continuation of what top officials have called self-isolating communities and the emergence of "parallel religious and cultural societies."
BREITBART | Denmark To Demolish Migrant Ghettos To COMBAT Parallel Societies, 2022
Congratulations, Denmark!
by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 08:02:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 1)
euractiv Reuters | Canada to return Nord Stream 1 turbine to Germany in blow to Ukraine, 8 July
"The turbine would be sent to Germany first which will then deliver it to Gazprom so Canada does not breach any sanctions, a government source told Reuters. Siemens Energy declined to comment on the news."

Politico.eu.com | DICTION bail out
an emergency law for a vote in parliament next week that would allow it to equally distribute rising gas costs between customers and companies and to rescue ailing bankrupt energy company Uniper.
[...]
The president of Germany's Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, warned on Saturday that the [Nord Stream 1] pipeline maintenance risked becoming "a longer-lasting political maintenance." His words echoed remarks by Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck, who warned on Thursday that a "complete blockade" of Russian gas < wipes tears > was possible.
[...]
Only certain importers [BWAH!], like Düsseldorf-based Uniper, depend strongly on Russian gas and now face a sharp increase in costs as they need to compensate for reduced deliveries with expensive last-minute purchases on the global market.

The ["cost-sharing"] system would seek to balance out these increasing prices by making all private costumers and companies pay more via the levy [VAT], irrespective of whether their gas comes from Russia or other suppliers like Norway.

or Qatar, 8 July
Qatar and Germany have signed a declaration to deepen their energy partnership, with a focus on trade in hydrogen [!] and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as Europe's biggest economy looks for alternative supplies amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Al Jazeera is funded in whole or in part by the Qatar governmant.
Qatar's leader confirmed that Doha plans to start supplying LNG to Germany in 2024 [!] and described Europe as an "interesting" gas market. Al Thani held talks with officials from German utilities RWE and Uniper over long-term gas supply deals during his visit.
archived refurbished turbines, divertible contracts + "common gas purchases" + price fixing and bid rigging, EU "hydrogen hubs" for Africa, UAE, and Baltic region
by Cat on Sat Jul 9th, 2022 at 02:25:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 0)
Ned Pricesplainin EU "Russian gas embargo" victory
the U.S. supports Canada's decision to help Germany import natural gas from Russia despite global sanctions aimed at bankrupting the Kremlin from waging war on Ukraine.
[...]
"In the short term, The Turbine will allow Germany and other European countries to replenish their gas reserves, increasing their energy security and resiliency[,] and countering Russia Canada's efforts to WEAPONIZE energy," Price said in a statement.
by Cat on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 at 06:15:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 0)
UWC files legal action to stop return of The Turbine to Russia, 12 July
Today in the Federal Court of Canada, the Ukrainian World Congress has filed a notice of application for judicial review together with Daniel Bilak, a Canadian citizen, practicing lawyer, and current resident of Ukraine.

The application states that the decision to grant the permit was not reasonable, transparent, or properly authorized.

"Canada's decision to break sanctions and send the Siemens' turbine back to Russia is a grave mistake with dire consequences. This exemption to the sanctions regime against Russia is totally unacceptable.  There are real alternatives to Germany's gas needs, including buying [RUSSIAN GAS] through Ukraine's pipeline.  We cannot supply a terrorist state with the tools it needs to finance the killing of tens of thousands of innocent people. This is not just about a turbine or possible many turbines to support Russia's energy exports Europe, this is about continuously succumbing to Russia's blackmail [sic]. This could be Siemens' moment.

< wipes tears >
Today was an important step forward. The legal action taken by the UWC is meant to set the precedent that remaining Nordstream 1 turbines should not be serviced on Canadian soil and sanctions in place should not be waived.  Instead, this application for judicial review should set the stage for all parties involved to find a solution which does not trade turbines for Ukrainian lives.
archived easier for the Canadians in the legal sense in risis What Crisis???
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 04:33:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 1)
Government of Canada | Canadian Sanctions Related to Russia
Permits and Certificates
The Special Economic Measures (Russia) Permit Authorization Order, made pursuant to subsection 4(4) of the Special Economic Measures Act, authorizes the Minister of Foreign Affairs to issue to any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada a permit to carry out a specified activity or transaction, or any class of activity or transaction, that is restricted or prohibited pursuant to the Regulations. Further information is available on the "Permits and Certificates" page.
alrighty then. Perhaps Freeland minions will pivot to the general governor, Crown in parliament, in order to contravene the minister?
Special Economic Measures Act
§3 Her Majesty ...
§4 Governor in Council ....

nope. They're gonna need a bigger bribe and a new atty.

by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 10:33:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
SIDEBAR legitimacy and recognition (none / 0)
Special Economic Measures Act, Regulations made under this Act
• Special Economic Measures (Burma!) Permit Authorization Order (SOR/2007-286)
• Special Economic Measures (Burma!) Regulations (SOR/2007-285)
archived countries that changed their names
by Cat on Sun Jul 17th, 2022 at 12:37:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 0)
Globe & Mail | Ottawa's deal to allow repair of Russian-owned turbines covers longer period than previously disclosed, 12 July understatement
up to two years from now and would allow the import and re-export of up to six units
Canadian "blackmail"
"The maintenance schedule now restarts for a limited period of time. However, the minister can revoke the permit at any time," Mr. Blanchard said in a statement.
[...]
[Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong] added that the most important thing the Liberal government could do now is expedite the construction of new energy infrastructure that would allow the export of Canadian liquefied natural gas to Europe.
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 05:11:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 0)
The most amusing feature of this turbine business is that Russia is reliant on a Canadian company to fix its vital gas pumps.

Russia under trade sanctions is heading for the 20th century. At best.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:00:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 1)
RT FT | Ukraine accuses top Western banks of 'WAR CRIMES', 16 July
In an interview with the Financial Times, parts of which were published late on Friday, Oleg Ustenko, economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed that the financial institutions were guilty of "helping the Putin regime in this specific way," referring to trade in Russian hydrocarbons.
[...]
The official also told journalists that Ukraine's Ministry for Justice is going to sue the banks at the International Criminal Court once the conflict is over. Ustenko pointed out that Kiev's security services [SBU!] are ["]keeping tabs on those lenders["], which are supporting Russian fossil fuel trade.

According to the FT, earlier this week [Ustenko] sent letters to the CEOs of JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, Citigroup and Credit Agricole, in which Ustenko urged the financial institutions to stop providing credit to companies that trade Russian oil and sell shares in state-backed oil and gas groups Gazprom and Rosneft.

the crime?
The Ukrainian official reportedly accused the banks of "prolonging" the conflict
the penalty?
they would not be allowed to take part in the postwar reconstruction of Ukraine.
Tellerreport | G7 rackeering inferred
Earlier, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that the country's authorities would ["]cooperate["] with the neutral states of the G20 group to encourage them to impose sanctions against Russia. At the same time, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that the countries of the so-called global South represented in the G20 do not share the point of view of the countries of the G7(which includes Japan) about the need to condemn Russia and impose sanctions against it.
landssakes, is Mr Chief Prosecutor Khan's "preliminary investigation" plate filling up with conflicts of interest.

archived divest? How? and who will buy thoses bonds?, Tue Mar 1st, 2022 high hurdles

by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 01:23:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 1)
Karim Khan will only move papers on his desk once sufficient funds have been deposited into the ICC bank account. That is why an investigation into American war crimes in Afghanistan never got started. The ICC have received deadly threats from the US and Israel as a warning.

Countries Pledge Funds, Coordination for Ukraine War Crimes Investigations | VOA News |

Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said justice must be delivered against alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine -- possibly by setting up a special tribunal to judge them.

"The way I understand it, we have to fill the vacuum and the ICC (International Criminal Court) doesn't have the jurisdiction. So I can imagine that we do look into coming up such a tribunal," Hoekstra said. "As the Netherlands we will take an open look into this. It will probably not be easy. There is merit in doing that with as many friends as possible from the international community..."



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 02:06:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 1)
That's the sad truth about multilateral institutions. Who pays the piper?

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:03:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 0)
HOLD THE PHONE ...
DW | German energy firm Uniper draws down €2 billion in credit, 18 July Fortum creditors' V-Day!
Uniper said it "drew down €2 billion ($2 billion) under its existing credit facility" from public lender KfW and that the option has been used "in full."

The credit facility was granted to Uniper earlier this year and implemented "in reaction to continuing supply disruptions of Russian gas," the firm said.
[...
Bailout talks with the German government have involved Uniper's Finnish [holding company], Fortum, which is majority-owned by Finland's government. Last week, Fortum said it was FORCED to consider all options to ensure the security of European energy markets.

Finnish cabinet member Tytti Tuppurainen, who is responsible for policy related to government-owned companies, visited Berlin last week for talks.

Fortum's operation of a nuclear plant in Sweden and interests in Russian coal projects has sparked controversy among German lawmakers. Green lawmaker Anton Hofreiter argued in comments for the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that any bailout would have to ensure that taxpayers' money isn't LOL! "misused."

archived likening the situation to the role of Lehman Brothers 17 days ago
by Cat on Mon Jul 18th, 2022 at 05:01:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 0)

Europe's winter will be fine without Russian gas. Russian gas can be replaced by LNG.
by Cat on Tue Jul 19th, 2022 at 05:47:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 1)
EU efforts insufficient to get through winter without Russian gas: IEA
IF gas supplies from Norway and Azerbaijan flow at maximum capacity, IF deliveries from North Africa stay close to last year's levels, IF domestic gas production in Europe continues to follow recent trends, and IF inflows of LNG increase at a similar record rate as they did in the first half of this year,
EU is short "the equivalent of 130 LNG tanker shipments"

No Problem! One per day! 165 days remaining in 2022.

by Cat on Tue Jul 19th, 2022 at 06:08:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Mental disorder is a communicable disease (none / 1)
After Shock | ancient history, new realities
Since the appearance of first Soviet and then Russian gas on the European gas market, the formation of contracts with European companies has been based on the so-called Groningen model of a long-term export gas contract (DSEGK). This model was developed in Europe, it was used in Europe, without it the formation of the European gas system would not have been possible. If you like, the Groningen model of the gas contract is the European alpha and omega, the foundation of the foundations, the cornerstone and other words with the same meaning. If anything can be called a European value, then it is the Groningen model of the DSEGC.

Highlights of this model:
• The contract should be long-term, since the development of deposits, the laying of first trunk and then distribution networks, the construction of underground gas storage facilities (UGS) requires a lot of time and serious money.
[...]
• The price of gas should depend on the price of the oil basket.
[...]
• The third feature of the Groningen DSEGC model is that gas prices changed every nine months, during which time it was just possible to give birth to average levels of prices for the oil basket.
[...]
• The fourth nuance is the principle of "pay and / or download".
[...]
The Groningen model suited absolutely everyone - suppliers and miners, banks and consumers, tax authorities of all countries, who found it convenient to calculate their bribes. Since not only supply contracts were long-term, but also transit contracts, the gas business in Europe was predictable, almost planned, perhaps not on a national scale, but on the scale of individual companies in this market. It suited our USSR with its planned economy too - we could also draw up plans for the development of Siberian deposits, plans for the construction of thousands of kilometers of gas pipelines and other gas pumping units. Of course, the Groningen model was used by Gazprom after 1991 for the same reason: convenient, logical,

Who doesn't like this state of affairs? Yes, the same European Commission, its officials, who, like any bureaucrats, have strived and are striving to realize their own ideal: maximum opportunities with a minimum of responsibility. ...

by Cat on Tue Jul 19th, 2022 at 09:36:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Ukraine destroys workers' rights (none / 0)
Consortium News
The Ukrainian parliament has passed two new radical measures on labour liberalisation, prompting fears of Ukrainians losing workplace rights permanently as Russia's war puts huge pressure on the country's economy.

In two laws passed on Monday and Tuesday, MPs voted to legalise "zero-hours contracts" and made moves towards removing up to 70 percent of the country's workforce from protections guaranteed by national labour law.

The latter measure means the national labour code no longer applies to employees of small- and medium-sized enterprises; instead, it is proposed that each worker strikes an individual labour agreement with their employer. It also removes the legal authority of trade unions to veto workplace dismissals.

Draft law 5371 had previously been criticised by the International Labor Organization, as well as Ukrainian and European trade unions, on the basis that it could "infringe international labour standards."

Why exactly are we supporting these guys?
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 10:00:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Ukraine destroys workers' rights (none / 0)
As they say, there's no war but class war. And we certainly know on which side we are in that one.
by generic on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 11:58:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Ukraine destroys workers' rights (none / 0)
And when one country invades another, we'll support the one with the better labour laws.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:08:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Ukraine destroys workers' rights (4.00 / 2)
I guess that means Russia (though implementation of the laws may be another matter)

But the question isn't who we support but whether "we" should get involved at all. It isn't a matter of who has the better laws. It's a matter of Ukraine passing these laws in the middle of the war. If this is such a priority for the Ukrainian government, why should we care more about the war that they do?

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 07:47:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Ukraine destroys workers' rights (none / 1)
Yeah, but there really is no shared reality to talk about the war anymore. Is it a proxy war between the hegemonic and a regional capitalist power? Or a part of a long running conspiracy by a global axis of authoritarianism against the Rules Based International Order involving Russia, Trump, Brexit and if you go all the was Wikileaks and Jeremy Corbyn?
by generic on Sun Jul 24th, 2022 at 10:50:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Ukraine destroys workers' rights (none / 0)
The answer is, obviously, neither. It's a war instigated by someone who believes he is invested with a historic mission to make his country great again; but lacking Hitler's strategic genius.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Fri Aug 12th, 2022 at 02:15:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Ukraine must be losing (none / 0)
The Jerusalem Post discovers that it is full of Nazis.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 05:49:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Ukraine must be losing (none / 0)
Foreign mercenaries enlistment numbers dropped by 50% ...

A Crucial Turning Point: The Yavoriv Base Bombing

Rightwing extremist fighting on both sides.

External Impacts and the Extremism Question in the War in Ukraine: Considerations for Practitioners | CTC Sentinel @WestPoint |

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 06:38:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 1)
Politico.eu.com | Irish president's wife wins Kremlin kudos for Ukraine peace letter,
to the Irish Times editors, dated 27 July 2022
by Cat on Fri Jul 29th, 2022 at 03:51:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Simon Jenkins on Russia (none / 0)
The Guardian
Moscow's overseas assets have been frozen and its oligarchs have relocated their yachts, but there is no sign that Putin cares. He has no electorate to worry him.
Actually, he does have an electorate, even if it doesn't worry him. But presumably, the oligarchs (unlike the UK?) only get one vote per oligarch.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Sun Jul 31st, 2022 at 09:50:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
PFEFFLE'S BREXIT
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:38:07 PM EST
Re: July 2022 universal credit (none / 0)
yahoo! Independent | UK 'underspend' on climate crisis to be used to bolster military aid for Ukraine, 30 June
The UK's expanded £1bn commitment to military aid for Ukraine will be partly funded through underspending on climate finance, the business minister Kwasi Kwarteng has said.
[...]
An official at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) told The Independent they could not provide figures for how much of the underspend would now be used by the Treasury for military assistance in Ukraine.

However they did identify the underspend as being in the International Climate Finance (ICF) programme, and money from Official Development Assistance (ODA), which is government aid money that promotes and targets the economic development and welfare of developing countries.
[...]
"The government now finds itself in the astonishing position of still paying fossil fuel money to [Vladimir] Putin, while sending its climate underspend to [Volodymyr] Zelensky - it's gross."

archived concern trolls
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 01:19:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 universal credit (none / 0)
nation.cymru | 'Not right': UK Government dips into Welsh and Scottish budgets for £1bn Ukraine military aid
"What is not right is using money that should be for investment in devolved areas, like health and education, to fund a non-devolved spending area - military aid and defence.

"We have accepted this outcome because of our ongoing commitment to support Ukrainian people and to avoid future budgetary uncertainty, but funding for these areas should rightly be met by the UK Government."

Please, sir, may I have some more please?
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 07:45:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
International treaties (none / 1)
by Bernard (bernard) on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 12:54:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: International treaties (none / 0)
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 01:03:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 control (none / 0)
UK Labour rules out EU single market membership as 'recipe for division', 4 July
"So let me be very clear: with Labour, Britain will not go back into the EU. We will not be joining the single market. We will not be joining a customs union," he will add. "The reason I say this is simple. Nothing about revisiting those rows will help stimulate growth or bring down food prices or help British business thrive in the modern world."
[...]
In response, the Scottish National Party accused Labour of being "now indistinguishable from the Tories on Brexit", while the Liberal Democrats struck a similar tone to Labour by calling for "a pragmatic approach that works for the UK, cutting pointless red tape, reducing costs for businesses and making people better off as a result."
[...]
Speaking on Sunday at a conference in central London organised by his think tank, former Labour Prime Minister Tony Bliar said that the UK's status outside the EU had been settled for a generation.  

"We've done it legally and illegally, we've done it politically and it's not going to be reversed any time soon - let's say any time in this generation," he said.

by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 08:59:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Boris Still Has Carrie In Downing Street #10 (none / 0)
Key members resign from his cabinet ...



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 06:40:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Boris Still Has Carrie In Downing Street #10 (none / 0)

Sajid Javid: "Have spoken to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care."

NI Protocol again in the balance of a Tory power struggle ... damage control. Boris Johnson has the full backing of ... the Queen ... and UA president Zelensky.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 06:42:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Boris Still Has Carrie In Downing Street #10 (none / 0)


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 06:43:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Boris Still Has Carrie In Downing Street #10 (none / 0)


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 06:44:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Even the cat... (none / 1)
by Bernard (bernard) on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 08:34:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
Why are ministers quitting? I don't understand their specific new complaint about Johnson.
by asdf on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 07:31:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 1)
Apparently, a sex scandal (no, not with Johnson. For once):

UK PM Boris Johnson defies calls to resign despite mounting pressure - DW

The two ministers resigned after several days of shifting explanations from Johnson's Downing Street office about a sex scandal that involved a mid-ranking ally of Johnson.

The prime minister is under fire over his promotion of junior minister Chris Pincher to the role of chief whip -- a key position that involves enforcing party discipline. The promotion came despite Pincher being accused of drunkenly groping two men, and Johnson having been made aware of the allegations.

by Bernard (bernard) on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 08:11:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 1)
Pincher. Groper. Slapper. Whipper. Part of the job, no?

As far as I can see, the fellow was fired not for sexual offenses as such (good lord, who could form a Conservative government without sex offenders?), and most likely Boris was quite right in doing the usual thing of hushing them up.

He was fired for sexual offenses while being gay.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:16:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 1)
Boris Johnson lied to his cabinet ministers ... a number publicly defended Boris in front of the media ... eggs on face. Not much later the facts became known.

Johnson was told of Pincher inquiry, says ex-Foreign Office chief

Boris Johnson was briefed "in person" about an investigation into the conduct of Chris Pincher when he was a Foreign Office minister, the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office has said.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 09:54:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 BoJo the "undertaker" (none / 0)
while the 1922 Committee haggles over new management package.
by Cat on Thu Jul 7th, 2022 at 12:51:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 BoJo the "undertaker" (none / 0)
Politico | bets against the punters
• Liz Truss
• Penny Mordaunt

Candidates will come from two camps: the Tory centrists who supported EU membership, and the more radical Brexiteers who made up Johnson's base.
wut
One thing unites them all is the lack of a working relationship with Biden, though none brings the baggage Johnson brought to the special relationship.
by Cat on Thu Jul 7th, 2022 at 08:25:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 circling his grave (none / 0)

a flock of vultures (before Wallace dropped from the sky)
by Cat on Sat Jul 9th, 2022 at 02:41:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 circling his grave (none / 0)

a strikingly diverse gallery of rogues
"There's a good chance his successor will be different."
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 12:17:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
de bait 15 July 2022 (none / 0)
Tugenhat, Sunak, Badenoch, Truss, Mordaunt

running time 01:12:15

by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 02:41:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"aspiration nation" (none / 0)
has entered the room.
by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 02:43:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de bait 15 July 2022 (none / 1)
by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 02:45:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
new direction, new start, (none / 0)
and "clean party" ...

"We need to defeat Starmer, Sturgeon, and [Energy & Climate Change]"

by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 03:59:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 circling his grave (none / 0)

not a natural blond(e) among them
by Cat on Tue Jul 19th, 2022 at 09:23:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 circling his grave (none / 0)
Nor an honest man

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:18:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 circling his grave (none / 0)
British drama queens are on the move again.
by Cat on Sat Jul 23rd, 2022 at 03:04:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 augury (none / 0)
by Cat on Tue Jul 26th, 2022 at 10:58:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 1)
tabloid fat shaming gone wrong
by Cat on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 at 05:45:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
So much for NATO (none / 1)
Telegraph

Boris Johnson tipped to become next secretary general of Nato

Ukrainian and Tory MPs support idea of PM being a possible candidate, though sceptics suggest he would likely be greeted with a French veto

Boris Johnson is being backed by senior Tories to be the next secretary general of Nato when the high-profile role next becomes free

The rest is fortunately behind a paywall.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 05:52:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: So much for NATO (none / 1)
Boris has a job offer in Kyiv ... no deposit needed for golden passport 😂

Zelensky to step aside as President ...

Boris recently got combat training in English countryside.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 06:18:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
POST-TRUMP'S USA
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:38:32 PM EST
July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
Politco | Dems meddle in Trump-Hogan proxy war in Maryland
Larry "Maglev" Hogan is not campaigning for any elected office in 2022, BUT ... Illinois?
archived WHAT REPUBLICANS?!
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 01:33:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
Gunman at large after killing at least 6, wounding several others at 4th of July, 4 July
US Lawmakers reached the bipartisan agreement on gun control [25.06.22] only weeks after a gunman in Buffalo, New York, opened fire on shoppers killing 10 people [15.05.22] in what has been called a racist shooting.

Less than two weeks later [24.05.22], a shooter killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 08:10:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
MSN Vox | Congress passes a landmark gun control package, The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 08:16:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
ill-conceived headline w/e 9 July

Are we in a recession? How underwear and lipstick may hold the answer.

by Cat on Thu Jul 7th, 2022 at 12:55:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
ill-conceived headline w/e 9 July, also ran

APsplainin Pope highlights Japan's commitment to peace after Abe killed

ROKsplainin US endorses Japan's pursuit of enemy base strike capabilities, 25 May

by Cat on Sat Jul 9th, 2022 at 03:40:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
"urgency moment demands" has entered the room.
by Cat on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 02:32:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
"telemedicine abortion" has entered the US "territories".
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 12:58:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
AP doubles down on stupid  w/e 16 July
Trump, Hogan fight emerges in Maryland's GOP governor's race 2022 caucus primary
a a proxy battle between Trump and ["NO NEW TAXES"] Hogan, who are offering vastly different visions of the party's future as they eye presidential runs in 2024. [Larry "Maglev"] Hogan, who [torched every bill sponsored by Reagan-Dems in the GA, from public-school funding, LEOBR emendments, and CARES Act maladministrationto DOT- and HUD-funded infrastructure and affordable housing] is prevented from seeking reelection because of [two] term limits, is one of Trump's most least prominent GOP critics[, who co-chaired the National Governors Association with Cuomo, daily dialed Trump COVID czars Pence and Redfield for positivity "mitigation" tips, and] urged the party to move on from [TRUMP] divisive brand of politics
to WaPoo-certified brand of "moderate" POTUS candidates.
Whoever emerges from the GOP primary will face steep hurdles in a state that represents >one of the best another opportunit[y] for a [DINO] to take back a governor's mansion. ["Capitol Corridor" DINOs] outnumber Republicans 2-1 in the state, but Hogan was able to win two terms by pledging to cut taxes, emphasizing  bipartisanship his constitutional veto privilege, and not being afraid to not challenge Trump [ELECTION 2016].
by Cat on Thu Jul 14th, 2022 at 07:48:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
"Wired" sequel,"We Own This City" mini-series county consent decree edition LIVE!

Feds to investigate [Blue] State Police hiring practices, 16 July

"Discrimination has no place in any workplace, and especially in law enforcement agencies," Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a news release.
[...]
Maryland Gov. Larry "Maglev" Hogan and Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. W. Wilson Jones [III] have been informed and pledged cooperation with the investigation, the news release said. ... Maglev's office issued a statement calling [Free] State Police "the finest police organization in the country." He said the [Border] state has committed funds to increase diversity and strengthen recruitment.
by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 04:38:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
ebola marketing reservoir

Outbreaks from animals in Africa surge by 60% in last decade, monkey pox origin story

by Cat on Thu Jul 14th, 2022 at 08:15:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 1)
a blockade is not a veto; and

What was the question?

by Cat on Fri Jul 15th, 2022 at 12:48:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
normalizing long COVID-19
by Cat on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 03:24:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
You can't fix stupid UPDATE

btw, Tom "ima union label" Perez lost the DNC nomination. Wes "WHO dat?" Moore won it.

by Cat on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 06:07:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)

not-Cox primary victory dance on the Purple Border Free State
by Cat on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 06:13:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
one morning in the asylum, 27 July
Chips bill nears finish line without aggressive China trade restrictions
the absence of tough-on-China trade measures could undermine the bill's intent.
wtaf 1
While Biden has no authority to prevent Pelosi visiting, China's authoritarian Communist government chooses to ignore the separation of powers in the U.S., saying Congress is beholden to the administration. In Beijing's perception, the fact both belong to the Democratic Party reinforces the notion that Pelosi is somehow working with Biden's assent.
wtaf 2
to scuttle an international tax deal backed by the Biden administration. Their effort, if accomplished, could result in new high European corporate taxes on big tech companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook.

Those taxes, known as digital service taxes, would siphon money away from the powerful U.S. tech sector and into European public coffers, which could prompt the U.S. to put retaliatory tariffs in place against European companies and spark a trade war.

by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 03:43:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
SIDEBAR pelosisplainin (none / 0)
House begins busy sprint to August recess, Senate tees up `chips-plus' $100B CHIPS for America Act of 2022 bill
House Democrats still hope to pass more fiscal 2023 spending bills before leaving town, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. But that goal could fall off the pre-recess radar depending on the timing of other priorities. "A lot depends on when we get the chips bill; a lot depends on what will happen with reconciliation, how soon we can get that before the recess," Pelosi said.
by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 03:46:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
"bring it on!"

'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 04:37:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 1)
While Biden has no authority to prevent Pelosi visiting,

Naked Capitalism

Biden holds all the cards. He could have hauled Pelosi into his office and reminded her of the Supreme Court decision Haig v. Agee, which allows the Administration to cancel passports in matters of national security. The Pentagon warning gave Biden the needed cover, as do the additional threats by China of military action. Biden to Pelosi: "How dare you challenge me over this. I will cancel your passport if you force me to. You can then see me in court. If you want to precipitate a Constitutional crisis and hand this country to the Republicans at the midterms, be my guest. I'd rather have that than have you start World War III." LBJ or Nixon would not have hesitated to have that sort of chat even with no favorable Supreme Court ruling in hand.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 05:48:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
Pelosi inviting members of Congress for Taiwan trip, 27 July Austin clucks

tabloid Mail | Nancy Pelosi now invites REPUBLICANS to join her in Taiwan, report suggests after Pentagon dismissed threats from China that they would shoot down her plane

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich was among numerous Republicans who offered rare support for Pelosi over the trip, after President Biden said Pentagon officials had told him the trip was 'not a good idea right now.'

'She cannot allow the Chinese COMMUNIST dictatorship to think that it can bully an American Speaker of the House,' Gingrich told Fox & Friends Monday.  'And frankly, she ought to tell the Pentagon and the State Department to shut up. They're always timid. They're always risk-averse. And they don't get it. It's very important to show strength. So the Chinese COMMUNIST understand that we're real, and we're not, just as Mao called us a paper tiger,' he added.

by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 09:53:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
archived US Commander in Chief said ... four days ago
by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 10:00:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
hOLyMARYmutTerAgott
Earlier in the day, demonstrators breached Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses the parliament and other government buildings, as well as foreign embassies.
by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 07:26:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
What Republicans?? (none / 1)
Ivan Bates now unopposed for Baltimore state's attorney, 29 July
Democratic Party caucus primary ballot count concluded
Defense attorney and former prosecutor Roya Hanna, who was running as an unaffiliated candidate, was his only another Marilyn Mosby opponent in November, but Hanna said she was suspending her campaign to support Bates.
Mosby blotter here. 4-day trial scheduled 19 September.
by Cat on Fri Jul 29th, 2022 at 05:56:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 "enemy of the people" (none / 0)
Senate Republicans block federal bill that would federally enshrine enact, entitle right to contraception, 1 Aug amendment to Title 42 Chapter 00
Failure in the tightly divided chamber was predictable, as Democrats attempted to fast-track the Right to Contraception Act by a process senate procedural rule called unanimous consent, which allows a bill to go to the floor and pass if all senators agree.

All it took was one Republican objection for the bill to stall out.
[...]
Today the federal right to contraceptives is accepted in the United States because the Supreme Court decided in the 1965 case Griswold v. Connecticut that married couples

What was the question? < wipes tears > Gah bless Wm O Douglas
"specific guarantees in the Bill of Rights have penumbras, formed by emanations"
have a constitutional right to buy and use contraceptives without government intrusion.

The Right to Contraception Act would enshrine codify that understanding decision into federal statutory law statute.

Democracy is not well understood.
Parts of speech are not well understood.
archived state actors
by Cat on Mon Aug 1st, 2022 at 03:47:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
most ignorant, litigious nation on planet REPORTS (none / 0)
courthousenews | Clerk, not babysitter, 1 July
A federal judge in Illinois sides with Dick's Sporting Goods on a negligence lawsuit brought by a young teen's mom, who sued after her son fell 20 feet after riding the railing of an escalator that a store employee told him to get down from.

Read the ruling here.

Do you truly need to know the judge's "ideological leaning"?
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 02:33:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
most ignorant, litigious nation on planet REPORTS (none / 1)
@01:55, A/V (EN)
BASH: What do say to Democratic [Party] voters who argue, Wait a minute, we worked realy hard to elect a Democratic [Party] president and vice-president, Democratic [Party] lead House, a Democratic [Party] led Senate, do it now.
HARRIS: But do what now? I mean, we need  ... Listen, what we did, we extended the child tax credit.
BASH: I'm sorry. What I mean, when I say, "do it now," is act legislatively to make abortion rights legal.
HARRIS: We feel the say way. Do it now. Congress needs to do it now in terms of permanently putting in place a clear indication that is the law of the land that women have the ability and the right to make decisions about their reproductive care, and the government does not have the right to make those decisions for women.
BASH: One of the ways you can do it, obviously, the only way that is legislatively, procedurally possible is by doing away with the filibuster on this issue. ....
BAM! BAM! BAM!
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 05:30:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
most ignorant, litigious nation on planet REPORTS (none / 0)
Judge NY Supreme Court, D13 strikes down law allowing non-citizens to vote in NYC, 27 June

oh

by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 08:30:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
most ignorant, litigious nation on planet REPORTS (none / 0)
Wow.

Does that mean that all elections in the US will in the future be held under standard rules? No messing around?

[That's what I thought.]

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:41:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
most ignorant, litigious nation on planet REPORTS (none / 0)
Missouri v Biden "accountability", 14 July A/V (EN)
1st amd. pulp fiction
DW | Former CIA software engineer convicted over massive data leak, 14 July
"he took the "Vault 7" tools ... to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks."

reference
usagm.gov | Facts About Smith-Mundt Modernization (2013)
Foreign Policy | U.S. [Congress] Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News to Americans, Smith-Mundt Act (1948) Cold War "weapon"
APsplainin | Obama did not sign a law allowing propaganda in the U.S., Aug 2019
"Under the previous law, the agency's content, including radio, [text, and video] broadcasts from Voice of America [, were banned from dissemination [by commercial broadcasters] in the U.S. However, Americans were stillable to access already accustomed to much of [syndicated US gov propaganda] online [disseminated by multi-media IP publishers such as NPR, AP, MSN, CNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, Storm Front, Breitbart, and CNN]."

archived biolabs? What biolabs?, Assange WHO?, Sec 230, A US censor 'gigs', A Trip to the Woodshed, negro political ads

by Cat on Thu Jul 14th, 2022 at 10:44:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
McWorld vs jihad 2022 (none / 0)
APsplainin Disney® mostly muslim Ms Marvel
Muslim fans see a reflection of their lives
by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 04:06:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
most ignorant, litigious nation on planet REPORTS (none / 0)
"Plaintiff, as mother and next best friend for her son"

Boy, 11 years old[young teen?]. Dropped off at sport shop to fool around by his "next best friend" / worst enemy.

The store should sue her.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 04:28:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 poll smoke (none / 0)
Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, June 28-29, 2022 n=1,308

"probability confidence interval" has returned to the room (crowding out TRUMP-ERA "credibility interval").

by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 10:40:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 poll smoke (none / 0)
Gallup Poll, June 1-20, 2022 n=1,015
by Cat on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 03:49:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 10:45:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
police fire almost 100 rounds
Akron, OH cancel July 4 festivities
by Cat on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 12:18:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]
The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
archived FAIL
by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 07:17:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
Opposite Day in the Asylum!

Roll Call | How the 'chips-plus' [sic] bill grew by nearly 1,000 pages

"We thought it was really important before we went home for the August recess to say that we were going to make this investment in science and R&D to make the U.S. more competitive in key areas of national security, not just in semiconductor manufacturing, but in [artificial intelligence] and quantum and other key manufacturing sectors," [Senate Commerce Chair Maria] Cantwell [D-WA] said in an interview.
DRAFT CHIPS for America Act of 2022, amending CHIPS for America Act of 2020
"The NEW! language includes many research funding, security, and STEM education provisions that are essential if the U.S. hopes to out[-]compete CHINA and protect our intellectual property," Commerce ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a statement. Wicker was among those senators who opposed advancing the semiconductor manufacturer incentives without the science and R&D provisions.

The ["]competition package["] originated with a bill Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., introduced early last year, which they called the "Endless Frontier Act." The measure would have authorized $100 billion [up from $52B] over five years for the creation of a new technology and innovation directorate at the National Science Foundation [NSF].

archived S. 1260 (Endless Frontier Act) passes without note, Legislative Hearing on the Endless Frontier Act, April 15, A/V
Whipping votes
With the science text largely finalized heading into the week of July 18, proponents focused on whipping the votes to ensure it would be added to ["]the base["] chips bill.
Jim Crow Fusion Filibuster MUST GO!
Final Senate passage is expected by Wednesday, even as Schumer had to postpone a scheduled Monday evening vote to cut off debate [cloture] on the measure to Tuesday because of COVID-19 absences and weather-related travel delays.
Chip 4: the latest PIVOT in US foreign policy "LET US HELP YOU HELP US FOR LESS!, 21 July
For context, the Chip 4, proposed by the US in March this year, is a strategic alliance of four global chip powerhouses that also includes Japan and Taiwan. The allies were picked based on its strength, whereby the US is a leading player in making designing the most advanced chips, while Japan takes the lead [?] in supplying key materials and equipment.
archived ASML: Lynchpin In Chips Digital Tech World
South Korea and Taiwan[, CHINA] on the other hand, boast manufacturing prowess.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on July 26, 2022
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and huge downward pressure of the global economy, the two-way trade between China and the ROK increased by 26.9% year-on-year to $362.35 billion in 2021, which is close to the ROK's trade volume with the US, Japan and Europe combined. In terms of chip trade alone, 60% of the ROK's chip export went into China's market
Biden and Xi to tackle deadlocked agenda during call, 27 July
Biden is expected to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week -- perhaps as early as Tuesday night
[...]
Biden told reporters Wednesday that he expects to speak with Xi "within the next 10 days," without providing details on a possible agenda.
[...]
But Biden's main objective will be to ensure the latest ERUPTION OF CHINESE RAGE over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's planned trip to Taiwan doesn't derail discussions for a long-awaited in-person meeting between Biden and Xi in November.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on July 27, 2022
AFP: According to a White House official, Joe Biden will speak with President Xi Jinping this Thursday, so tomorrow. What does the Chinese side expect from this call?
Zhao Lijian: About your question, I have no information to offer at the moment.

Reuters: A follow-up question. Is China aware that the US side said there would be talks between President Xi and President Biden? Can you confirm that the two leaders will speak to each other tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? When exactly will that take place and in what way? Will it be a virtual meeting or a telephone conversation?
Zhao Lijian: I believe I've made it very clear. I have no information to offer at the moment.

S.4620, A bill to amend the Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 to impose sanctions with respect to the shipment or transshipment of petroleum products or liquefied natural gas products from the Russian Federation to the Peoples' Republic of China, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] (Introduced 07/26/2022) Cosponsors: (2)
As of 07/27/2022 text has not been received for S.4620 - A bill to amend the Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 to impose sanctions with respect to the shipment or [trans?]shipment of petroleum products or liquefied natural gas products from the Russian Federation to the Peoples' Republic of China, and for other purposes.
archived European Commission to launch Chips Act in bid for strategic autonomy Oct 2021
by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 03:20:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
SIDEBAR spken I have (none / 0)
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on July 27, 2022
TASS: According to reports, US Republican Senator Marco Rubio has introduced legislation to impose sanctions against any entity for providing insurance or registration of tankers shipping oil or liquefied natural gas from Russia to China. What is the foreign ministry's comment?

Zhao Lijian: The Senator you mentioned is known to blame China for everything and has no sense of political ethics.

China is always against illegal unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" that have no basis in international law.

by Cat on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 at 03:19:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
whitehouse.gov | Readout of President Biden's Call with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China, 28 July
wc: 150
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. spoke today with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The call was a part of the Biden Administration's efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication between the United States and the PRC and responsibly manage our differences and work together where our interests align. The call follows the two leaders' conversation on March 18th and a series of conversations between high-level U.S. and PRC officials....

President Xi Jinping Speaks with US President Joe Biden on the Phone, 28 July
wc: 619

... The position of the Chinese government and people on the Taiwan question is consistent, and resolutely safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity is the firm will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. The public opinion cannot be defied. Those who play with fire will perish by it. It is hoped that the US will be clear-eyed about this. The US should honor the one-China principle and implement the three joint communiqués both in word and in deed....

APsplainin Xi gives Biden fiery warning on Taiwan, Beijing says, 28 July

According to an outline [sic] of the call released by Beijing, Xi emphasized China's claim over the island, which has governed itself for decades.
[...]
The White House released its own description [sic] of the conversation about Taiwan, saying that Biden "underscored that the United States policy has not changed and that the United States strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

The goal of the call, which began at 8:33 a.m. EDT and ended at 10:50 a.m. EDT, was to "responsibly manage our differences and work together where our interests align," the White House said. ...

134 min silent, heavy breathing then? Alrighty.
by Cat on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 at 07:05:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
Reuters | Former senior U.S. official John Bolton admits to planning attempted foreign coups, 12 July
"Bolton made the remarks to CNN after the day's congressional hearing into the Jan 6, 2021, ATTACK on the U.S. Capitol."
CNN | Tapper and Bolton debate Trump's ability to plan a coup, 12 July A/V running time 00:04:10
BOLTON [@01:24]:...It's not an attack on our democracy. It's Donald Trump looking out for Donald Trump. It's a once in a lifetime occurance.
TAPPER: I don't know that I agree with you, to be fair with all due respect. One doesn't have to be brilliant to attempt a coup.
BOLTON: I disagree with that as somebody who has helped plan coup d'etat. Not here, but you know, other places. It takes a lot of work. And that's not what he did...
ARCHIVED cue BOLTON MOUSTACHE: "It must be about ten feet wide." in Ruble and Rupee
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 01:44:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
Where does he say "foreign"? Maybe he's talking about the Florida "election"?
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 02:35:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
John Bolton: Proud of A Hard Day's Work

... covers his role in coup of November 2000 not counting all the votes, hanging chads and dimples on butterfly ballots ... SCOTUS appoints the president.

John tells all by interview on presentation of a new book ...

In 2007, he lamented the United States' apparent inability to orchestrate coups during an appearance on NPR's "The Diane Rehm Show."

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 05:29:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
$840B NDAA 2023
The House bill allocates $808.4 billion in ["]discretionary["] spending to the Pentagon, $30.5 billion to the Department of Energy, and another $400 million in ["]defense-related activities["] elsewhere in the federal government.

Lawmakers filed a record 1,230 amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) through the House Rules Committee for consideration by the full committee, though the lower chamber considered only 650 on the floor.

by Cat on Fri Jul 15th, 2022 at 01:00:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
NY Post ridicules NY Yella Cake "package of apologetic essays"
included a piece from Paul Krugman admitting that he was "wrong about inflation"; a mea culpa by Michelle Goldberg on her hasty call for Al Franken's resignation; a column by Bret Stephens about his erroneous view of Trump voters; and Farhad Manjoo's updated take on Facebook.

For his part, Krugman admitted to getting it wrong when it came to inflation, noting that he brushed off any fears that President Biden's $1.9 trillion rescue package could lead to inflation.

"Some warned that the package would be dangerously inflationary; others were fairly relaxed. I was Team Relaxed. As it turned out, of course, that was a very bad call," he wrote, explaining that, in the end, he underestimated the impact of the pandemic on the economy.

and that's not all < wipes tears >
by Cat on Mon Jul 25th, 2022 at 02:55:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
A Fake Apology ... Fool Me Once (none / 1)
Bret Stephens

'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Jul 25th, 2022 at 05:14:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 0)
MASSACRE of biblical proportions
"Six people have died after a dust storm fueled by wind gusts topping 60 mph"; "My prayers are with everyone affected by the tragic events during the dust storm in Big Horn County today," [Montana AG Austin] Knudsen added.
by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 04:19:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
by Cat on Sun Jul 24th, 2022 at 07:39:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
H.Res.963, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives condemning the Russian Federation, President Vladimir Putin, members of the Russian Security Council, the Russian Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing flagrant acts of aggression and other atrocities rising to the level of crimes against humanity and war crimes against the people of Ukraine and others: Sponsor: Rep. Spartz, Victoria [R-IN-5] (Introduced 03/07/2022) Cosponsors: (78)

H.Res.1038 , Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives condemning the Russian Federation, President Vladimir Putin, members of the Russian Security Council, the Russian Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing atrocities, including alleged war crimes, against the people of Ukraine and others: Sponsor: Rep. Spartz, Victoria [R-IN-5] (Introduced 04/06/2022) Cosponsors: (8)

Nothing in this resolution may be construed as--
(1) a declaration of war or an authorization for the use of military force against the Russian Federation; or
(2) authorization for the introduction of the United States Armed Forces into Ukraine.
archived on vendetta and purges Spartz edition, CRS | "Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2021" UPDATE
by Cat on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 02:02:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The situation here is still pretty psychotic. (none / 1)
S.Res.623, A resolution calling on the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
9 May: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC] (sponsor)
27 July: Resolution agreed to in Senate with an amendment and an amended preamble by Voice Vote.

H.R.8568, To provide for the designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
28 July: Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] (sponsor)

deputy caucus whip No. 5

"We shouldn't allow them to bluff and dictate to America, the greatest nation in the world, where our Speaker of the House should travel," said progressive Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna [D-CA-17] on CNN's "The Situation Room" Tuesday. "I mean, who are they to say that Speaker Pelosi shouldn't go to Taiwan?"
by Cat on Fri Jul 29th, 2022 at 11:06:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
de jokes (none / 0)
by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 08:32:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
by Cat on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 at 10:52:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]
ignore the fire, upstairs, downstairs, next door (none / 0)
"We know New Yorkers are resilient. New Yorkers like to get the information straightforward."
by Cat on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 at 11:05:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
breakfast tacos vote
by Cat on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 04:52:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
by Cat on Thu Jul 14th, 2022 at 03:24:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
APsplainin Singapur en español
"Una persona familiarizada con el asunto confirmó que Pelosi y su delegación habían llegado a la ciudad estado antes del amanecer. Hablaron bajo condición de anonimato porque no estaban autorizados a dar detalles a los medios."
by Cat on Mon Aug 1st, 2022 at 01:05:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: de jokes (none / 0)
APincognito: "Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and House Veterans Affairs' Committee Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.). Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene (Wash.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (Ill.) and Andy Kim (N.J.)"
CNN's Zakaria calls Alito's speech mocking foreign leaders 'disgusting,' 'scandalous'
by Cat on Mon Aug 1st, 2022 at 02:38:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
New York gets ready (none / 0)
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 07:54:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
 WORLD 
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:38:50 PM EST
World POWs messaging system (none / 0)
vOLdeMoRT strikes again
Russia demands rubles for grain exports, 1 Jul
The Russian government has added grain, sunflower oil and extracted meal to the list of exports that must be paid for in rubles. A resolution giving effect to the decision was adopted on Friday and published on the official portal of legal information.

It also provides for a one-year extension of duties to be paid in the national currency in respect of exported sunflower oil and sunflower meal until August 31, 2023.

As part of the new payment mechanism, the base price for calculating the export duty on wheat will be 15,000 rubles (over $267) per ton.

Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter and a major supplier of sunflower seeds. Russian Minister for Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev said this month that the country would export agricultural products to "friendly countries" only.

According to the minister, Russia's grain harvest could reach 130 million tons this year [MY 2022/2023], which would be enough to cover both domestic needs and ensure export potential.

archived G7 countries pledge [additional €4.3B] to fight global food crisis
by Cat on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 11:00:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs messaging system (none / 1)
Mining Review Africa | Uganda discovers gold deposits worth 12 trillion USD, 29 July human rights watch ALERT
31 million metric tons of gold [RAW] waiting to be mined in the country after several surveys were conducted. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in Uganda, Solomon Muyita, said that these reports are aimed at attracting gold miners and investors in the crypto [!] sector.
[...]
In a bid to boost the country's economy, the Ugandan government has licensed Wagagai gold mining company, a Chinese [!] firm to start producing gold products in Busia district. The company embarked on the construction of its gold refinery [INTERMEDIATE]
supply chain discipline ALERT: going vertical?
valued at USD200m in phases in the district in 2016.
[...]
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni [!] has called for the local refinement of the the commodity, calling any external refinery criminal. "It is criminal for anybody to argue for the continued exports of raw materials in Africa, when there is 90% more value in that product that you are giving to the
outsiders" he said.

Tan Chun Chi, the general manager of Wagagai gold mining company, says that the investment has reached US $60 million. He explains that they have been lagging behind
in the construction due to the lack of the two licenses.
[...]
"If this is indeed the volume that we have, it is time to clean our house, and do business, in developing ourselves and our country, by going to the middle income status and beyond." said Winnie Ngabirwe Mineral Development Expert.

Barron's | Boeing Might Have a Russian Titanium Problem, 7 Mar

archived World Gold Council solidarity with Ukraine, COTTON-securing supply and value chains, compartive advantage, COVID Trade War and where's muh mf patent waiver

low brow geopolitical analysis A/V (EN)

by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 12:58:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs messaging system (none / 0)
The United States Contests the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative with a Private Corporation, 5 July concern trolls
At the G7 Summit in Germany, on June 26, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden made a pledge to raise $200 billion within the United States for global infrastructure spending. It was made clear that this new G7 project--the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII)--was intended to counter the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Given Biden's failure to pass the Build Back Better bill (with its scope being almost halved from $3.5 trillion to $2.2 trillion), it is unlikely that he will get the U.S. Congress to go along with this new endeavor.

The PGII is not the first attempt by the U.S. to match the Chinese infrastructure investment globally, which initially took place bilaterally, and then after 2013 happened through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In 2004, as the U.S. war on Iraq unfolded, the United States government set up a body called the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which it called an "independent U.S. foreign assistance agency." Before that, most U.S. government development lending was done through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which was set up in 1961 as part of then-President John F. Kennedy administration's charm campaign against the Soviet Union and against the Bandung spirit of non-alignment in the newly assertive Third World. ...

archived Millenium Challenge: It's a war game AND a perpetual poverty relief policy!

BIS (1930/1961 finance): BE, FR, DE, IT, UK, CH/"global" messaging
IMF SDR (1944 SDR capital): USD, GBP, EUR (FKA: DE, FR, NL 1995), JPY, RMB (2016)
NATO (1949  mil): US (CENTCOM, AFRICOM, EUCOM, NORTHCOM, INDOPACOM, SOUTHCOM, SPACECOM), EU-EEA, CA, AU, NZ*
QUAD (2007 mil): US, AU, JP, IN (2021), KR* (2022)
PBP (2022 NGO): US, UK, NZ, JP, EU
IPEF (2022 NGO): US, AU, JP, IN, NZ, KR, ID*, BN*, MY*, PH*, SG*, TH*, VN*
PGII (2022 NGO): G7

UNSC: FR, US, UK, CN, RU
G7: FR, DE, IT, EU-CO, EU-EC, JP, UK, US, CA
G20: FR, DE, IT, JP, UK, US, EU(27), RU, CN, CA, AU, AR, BR, IN, ID, KR, MX, SA, ZA, TR

by Cat on Tue Jul 5th, 2022 at 04:27:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs messaging system (none / 0)
Kyodo | Group photo "Send off" at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, 8 July
It was revealed that the customary group photo shoot was [canceled] on the 8th at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. It seems that the United States and others avoided [photograph] with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who invaded Ukraine
classy
by Cat on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 02:32:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs messaging system (none / 0)
fact pattern

IMF (1944 SDR capital): USD, GBP, EUR (FKA: DE, FR, NL 1995), JPY, RMB (2016)
G7: FR, DE, IT, EU-CO, EU-EC, JP, UK, US, CA
G20: FR, DE, IT, JP, UK, US, EU(27), CA, RU, CN, AU, AR, BR, IN, ID, KR, MX, SA, ZA, TR

Politico.eu.com | No place for Russia at this week's G20 meeting, says US Treasury secretary

"Russia's actions are not the actions of a government that upholds international norms and laws [of resource-poor "advanced economies"]. Representatives of the Putin regime have no place at this forum," Yellen said during a press briefing ahead of the gathering. The G7 nations have argued that Russia shouldn't attend their meetings so long as the country is in violation of international law.
of Monopoly®
Yellen said she would use the forum to continue to push for a cap on Russian oil prices price fixing and bid rigging that would limit Moscow's ability to finance its war and while curbing global secure IMF currency basket inflation.
Coincidentally, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) published a message this week ahead of UNCTAD 15. Guided by G7 concern trolls who had previously condemned tax regimes of "vulnerable" UNCTAD members, its board recommends that "resource-rich" African nations "diversify exports" with "the increased use of financial services and technology," AKA debt marketing. Ostensibly, this structural adjustment will mitigate future "price volatility and global shocks" currently THREATENING downstream supply chain profit margins on which the so-called national security of developed countries' GDP growths depend.

Economic Development in Africa Report 2022, The Catalytic Role [of Rents], 192 pp

by Cat on Thu Jul 14th, 2022 at 03:53:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs INDOPACOM realignment (none / 1)
whitehouse.gov | In Asia, President Biden and a Dozen Indo-Pacific Partners Launch the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, 23 May
HANKYOREH | 8 in 10 S. Koreans hold negative views of China, poll shows, 1 Jul

On Wednesday, Pew Research Center in the US published findings from a survey of 24,525 individuals from 19 countries including South Korea, the US and Japan conducted between February and early June. According to the survey, 80% of South Koreans and 82% of Americans hold negative opinions of China.
[...]
Negative opinion toward China mushroomed in South Korea after China's economic retaliation following the South's decision to allow the US to install a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missile interceptor on Korean soil in 2017.
archived IPEF "anti-China" Summit
Yoon uses NATO speech to underscore hawkish approach to N. Korea
Amidst the possibility of North Korea conducting a seventh nuclear test, Yoon used his time on the international stage to highlight the stark difference between his more hawkish approach to the North and the Korean Peninsula peace process of his predecessor, Moon Jae-in.
NATO (1949  mil): US (CENTCOM, AFRICOM, EUCOM, NORTHCOM, INDOPACOM, SOUTHCOM, SPACECOM), EU-EEA, CA, AU, NZ*
QUAD (2007 mil): US, AU, JP, IN (2021, KR* (2022)
PBP (2022 NGO): US, UK, NZ, JP, EU
IPEF (2022 NGO): US, AU, JP, IN, NZ, KR, ID*, BN*, MY*, PH*, SG*, TH*, VN*
Will [RIMPAC] exercises be part of Yoon, Kishida's push to improve ties?
Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met five times over the course of the NATO summit and are expected to rapidly act on their new consensus to improve bilateral relations. An official in Korea's presidential office was optimistic about the prospect of improving ties. "All preparations seem to be in place for the leaders [to resolve Korea-Japan relations] through a `top-down' approach rather than a `bottom-up' approach," the official said.
Global Times | S.Korea sends largest-ever contingent to RIMPAC, a 'dangerous' move to deviate from neutral stance for US Indo-Pacific strategy, 2 Jul
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 01:07:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs INDOPACOM realignment (none / 0)
Poll shows how effective BS propaganda is and how easily "opinion" is manipulated. Quite worrisome for the future of human kind and the planet ... coal and fossil fuel lobby groups conquering red states in America and populist rightwing fu**ing parties across western nations.

Interesting stuff for further study in NATO countries ... perhaps some back-lash when the energy crisis and cost of living (poverty) starts to bite.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 04:58:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs INDOPACOM realignment (none / 1)
After Blinken entourage besmirched Lavrov's appearance at the G20 summit,

euractiv | Kiribati's SHOCK withdrawal overshadow Pacific leaders meeting
"'This geopolitical [fishing and navy patrol] competition will continue and it is important the Pacific focuses on the issues that are critical to the Pacific - climate change and the conservation of our resources,' [Tuvalu Foreign Minister Simon] Kofe said."
by Cat on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 01:59:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs INDOPACOM realignment (none / 0)
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on July 11, 2022
Reuters: Kiribati has withdrawn from the Pacific Islands Forum. Does China favor this outcome?

Wang Wenbin: Regarding your question, I read media reports saying that Kiribati's withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) may have something to do with China. Let me make it clear that these reports are completely groundless. For years, China and the PIF have sound cooperative relations. I would like to stress that China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Pacific Islands countries (PICs) and hopes to see greater solidarity and closer cooperation among PICs for common development. 

by Cat on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 02:25:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs INDOPACOM realignment (none / 1)
Sputnik | US Pledges $60 MILLION For Pacific Islands, 'Expands Footprint' to Offset China's [Navy]
a year for a decade, subject to approval by Congress, announced US Vice President Kamala Harris in a [23 min] video address on Wednesday. The financing [!] would go towards such issues as combating illegal fishing, boosting climate resilience, marine planning and conservation, enhancing maritime security. Kamala Harris called for Pacific nations to "stand united" as "bad actors" seek to undermine the international rules-based order.
crabs in a barrel audio recordingThar's also TUNA in them thar rising seas!
archived AUKUS/IPEF update: pivot to Paris Accord
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 01:17:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs public property (none / 0)
"too"?

"blue zone" location, location, location
• USA, states' rights
• Australia, states' rights

Guardian | Is abortion legal in Australia and what are the laws in each state?, 27 June "tracking" upper-bound of aspirations as if no restrictions as to Reasons®

The states and territories all have different rules about when and how women can access terminations. Western Australia is the only state or territory where abortion remains under the criminal code. With South Australia as the most recent to decriminalise abortions, with the changes starting on 7 July [2022].
[...]
The head of policy at Marie Stopes International (MSI) Australia, Bonney Corbin, said Australia was on track to have universal care by 2030 as outlined in the bipartisan National Women's Health Strategy.

"Comparatively [to WHAT?] we're tracking very well," she said.

The Latch | In Light of Roe V. Wade Being Overturned, What Are Australia's Abortion Laws?, ~ 25 June pop fiction by AU state
making many folks around the world wonder what the abortion rights are like where they're living. < wipes tears > This is no expectation [sic] for those of us in Australia.
[...]
Dr. Brian Peat told InDaily, "Women are still getting abortions, it's just through the old way, which means for women in the country they have to fly down to Adelaide and face a significant waiting list." He also noted, "No one seems interested in making it happen.

reference
Cica, "Abortion Law in Australia", 1900-1998
"Three broad categories of criminal laws are explained. First, the laws that create the crime of 'unlawful abortion'. Secondly, the laws that create the crime of 'child destruction.' Thirdly, the law of homicide."
health.act.gov.au | Abortion in the ACT [Australia Capital Territory], New South Wales
restrictions as to Reasons®
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 01:24:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World POWs "stress test" (none / 1)

eurasianet | Uzbekistan president backtracks on constitution to defuse Karakalpakstan tension, 2 Jul
The president of Uzbekistan has flown to a restive semi-autonomous republic in the country's west and ordered the scrapping of proposed constitutional amendments that would have spelled the end to any form of local self-governance.
[...]
"Considering that the process of discussing changes and additions to the constitution are still ongoing, and after having considered the views of people in Karakalpakstan, the president has decreed it necessary to leave unchanged the Articles 70, 71, 72, 74, 75 of the current constitution," Mirziyoyev's office said in a statement.
[...]
Getting a clear picture about this week's events in Nukus has been rendered all but impossible following a government decision to suspend mobile and fixed-line internet connections. Residents have nevertheless managed to share some scant information about the violence that unfolded on July 1. What began as an apparently peaceful demonstration that saw many thousands come out onto a square near a central Nukus market eventually degenerated into clashes.
[...]
The proposed amendments to the constitution presented to the public last month were sold as an effort to make the state more compassionate and democratic.

But the one piece of tinkering that angered people in Karakalpakstan was one that would have seen the semi-autonomous republic lose its constitutional right to hold a referendum on secession. This privilege is a legacy of the convoluted history around Karakalpak sovereignty. In 1936, after much territorial rejigging in the early Soviet era, the Karakalpak Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was subordinated to the Uzbek SSR. ...

RFERL | After Protests, Uzbek President Backs Down On Proposed Changes To Karakalpakstan's Status In Constitution: "Karakalpaks are a Turkic-speaking people in Central Asia."

SCO (2001 NGO): CN, RU, IN, PK, KZ, KG, TJ, UZ, AM*, AF*, AZ*, BY*, TR*, LK*, KH*
OIC (1969 NGO): AZ, AE, IR, IQ, BD, TR, TN, SN, SL, GA, GW, QA, KW, ML, MR, YE, JO, ID, PK, AF, BH, AL, UG, BN, BJ, TM, BF, TJ, TG, TD, DZ, SA, SS, SY, SR, SO, OM, GM, GY, GN, PS, KM, KG, UZ, KZ, CM, CI, LB, LY, MV, MY, EG, MA, MZ, NE, NG
BRICS (2009 FTA): CN, RU, BR, IN, ZA; AR*, DZ*, EG*, ID*, IR*, CM*, ML*, SN*, TH*, UZ*, FJ*, ET*, KZ*

* observer, dialogue, or applicant member

by Cat on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 12:00:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Karakalpak ASSR (none / 1)
Karakalpakstan: a little-known autonomy in the post-Soviet Central Asia

According to some rumors, this provision was a result of lengthy secret negotiations between former Uzbek President Islom Karimov and the then leaders of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. The Karakalpak Constitution provides that relations between Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan are regulated by bilateral treaties and agreements. These treaties and agreements have never been published, and some experts believe that they never existed. Instead, there were verbal agreements about the loyalty of Karakalpakstan in exchange to concessions from the center. Apparently, this explains the existence of the constitutional provision on secession. Some oppositional experts suggest that on 9 April 1993 the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan might have signed a secret agreement which allegedly expired in 2013.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 06:05:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]
< wipes tears > (none / 0)
EU, English, or US "rules-based" constitution?
by Cat on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 12:50:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs "stress test" (none / 1)
DW | Protesters storm Libya's parliament building in Tobruk, 3 July sanitation truck
UN special adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, called the storming of the government building "totally unacceptable" while insisting that "people's right to peacefully protest should be respected and protected." She called for "restraint" on all sides.

The EU's delegation head in Libya, Jose Sabadell, said on Saturday that "protests must be carried out peacefully and avoid any type of violence," adding that "special restraint is necessary given the fragile situation."

Libya's parliament, or House of Representatives[, GNA Presidency Council or Government of National Unity State Council or Council of Deputies or New General National Congress or National Salvation Government], has been based in Tobruk, hundreds of kilometers east of the [titular] capital, Tripoli, since an east-west split in 2014 after the uprising and western intervention that ousted longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi three years earlier.

saywut?
UN | Tensions rise in Libya as risk of 'parallel governments' grows, Security Council hears
since
"western intervention" FKA "no-fly zone" sorties
NATO (Libya 2011) BE, BG, CA, DK, FR, GR, IT, NL, NO, RO, ES, TR, UK, US
"guaranteed" the National Transitional Council of 2012

east-west split
Sirte, BENGHAZI!!, Tripoli

"government" buildings, parliamentary rules
(a) World Atlas, serial
(b) How can you describe Libya's type of government?, US, UN, AE, TR, RU, EG, AL fluid
(c) Libya Tribune, the replacements

by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 06:11:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs "stress test" (none / 1)
fact pattern
CARICOM (1965 CARIFTA/2002 FTA): AG, BS, BB, BZ, DM, GD, GY, HT, JM, MS, LC, KN, SV, SR, TT, AI*, BM*, VG*, KY*, TC*
OAS (1978 NGO): AG, AR, BB, BS, BZ, BO, CL, CO, CU, CR, DM, EC, SV, GD, GT, GY, HN, HT, JM, KN, MX, NI, PA, PY, PE, SL, UY, VZ; US, CA
CELAC (2013 NGO): AG, AR, BS, BB, BZ, BO, BR, CL, CL-rn, CO, CR, CU, DM, EC, SV, GD, GT, GY, HN, HT, JM, KN, LC, MX, NI, PA, PY, PE, PR, SR, VC, VZ

CARICOM | REMARKS BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF GRENADA HON DICKON MITCHELL TO THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 43RD REGULAR MEETING OF CARICOM HEADS OF GOVERNMENT, SURINAME, 3 JULY 2022, 4 July

a Time of Choosing
[...]
49th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas
[...]
Challenges
• Regional Transportation and Travel
• Climate Change
• Food Security: National Land Management policies, Water Resources Management, Crop Diversification, and Disaster Risk Reduction, and "2025 Food Import bill Reduction strategy"; OECS members+ UK, FR "overseas territories" Agriculture Land Bank (uh oh)
• COVID 19 "Digital Strategy to harness and leverage information and communications technology (ICT)"
TeleSur | CARICOM Analyzes Conformation of a Caribbean Single Market, 5 July
Belize's PM Briceno highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and expressed his rejection of the U.S. sanctions against the peoples of Venezuela [fuel] and Cuba [ag].
archived alias Summit of the Americas, Chevron permit, Blinken
"Fuel prices have been too high for too long. We in the Caribbean call for immediate lifting of the sanction imposed on Venezuela so the revolutionary PetroCaribe program can be reinstated, providing our economies with much needed relief," he said, as reported by Kawsachun News.
by Cat on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 08:04:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World POWs "stress test" (none / 1)
Interfax.ua | Ukraine, Turkey, Russia with UN assistance agree on 120-day-long grain export from Odesa, Chornomorsk, Pivdenny ports, 22 July
The document was signed in Istanbul on Friday, July 22. Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the trilateral document with Defense Minister of Turkey Hulusi Akar and UN Secretary-General [Antonio Guterres], who also signed the second trilateral document with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The initiative is based on agreements of Parties of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, says the document, the copy of which is available to the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency.

In particular, the Parties agreed on the following:[...]
• inspection teams will be set up in Turkey, consisting from all Parties and the UN, and their primary responsibility will be to check for the absence of unauthorized cargoes and personnel on board vessels inbound to or outbound from the Ukrainian ports.

btw, the Odesa granary site is 1km+ distant from port
• The Parties will not undertake any attacks against merchant vessels and other civilian vessels and port facilities engaged in this initiative.

• Should demining be required, a minesweeper of another country shall sweep the approaches to the Ukrainian ports, according to the document.
[...]
No military ships, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) may approach the maritime humanitarian corridor closer than a distance agreed by the JCC [Joint Coordination Center], without the authorization of the JCC, and after consultation with all Parties
[...]

yahoo! Bloomberg | Ukraine Latest: Odesa Attack Condemned, US Lawmakers Visit Kyiv, 23 July
WaPoo | RUSSIAN ATTACKS ODESSA PORT a day after signing grain deal, Ukraine says, 23 July sydicated headline
NY Yella Cake | Ukraine News: West Condemns Russia's Strike on Odesa Port, 24 July
Russia may not have technically violated the deal, since it did not pledge to avoid attacking the parts of the Ukrainian ports that are not directly used for the grain exports, according to a senior U.N. official. If there were military targets nearby, Russia may have been trying to EXPLOIT A LOOPHOLE....
of UAF military artillery positions
by Cat on Sun Jul 24th, 2022 at 04:08:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]
World economic forum, 2018 (none / 1)
Ranil Wickremesinghe
The progress Sri Lanka has delivered over the past three years, and the success of its plans going forward, are naturally influenced by the global economic downfall and heavily tied to strategic trade relationships, in particular trade relationships across the Asian region. It is no secret that Asia is the future "economic engine", and in our endeavours to make Sri Lanka a rich country by 2025, it is our intention to "engage Asia" more steadily, utilizing the strategic access to major growing markets in the region, from India, Pakistan, China, Japan and ROK to the ASEAN. Developments in Africa are also important in looking to South-South engagements and cooperation. While we undertake this re-orientation, we also continue to strengthen our partnerships with the West - particularly our top export markets of the United States and Europe.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 10:12:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World economic forum, 2018 (none / 1)
Link on WaybackMachine ...

Sri Lanka PM: This is how I will make my country rich by 2025

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 04:12:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: World economic forum, 2018 (none / 0)
Lankan PM hold talks with World Bank, ADB as India delivers diesel shipment | May 16, 2022 |

Sri Lanka's newly-appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday held discussions with representatives of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank on the current economic crisis in the country, as India delivered the 12th shipment of diesel containing over 400,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) of fuel to the island nation which is facing its worst economic crisis.

"12 shipments and more than 400,000 MT of fuel!! Latest consignment of #Diesel from #India under the credit line for fuel was delivered in #Colombo by Torm Helvig today," the Indian High Commission here tweeted.

Sri Lanka is going through the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. A crippling shortage of foreign reserves has led to long queues for fuel, cooking gas and other essentials while power cuts and soaring food prices heaped misery on the people.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Tue Jul 12th, 2022 at 04:14:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
LIVING OFF THE PLANET
Environment, Energy, Agriculture, Food
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:39:04 PM EST
July 2022 past is prologue (none / 1)
S&P Commodity Insights | High natural gas prices could lead to spike in food costs through fertilizer link, 22 Jan
Around the globe, natural gas is used as a raw material as well as fuel for nitrogen fertilizer production. In some countries such as China [!], coal[!] is gasified into ammonia and used for manufacturing fertilizers.

Nitrogen fertilizers are the most used fertilizers in the world. Ammonia, phosphorous[, urea, potassium,] and potash are the other important fertilizer components.

According to the European ["]crop nutrient["] company Yara [Global] Fertilizers [Brands], in several of their transformation steps, natural gas, essentially methane, is upgraded by combination with nitrogen from the air to form nitrogen fertilizer....

Yara International ASA fertilizer plants
are located all over Europe, in close vicinity to seaports and rivers to enable efficient transportation: Montoir, Ambès and Le Havre in France, Brunsbüttel and Ros­tock in Germany, Tertre in Belgium, Sluiskil in the Netherlands, Ravenna in Italy, Porsgrunn and Glomfjord in Norway to name only a few.

Yara's fertilizer factories run 24 hours 7 days a week. They only stop once in a while for maintenance work and installation upgrades. Huge storage areas hold sufficient stock to ensure continuous deliveries and compensate for demand variations.

petrowiki | Gas as fertilizer feedstock
by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 03:28:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
vOLDeMoRT strikes again (none / 1)
Putin orders a huge Far Eastern oil and gas project be re-organised: Is Russia kicking the West out of key energy deals?, 1 Jul "Power of Siberia"
1. What is Sakhalin-2?

2. Who are the stakeholders in the project?
Sakhalin-2 was managed and operated by the Sakhalin Energy Investment Company. The majority stake (50%) plus one share belongs to Saint Petersburg energy giant Gazprom. Shell, the world's largest LNG trader, holds a 27.5% minus one share stake, Mitsui's share totals 12.5%, while Mitsubishi has a 10% stake in the project.
3. What does Putin's decree say?
The presidential order creates a new Russian firm to take over all the rights and obligations of Sakhalin Energy Investment. Gazprom will retain its stake while the other partners have one month to indicate whether they want a share in the new company. If permission is denied by the Russian government, the stakes would be divested and the proceeds from the sale would be moved to a special account. The money could then be used to repay unspecified damages or be sent to the shareholder under the production sharing agreement, according to the decree. Those who chose to exit may not be fully compensated.
4. Is Russia nationalizing the project?
The change of ownership of Sakhalin-2 cannot be considered nationalization, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. When asked by reporters on Friday whether other energy projects would follow, Peskov replied that each situation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
5. How have foreign stakeholders reacted?
[...]
6. Could the changes hamper LNG supplies?...
reference
Siemens Energy Spin-Off, 2020
FAQs General/What does Spin-off mean?, FAQs Technical/allocation ratio, FAQs Timeline
Siemens Energy Prospectus, 2019, 675 pp

archived Siemans->Siemes Energy AG->Siemans Global Energy GmbH, Gazprom Germania, Mitsui / Mitsubishi 1-24 Mar 2022, Gazprom strikes $7.45bn Sakhalin-2 deal Dec 2006

by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 11:35:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: vOLDeMoRT strikes again (none / 1)

News Logic | [Mitsui OSK Lines] Boss Says Japan Has No Choice But To Buy Russian Gas, 3 July
"Nowadays, the spot market of both LNG and coal is quite expensive. That is one of the reasons why Japan is so reluctant to stop the LNG imports from Russia."
Gas is quoted in Europe at $1,900+ per thousand cubic meters, 7 July
Hashimoto said MOL planned to keep servicing Japanese gas buyers such as Tokyo Gas and Jera with imports from Russia. "Since Japanese buyers require Sakhalin-2 LNG, definitely we will try our best to continue our normal services regardless of Russian national policy," he said.
by Cat on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 04:00:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
G7 fizzles again (none / 1)
NIKKEI | Japan tells Mitsui, Mitsubishi to hang on to Sakhalin-2 stakes, 16 July
Despite the potential risks, the Japanese government wants Mitsui and Mitsubishi to maintain stakes in Sakhalin-2 for the sake of the country's energy supply. The project produces 10 million tons of LNG per year. Six million tons are shipped to Japan, accounting for around 10% of its total imports.

Japan can continue to purchase LNG from the project without companies taking stakes in the new operator, as long as there are valid contracts in place. But the possibility of disruption would increase. The Japanese government has decided there is no need for companies to voluntarily forgo participation in the new Russian operator.

Tokyo believes that Russia will set up the new operating company shortly. Foreign investors will need to notify Moscow within a month whether they want stakes in the entity. ....

In a parallel universe, where anglophone journalists predict "nationalized" Sakhalin-2 P&E ...
Group of Seven sanctions on Russia further complicate the situation. There is speculation that Russia may be trying to drive a wedge between Japan and the West by forcing Japanese companies to take a new stake in a Russian business.

G-7 members are restricting new investments in Russia. Japan in particular currently bans companies from taking 10% or more ownership in a Russian business. The Japanese government plans to frame any transactions tied to Sakhalin-2's new operator as a measure to maintain existing Japanese interests in the project, rather than a fresh investment.

weight gain, not pregnancy
by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 09:17:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: G7 fizzles again (none / 0)
Russia's Rosatom starts building Egypt's first nuclear power reactor, 22 July
In 2017, Egypt signed all the contracts with Rosatom for its first nuclear power plant, made up of four VVER-1200 units. The total cost is estimated at US$30bn, of which US$25bn could be lent by the Russian government. The Russian company will supply nuclear fuel over the plant's lifetime of 60 years, provide operation and maintenance services during the ten first year of operation, build a special storage facility, and supply containers for storing used nuclear fuel. A site approval permit was granted by ENRRA in April 2019.

South Africa is currently the only African nation with commercial nuclear power. Eskom owns and operates two reactors at Koeberg with a total capacity of 1.9 GW.

DWsplainin KREMLIN ties to the Aswan High Dam MINUS unintended consequences
"Last month, the European Union turned to Egypt and its neighbor Israel in a bid to reduce to [EU]'s dependency on Russian natural gas."

archived 14th BRICS Summit, EU East Mediterranean Gas Forum, Nuland: Focus on LNG, EU officials have reached out: LET US HELP YOU TO HELP US!

by Cat on Sat Jul 23rd, 2022 at 01:45:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: G7 fizzles again (none / 1)
RIA Novosti |, 28 July Bloomberg sources® count down
"The project operator Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. has informed LNG buyers of the necessary changes to their contracts, including switching to a Russian bank," people familiar with the matter told the agency.

They clarified that the terms of the contracts, such as currency, volumes, prices and delivery locations, will remain unchanged. That being said, switching to a Russian bank could complicate the process as buyers need to make sure they are not violating sanctions, the sources added.

by Cat on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 at 07:12:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
G7 fizzles again, Egypt edition (none / 1)
vOLDemoRT
Major buyer cancels Ukrainian wheat deal- Reuters, 31 July USAID Power starving Africans
Egypt has cancelled an order for 240,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat that was earlier booked for delivery last February and March but not shipped due to the conflict in Ukraine, Reuters reported this week. This comes as Kiev prepares to resume grain exports via the Black Sea following an agreement with Moscow.

Egypt's procurement authority released the suppliers from their contractual obligations this week, Reuters said citing its sources

The four cancelled cargoes were bought in December [2022] at prices ranging between $346 and $360 per tonne, including shipping costs, traders had said at the time. After the war sped up rises in global grain prices, GASC paid as much as $494.25 per tonne of wheat in April [2022].

The fifth loaded cargo is stuck at Ukraine's Chornomorsk Port but is expected to sail once it has the green light from port officials, according to traders.

adding that it was unclear whether the contracts were cancelled before or after the internationally-brokered deal was reached.
oh
After being unable to receive its supply from Ukraine, Egypt, one of the world's biggest wheat importers, bought the grain elsewhere. According to media reports, in June [MY 2022/2023] the country purchased more than a million tons of wheat from Romania, Bulgaria, France and Russia. Bloomberg reports that Egypt now has more than seven months of wheat stockpiles.
[...]
Ukraine's main grain export, corn [!], accounts for over 15% of the global supply. The biggest buyer is the EU, which uses it mainly as animal fodder ["coarse grain"]. Ukraine's share of the world's wheat exports in 2021 stood at 10% with Egypt and Indonesia its main customers [!]. The eastern European country ranks fifth among global wheat exporters after the US, Canada, Russia, and the EU. Ukraine produces just 3% of the total global wheat output, according to data from the economy and business branch of the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper.
archived Ukrainian grain stuck in RO, PL, rubles for grain exports, 1 Jul, Hag Watch Int' Powerball, EU steps up efforts to debunk Putin's food security propaganda, Thu May 12th, 2022
by Cat on Sun Jul 31st, 2022 at 07:42:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
oFFs (none / 0)
APsplainin 1st ship carrying Ukrainian grain leaves the port of Odesa, 1 Aug
The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni left Odesa carrying over 26,000 tons of corn destined for Lebanon.

"The first grain ship since Russian aggression has left port," said Ukraine's Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov on Twitter, posting a video of the long vessel sounding its horn as its slowly headed out to sea.

Posting separately on Facebook, Kubrakov said Ukraine is the fourth-largest corn exporter in the world, "so the possibility of exporting it via ports is a colossal success in ensuring global food security."

"Today Ukraine, together with partners, takes another step to prevent ["]world hunger["]," he added.

Lebanon doubts Ukraine claim of stolen grain on Syrian ship, 29 July
A senior Lebanese customs official told The Associated Press that there was "nothing wrong" with the cargo of the Laodicea, which docked in the Lebanese port of Tripoli on Thursday, and that its papers were in order. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
[...]
The Laodicea is carrying 5,000 tons of flour and 5,000 tons of barley that Ukraine's Embassy in Beirut says was illegally taken by Russia. After the embassy raised the alarm, Lebanese authorities initiated an investigation.
supra agreement

@ 46:51
by Cat on Mon Aug 1st, 2022 at 12:45:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: vOLDeMoRT strikes again (none / 1)
TASS | Shell is working on an agreement to withdraw from Sakhalin-2, 28 July spin-off
"On June 30, 2022, a decree of the President of Russia was adopted aimed at transferring licenses and assets of SEIC (Sakhalin Energy Investment Company - approx. TASS) to a newly created Russian company that will assume the rights and obligations of SEIC. The decree states that foreign shareholders will be offered to receive shares in this venture equivalent to their interest in SEIC Shell is evaluating its rights and continues to work towards reaching an acceptable agreement that will allow Shell to exit the project in accordance with all applicable legal requirements and agreements," the report said.

At the same time, Shell received part of the dividends for 2021 from participation in the project during the second quarter, the document says.

The company will also stop long-term purchases of Russian oil from third parties by the end of the year, EXCEPT for two contracts with a small independent producer < wipes tears >
Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 1 signed a decree according to which the operator of the Sakhalin-2 project, instead of the Sakhalin Energy company, will be an LLC created by Russia. The property of Sakhalin Energy will be transferred free of charge to the Russian Federation, which will transfer it to a new operator, and all the rights and obligations of the predecessor will be transferred to it.
deadline 1 Aug 2022
Foreign shareholders of Sakhalin Energy must agree within a month to accept shares in the new LLC in proportion to the shares in the former company.
Tysiachniouk et al., "Oil and indigenous people in sub-Arctic Russia: Rethinking equity and governance in benefit sharing agreements", 2018 PSA oppo
This paper analyses how the international oil consortia of Sakhalin Energy and Exxon Neftegaz Limited (ENL) on Sakhalin Island in Russia have introduced benefit sharing through tripartite partnerships. We demonstrate that the procedural and distributional equity of benefit sharing depend on corporate policies, global standards, pressure from international financial institutions, and local social movements connected in a governance generating network. Sakhalin Energy was profoundly influenced by international financial institutions' global rules related to environmental and indigenous people's interests. The benefit sharing arrangement that evolved under these influences resulted in enhanced procedural equity for indigenous people, but has not prevented conflict with and within communities. In contrast, ENL was not significantly influenced by international financial institutions. Its more flexible and limited benefit sharing arrangement was shaped predominantly by global corporate policies, pressure from the regional government and the influence of Sakhalin Energy's model. ...
by Cat on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 at 01:37:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: vOLDeMoRT strikes again (none / 0)

prepared for NRG arbitrage opportunities excluding NATO's "messaging system" and *flation exports

by Cat on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 at 07:32:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Modi strikes again (none / 0)
INR float features story

RBI Notifies New Framework to Enable International Trade Settlement in Indian Rupee
• Low-no third-party exposure to G7 sanctions
• Payments for projects and investments
• Export and import advance flow management
• Investment in government treasury bills, securities, etc., subject to FEMA and other statutory provisions
• Open market exchange rate could stimulate INR appreciation (to aleviate external debt burden in a USD-denominated *flationary environment, delaying a painful PK position: every penny helps!)

parity watch
INR:USD, 1:0.012

by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 11:35:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
off-shore technology | PetroChina may divest Australian and Canadian assets to offset losses, 28 June
to shift its focus towards more profitable sites in Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, reported Reuters. The report says that PetroChina fears that these assets could be subject to sanctions from Western countries [BWAH!] in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
[...]
From 2018 to 2021, Arrow reported losses of approximately A$3.3bn ($2.29bn), including A$2.2bn in impairments, making it the largest loss-making overseas investment for PetroChina [JV with Shell]. ... In Canada, PetroChina intends to sell its wholly-owned MacKay River Oilsands and Dover Oilsands projects, owing to losses pertaining to the production and processing of the tar-like fuel into bitumen. One of the sources familiar with matter said that PetroChina is 'displeased' with the two Canadian projects' relatively high production costs of $70 per barrel.
by Cat on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 12:46:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
PetroChina (PTR) Q1 Earnings Surge on Strong Oil, Gas Prices

'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 05:52:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Divest? How? (none / 0)
Reuters | China's holdings of U.S. Treasuries skid to 12-year low; Japan also cuts holdings, 15 June, April 10Y print
"Overall, foreign holdings of Treasuries slid to 7.455 trillion, the lowest since April 2021, from $7.613 trillion in March.

himalayaustralia | JAPAN, CHINA CUT HOLDINGS OF U.S. BONDS AT LOW LEVE, 19 July, May 10Y print
"COMMUNIST China's holdings of U.S. bonds also fell to $980.8 billion in May, still the lowest since May 2010, when the COMMUNIST regime's holdings of Treasuries were at $843.7 billion, the data showed."
NPR Marketplace | Why is China reducing its U.S. debt holdings?, 19 July
currency manipulation!

--- *flation NOTE
Because G7 "experts" only FX pair reference of "value" is USD, although a significant number of "developing countries" are busy implementing an EME value system aligned with EME asset demand that excludes the most grossly over-valued IMF reserve currencies, they will not for the foreseeable future be able to rationalize G7 monetary policies and risk.

by Cat on Wed Jul 20th, 2022 at 02:48:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 in a PANDEMIC (none / 0)
space.com | US military wants to demonstrate new nuclear power systems in space by 2027, 29 May
The contracts went to two companies, Ultra Safe Nuclear and Avalanche Energy,  to demonstrate nuclear propulsion and power capabilities for small spacecraft that would operate in cislunar (Earth-moon) space. (The values of the contracts were not disclosed in the release.)

If all goes to plan, Ultra Safe Nuclear will demonstrate EmberCore, a chargeable, nuclear radioisotope battery useful for propulsion and power.

"This 'next-gen' radioisotope system will be able to scale to 10 times higher power levels, compared to plutonium systems, and provide more than 1 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy in just a few kilograms of fuel," DIU stated.

Avalanche Energy's Orbitron seeks to trap fusion ions in electrostatic fields, with assistance from a magnetron to keep the electrons closer to their nuclei (atom cores) than what is usually possible.
[...]
Another military organization seeking cislunar nuclear technology is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). On May 4, the organization announced it is ready to move forward on a project to design, develop and assemble a nuclear thermal rocket engine for an expected flight demonstration in Earth orbit by 2026.

The proposals will support DARPA's Demonstration Rocket for Agile < wipes tears> Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program, which aims to develop a nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) system for use in Earth-moon space.

by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 07:29:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
euronews | Italy declares a state of emergency in five northern regions amid worst drought in 70 years, 4 July
It applies to Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto regions, the government said in a statement. The Council of Ministers-approved move will see €36.5 million allocated to try and deal with the drought.
[...]
Another consequence of the drought is that hydroelectric power production has fallen sharply. Hydroelectric installations, located for the most part in the mountainous regions of northern Italy, produce nearly 20% of the country's energy.
Welcome to the European Drought Observatory! 2nd ten-day period of June 2022
GDO Analytical Report, Mar 2022, 26 pp
"A severe drought has been affecting northern Italy and the Po River basin in particular. Dry conditions are related to a persistent lack of precipitation since December 2021"

archived wut crops?

by Cat on Mon Jul 4th, 2022 at 09:21:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)

src: UN Chronicle (meta tag: 1999; post date: none)
... For those of us at the high end of the social ladder, ending hunger globally would be a disaster. If there were no hunger in the world, who would plow the fields? Who would harvest our vegetables? Who would work in the rendering plants? Who would clean our toilets? We would have to produce our own food and clean our own toilets. No wonder people at the high end are not rushing to solve the hunger problem. For many of us, hunger is not a problem, but an asset.
supra Millenium Challenge
by Cat on Wed Jul 6th, 2022 at 04:04:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"artisinal fisherfolk" hosting FOOD (none / 0)
APsplainin Tuna [and "tuna-like species"] dries up for Kenya's ["unskilled"] local fishing community
Subsidies for large fisheries -- which have long been blamed for destructive fishing practices -- have featured prominently at World Trade Organization [WTO] talks for over a decade with no resolution. Earlier this year the [UN-FAO] Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, who is responsible for the region's tuna regulations, was criticized for not implementing measures to protect several tuna species from overfishing at its annual meeting.
[...]
The Maldivian government, which unsuccessfully proposed that members of the tuna commission reduce their catch by 22% from 2020, said it was "extremely disappointed" by the meeting's outcome.

Christopher O'Brien, the commission's executive secretary, said the number of active fishing vessels in the Indian Ocean are decreasing [?].

There are currently over 6100 vessels licensed to fish for Indian Ocean tuna species. In 2020 there were just over 3300 active vessels," he explained. Miongo's and Abdalla's dugout and outrigger canoes are not among these 6100 vessels registered by the tuna commission, which is dominated by industrial fishing fleets.

versus the low cost of externalities in PUTIN'S WAR
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] says climate variability has led to reduced marine stocks, fish shifting from lower to higher latitude regions, coral bleaching and increased risk of conflict over scarce resources. These changes are already being felt by local fishing communities.
by Cat on Wed Jul 13th, 2022 at 12:49:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
France Bails Out Energy Giant EDF, 19 July
France's ministry of finance said on Tuesday that the state plans to launch a simplified takeover offer to buy for $10 billion all the 16% in energy giant EDF it doesn't already own.
[...]
In the intended offer announced today, the French state is offering shareholders of the outstanding shares $12.29 (12 euro) per share, or a premium of 53% over EDF's closing price on July 5, a day before Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced the government's plan for full nationalization.
[...]
Macron said last year that France aims to become a leader in green hydrogen production and reinvent nuclear power by building a small modular reactor by 2030 as part of a wider $30.5 billion (30 billion euro) plan to decarbonize industry and slash emissions.
archived "those days are over thankfully"
by Cat on Tue Jul 19th, 2022 at 06:32:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
1st World Problem of BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS (none / 0)
by Cat on Sat Jul 23rd, 2022 at 05:02:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
 LIVING ON THE PLANET 
 Society, Culture, History, Information 
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:39:16 PM EST
July 2022 [INCONTINENCE ALERT] (none / 0)
Neuro Science News | Research Sheds Light on Mechanism by Which Long-Term Anti-Anxiety Drug Use Affects the Brain, 29 June rodent models
The research critically depended on a unique laboratory model developed at ANSTO known as the "Guwiyang Wurra -TSPO knockout" (a healthy mouse that lacks an evolutionary, ancient protein normally present in mitochondria, the organelle that provides a cell with energy. Because of the importance of the protein for energy generation, its name in Dharawal language is Guwiyang Wurra "fire mouse").

The study suggested that the anti-anxiety drug was not acting on nerve cells directly but on microglial cells (cells of the brain's own intrinsic immune system that can gather around nerve cells and their connections, the synapses) and that the movement of microglial cells was interfering with dendritic spines (small protrusions from the neurons at the tip of which the synaptic connections to other nerve cells are located).
[...]
"There are a number of serious illness conditions, such as dementia but notably also those characterized by often extreme or prolonged fatigue, such as we see now in 'long COVID' or after accidental or ["]therapeutic radiation exposure["], where we know that the immune system responds very strongly.
[...]
"The conceptual significance of the work for me is that it shows us that we might want to view the brain not only as a telephone switchboard with point-to-point connections but as a switchboard in an unusual environment."

reference
Yuan Shi, et al,"Long-term diazepam [VALIUM] treatment enhances microglial spine engulfment and impairs cognitive performance via the mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO)", Nature Neuroscience, Feb 2022

by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 01:53:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)

Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest
by Cat on Sun Jul 3rd, 2022 at 12:12:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
Helmer | The Coming Verdict in the MH17 Trial is certain*, and Double Dutch
Next year it will be four hundred years since the Amboyna Massacre of March 9, 1623. The British won't be memorializing their countrymen's killings by the Dutch, nor the Dutch celebrating one of the last gasps of their Asian empire. They are now allies in the fabrication of reasons for killing Russians.

Remember the Amboyna Massacre! That was fighting talk in London during a decade of litigation in The Netherlands, and leading to the first Anglo-Dutch War of 1652-54. The British won that one - and also the second war of 1655-57, and the third war of 1672-74.

In the Amboyna massacre the Dutch water-boarded and then executed a group of ten British merchants on the trumped-up charge of plotting to seize the Dutch fortress on the island of Ambon, now part of Indonesia,  where today  it is called Maluku. They were beheaded, along with nine Japanese mercenaries and a Portuguese they had employed. The head of the senior English officer, Gabriel Towerson, was put on a pike for display by the Dutch. On the fiftieth anniversary, John Dryden gave Towerson the leading role in a play he put on the London stage entitled, "Amboyna, or the Cruelties of the Dutch to the English Merchants, A Tragedy". That was the time when British political propaganda was written by men of talent.

The real reason for the massacre was that the Dutch were trying to keep their monopoly of the nutmeg harvest on the island, making sure the British didn't undercut their prices or their influence with the local sultans  who controlled the indigenous nutmeg plantations. In those days, nutmeg was more than the sweet spice it's thought of today. It was a strategic commodity - and a matter of national security in Europe. That was because it was believed to be able to ward off the Black Plague.

Also, the British and Dutch were fighting for sea routes and colonial assets capable of producing much more than nutmeg. Along the way, the Dutch lost New Amsterdam (aka New York) and much more besides. The Amboyna massacre had another unintended outcome - having lost the heads of several of its best men, the British merchant holding, the East India Company, decided to exit Indonesia, and  entrench themselves in India instead. India was good for cotton textiles, chintzes, and the blue dye known as indigo. Nutmeg stayed with the Dutch, but the British stole the Ambon nutmeg  tree and replanted it in other parts of their empire.  ...

archived "The Cromwellian Protectorate and the Languages of Empire""

* FWIW, in '14, I suspected Kolomoisky, who was known at the time to deal arms and maintain a private militia, supplied one or more Buk missile batteries to nationalists on his payroll with orders to ignite post-Maidan offensive. Means, motive, opportunity to pull off that caper did not favor Donbas irregulars then or 8 years later, when COE studiously ignored his hand in orchestrating Zelensk* theatrical debut in the ROLE of accidental Cold War redeemer.

by Cat on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 05:49:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]
What I'm reading this month ... (none / 0)
Anglo-Dutch foundations of moderne ICJ and ICC exceedingly shallow common law

ICC's Struggle with the Evidentiary Standard of Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt

ICC prosecutors' pre-trial preliminary examinations, mandate, and consultations with complainants (1997-present TBD)

Rules of Evidence Before the International Court of Justice (for the citations)

Croatia v. Serbia (Judgment, I.C.J. Reports, 2015), 524 pp
IV. Questions of Proof   167-199
A. The burden of proof   170-176
B. The standard of proof 177-179
C. Methods of proof      180-199

oops. Part IV is omited from the public domain. This "landmark" record ends at p 155. That embargo is particulary troubling, because I have been informed that, though required, proof of mens rea component ('special intent' and knowledge, negligence, 'willful blindness,' desire not motive, etc) of a crime admitted by either court is unpredictable, a "problematic" burden.

by Cat on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 09:11:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Twist for Fort Victory (none / 0)
But they all confessed... two Japanese mercenaries didn't make it to trial.

Amboina, 9 March 1623

It ended in the War of Pamphlets

Jonathan Swift used the theme in his Gulliver's Travels.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Jul 27th, 2022 at 03:53:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 international norms (4.00 / 2)

How to interpret the discrepancy in US human rights complaints draping Khashoggi and AbuAkleh? Misogyny of the current "Great White Father" stretches credulity. After all, both were murdered.

by Cat on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 07:23:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 DICTOPN CORNER (none / 0)
psephology has entered the room.

DW | India: BJP backs TRIBAL politician Draupadi Murmu for president against former ally, 18 July "women and minorities" Lévi-Strauss edition

Her nomination holds a lot of symbolic significance [20.07.2022 "Santhal" EDIT] for India's tribal communities. If elected, she would also be the second-ever woman to hold the high office. The only woman to have held the post of India's president to date was Pratibha Devisingh Patil, from 2007 until 2012.

Murmu, 64, was born in the eastern state of Odisha, where she first won elections as a councilor of the state. She later joined mainstream politics and served as a lawmaker and governor of the eastern state of Jharkhand...

Which Indian (not that one, the other one) "tribe" does Draupadi Murmu symbolize?
Santhal / Manjhi / Santal/Sawntal
The Santals are part of the Austro [LOL!]-Asiatic family, distantly related to the Vietnamese and Khmer. Historians believe that they were the ancestors of the tribal community residing in the eastern part of India (excluding the hill portions). The Santal language, Santali, belongs to the Munda (or Mundari) branch of the Austro-Asiatic language family.
[...]
What Are Their Beliefs?
Traditionally, Santal religion was characterized by a belief in a pantheon of supernatural beings represented at the top by the supreme god Maran Buru. Their folk religion includes six other major gods and a host of nature and ancestral spirits. ... Hinduism [!] has had only nominal influence on Santal religious practices as has Christianity, despite the fact that Christian missionaries have been functioning among the Santals since 1862. ... A tradition in Santal culture: A missionary named Stan Avery has traveled with native Indian missionaries throughout Santal territory, visiting churches and church planters. In December 2015, they met with Santali elders who told them they possess an ancient book, called the "Hebram Pothi", which contains their sacred histories. This book has never been translated into English. ...
Translations don't write themselves, yo.
Sputnik | BJP Foiled Opposition's Attempts to Unite in Presidential & Vice-Presidential Polls - Psephologist
Vinod Kumar Shukla: In the last presidential election, the BJP fielded a Dalit [!] candidate to consolidate votes from that community and the party was successful. This time it went for a candidate from a tribal community with a few agendas in mind.

First and foremost was to consolidate tribal voters. Second, it wanted to stifle the conversion agenda of Christian missionaries.

Apart from this, we need to understand that by fielding Murmu as its presidential candidate, the BJP is trying to target the tribal vote bank in those states where it is not in power, such as in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.

Murmu belongs to the Santhal tribe and it is the third-largest scheduled tribe community in India. By fielding a woman from the Santhal tribe, the BJP is trying to spread its wings into the non-BJP ruled states. Not only this, the BJP has also succeeded in breaking the unity of the Opposition by fielding a female candidate, as we have already seen that cross-voting has happened in the presidential poll and a lot of non-BJP states extended their support to Murmu. ...

by Cat on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 04:05:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 DICTOPN CORNER (none / 1)
Countercurrents | Indian Constitution, Ethnic Factors & Murmu's Election!, 24 July
Ram Nath Kovind, the outgoing President, did not select his identity- that as a Dalit Hindu. If the option to do was available, it wouldn't be surprising if majority of Hindus opted to be considered as high-caste Hindus. To a degree, the trend of opting for names - which hardly suggest one's caste - has become quite popular. This is marked by adding names such as Kumar, Singh and so forth to one's first name. Incidentally, a similar trend is visible among Muslims- that of adding "Khan" to their names. Ethnic identity linked with "Khan" falls in the upper bracket of castes. Its increasing usage among sections of Muslims is primarily linked with popularity of Khans in Bollywood, irrespective of whether ethnically they are Khans or not. To a degree, the same may be said about increasing usage of middle and/or surnames such as Kumar and Singh among Hindus.  ...
by Cat on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 at 12:04:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Science: Discovery Structures of 200m Proteins (none / 0)

DeepMind uncovers structure of 200m proteins in scientific leap forward | The Guardian |

Artificial intelligence has deciphered the structure of virtually every protein known to science, paving the way for the development of new medicines or technologies to tackle global challenges such as famine or pollution.

Proteins are the building blocks of life. Formed of chains of amino acids, folded up into complex shapes, their 3D structure largely determines their function. Once you know how a protein folds up, you can start to understand how it works, and how to change its behaviour.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 at 06:14:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]
This is rich. (none / 1)
The OECD (for which the US historically has little to no respect) evidently has been trying to assist UKRAINE in developing governance and capital improvements since ... 2015, an auspicious year for state failure despite securing EU EFTA and association status. These endorsements appear to have unlocked cash grants above and beyond IMF lines of credit.

Ukraine's work with the OECD, Policy Challenges, arrayed in HTML splendor and neatly tucked in a 4-pg "Global Relations Report" containing a LIST of detailed reports--which does not address the principal pre-occupations of the European Council, as is the custom in EXISTENTIAL CRISIS,
"Anti-Corruption Reforms in Ukraine" (5th Round, 2022) ,
"Anti-Corruption Review of the Energy Sector in Ukraine" (2021), or
"Fighting bid rigging in public procurement in the energy sector in Ukraine"
a subject of great interest to G7 racketeering known as the Russian energy "price cap" plan.

I suppose, the over-riding question asked by NATO sponsors is, How were Ukrainians doing it rong?

I wouldn't have noticed this EXTENSIVE RESEARCH but for alarm prompted by the purge of the SBU et al. last week and an article published today, "Ukrainian Gas Industry Failed"

The Norwegian government refused to supply Kiev with about five billion cubic meters of gas for the heating season of 2022-2023....
summarizing a publication by NORAD.no in collaboration with UNDRR, "Typology of Corruption in the Ukrainian Energy Sector" that propounds findings in "Anti-Corruption Review of the Energy Sector in Ukraine".

archived Traitors Inside SBU - Zelensky Sacks Close Friend

by Cat on Fri Jul 29th, 2022 at 09:54:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
ON THIS DATE
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:39:31 PM EST
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
NY Yella Cake -100: July 2, 1922: Of thankless jobs, snipers, lynchings, opium, and aluminum
The fall of the Four Courts is not the end of it. Anti-Treaty IRAers are occupying 40 or so buildings, from which they're merrily sniping, as was the custom.
[...]
Two black men, James Harvey and Joe Jordan, are seized from a deputy sheriff by a mob ...
[...]
As Alien Property Custodian during the war, Francis Garvan gave a bunch of German patents to the Chemical Foundation of New Yor
drum roll
In 1912 the US and other countries created the Hague opium convention to cut down the illegal drug trade. That has since been superceded by the League of Nations, which has been trying to get information from the US about why it's importing so many drugs, but the US has been pretending that the League of Nations doesn't exist ...

by Cat on Sat Jul 2nd, 2022 at 03:06:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Shinzo Abe assassinated (none / 0)
Tass: two shots were heard, according to the NHK television channel, 8 July
Police arrested 41-year-old Yamagami Tetsuya in Nara City for allegedly attempting murder. They say they seized a gun at the site which the suspect was apparently holding.
by Cat on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 04:13:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Shinzo Abe attempted assassination (none / 0)
Change that to attempted assassination ... not yet confirmed he died.

Former PM Shinzo Abe in critical condition after assassination attempt



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 05:35:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Shinzo Abe attempted assassination (none / 0)
LATEST: "no vital signs"
whatever that means ...

'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 07:03:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Shinzo Abe attempted assassination (none / 0)
yeah, he ded

One might speculate, given The Japan Times affilation with the ruling party, that management rather wished he hadn't.

by Cat on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 09:22:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Shinzo Abe attempted assassination (none / 0)
Japan is a very safe country, this "shotgun" was home-made.

From Japan TV a look at previous attempted assassinations I understand all from extreme right origin. Most have failed.

A look at seven notorious assassinations and assassination plots that shocked Japan - from 1867 on forward

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 09:48:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Shinzo Abe attempted assassination (none / 1)
...all from extreme right origin

Just like the US over the last hundred years, except we can't be bothered to be shocked or even acknowledge the politics.

by rifek on Fri Jul 8th, 2022 at 05:14:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"extreme right" (none / 1)
LDP or yakuza? The proverbial "Mrs Watanabe" or constitutional monarchy, reset by Gen. MacArthur? Honda Motors "company men" or ... hikikomori stigma?
by Cat on Sat Jul 9th, 2022 at 03:08:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
"extreme right" (none / 1)
Recalling, Koizumi's geopolitcal plan for the US-Allied party, when Abe pledged "in 2017 to revise the country's post-World War II constitution ... most notably Article 9, known as the pacifist clause"

ICYMI: Japan's uniparty
and the "democratic processes" which produced 2 NEW! unpopular PMs in as many years since Abe last resigned for "health reasons".

by Cat on Sat Jul 9th, 2022 at 03:24:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "extreme right" hagiography (none / 0)
informative, time-sensitive obituary, feat. QUAD-revival

"born into politial royalty"

by Cat on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 at 07:05:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "extreme right" hagiography (none / 1)
More about Nobusuke Kishi, Shinzo Abe's grandfather, and Manchuria in the 1930s.

'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 at 09:59:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "extreme right" (none / 1)
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) | To honor Shinzo Abe, we must continue his vision for East Asia
"combatting COMMUNIST China require[s] a two-pronged approach, rooted in military strength and economic independence"

Pelosi to Blinken: Label Russia as TERRORIST state, or else Congress will
"the State Department has long been skeptical of what that move would accomplish"

WSJ | U.S. Resolution Against Hamas is Defeated in the U.nited Nations
"a U.S. resolution condemning Hamas as a terrorist organization"

UN | Calling for Final Peace Settlement of Israeli Palestinian Conflict, General Assembly Adopts Six Resolutions on Middle East, a/o 30 Nov 2018
document A/73/L.29  "Jerusalem"
document A/73/L.30 "The Syrian Golan"
document A/73/L.31 "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People"
document A/73/L.32 "Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine"
document A/73/L.33 "Special information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat"
document A/73/L.34 "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat"

Through the terms of the text titled "Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine" (document A/73/L.32) -- adopted by a recorded vote of 156 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States) with 12 abstentions -- the Assembly calls for intensified efforts by the parties, including through negotiations, to conclude a final peace settlement.  It also calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to comply strictly with its obligations under international law and stresses the need for an immediate and complete cessation of all acts of violence.

Adopting the resolution titled "Jerusalem" (document A/73/L.29) by a recorded vote o<
adopted a draft resolution titled "Comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East" (document A/73/L.49), 6 Dec 2018
YES: 156 NO:6 AB:12

the Assembly reiterates its call for the achievement, without delay, of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on relevant United Nations resolutions.  It also reiterates its call for an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, including of East Jerusalem, and reaffirms its unwavering support for the two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders.

G7 Grand Coalition plurality
"left politically dead by the fact that just 133 senators, out of a 321-member chamber, took part in it."

UN General Assembly 193-member tallies "condemning Russia"

2 March 2022 -- 141:5:35 "aggression against Ukraine"
7 Apr 2022 -- 93:24:58 suspension of OCHR seat
m-d-2022 -- 000:000:000 sanctions

by Cat on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 at 08:36:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Hag Watch Int'l. "extreme right" (none / 0)
CHINA Embassy Spokesperson's Remarks on issues relating to Taiwan, 23 June, London
Question: Why does the Taiwan question bear on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity?

WaPoo | Biden: U.S. military does not support Nancy Pelosi visiting Taiwan, 21 July

Biden said that "the military thinks it's not a good idea right now," but he noted that he was not sure "what the status of it is."
[...]
Pressed by a reporter about Biden's remarks, Pelosi said: "I think what the president was saying is that maybe the military was afraid our plane would get shot down or something like that by the Chinese. I don't know exactly. I didn't see it. I didn't hear it. You're telling me, and I've heard it anecdotally," she said.
April 2022 Miss Nancy schedules a $95M sales call in Taipei, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on April 7, 2022

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on July 21, 2022

Should the US side insist on making the visit, China will act strongly to resolutely respond to it and take countermeasures. We mean what we say. 
by Cat on Sat Jul 23rd, 2022 at 02:50:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: "extreme right" (none / 0)
RTE | Japan executes man over 2008 stabbing rampage26 July
Kato's execution is the first in Japan this year and comes after three prisoners were executed in December 2021. Those executions ended a two-year hiatus and were the first under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration.

Japan is one of the few developed countries to retain the death penalty, and public support for capital punishment remains high despite international criticism.

Executions are carried out by hanging, generally long after sentencing. More than 100 people are currently on death row in Japan.

by Cat on Tue Jul 26th, 2022 at 11:05:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]
10 July 1985 (none / 0)
by Bernard (bernard) on Sun Jul 10th, 2022 at 09:06:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]
16 July 1942 (none / 0)
80 years ago to this day:

by Bernard (bernard) on Sat Jul 16th, 2022 at 07:57:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
17 July 2014 (none / 1)
by Bernard (bernard) on Sun Jul 17th, 2022 at 11:42:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Battle of El Caney, Cuba 1898 (none / 0)

Battle of El Caney, Cuba (July 1898)

Spanish-American War for independence of Cuba, Puerto Rico and Philippines ...

In 1902 U.S. soldiers were torturing Filipinos with water | Wired - Feb. 2008 |

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sun Jul 17th, 2022 at 05:15:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
22 July 2022 (none / 0)
NY Yella Cake -100: Of aerial traffic cops, arsenic, and limericks
The Irish Free State captures Limerick & Waterford from the rebels
because the Council of Europe had not invented either ICJ, ICC, ECJ, or ECHR which have nothing to do with the EU anyway. Thank the lawd, the European Council invented the EC to dispense EU "Constitutional" sanctions and prosecute EU "Constitutional" infringements hither and yon.
EU launches infringement procedures against UK over N. Ireland, 22 July
The European Union has launched four NEW! infringement procedures against the United Kingdom, a non-member state, for failing to comply with significant parts of the protocol governing post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland.
by Cat on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 at 05:22:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: July 2022 (none / 0)
 PEOPLE AND KLATSCH 
by Bernard (bernard) on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 at 07:39:42 PM EST
Household Economics: Where's My $200K? (none / 0)
I had chores before I knew what chores were. Of course I eagerly wanted to participate in whatever activity my siblings were doing; I never considered it work. If you could hold things you could be useful, and you often got to share in chores like getting stuff out and putting stuff away. I was taught how to change diapers at the age of three....
by Cat on Sun Jul 24th, 2022 at 02:40:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]
July 2022 | 226 comments (226 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)


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