«12. . .445446447448449450451. . .454455»
AFP News Agency
Reporting the news since 1835
Alstom signs off on deal with Central American government in latest sale in Latin America
PARIS (AFP) - Alstom, one of the world’s leading rolling stock manufacturers announced that it had closed a deal with the government of Central America for the acquisition of 10 trains. The announcement was made on social media by the company’s CEO, Henri Poupart-Lafarge who had visited the Latin American country weeks earlier to meet with local business leaders and politicians. Final payment on the deal was disclosed at over €75.5 million (US$82.7 million), marking one of the largest deals the company has made with the Central American state.
All 10 trains, which will be manufactured by Alstom’s Canadian subsidiary Bombardier and delivered by late summer of 2024 are destined for Central America’s Tehuantepec Interoceanic Railway which is part of a wider infrastructure project. The first line of the Interoceanic Railway will connect the cities of Santa Cruz and Coatzacoalcos within Veracruz Province in the northern areas of the Empire. With additional expansions underway, Alstom revealed that the Central American government was interested in purchasing additional units in the near future as the project progresses.
Alstom’s presence in Central America is not new, with the government and the company having a “close and cordial relationship”, according to Alstom CEO Poupart-Lafarge who has visited the country on numerous occasions. “Central America is by far one of our most valuable customers”, Poupart-Lafarge told newspaper Le Figaro last year, adding that the country’s leading economic position placed it in a unique spot to “acquire advanced rolling stock that only Alstom can offer to increase mobility and connectivity” for its rapidly growing economy.
However, other countries in Latin America have also acquired rolling stock from Alstom including Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Chile who have purchased various models in efforts to upgrade rail lines and metro systems in their own countries. Alstom has also been able to expand its business worldwide, with a wide variety of state customers seeking out the company’s products, many of which are designed or manufactured in France. Increased sales by Alstom in 2023 added an estimated 4,000 jobs to the French economy, with an additional 1,400 expected as Alstom predicts further growth by the end of 2024.
More from AFP - The World's Oldest News Agency:
FRANCE - Negotiations between Paris and Ajaccio break down as island’s nationalist government exit talks
EUROPE - Airbus CEO tauts company as “leader in safety” after Boeing MAX incident
BUSINESS - Green activists criticize TotalEnergies pledge of €60 million for global warming mitigation
Afsharid Persia, The Australis Republic, Central American Alliance, Great Britain Interior, and 3 othersCongo-Kinsasa, Patrioticheskaya, and Union of Zuid Afrika
The Kinshasa Informer
7 January 2024
Eyes in the sky: Congolese National Police's growing drone arsenal is cause for concern
KINSHASA - The Congolese National Police Force (PNC) has been acquiring ever more sophisticated drones for years – but experts say the lack of regulation and oversight is disturbing and creates opportunities for abuse.
Albert Kabeya was surprised by a motionless drone a few meters in front of the window of his apartment in La Gombe, downtown Kinshasa, on a July morning in 2023. Kabeya, one of the DRC's most prominent anti-corruption activists, was heavily involved in the 2022 anti-government movement. The movement saw a series of demonstrations and protests across the DRC that lasted for over a year; its main goals were to establish strong legislation and enforcement against political corruption and to protest the perceived anti-democratic tendencies of Joseph Kabila.
"The drone stood there for 30 minutes; I could see its camera peering into my apartment. The scene was Orwellian. I received no prior notification," Kabeya told The Kinshasa Informer, adding that he'd noticed drones before – at anti-government protests. In recent years, the Congolese National Police Force (PNC) has acquired various advanced drones, an analysis of publicly available procurement data reveals. These UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) can use sensors and even artificial intelligence (on more recent models) for flights, real-time imaging, as well as high-quality cameras and powerful zooms. Some have the option of additional features which allow them to gather biometric data.
Police use of drones, however, is characterised by a lack of regulation and restrictions over their use, the data they collect and the storage of said data, experts say. The problem is compounded by the DRC's Byzantine framework of national security laws.
"Drones are a tool for civilian and military purposes that gather a vast amount of data, and if there is no clear legal regulation on how this data is stored, they pose a real threat to the privacy of ordinary citizens," Esther Baruti, a professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Kinshasa, told The Kinshasa Informer. "If the recordings are used to identify individuals and create dossiers on citizens who have expressed dissatisfaction with the government, that would be a breach of the constitution. Unfortunately, most citizens are quite uninformed about the possibilities of this new technology," she added.
Police use drones, among other things, for rescue missions, border surveillance, monitoring illegal migration, firefighting, tracking individuals under investigation or on the run, and accessing physically inaccessible terrain. They have also found use in anti-poaching tasks; since 2017, park rangers have used drones to combat mountain gorilla poaching in Virunga National Park.
The usage of drones is loosely regulated under the Congolese National Police Force Act, last amended in 2018, and under the Regulation on Recordings in Public Places, adopted in 2020. The law states that the police have the right to record events in public areas, "when there is a danger that during a public gathering, there may be a threat to the life and health of people or property" – though what exactly constitutes said threat is vaguely defined.
The use of biometric cameras to monitor citizens is not legal in the DRC. This, however, may change soon; in December 2023, Kabila's Justice Party introduced a bill that, if passed, would allow the FPC to start gathering biometric data in 2024. This is widely seen as an attempt by the ruling party to forestall any future protests like those we saw in 2022. Despite opposition from the Congolese Party of Progress and its allies in the National Assembly, the Justice Party has been rushing the bill through parliament and hopes to put it to vote no later than March this year.
The Ministry of Police did not respond to the Kinshasa Informer's questions about the models of drones it uses, the protocols specifying their usage, data collection and storage, pilot licensing, collaboration with private companies, and the security and privacy measures used to prevent the misuse of collected data. Although Congolese state institutions are obliged to publish data on public procurements on the public procurement website, it is almost impossible to find information on the police's purchase of drones. This is because police procurement is covered by the Protection of State Information Act.
However, the website of the Office of Public Procurement provides some data on purchases of software, maintenance services and additional equipment for drones. Analysis of these data and publicly available photographs and news of police equipment reveal some of the drone models that the police in the DRC use. Chinese DJI Phantom drones are most commonly mentioned in procurements. Through public procurement searches, The Kinshasa Informer has also found data showing that Congolese police possess Chinese Yuneec International H520E drones. Publicly available photos of the National Gendarmerie show that this unit uses DJI Spreading Wings S1000 hexacopter drones, while news from the police website reveals that the traffic police received donated Yuneec International H520E drones from an unnamed source. The FPC itself procured maintenance for DJI drones, promoted for military and civilian purposes, for control of protests, firefighting, border and coastal surveillance, and tactical intelligence reconnaissance.
Most DJI drones have an integrated intelligent flying option and automated "active tracking" of objects, people, boats, and moving vehicles or circling a predetermined "point of interest", allowing the operator to control other functions, such as zooming, image sharpening, and framing. The intelligent tracking mode in certain DJI models has the option of detecting, identifying, and counting objects or persons, measuring the area they occupy, detecting their geo-location from a distance of more than a kilometre, and tracking them in real-time. Under certain conditions, thermal drone cameras can be used to measure body temperature, determine population density, and count and detect faces in night-time conditions or inaccessible terrain. A source close to the Congolese police told The Kinshasa Informer that such drones are most commonly used at borders to monitor smuggling.
The load that the FPC's drones can carry ranges up to several kilograms. Greater load capacity means larger cameras or the ability to carry more devices; besides cameras, these can include, among other things, speakers, radars, or lights. The Kinshasa Informer has no data on whether the Ministry of Police has purchased additional equipment for DJI drones. The police did not respond to The Kinshasa Informer's questions about the acquisition of additional equipment.
In a brochure sponsored by the DJI, which the FPC used, it is advised to justify the public purchase of drones by establishing clear rules for their application in public security services, transparency in storing recordings, and training drone pilots. While in some countries, like the United States and Canada, police and other authorities mainly may not operate a drone beyond the line of sight of the pilot, in the DRC this field is not legally regulated.
The use of drones in the DRC in general is regulated, but this regulation does not apply to the police, military and customs. Therefore, restrictions such as those stating that drones cannot fly higher than 100 meters, near people or government institutions, do not apply to the police. Machérie Kamanda, from the non-governmental organisation Civil Society Forum, say police use of drones is poorly monitored. "Unlike static street cameras, drones are much more invasive, having unlimited capability to intrude into any private space. For cameras, there is a prior assessment of why each camera is in a specific location; drones do not have that kind of restriction," Kamanda says. Drones have been used in the DRC to record civil protests, and Kamanda says the police have often failed to inform the public about the details of these recordings.
Kamanda further believes that police drones with integrated capabilities for automatic tracking of a person or object, determining their exact geolocation, counting people or objects in a crowd, as well as the possibility to additional instal face recognition features, "can be abused for covert tracking purposes". She concludes by saying that the Ministry of Police should inform the public not only about recordings but also about the devices it will use.
Afsharid Persia, The Australis Republic, Great Britain Interior, Providentica, and 2 othersPatrioticheskaya, and Union of Zuid Afrika
THE JAKARTA POST
INDONESIA'S NATIONAL HYDROGEN STRATEGY SETS STGAE FOR PILOT PROJECTS, NEW INVESTMENT
| (KOTA JAKARTA RAJA) -- Indonesia's recently released national hydrogen strategy provides policy signals to the state-owned and private energy companies to move ahead with pilot projects and frames the role of the new fuel in the country's long-term energy mix, according to analysts. In early-January, the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, under Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, published the National Hydrogen Strategy report. |
| The document will serve as a reference for the hydrogen development in Indonesia, Andriah Feby Misna, the head of the directorate. Misna said that hydrogen is expected to be one of the main contributors to Indonesia's energy transition as well as become one of the government's main strategies in implementing the road map to Net Zero Emission by 2060. Under the roadmap, demand growth starts from 2030, with the use of green hydrogen in the transportation sector in 2031, and in the industrial sector in 2041 to replace natural and fossil gas for high temperature heating processes. Indonesia's strategy is to start with low-carbon hydrogen and gradually transition to green hydrogen when project economics can compete with other energy sources, with the goal of creating a hydrogen economy, Misna said. |
| The strategy expects low-carbon hydrogen to replace fossil fuels in all industries and power generation and become one of the main fuels in the transportation sector by 2060, along with electric vehicles that are also powered by low-carbon electricity. "It's significant to see such bold confidence in the potential of hydrogen as a fuel to decarbonize, even if the timing is quite far," Johan Utama, principal research analyst, Deloitte said. "The strategy will serve as a reference framework for other organizations across the government to formulate supportive policies. The nearest-term impact would be to enable state-owned entities such as national oil company Pertamina, fertilizer company Pupuk Indonesia and state utility PLN to move forward on pilot projects to produce and consume low-carbon hydrogen," Utama said. He said while the strategy is looking to export, decarbonization and meeting domestic energy demand is the focus. |
| Additionally, while no firm target is mentioned, a demand forecast from Pertamina under two scenarios ranges from 0.9 million mt/year to 8 million mt/yr for low-carbon hydrogen by 2040, and a demand forecast from IEA shows about 800 Peta Joule (approximately 5.6 million mt) by 2060, Utama said. Total electricity generation from hydrogen production is expected to be around 220 terawatt‐hours by 2060, almost as much as the current total demand in all sectors, according to the IEA. The IEA said in its September 2022 report that hydrogen and hydrogen‐based fuels are technologies that are currently not commercially available in Indonesia, but will meet around one‐quarter of emissions reductions by 2050. Hydrogen‐based fuels refer to ammonia and synthetic hydrocarbons, such as synthetic methane and synthetic oil products. |
| Indonesia's hydrogen strategy has three pillars: reduce reliance on fossil fuels to ensure energy security, develop the domestic hydrogen market, and export hydrogen and its derivatives to the global market, Misna said. Indonesia currently consumes around 1.75 million mt/year of hydrogen, primarily as a raw material for the fertilizer, ammonia, and oil refining sector, according to the report. Misna said hydrogen development in Indonesia is still at the research and pilot-project stage, and the industry is projected to grow after 2030 with wider usage in vehicles, power generation, energy storage, and decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like shipping, aviation, steel production, manufacturing and long-haul transportation. The document also cited Indonesia's strong potential for abundant renewable energy resources to produce hydrogen, with a total potential for new and renewable energy (NRE) at around 3,689 GW, out of which only 0.3% has been utilized so far. According to the NZE modeling provided by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, demand for low-carbon hydrogen from various industries is expected to increase between 2031 and 2060. Low-carbon hydrogen transportation will begin with 26,000 barrels of oil equivalent (or 0.04 TWh for road trucks) in 2031 and grow to 52.5 million barrels of oil equivalent (89 TWh for shipping and trucking) in 2060, the report said. The usage of low-carbon hydrogen in the industrial sector will begin with 2.8 TWh in 2041 and expand to 79 TWh in 2060. Out of this, the metal, ceramics, and paper industries are expected to reach 29 TWh by 2060. The hydrogen strategy reasserts PLN and IEA's decarbonization roadmap, where 220 TWh of electricity generation through hydrogen by 2060 will replace gas-based plants and coal co-firing. The document also stated that the main obstacles were unpredictable supply-demand and the usage of low-carbon hydrogen is still restricted due to regulatory ambiguity. Until now, Indonesia had no low-carbon hydrogen production and no long-term strategy or market, and there are currently no formal regulations for the sector. There are infrastructure challenges as hydrogen production has to be transported to its final destination. Hydrogen storage infrastructure is also required to balance hydrogen supply and demand, and low infrastructure investment will stymie hydrogen development, analysts said. |
MOSCOVY TIMESthe 29th of December, 2023
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
PRESIDENT ABRAMOVICH NEW YEAR ADDRESS
Since assuming power, The President makes his first address to all of Russia on the New Year.
....We are saying our goodbyes to 2023. It will soon become a part of history, so we must go on and build the future. Over the past year, we have put in a lot of effort and made great progress. We were pleased with our accomplishments and proud of our shared accomplishments. And we remained steadfast in defending our independence, security, and principles, which remain our unwavering cornerstone. The destiny of the Motherland is what has brought us together most of all. There is a profound awareness of the significance of the historic moment that Russia is living through, the lofty objectives that society is pursuing, and the enormous duty that each of us has for the Motherland. We understand very well how much depends on us at this time, on our good outlook, and on our desire to stand by each other both verbally and physically. Society has come together through work for the common benefit. Whether it is a weekday or a holiday, we are one in our thoughts, deeds, and combat, exhibiting the three primary characteristics of the Russian people: unity, mercy, and fortitude. We have repeatedly shown that we are capable of taking on the most challenging assignments, and we will never give up because nothing can separate us, cause us to lose sight of our fathers' memories and faith, or halt our progress. The New Year's holiday has always been linked to optimistic outlooks and a genuine desire to cheer those you care about. In our nation, 2024 has been proclaimed as the Year of the Family. Naturally, a family with children is a truly large family; they provide love and respect for one another, as well as warmth, support, and caring for one another. Devotion to the Motherland is fostered by this form of intergenerational connectedness and love of one's hometown. I want to wish every Russian family the absolute best for the upcoming year. After all, every family's history constitutes the history of our vast, magnificent, and cherished Motherland. The future of Russia is shaped by us, the diverse Russian people. We are one nation, one extended family. We will make sure that the Motherland continues to develop steadily, that our folks are happy, and that we get stronger. Together, we are. And the most trustworthy assurance for Russia's future is this.... ....Happy 2024.
The first new years address by Roman Abramovich, President of Russia hid the sheer worry cast over the Russian homeland over the stalled peace talks, and a de facto line of control across the Ukrainian southern oblasts. Russian hopes to keep the Donbas and Crimea have been met with dragging slowdowns from the Ukrainians, only the stalled western aid packages and novo Kremlin regime kept the peace.
Afsharid Persia, The Australis Republic, Providentica, Peredniy, and 3 othersKavkazian, Congo-Kinsasa, and Khilapha
TRT Euro
President Akşener's Diplomatic Blitz for a Collaborative Approach to Illegal Migration
- LONDON - In a pivotal diplomatic engagement, the President of Türkiye, Meral Akşener, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, held extensive talks at 10 Downing Street regarding the pressing global issue of illegal migration, a subject that has wide-reaching implications for the security, economy, and social fabric of countries across Europe and beyond. The meeting, occurring against the backdrop of President Akşener's open letter to European Union citizens, saw Türkiye's push for a robust, united European stance on migration management. This letter, a bold statement from a key EU member since 2009, was a prelude to the bilateral discussions and set the tone for a substantive dialogue between the two nations. In her letter, President Akşener advocated for a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal migration and emphasized the shared values and cultural diversity that strengthen European solidarity. She highlighted Türkiye's experience in dealing with migration and stressed the need for a harmonized policy that would benefit all member states, not just those at the EU's external borders.
Prime Minister Sunak, facing his own domestic challenges with illegal migration, particularly the continuous attempts of crossings over the English Channel, resonated with the sentiment of President Akşener. Since succeeding Liz Truss, Sunak's tenure has been marked by a stringent stance on border control, with a clear objective to 'stop the boats'. The UK, although no longer a member of the EU following Brexit, remains deeply affected by the patterns of migration into Europe, given its proximity and desirability as a destination for many migrants. The leaders' discussion culminated in a joint memorandum, signaling a new era of cooperation between Ankara and London. Both leaders acknowledged that the issue of illegal migration is not merely a matter of border control but also of upholding the values and foundations of civilization as they know it. They agreed that joint efforts were necessary to address the root causes of migration and to implement effective control measures that respect human rights and international law.
Furthermore, the meeting discreetly addressed the recent economic shift in London following the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The swift removal of Russian oligarchs from the London economy created a vacuum quickly filled by Turkish elites, effectively becoming a new pillar in the city's financial and cultural circles. In a subtle yet strategic move, the two leaders recognized the importance of these new Turkish investors to the UK's economic policy of 'leveling up', signifying a mutual understanding of the changing tides in global finance and the importance of adaptable international relations. This bilateral engagement sets a significant precedent ahead of the EU Summit on January 20th. With President Akşener poised to lead the discussion on migration at the summit, the support from the UK could be a game-changer, potentially influencing the policies of other non-EU countries and shaping the broader European approach to migration.
Moreover, the meeting highlighted the complex dynamics of post-Brexit relations between the UK and EU member states. It demonstrated a shared recognition that despite the UK's departure from the EU, the interconnected nature of Europe's challenges demands continued collaboration. The agreement reached at 10 Downing Street thus not only symbolizes a commitment to shared challenges but also signals a strategic economic partnership. It marks a diplomatic milestone that could pave the way for stronger bilateral ties and a collective approach to one of the most daunting issues facing Europe and the UK today. As President Meral Akşener concludes a landmark two-day visit in the United Kingdom, her diplomatic agenda continues to address the paramount issue of illegal migration. Her discussions with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have set a collaborative tone, underscoring the urgency of a transnational approach to this challenge. Today, as she departs from London, the focus of international attention shifts to her impending meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace there is a palpable sense of expectation about how the discussions in France might build upon the agreements made in the UK, especially considering France's pivotal role in the EU's migration policy and border security.
The meeting with President Macron is anticipated with particular interest, as France has been at the forefront of the EU's struggle with migration, bearing the brunt of migrant camps in places like Calais and facing the continuous flow of migrants attempting to cross into the UK. President Akşener's proactive engagement strategy seeks not only to solidify Türkiye's stance on migration but also to enhance cooperation with key EU member states. Her visit to France is therefore not only timely but also a strategic step in advancing a cohesive response to a situation that affects the whole European continent. As President Akşener takes off from British soil, the atmosphere is one of cautious optimism. The forthcoming meeting with President Macron is more than a mere diplomatic formality, it is a critical juncture that may well influence the European Union's collective action on migration. With the EU Summit on the horizon, President Akşener's tour exemplifies Türkiye's active role in shaping European policy, while also reinforcing Türkiye's position as a central player in the complex tapestry of European policy.
Afsharid Persia, The Australis Republic, Providentica, Peredniy, and 2 othersCongo-Kinsasa, and Khilapha
THE NEW YORK TIMES
January 12, 2024
Kamala Harris Invokes "Buy American" Credentials, Backs House GOP Calls for Waiver Repeals
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- Bipartisanship has, by all accounts, increased in 2023 compared to previous years. Democrats and Republicans joined together to pass legislation to approve paid maternity and family leave nationwide, to bolster rural internet connectivity and strengthen protections for children on the internet, and to invest in the U.S. clean energy transition. President Kamala Harris and her administration has been at the forefront of these efforts, nudging Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill to engage in productive negotiations, which have often led to either complete deadlock or a compromise agreement. The Harris Administration most recently made an informal agreement with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that would see the border state governor veto "extreme" border legislation for the foreseeable future in exchange for White House support for Republican proposals on the border, including tens of thousands of new agents, tighter asylum requirements, and cooperation with Mexico to lock down the border and stop fentanyl smuggling.
Now, the White House is stepping out and revealing its centrist credentials once more as the White House signals that it is supporting House GOP calls for repeals of Federal Highway Administration waivers for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which were aimed at supporting the EV transition by allowing foreign companies to provide charging stations. House Republicans led by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy are pushing legislation onto the House floor to repeal those waivers, requiring that the EV charging stations under the jurisdiction of the Federal Highway Administration would all need to be provided for by American companies based in and employing from the United States.
On Thursday, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain reportedly told a House Democratic congressional delegation that the President was intending to support the legislation in order to bolster security for American jobs and continue to "push even harder" on the administration's Made in America initiatives. Vice President Gretchen Whitmer, currently in California holding roundtable discussions on homelessness in American cities, told reporters that the White House was not backing out of supporting a transition to electric vehicles. "We're going to continue pushing EVs - American EVs," Whitmer said.
The support from the White House will assuage moderate Republicans in the House and Senate, who played big roles in helping the White House pass crucial legislation last year. Progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, will be dissatisfied, however. As Kamala Harris further brings herself to the center in what aides have described as her "seeking to build across the partisan divide", progressives on the left flank of the Democratic Party could be further alienated. House Democrats led by Speaker Hakeem Jeffries are expected to hold discussions later today on whether or not they will heed the President's calls and offer their support to the waiver repeals. The biggest concerns come from climate-aware Democratic representatives, who say repealing the waivers could make it harder for EVs and EV charging stations to be rolled out nationwide.
The White House has countered this, with Press Secretary Jen Psaki telling reporters last Monday that the EV and EV charging station rollout was "proceeding as planned", confirming that over 40 new locations for large-scale EV charging stations have been confirmed nationwide, all with American contractors and providers.
___________________
Afsharid Persia, The Australis Republic, Providentica, Congo-Kinsasa, and 1 otherKhilapha
- Bombs Away
Streets in Wirlinga Evacuated Following UXO Discoveries
January 13th
Six unexploded shells have been found on Alfred Shout Circuit in Wirlinga. The circuit is located within the former Wirlinga Ammunition Depot. The WAD opened in 1927 and was used as one of Australia's primary ammunition testing sites until it closed in 1990. With a need to redevelop the land for residential purposes due to Albury-Wodonga's growing population, Project Wirlinga saw the Federal Government begin searching for and removing left over UXO, or unexploded ordnances. This project was finally complete in 2011, after 20 years, and was sold to private developers in 2012.
Private developers maintained the original tracks, naming them after Australian Cross recipients. One of these tracks, named Alfred Shout Circuit after Alfred Shout, a soldier who died in Gallipoli during WW1. After Ottoman forces had counterattacked and seized a large stretch of the Australians' front line, Shout gathered a small party of men and charged down one trench throwing bombs. He killed eight Turkish soldiers, and managed to clear others to retake the trench. In a similar action later that day, and supported by another officer, he recaptured further ground amid hard fighting. In the final push forward, Shout simultaneously lit three bombs to lob at the enemy. He successfully threw two, but just as the third left his hand it detonated. Shout was grievously wounded; he died two days later.
The circuit was evacuated today after six UXOs were found along the 700m road, sparking fears there could be more in the 385ha site. 5 were found during excavations, while one was found by a new resident while gardening. A dozen houses have already been built on the circuit, with construction beginning in 2012 meaning the region is relatively undeveloped (especially when compared to other parts of Wirlinga).
The Department of Defence and Australian Federal Police will begin an investigation into how so many ordnances were overlooked, with a warning given to Wirlinga residents to look out for 'suspicious devices.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the event "deadly serious" and an "almost fatal mistake." He has called for an investigation into Project Wirlinga, which opposition leader Peter Dutton has called "Australia's worst residential blunder." These UXOs are the first to be found at the former military site since residential development begun in 2012.
DE TELEGRAAF
The Premier Dutch Newspaper
BREAKING - COALITION BETWEEN CENTER-LEFT PARTIES LED BY CENTRISTS' PIETER OMTZIGT CONFIRMED; NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE SWORN IN
(THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS) -- Breaking news out of The Hague today as a coalition between New Social Contract, GL-PvdA, Democrats 66, Christian Democratic Appeal and Christian Union is confirmed at a joint press conference between Pieter Omtzigt of the NSC, Frans Timmermans for GL-PvdA, Rob Jetten for D66, Henri Bontenbal for CDA, and Mirjam Bikker for the CU today. In the press conference, Omtzigt, the crusading anti-corruption official who rose to national prominence in the controversy over the childcare benefits scandal, and the presumptive prime minister of the new government, thanked the party leaders and the respective lower leadership for "coming together to make a genuine platform that we can all agree on". Omtzigt, who ran on a centrist platform centered around reforming government and tackling bureaucratic inefficiency, told reporters that he had formed the "best coalition possible" for the Dutch people and pledged to "hit the ground running" on day one. The coalition is broadly left-wing, with prominent left-wing parties like GL-PvDA, D66 and the CDA being involved. Initial engotiations with the agrarian populist BBB failed, solidifying the coalition as comprised entirely of center-to-center-left parties.
Omtzigt also met with Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius of the center-right VVD, which was voted out of power in this election, in what he described as "an affirmation of our intention to form a government for all Dutchmen". According to insider sources, Yesilgoz-Zegerius expressed her support for political reforms and for "ensuring a stable society". While the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) of Geert Wilders rose rapidly to secure a strong second-place in the 2023 elections, many parties have expressed skepticism or outright rejection of the idea of including the PVV in government unless they modify and moderate their policies. Yesilgoz-Zegerius is among these, although she has said that the VVD will work together with the PVV in standing in opposition to policies they disagreed with.
The new government led by Omtzigt as Prime Minister is expected to comprise of:
- - Ank Bijleveld for Defense Minister
- Stientje van Veldhoven for Housing Minister
- Rob Jetten for Minister of Finance and First Deputy Prime Minister
- Frans Timmermans for Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
- Sigrid Kaag for Foreign Minister and Second Deputy Prime Minister
- Robbert Dijkgraaf for Education, Culture and Science Minister
-Maarten Feteris for Justice Minister
Further Cabinet nominations are expected to be confirmed in the coming days. Jesse Klaver, chairman of the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives), has said that the new government will begin its affairs "before the end of the week".
The confirmation of the new government just one week before the January 20th EU summit could have serious ramifications for the positions the Dutch government will decide to take at the high-stakes summit, most importantly over the issue of immigration. Omtzigt has described his immigration policy as "firm" in the past and he has not expressed opposition or criticism for plans by the caretaker government of Mark Rutte to back calls to crackdown on immigration, but the presumptive prime minister has said that his government will "consider all sides and all concerns".
OTHER ARTICLES
- • [NATO] Ank Bijleveld, incoming Defense Minister, says the Netherlands will look at "all options" to align defense spending with NATO standards
• [POLITICS] Geert Wilders slams Omtzigt, Timmermans for "collusion to endanger the Netherlands with illegal migrants"
• [HOME] Amsterdam city government appoints special commissioner to reduce cost of living
THE NEW YORK TIMES
January 13, 2024
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Launches Novel Program to Combat Radicalism, Fundamentalism After Donald Day Arrest
(YUMA, ARIZONA) -- Almost a month after the FBI arrested Donald Day Jr. in relation to a terror attack in Australia in Arizona, the state's Democratic governor, Ms. Katie Hobbs, launched a novel program, a first-in-the-nation event, to combat "political and social radicalism and fundamentalism" and to "strengthen law enforcement to guarantee community safety". In a country like the United States, such programs had previously been looked upon with negativity over First Amendment concerns that have quashed such programs. In a major policy speech alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who Hobbs is a close partner of, the Arizona governor criticized politicians for "inciting chaos and encouraging crime" and called on Arizonans to "stand firmly against radicalism.
"Our state is facing serious threats. The arrest of Donald Day Jr. a month ago by the FBI is a sign that the scourge that is threatening the basic safety of our children and our families is now spreading beyond our borders. We are endangering our allies, our partners, and their citizens. We need to do better as a country. We need to fight back against forces who seek to dissolve our great Union and against those who refuse to respect the basic fundamental right of every human being to be safe in their own communities. Mr. Day threatened that right. His associate in Australia who committed such a horrendous crime threatened that right. Today, we stand up to empower that right," Hobbs said.
The new program is expected to see the state expand cooperation and communication with the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. The Arizona Department of Public Safety will also see new funding to boost programs to strengthen safeguards against online radicalism and extremism, as well as Arizona state government cooperation with major social media and internet corporations to strengthen reports of extremism online. Colonel Jeffery Glover, the director of the Department of Public Safety, was also present at the event, made remarks the next day affirming that the DPS would "endeavor to advance the Governor's public safety programs without compromising constitutional freedoms".
Governor Hobbs has also reportedly brought up the Donald Day case with President Harris during a meeting of Democratic governors earlier this month.
The State Department issued a statement and a letter to the Australian Foreign Affairs Ministry pledging "full U.S. cooperation in any investigations concerning Donald Day Jr.".
OTHER STORIES
- • Kamala Harris Invokes "Buy American" Credentials, Backs House GOP Calls for Waiver Repeals
• Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass To Take Point on California Statewide Homelessness Program
• House Democrats Rally to Sec. Austin's Defense
• Sen. Gillibrand Pushes for Select Committee on UFOs in Intelligence Hearing on Pentagon Transparency
______
- Go Green and Go Home
NZ MP steps down amidst allegations of shoplifting
January 16th
When Golriz Ghahraman was elected to become a New Zealand Member of Parliament in 2017, she was the first refugee anywhere in Australia to be elected to any state or federal parliament. Ghahraman was born in Mashhad, Iran, in 1981, but left the country during the Iran-Iraq War. Her father worked for the Ministry of Agriculture and her mother as trained as a child psychologist, but refusal to take part in mandatory religious examinations means she never practiced as such. Ghahraman left Iran for Malaysia, allegedly for a holiday, before flying to Fiji with a stop-over in Auckland where her family filed for and recieved asylum.
Ghahraman would then go on to become a criminal defence lawyer and eventually a human rights lawyer with the United Nations in the 90s and 2000s before returning to Australia in 2012, specialising in human rights law and criminal defence. In 2017, she was selected by the Greens to run for parliament, which was successful. She became the first refugee to become an MP in Australia.
In her time in parliament, she was not afraid to voice her opinions. Of the so called 'Muslim Ban' of the United States under former President Donald Trump in 2017, Ghahraman said she "wouldn't travel to America right now [and she] wouldn't want to face what people are facing – held in handcuffs and being interrogated by security forces." She has openly supported more diversity in parliament, stressing the importance of having women and minorities fairly represented in a society where hate and identity politics is taking over. She also advocated for the return of captured Jihadist Mark John Taylor, who had joined the Islamic State in 2014.
In July 2019 she claimed that Mary and Joseph were Palestinean refugees, something the Australian Jewish Association rebutted as 'denying the Jewish connection to the land.' She has advocated for a Palestinean Friendship Group to be established .to raise the voices of Palestinian peoples in the New Zealand Parliament'. She criticised Australia's slow response to the 2021 and 2023 Israel-Palestine crisis, accusing state and federal governments of sitting by as innocent people are massacred. She has strongly supported the right for Palestinean self-determination and statehood, but has also recognised the importance of both the Arabs and Jews having a safe homeland. She has also criticised Hamas and Israel for human rights abuses, saying that 'nothing justifies targeting or harming civilians' and that 'Palestinian armed groups and Israeli forces must make every effort to protect civilians now.'
For now, however, it appears her time in Parliament is over.
At the start of the year, radio station Newstalk ZB accused Ghahraman of shoplifting from Scotties Boutique, a high-end fashion store in the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby during the Christmas season. While police confirmed they were investigating theft from the store, they did not declare any suspects. Today, Ghahraman admitted to the crime, and has resigned. In a statement made to the press, Ghahraman said the following;
"It is clear to me that my mental health is being badly affected by the stresses relating to my work. This has led me to act in ways that are completely out of character. I am not trying to excuse my actions, but I do want to explain them. People should, rightly, expect the highest standards of behaviour from their elected representatives. I fell short. I’m sorry. My recent behaviour is consistent with recent events giving rise to extreme stress response, and relating to previously unrecognised trauma. With that in mind, I don’t want to hide behind my mental health problems, and I take full responsibility for my actions which I deeply regret.”
In a public statement, the Greens have supported Ghahraman and noted that women and people of colour have come under more intense scrutiney and have been threatened more than any other MPs. They have noted that there is an increasing rise in derogatory remarks and threats of rape and death towards women of colour in parliament. New Zealand Labor and Opposition Leader, Chris Hipkins, has condemned the attacks.
"We're all people, and we all make mistakes. It's 2024 and people are still threatening women and people of colour. It's about time that people grew up, we're all humans."
Chris Luxon, Premier of New Zealand and leader of the National Party, has thanked Ghahraman for her service and for her integrity. He noted that 'while there are many things [they] disagree on, I'm glad to see MPs taking responsibility for their actions." He has not commented on allegations of abuse received by Ghahraman or other women or MPs of colour.
- 2024 ACT General Election - Part One: Putting the Pieces in Place
Electorates, Candidates, and More
January 20th
Since 1994, the Australian Capital Territory has had 15 electorates with two representatives from each, making it one of only two multi-member electorate systems in Australia (along with Tasmania). However, it controversially failed to take into account existing population structures and was instead focused on geographic regions. The former 15 electorates were:
- • Albury
• Baranduda (1994-2023)
• Beechworth
• Chiltern
• Culcairn
• Gerogery
• Holbrook
• Jindera
• Leneva
• Lavington
• Patterson
• Table Top
• Tangambalanga
• Thurgoona
• Wodonga
In these electorates, rural voters were significantly over-represented. Jindera, a rural electorate representing Jindera, Burrumbuttock, and Brocklesby, only represented around 7,000 people. On the other side of the spectrum, rapid growth in Albury's north meant that Table Top represented closer to 90,000 people. This controversy led to an ongoing investigation into gerrymandering by the National governments of Barnaby Joyce, Michael McCormack, and Scott Morrison. Electorates also caused a significant rural-urban divide by having no overlap of electorates within and outside of Albury-Wodonga.
This has since changed, with electorates reduced to 9 but representatives in each electorate increased to 3 from 2. Rural electorates (Balima, Indi, and Goldfields) include portions of Albury-Wodonga. The new electorates are:
- • Balima
• Baranduda (2024-)
• Ettamogah
• Goldfields
• Indi
• Lakeside
• South Belvoir
• Townsend
• Yambla
Balima is the Wiradjuri (local Indigenous) word for 'North' and represents the former electorates of Holbrook, most of Gerogery, and half of Culcairn and Table Top. It includes the regional towns of Bowna, Culcairn, Gerogery, Henty, and Holbrook. The outer northern suburbs of Birdsvale, Glasgow, McMillan, and Tulloch are also within the boundaries of the new Balima electorate.
Baranduda is the only suburb to retain its name post electoral reform. It includes much of the Baranduda region with the notable exception of Baranduda itself. It is notably smaller and is one of the only wholly urban electorates in the ACT. Baranduda contains the south-eastern suburbs of: Baranduda East, Ebden (part), Grey, Killara, Kingston, Playford South, Unaipon, Unaipon Beach, and Yiramal.
Ettamogah is another wholly urban electorate and includes parts of the former Lavington, Table Top, and Thurgoona electorates. Ettamogah consists of the northern suburbs of: Bridges, Ettamogah, Fitzgerald, Macarthur-Onslow, Macrossan, Moananui, Paetahi, and Springvale Heights.
Goldfields is named for the region's important contributions to the Victorian Gold Rush, particularly Beechworth. It includes the former Tangambalanga electorate, as well as the majority of Beechworth and a small part of the Chiltern electorate (although most of it is National Park). As well as the notable regional towns of Beechworth, Kiewa-Tangam, and Yackandandah, it also includes parts of the Baranduda Region and most of Leneva Hills. Goldfields consists of the following southern suburbs: Baranduda, Castle Creek, Goldstein, Hackett, Hall, Jenkins, Lalor, Leneva, Leneva North, Quick, Russell, and Tasman.
Indi is named after the Waywurru (local indigenous) name for the Murray River (although a large part of this region is considered Wiradjuri Country, where the name is Millewa). It includes almost the entirety of former Chiltern and Jindera electorates, as well as half of Culcairn and parts of Albury, Beechworth, Gerogery, Lavington, and Patterson electorates. It covers the western parts of the territory, including the regional towns of Barnawartha, Brocklesby, Burrumbuttock, Chiltern, Jindera, Rutherglen, Walbundrie, and Wahgunyah. It also consists of the following outer western suburbs: Banks of the Milawa (Milawa Banks), Bonner, Boorgunyah (fka. Barnawartha North), Cook, Creek View, Hamilton Valley, Patterson, Ryan's Peak, and Splitter's Creek.
Lakeside is the largest of 6 wholly urban electorates in size, roughly bound by the Hume Freeway and Kiewa River in the west and Lake Hume in the east. It includes the entirety of the former Thurgoona electorate, half of Wodonga, and parts of the former Albury and Lavington electorates. Lakeside includes the 4 suburbs that make up the 'Capital District' (Barton, Deakin, Griffith, Parkes) and Monash. As well as these suburbs, Lakeside also consists of: Bonegilla, Clarke, Cockburn, East Albury, Ebden (part), Lake Hume Village, Lavington, Macquarie, Thurgoona, Playford North, Sewell, Wirlinga, and Wirlinga South.
South Belvoir is named after the original name for Wodonga; Belvoir. It makes up the majority of inner south and western Wodonga, taking up parts of the former Baranduda, Leneva, Patterson, and Wodonga electorates. South Belvoir consists of the following suburbs: Bandiana, Flinders, Forrest, Huon Creek, Jackson, South Wodonga, and West Wodonga.
Townsend is named after Thomas Townsend, who made the first map of Albury and played a fundamental role in the planning and designing of early Albury and Wodonga (with much of the original layout still existing today, over 220 years later). It is wholly urban and while intends to represent Albury and Wodonga equally in terms of population. These electoral forms, and especially the Townsend electorate, are the first time there are no official political boundaries between Albury and Wodonga. Townsend consists of the following suburbs: Albury, Chauvel, Embassy Park, Glenroy, Humffray, Hovell, North Albury, South Albury, West Albury, and Wodonga.
Yambla is named after the former name for Table Top, a name (likely) of Wiradjuri origin but unknown meaning. It is the northernmost wholly-urban electorate and includes parts fo the former Table Top and Lavington electorates. It is marginally smaller than Baranduda, making it the smallest electorate in size and in number of suburbs. It only consists of the northern suburbs of Freeman, Phillip's Beach, Table Top, and Table Top West.
====================
====================
====================
====================
====================
Due to the removal of rural over-representation and rural-only electorates, the Country Party and National Party have merged together. The Country Party of the ACT (no relation to the National's precurser) was formed in 1994 in Jindera with the goal of making sure the expansion of Albury-Wodonga in size and population didn't mean rural residents were overlooked. Their policies were largely around the farming industry and limiting the growth of regional towns. Since 2000, the Country Party has formed a coalition with the Nationals as the former's policies expanded to be generally socially conservative and generally economically liberal, similar to the National Party. This merger has been controversial, with many members beliving the merger was a betrayal of the party and that it's members would not be able to guarantee the protection of farmers and regional territorians. It has led to a number of resignations of Country Party members and candidates, with half the sitting members resigning because of it.
Despite the merger and the territory's historically affirmative stance on the Nationals, the current government is in big trouble. For the first time in ACT history, the Nationals do not have a full ballot for three electorates (Ettamogah, Goldfields, and Townsend) while the Greens, also for the first time in history, are running in every electorate. Labor has a full set of candidates (3) in every electorate, and the Greens have a full set in two (Townsend and South Belvoir). Townsend will also see a full set of candidates from the Progressive Union Party and from the Albury-Wodonga Party.
As mentioned previously, there are only 9 electorates this election, with 3 representatives from each. There is only one house, the Legislative Assembly, in the Australian Capital Territory. It is elected similar to the Senate in most Australian States and Federally, meaning they can either vote above or below the line. Voting above the line means they will be voting based on party alone, where they must number all boxes (1 being their first preference, 2 being their second, so on and so forth). Voting below the line means they must number at least 5 candidates (although they can number more if they want) using the same system.
The parties are as follows:
National Party of Australia - Australian Capital Territory Branch is a centre-right party that is fielding 24 candidates across all 9 electorates. It has been led by Ross Lyman since 2016. The Party has led the ACT for it's entire 36 year history, the longest any Party has served in Government anywhere in Australian history. It is socially conservative, like it's national counterpart, but is more economically liberal.
Australian Labor Party - ACT Branch is a centre-left party that is fielding 27 candidates across all 9 electorates. It has been led by Darren Cameron since 2020. While the party claims to be democratic socialist, this has been strongly debated. It has historically been seen as the worker's party, but a more socially progressive leaning has seen an increase in votes from ethnic, sexual, and other minorities.
ACT Greens (Branch of the Australian Greens) is a left-wing party fielding 17 candidates acros all 9 electorates. It is led by Shane Rattenbury since 2012 but the party has never won a seat in the historically conservative ACT. They are focused strongly on enviromental issues, but have also become increasingly socially progressive. They advocate for net zero, LGBTIQ+ rights, Indigenous reconciliation, and other similar issues.
Libertarian & Democratic Party is a new centre to right wing party fielding 9 candidates across all 9 electorates. It was formed out of the merger of the Liberal Democrats and Libertarian Party. It has no stated leader, and advocates strongly for libertarian and liberal issues including small government and less regulation across all industries. They have one seat, Olga Quilty, in the new electorate of Indi.
Progressive Union Party is a new far left party fielding 15 candidates across 8 electorates (excludes Balima). It was formed out of a merger between the Socialist Party, Communist Party, Progressive Party, and the Territory Sex Party. They are similar to the Greens, but believe that the Greens are failing to go far enough. They campaign for stronger LGBTIQ+ rights and decriminalisation, Indigenous and immigrant rights, and more. Examples of where the PUP are further left than the Greens in both these policies include an advocation for birth sex to be removed from birth certificates, a ban on 'male' and 'female' bathrooms, and an open-border policy for asylum seekers.
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is a right-wing party fielding 7 candidates across 6 electorates (excludes Ettamogah, South Belvoir, and Yambla) that primarily advocates for regional issues. This includes relaxed gun laws, protecting the right to farm, and increasing funds for regional Australians.
Sustainable Growth Party is a centre-right party fielding 10 candidates across 5 electorates (Balima, Goldfields, Indi, Lakeside, and Yambla). It is led by Paul Gabriel and based out of Jindera. Initally formed in 2012 to protect Jindera from urban encrouchment from Albury, the SGP aims to promote sustainable development across the Australian Capital Territory including infrastructure and resource planning. The party has called for the ACT to slow down it's growth but has not made an active stance on immigration.
Christian Family Party is a right-wing party fielding 4 candidates across 4 electorates (Balima, Goldfields, Indi, Townsend) led by Jason Potter. The CFP strongly advocates for the unity of Church and State and for traditional Christian conservative family values. This includes the promotion of extra spending on Christian schools and places of worship, opposition to the legalisation of gay marriage, and at times anti-immigration.
Animal Justice Party is a party fielding 6 candidates across 3 electorates (Baranduda, Ettamogah, South Belvoir) co-led by Sophia and Richard Forner. It is part of the first party in Australia formed soley to advance animal rights issues. It is a strong advocater of the constituional protection of animals, right to nature, as well as general vegan and animal welfare policies.
Albury-Wodonga Party is a centrist party fielding 3 candidates across only one electorate, Townsend. It is a regional party, meaning that it advocates soley for regional issues pertaining to the growth, development, and governance of Albury-Wodonga.
There are 9 Independents across 6 electorates; Tony Quinn (Balima), Danny Lowe (Baranduda), David Pollard and Stephanie Pollard (Ettamogah), Sophie Price and Peter Croucher (Goldfields), Bernard Gaffney (Indi), and Chic Henry and Bill Stefaniak (Townsend).
====================
====================
====================
====================
====================
The following candidates are not running this election;
- • Jan Adams (NPA) - Adams has retired to spend time with family
• Sean Charles (IND) - Charles has criticised Parliament's culture and has quit for undisclosed reasons
• Alice Glachan (IND) - Glachan has retired to 'make room' for the new generation of politicans
• Doug Meyer (CP) - Meyer has retired due to disagreements over the Country Party's merger with the NPA
• Richard Roxburgh (IND) - Roxburgh has retired in order to return to acting
• Graeme Simpfendorfer (NPA) - Simpfendorfer has retired due to health reasons
• Kim Stewart (ALP) - Stewart has retired due to health reasons
• Heather Wilton (ALP) - Wilton has retired to spend more time with family
DE TELEGRAAF
The Premier Dutch Newspaper
NEW PM PIETER OMTZIGT HEADS TO YUGOSLAVIA WITH LEFT-WING IMMIGRATION POLICY IN A RIGHT-WING EUROPE
(LAKE BLED, YUGOSLAVIA) - Less than two weeks ago was when Pieter Omtzigt, parliamentarian in the Tweede Kamer turned leader of the centrist New Social Contract party, was formally sworn in as the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands, at the head of a left-wing government comprised of the likes of GroenLinks/PvdA, Democrats 66, CDU and Christian Union. His majority was relatively secure and his Cabinet diverse. However, his government would be entering into operation with a major hurdle already incoming that could decide the fate of his government's stability - the coming EU summit on the 20th of January. That summit has now come, and Omtzigt is at Lake Bled, a fortress in Yugoslavia, attending a historic summit with other European Union leaders to discuss the future of one of the world's largest economic alliances.
Prime Minister Omtzigt heads a rare breed of government - a socially progressive one. He succeeded the right-wing government of Mark Rutte and the VVD, which was a major advocate for the tighter controls and restrictions on immigration that the right-wing European heads of state of Turkiye and France now advocate for. Omtzigt, by virtue of the nature of his coalition, and his own personally socially progressive political alignment, has shifted the position of the Dutch government on immigration towards the left, a potentially significant shift given the outsized influence held by The Hague in European affairs, despite the nation's relatively small physical nature.
Addressing the Tweede Kamer prior to his departure for Lake Bled, Prime Minister Omtzigt outlined his plan for immigration, calling for "humanity and compassion" and for "legal pathways to be clearly defined and made easily accessible". The general policy was to endorse propositions to strengthen the EU's border security force, Frontex, and crack down on the migrant boats, while supporting the expansion and growth of legal pathways of legal asylum seekers. There would also be firm opposition from Omtzigt's government on any forced deportations or removals that would include separation of families, as well as opposition to the sinking of migrant boats.
The new government's positions were anathema to the right-wing opposition of the VVD's Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius and the PVV's Geert Wilders, who held positions more akin to that of the governments in Paris and Ankara. Throughout the early days of the new Omtzigt government and while the Dutch delegation departed for Yugoslavia, Yesilgoz-Zegerius and especially Wilders were extremely critical of what they called "overly lenient and excessively weak" immigration policy.
"I think the matter is clear. We have too much immigrants, and at the rate we're bringing them in, we risk destroying our culture." Wilders said bluntly. Yesilgoz-Zegerius was more moderate on the issue, calling for a "tweaking" of the policy.
From Yugoslavia, at the onset of the EU summit, however, Omtzigt held his ground - a potentially crucial decision on the part of his government - and pledged to maintain the government's new position. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to treat asylum seekers kindly as the humans they are," Omtzigt told Yugoslav media.
The Dutch government's new position, however, puts it in direct opposition to the policies of many European governments, especially France, Turkiye and Yugoslavia, all of whom have become major players in Brussels. The Dutch are as well, of course, but Omtzigt is now outnumbered, representing progressive immigration policy in a Europe that has drifted far to the right on the issue.
OTHER ARTICLES
- • [EU] European leaders convene in Yugoslavia for high-stakes summit
• [CLIMATE] Frans Timmermans unrolls government plans to prevent flooding in the north
• [HOME] Domestic security funding to be boosted in next budget, Jetten pledges
TRT Euro
Transcript from this mornings Interview with President Meral Akşener from the EU Summit
- President Akşener, Lake Bled - 7:15
TRT Euro Studio, İstanbul - 8:15
Arman Seropyan: Good morning. This morning we are honored to be joined by our special guest, President Meral Akşener, joining us via satilaite from the sidelines of the EU Summit. President Akşener, welcome, and thank you for taking the time during this busy summit.
President Meral Akşener: Thank you, Arman. It’s a pleasure to join you.
Arman Seropyan: Madam President, you've been quite vocal about Türkiye's stance on various issues. Could you elaborate on Ankara's primary objectives at this summit?
President Meral Akşener: Certainly. Our objectives here are clear and focused on three critical areas: migration, the youth crisis, and redefining our economic alliances. We are committed to steering EU policy towards a more sustainable and secure future.
Arman Seropyan: Speaking of migration, Türkiye has been at the forefront in managing this crisis. What are the specific policies Ankara is advocating for within the EU framework?
President Meral Akşener: We have been advocating for a comprehensive approach to illegal migration. This encompasses bolstering border security, establishing legal migration channels, and most importantly, addressing the crisis's root causes through foreign policy initiatives and cooperation. Our aim is to ensure both the security of our borders and the dignity of those seeking a better life. Migrants must apply for asylum at the nearest available diplomatic mission rather than this notation that would force a neighboring nation to take on this responsibility. This humane approach will allow migrants a true path for a better life, rather than the current global system that treats them as subhuman. The adoption of our proposal will ensure that the EU has the single most humane refugee policy on the planet, and I can promise you will be the golden example in which the rest of the world will follow in years to come.
Arman Seropyan: Moving on to the youth crisis, which is a pressing concern for Türkiye. What is Ankara proposing to alleviate this problem within the EU?
President Meral Akşener: The youth are indeed the future, and the policies we adopt now will shape the Europe of tomorrow. We are proposing a three-pronged strategy: facilitating home ownership for young people, creating quality jobs that match the aspirations and skills of our youth, and fostering a competitive spirit that prepares them for a globalized economy. We need to nurture their talents and ensure they have a vested interest in the growth and prosperity of our Union. In Türkiye my administration has focused on building half a million single family homes for first time home buyers, our economic model for decades has focused on best equipping our next generation for success through the programs offered after conscription. Not every solution is appliable to every member state, however, one thing is clear. European youth is falling behind their peers outside of Europe, we must reignite the spirit of competition, and allow for the next generation of European leaders to not only compete with their peers outside of Europe, but dominate. To this do, as the EU, we must must must give back to our youth or else Europe will face a brain drain and be unable to stop the demographic crisis. We cannot allow this to happen, I will not.
Arman Seropyan: On the economic front, you have called for a decoupling from China and the signing of an FTA with the United States. How do you see this reshaping the EU's economic landscape?
President Meral Akşener: Our economic landscape must evolve. Decoupling from the chief sponsor of oppression on the planet that is China would allow us more autonomy and mitigate risks associated with over-dependence. An FTA with the U.S. can strengthen our economic resilience, open up new markets, and set high standards for global trade. We believe this would not only benefit Türkiye but the entire European Union by creating a more balanced and diversified economic portfolio. The United States is not just one of our most important trade partners outside of Europe, but that same sentence rings true for virtually every member state. Lets lift the barriers of trade between the EU and US, of course creating exceptions in certain industries to be decided by both sides if a deal is to be perused. In length I have spoken with President Harris on this issue, our months of discussion has given us a clear path to achieve this goal. As for China, I am proud, Türkiye is proud of its record of on China, we do not and cannot do business with such an evil mindset that only seeks to corrupt anything it comes into contact with. That is why the issue of China is a nonpartisan issue in Türkiye, we recognize the pure evil the the hearts of that regime, not just in the way it treats its own citizens, but in its actions abroad and in the ongoing genocide in East Turkistan. For too long the EU has ignored this issue, the time has come for this issue to become a nonpartisan one in Europe.
Arman Seropyan: President Akşener, turning our attention to China, can you delve into the complexities of this relationship and what you believe the EU must do?
President Meral Akşener: The issue with our current economic arrangement with China is manifold. Primarily, there's the undeniable risk of over-dependence. Our economies have become intertwined to a point where supply chain disruptions in China have immediate and profound impacts across all of Europe. This dependency limits our capacity to act independently and assert our own economic policies. In Türkiye, we've made the decisive move to ban certain Chinese apps and technology from operating within our territory. This is a move to protect our national security, our economic interests, and the privacy of our citizens. We cannot allow foreign technology to possibly undermine our sovereignty. We are calling for the European Union to consider similar measures. It's not just about economics, it's about our values. We must take a stand against the use of technology that may be employed to suppress freedom of expression or violate human rights. Furthermore, there is a larger, more disturbing issue at hand, the situation of East Turkistan, what has been globally recognized by all the experts are calling the genocide occurring in East Turkistan as the single greatest disaster of the 21st century. We are witnessing the systematic oppression, and destruction of the Uyghur people. This is a crisis that demands a global response, one grounded in the principles of human dignity and justice.
Arman Seropyan: What actions should the EU take?
President Meral Akşener: The EU must use its collective voice and economic power to draw attention to these abuses and pressure China to cease its repressive policies. Economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and an outright refusal to ignore these atrocities must be on the table. As a Union founded on the respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, we have a moral obligation to act. It is easy to go on and on and on about shared EU values, the easiest thing you can do, however to do the work, now that is where the EU falls short. If we fail on the issue of China as a collective, we send the signal to forces of evil around the world that our values are as meaningless and that any nation can get away with anything, and that Europe will nod in support. China is responsible for many great evils, the genocide in East Turkistan, the destruction of Tibet, the erosion of freedom in Hong Kong, the tentacles of evil that stretch from China into other nations to peddle influence, the evil motives of Chinese technology, and let us not forget the pandemic. China must be kicked out of Europe, or we are sentencing Europe to bow the knee to tyrants and the forces of evil. This isn't merely about politics, it's about the type of world we want to live in and leave for our children. It is about ensuring that we stand on the right side of history. As for Türkiye, we hope the rest of the we will choose the path of human rights and dignity.
Arman Seropyan: Lastly, what do you believe is the key to achieving these aims within the EU, especially given the various interests and perspectives of member states?
President Meral Akşener: The key lies in dialogue and the willingness to find common ground. While our perspectives may differ, our ultimate goal is the same, a prosperous, secure, and stable Europe. Through collaboration and a shared vision, we can overcome the challenges that face us. Türkiye is here to lead, cooperate, and build a future that benefits all member states and their citizens. This summit cannot be another footnote of EU Summits, the citizens of Europe demand action, and I am here to deliver that action, it is my hope that my colleagues will also be of the same mindset.
Arman Seropyan: Arman Seropyan: Madam President, I know you have a very busy schedule, so we're extremely grateful for the time you've taken to join us this morning.
President Meral Akşener: It's been my pleasure, Arman. Before we conclude, I'd like to take a moment to address all our citizens starting their day across Türkiye. To our students heading to school this Monday morning, I wish you focus and energy. And to our university students in the midst of finals week, I send you strength and clarity of mind, your hard work will pay off. To those starting their workday, may it be productive and fulfilling. For the parents at home, may you find joy and patience in the time spent with your family. And for anyone who is facing challenges, remember that with each new day comes new hope. May today be an improvement on yesterday. Lastly, but most importantly, I wish safety and peace to all the citizens of our nation. I extend a special acknowledgment to our brave service members in the five branches of the armed forces and our police force who protect us daily. I want to remember and honor the lives of Artak Dinkciyan and Mustafa Yılmaz, who recently fell in the line of duty. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten, and their names will be etched in our hearts forever.
Arman Seropyan: Thank you, Madam President, for those heartfelt words. We share in your sentiments and extend our respects and best wishes to all. Up next, the Turkish Football Federation has opened an investigation that may change the very face of football in Europe, we will be right back after this break.
Out of character: Namib-swana will replace 
Union of Zuid Afrika
This is because I missed it and to free up SA for other players.
Having spoken to regional admin, previous posts and agreements are brought across: See posts here.
Specific posts of interest include:
- Railway Improvements.
- Military aid from Persia.
- Signalling system from previous UK.
- Second hand railway equipment and jets from previous France.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
January 23, 2024
Eve in New Hampshire: Republican field stays strong as Trump begins appearing vulnerable
(NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE) - In Nashua, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy - of the state of Ohio - held his final rally. His numbers have been steadily growing especially with MAGA supporters who have been turned off by polls showing Kamala Harris trouncing field frontrunner and former president Donald Trump by 4 points or more, despite Harris' own personal issues. Ramaswamy had launched the campaign and operated it very clearly to Trump's right flank, calling for a heightening of the culture war and "ending woke culture". In Iowa, he came in a somewhat distant third place, with former South Carolina governor and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley leading the anti-Trump field. Ramaswamy's rallies represent his position in polling; the crowds have been growing, but not fast enough. Ramaswamy is polling in the low twenties, while Haley closes in on Trump in the high thirties, as of the latest polling.
At his final rally in Nashua, Ramaswamy encapsulated the state of election eve in New Hampshire, telling voters that the "field and calculus was changing" and that the result "isn't as solid as you might think". He urged voters to turn out and "change history and prove the pundits wrong".
Nikki Haley also held her final rally in deep red Salem, New Hampshire, where she also saw voters from neighboring Massachusetts come over to observe her at the event. Haley's been the rising of the Republican primary; she's grown from the low twenties nationwide to high thirties, now within sight of former president Donald Trump, who despite his immense list of legal troubles remains as the current field frontrunner. In Iowa, Trump underperformed expectations and Haley overperformed, with independent and moderate voters turning out in support of her. New Hampshire now presents the first real challenge to Trump's increasingly vulnerable and stagnant campaign; polling currently shows Trump at 39%, while Haley is at 37% and rising (Ramaswamy is at around 23%).
Republicans are increasingly becoming more concerned about Trump's electability, with polling showing that independents, suburban voters, and women would likely break for the incumbent president Harris by a significantly larger margin than in the 2020 election, also motivated by the presence of Vice President Whitmer on the ticket. If Haley were to succeed in usurping Trump's dominance in the GOP, Trump's vulnerable campaign would become more fragile, and almost certainly throwing the Republican primary from a certain Trump victory to a tossup.
Online, however, Trump remains dominant. MAGA supporters are vocal about their support for the former president (a small clique of aggressive, bot like users also champion Vivek Ramaswamy as Trump's VP) and are extremely critical of Haley, who they call elitist and overly moderate.
The result of the New Hampshire primaries tomorrow will likely decide whether or not the race will shift towards a potential tossup. Analysts point to turnout among independents and Evangelicals - the largest bases for Haley and Trump, respectively - will likely decide how the election will turn. Ramaswamy, if he is able to pull off a sufficiently large number, could also walk out of this extremely positively, as a strong third place in New Hampshire will likely propel him to South Carolina and Super Tuesday, where he is likely to perform better thanks to the more conservative make of the electorate.
All these factors combined, the Republican race remains strong. Trump has been campaigning and advertising on television more aggressively, as Haley goes on the formal offensive against the former president, while Ramaswamy works to peel away Trump voters to his "New Anti-Woke Generation" voter base.
Afsharid Persia, The Kingdom of Orlais, The Australis Republic, Namib-swana, and 1 otherCongo-Kinsasa
- Australia Day 2024
Celebrating the Greatest Country in the World
January 26th
January 26th is a huge day in Australian history, being the anniversary of two vital pieces of modern Australian history; colonisation and independence.
On 26 January 1788, the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove and planted the Union Jack. This led to the proclation of a new colony, New South Wales, which took up two thirds of the continent. On 26 January 1928, Australia became an independent country. After this date Australia was no longer a dominion and instead had it's own currency, Head of State, court system, and citizenship.
It is unfortunate that the former of these dates comes with some controversy; the colonisation of Australia led to centuries of European mistreatment of Indigenous Australians ranging from the forceful acqusition of land (even some 'trades' are now deemed as somewhat unjust), the refusal to provide basic human rights, and even massacres. A modern belief by some Australians today is that Australia sits on stolen land that needs to be returned in full to the Indigenous owners, while the less radical want a day to commemorate the loss of Indigenous lives even into the modern day. This was the basis of a referendum to change the Australian Constitution to allow for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament (Constitutionally-enshrined advisory body), which was rejected by 60% of the Australian population.
Thousands of protesters gathered around Australia with police across the country working hard to ensure pro- and anti- Australia Day protesters were kept seperate. While many anti-Australia Day protesters want to change the date, there is a smaller radical group who want to remove the concept of Australia Day altogether.
Elsewhere in the federation, 456 of Australia's 537 Local Government Areas welcomed new Australians in citizenship ceremonies. Many also threw concerts and festivals, with celebrations all across Australia. This included the Australian of the Year awards, an annual award for Australian citizens who contributed to a positive change to the country. These are presented by the Prime Minister and President. There are four categories and winners from every state and territory, as well as an overall winner. These are presented outside Parliament House in Parkes, a suburb of Albury-Wodonga. Awards and their recepients are:
AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
- Joanne Farrell (ACT) - Founder of 'Build Like A Girl,' a non-profit that supports women in the trade industry
Profs. Georgina Long AO and Richard Scolyer AO (NSW) - Directors of Melanoma Institute Australia, have helped create a cure for melanoma.
Rangi Mātāmua (NZ) – A New Zealand Māori Studies and cultural astronomy academic.
Blair McFarland (NA) - Founder of 'Central Australian Youth Link-Up Service,' which among other things helped raise awareness of and end the fuel-sniffing endemic of the 90s in Central Australia.
Marco Renai (QLD) - Founder of 'Men of Business,' which focuses on empowering at-risk young men with the skills, knowlegge, and confidence to be happy, healthy, and successful.
Tim Jarvis AM (SA) - Environmental scientist and activist who has helped raise awareness of and find pragmatic solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss.
Stephanie Trethewey (TAS) - Rural women's advocate and founder of 'Motherland,' a charity that connects and supports mothers raising children in rural parts of the country.
Janine Mohamed (VIC) - Indigenous health leader, significant contributer to better health conditions for Indigenous Australians.
Mechelle Turvey (WA) - Advocate for victims of crime after her 15-year-old son was assaulted in 2022, who later died from his injuries.
SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
- Ebenezer Banful OAM (ACT) - Multiculturalism advocate and volunteer with Companion House, which he helped create and supports survivors of persecution, torture, and other war-related trauma.
John Ward (NSW) - Geriatrician and co-founder of 'Hunter Ageing Alliance,' which calls for governments, businesses, and organisations to better focus on old people's needs including creating age-friendly communities, tackling elder abuse, and ending the social isolation of older people.
Mark Dunajtschik (NZ) – A businessman, property developer, and philanthropist who, since retirement, has set out to use his wealth for good. This includes a $53 million donation towards the new Wellington Children’s Hospital.
Yalmay Yunupiŋu (NA) - Teacher, linguist, and community leader. After four decades of service, she has retired from Yirrkala Bilingual School in north-east Arnhem land, where among other things she translated Dr. Suess books to the native Yolŋu Matha language.
Revs. Robyn and Dr. Lindsay Burch (QLD) - Founders of 'Havafeed Relief,' a not-for-profit which has fed over a million people and based out of Mermaid Beach, Gold Coast.
Sister Meredith Evans (SA) - Member of Sisters of Mercy, has provided kind, non-judgemental care and assistance to marginalised members of the community including refugees, the homeless, young people, and sufferers of domestic violence.
Rev. James Colville AM (TAS) - Founder of Colony 47, a coffee shop where everyone was welcome and help was provided, including young people, old people, Indigenous Australians, the lonely, the hungry, and the unemployed.
Glenys Oogjies (VIC) - Animal justice advocate and CEO for Animals Australia, and has been the quiet force behind historic changes in Australian animal policy the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy and the ban on battery cages for egg-laying hens.
Charlie Bass (WA) - Founder of 'Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation,' which has provided over 600 aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship, and support needed to turn their ideas into sucessful businesses.
YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
- Bhakta Bahadur Bhattari (ACT) - Founder of 'Albury Wodonga Multicultural Community Events,' which advocates for and showcases multicultural communities and organises help during difficult times. Bhattari is also a nurse, supplying home-made masks to the elderly and emergancy food relief during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nikhil Autar (NSW) - Researcher and founder of 'Bheem Health', a social enterprise that provides low-cost medical devices for sick and vulnerable people. He is also a cancer survivor, being diagnosed with leukaemia when he was just 17.
Shaneel Lal (NZ) – An LGBTIQ+ advocate, they played a fundamental role in banning conversion therapy in New Zealand in 2017, the first and so far only Australian state or territory to do so.
Peter Susanto (NA) - Medical student and community volunteer, who has raised money for charities including the Fred Hollows foundations by selling snacks in Nightcliffe, Darwin.
Emma McKeon AM (QLD) - Australia's most successful Olympian and became the first female swimmer (and second female in history) to win seven medals in one Olympics.
Tiahni Adamson (SA) - Wildlife Conservation activist who aims to have Indigenous knowledge incorporated into climate change and wildlife conservation.
Naarh (TAS) - Actor, musician, and indigenous activist.
Caitlin Figueiredo (VIC) - Co-chair of 'Australian Youth Affairs Coalition', a youth organisation that advocates for young Australians and their needs and political desires.
Kate Kirwin (WA) - Founder of 'She Codes' with the aim of teaching women coding skills and helping them enter technical careers.
LOCAL HERO
- Selina Walker (ACT) – Co-chair of the ‘ACT Reconciliation Council’
Angus Olsen (NSW) – Childhood cancer illustrator and author, a former Disney artist who has produced 20 books in 24 languages and 104 countries to help kids understand cancer treatment.
Dr. Ellen Nelson (NZ) – A member of the Australian Army who helped lead an evacuation of 536 Afghan Defence Force allies and their families after the fall of Aghanistan.
Witiyana Marika (NA) – Musician and filmmaker, a founding member of famous rock band ‘Yothu Windi’ and a local Indigenous elder
David Elliot OAM (QLD) – Palaeontologist and co-founder of ‘Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History,’ the most significant collection of fossils in Australia. The museum is located near Winton, central Queensland
Rachael Zaltron OAM (SA) – Founder of ‘Backpacks 4 SA Kids’, an organisation that helps neglected and vulnerable children.
Clair Harris (TAS) – Founder of ‘Tassie Mums,’ a charity that helps families with essentials like clothing bundles, nappy packs, activity packs, prams, and car seats.
Betul Tuna (VIC) – Co-founder of ‘Point of Difference Studio,’ which champions arts, culture, and identity and advocates for culturally safe, respectful, and accessible environments in regional Australia. She has also aided victims of gendered violence in migrant communities, young people from diverse backgrounds, and the Turkish earthquakes.
Nick Hudson (WA) – Founder of ‘The Push-Up Challenge,’ a fundraiser for mental health awareness.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Nationals and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, and President David Hurley have all made public speeches for Australia Day. Boycotts by companies and organisations has lowered from last year, with Tennis Australia remaining silent on Australia Day. The day has been generally positive, with 1,225 Australians added to the Honours List (Order of Australia) and over 25,000 migrants have had the honour of receiving Australian Citizenship.
To everyone, the author wishes a very sincere HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!
Afsharid Persia, The Kingdom of Orlais, Peredniy, Namib-swana, and 1 otherCongo-Kinsasa
The Mining Journal
by Pierre Bongo
Anti-illegal mining ops net equipment, ore, and weapons
(26 January 2024 / Le Journal Minier) - After a week-long operation, the Congolese National Police's Illicit Mining Task Force has made a multi-million zaïre dent in the activities of illegal mining in gold-rich Haut-Uélé.
Spurred by widespread poverty and a lack of alternative income-earning opportunities, illegal artisanal mining is a well-documented phenomenon in Haut-Uélé. The rapid expansion of large-scale mining projects in the province in the late 70s - fueled by foreign investment - displaced rural communities, many of whom reverted to illegal mining on concessions given to the formal mining sector. Artisanal mining remains the largest source of employment in these poverty-stricken communities today. While legalization opportunities for artisanal and small-scale mining are available, Haut-Uélé's inefficient government bureaucracy makes noncompliance more appealing to workers.
Illicit Mining Task Force communication officer Lieutenant Didier Kalume reported the multi-disciplinary taskings between 19 and 26 January 2024 yielded Ƶ24,730,337 (US$1,316,148.54) worth of mining and other equipment, as well as 81 plus ounces of "gold stockpile" valued at Ƶ2,818,950 million (US$150,000). The gold ore was recovered in the Kilo-Moto region. Gold has been mined in Kilo-Moto for over a century; the Kilo gold mine was opened in 1905 and the Moto gold mine in 1911. Other notable confiscations were vehicles and a tipper truck along with six weapons, ranging from .22 rifles to 9 mm pistols and ammunition and methaqualone, methcathinone, heroin and methamphetamine drugs. A Congolese National Police uniform was also taken from a suspected illegal miner. Mining equipment confiscated and seized included blasting cartridges, detonator cords, fuses, Toyota pickup trucks, generators, gas bottles, welders, grinders, laser cutters, etc.
The Illicit Mining Task Force assisted police with the arrest of 200 undocumented migrants from Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania seemingly involved in illegal mining. Forty-three were charged under the Contravention of Mining Rights Act, with a further sixty-one charged under the Protection of Mineral Resources Act and another eighteen arrested for suspected contraventions of sections of the Controlled Substances Act, Kalume reported.
He further writes: "The public is advised and encouraged to follow Illicit Mining Task Force operations and illegal mining on the Congolese National Police's Facebook Page and Twitter [sic] app where all related activities and successes of this operation are posted".
The National Commissioner of the PNC, Lieutenant General Albert Lukalu, said in a tweet "Many thanks to the PNC, Ministry of Natural Resources & Energy, and the provincial government of Haut-Uélé who also had a role to play in the success of this takedown. The Illicit Mining Task Force has intensified efforts to prevent and combat incidents of illegal mining activities, we are also working closely with all stakeholders to close and rehabilitate abandoned mine shafts to put a stop to these economically-harmful activities".
Afsharid Persia, The Kingdom of Orlais, Peredniy, Kavkazian, and 1 otherNamib-swana
A Tale of Two Sakartvelos's
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akhali Epoka News
Tragedy Strikes Sokhumi: Blaze Consumes Abkhazian State Art Gallery, Irreplaceable Treasures Lost - სოხუმში ტრაგედია მოხდა: ცეცხლმა აფხაზეთის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო გალერეა შთანთქა, შეუცვლელი საგანძური დაიკარგა
Sokhumi, 27th of January 2024 - სოხუმი, 2024 წლის 27 იანვარი
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the Abkhazian State Art Gallery, a repository of cultural treasures and historical significance, succumbed to an unforgiving blaze that swept through Sokhumi. As the ashes settle, the charred remnants bear witness to the incalculable loss of over 4,000 priceless pieces of cultural history, leaving the artistic soul of the region in ruins.
The fire, which broke out under mysterious circumstances, has not only devastated the vibrant city of Sokhumi but has become emblematic of the negligence and misplaced priorities of the current government. Critics argue that the tragedy could have been averted with proper safety measures and a more focused approach to cultural preservation.
Cultural Catastrophe Unfolds
The Abkhazian State Art Gallery housed an eclectic collection spanning centuries, from ancient artifacts to contemporary masterpieces. The flames indiscriminately consumed paintings, sculptures, and artifacts, turning the once-majestic gallery into a smoldering graveyard of artistic heritage. Experts estimate that the loss extends far beyond monetary value, with the incineration of irreplaceable pieces of Abkhazian identity. The central government's failure to prioritize the protection of this cultural treasure trove is seen as emblematic of its broader disregard for the Abkhazian's rich heritage. In the wake of the disaster, questions are being raised about the allocation of resources and the lack of a robust emergency response system.
A Symbolic Blow to Abkhazian Identity
The Abkhazian State Art Gallery was more than just a repository of art; it was a symbol of Abkhazian identity and resilience. The destruction of this cultural institution leaves a profound void, one that cannot be measured in monetary terms alone. The government's inability to safeguard this emblematic institution signals a disregard for the very essence of what makes Abkhazia unique. Art enthusiasts, historians, and ordinary citizens mourn not only the loss of individual pieces but also the erasure of a collective narrative. The Abkhazian State Art Gallery was a testament to the endurance of Abkhazian culture throughout the challenges of history, and its destruction is perceived as an irreparable blow to the nation's soul.
Calls for Accountability and Change
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of the Sokhumi blaze, voices demanding accountability and a reevaluation of government priorities are growing louder. Critics argue that the government's politicking and pro-Russian game-playing sentiments have come at the cost of neglecting crucial domestic responsibilities. The Sokhumi fire serves as a stark reminder that cultural heritage is not immune to political posturing. The tragedy has ignited a fervent call for change, demanding a government that places the preservation of national identity and cultural treasures at the forefront of its agenda.
In the wake of this cultural catastrophe, the nation finds itself at a crossroads — a moment where the collective will to safeguard its heritage must prevail over political expedience. The rebuilding process must extend beyond physical structures; it must encompass a commitment to nurturing and protecting the very essence of what makes Abkhazia a unique and resilient cultural entity.
Government Involvement?
In the aftermath of the devastating Sokhumi Art Gallery fire, whispers of conspiracy theories have emerged, with some suggesting that agents of the government may be to blame for the incident. Proponents of this theory point to the controversial political climate and the gallery's potential as a symbol of dissent, positing that the fire could have been a deliberate act to erase cultural artifacts with perceived oppositional undertones. While these speculations remain unsubstantiated, they reflect the heightened mistrust in the community, underscoring the need for a thorough and impartial investigation to dispel or confirm such suspicions and provide clarity to a public grappling with the loss of cultural heritage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1TV - 1ТВ
Sokhumi Blaze: A Regrettable Incident Reveals Negligence in Safety Compliance - Cоҳумис Cамҳатвро Галереаши Трагедиа: Cамҵуҳаро Инциденти Усаҧрҭҳоебис Дацвис Даудевробас Авленс
27th of January 2024 - 2024 Ҵлис 27 Ианвари
In a tragic turn of events, the Abkhazian State Art Gallery, a cultural gem of Sokhumi, fell victim to an unexpected electrical fire. The incident, described as a regrettable accident, has sparked discussions on the overlooked warnings regarding safety measures, placing responsibility squarely on the shoulders of local authorities. According to Thea Tsulukiani, the Kartvelian Minister of Culture and Sport, the roots of this tragedy trace back to a 2014 health and safety inspection report that raised concerns about the gallery's electrical infrastructure. Despite the explicit warnings, Sokhumi City Authorities allegedly failed to take the necessary steps to address the highlighted issues, leading to the unfortunate inferno that engulfed the gallery.
Neglected Warnings: The 2014 Health and Safety Inspection
In a press conference addressing the incident, Minister Tsulukiani emphasized that the tragedy could have been prevented had the Sokhumi City Authorities heeded the recommendations outlined in the 2014 health and safety inspection report. The inspection, conducted by independent experts, specifically pointed out electrical vulnerabilities that could potentially lead to a fire if not rectified. While the government acknowledges the cultural significance of the Abkhazian State Art Gallery, it insists that the incident was not a result of political or external factors but rather an unfortunate consequence of neglecting crucial safety precautions. The focus, according to the government's narrative, should shift toward ensuring such oversights are not repeated in other cultural institutions.
Thea Tsulukiani's Statement: Tragedy Lies in the Hands of Abkhazian Autonomous State
Minister Tsulukiani expressed deep sorrow over the loss of cultural treasures but stressed that the responsibility for the tragedy lies within the Abkhazian Autonomous State's jurisdiction. She urged local authorities to take immediate action to rectify safety concerns in other cultural institutions under their purview, emphasizing the need for a collective commitment to preserving national heritage. The government's stance is that this incident underscores the importance of rigorous safety compliance and the implementation of necessary infrastructure upgrades. It asserts that the tragedy serves as a wake-up call for Sokhumi City Authorities to prioritize the well-being of cultural institutions, ensuring that they are fortified against unforeseen disasters.
Calls for Unity in Rebuilding: A Shared Responsibility
Amid the grief, the government is calling for unity and cooperation in the rebuilding process. Minister Tsulukiani highlighted the need for a collaborative effort between regional and national authorities, cultural experts, and the community to restore the Abkhazian State Art Gallery to its former glory.
As investigations into the incident unfold, the government pledges transparency and accountability in addressing any shortcomings. The focus remains on learning from this unfortunate event to fortify the nation's cultural treasures against future threats, ensuring that the rich heritage of Abkhazia is preserved for generations to come.
Afsharid Persia, The Kingdom of Orlais, The Australis Republic, Peredniy, and 3 othersKavkazian, Namib-swana, and Congo-Kinsasa
THE NEW YORK TIMES
January 27, 2024
U.S. Senate Passes A.I. Regulations as Washington Works to Tackle the Emerging Technology
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The U.S. Senate voted last night during a late-night vote to pass the Resolution on Safe Use of Artificial Intelligence by a 69-31 vote, with the backing of both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The bill, introduced by Senate Intelligence Committee chair Mark Warner and Republican senator from Alaska Lisa Murkowski, aims to establish a federal definition of U.S. policy on artificial intelligence and other similar, emerging technologies and outline a federal policy plan on the issue.
Pushes to regulate artificial intelligence have been seen in Washington since ChatGPT went viral on the Internet over a year ago and the use of AI across the world became prevalent like wildfire, but it is only now that the Senate has been able to achieve a legislative victory on the issue. On one hand, some conservatives criticized the regulatory framework as a potential hurdle to the development of AI in the United States, potentially allowing U.S. competitors like China or Russia to take the lead on AI development.
"The immense strength of this emerging technology is clearly something we need to regulate, but not in the way that hinders the growth of AI development and innovation here in the United States, and I think this bill does that," Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told the press.
The bill, while vague and largely aimed at granting relevant federal agencies the ability to establish their own guidelines on the issue while guaranteeing that the federal government will not enact any policies or guidelines that may hinder AI innovation in the U.S., now heads to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Hakeem Jeffries has already pledged to give the bill "priority status". House Republicans led by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy are expected to offer a spirited opposition to the bill, but moderate Republicans have signaled they intend to vote in favor of the bill, calling the protections against hindering AI innovation in the U.S. as 'positive'.
While other major parties like the European Union and China have yet to issue their own guidelines on the issue, potentially raising the concern that the U.S. could fall behind on the issue. However, U.S. senators on both sides of the aisle have stated that the bill assauges those concerns sufficiently, at least for the time being.
"The goal of this legislation isn't to restrict AI, but to make sure that its development is done properly, and its growth does not compromise concerns over privacy," Senator Mike Braun of Indiana (R), one of the bill's proponents, told NBC News.
The bill, to the the ire of House progressives, does not include protections for artworks created by human artists from use by artificial intelligence algorithms in its development and public operation. House Progressive Caucus leader Pramila Jayapal has told CNN that she believes the bill "doesn't go far enough". Progressives were, however, assuaged at least partially by the inclusion of the establishment of an AI regulatory office within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to lead efforts to identify ways to properly regulate AI without compromising U.S. innovative strength.
Afsharid Persia, The Kingdom of Orlais, The Australis Republic, Kavkazian, and 2 othersNamib-swana, and Congo-Kinsasa
Joint operations base agreed near Swakopmund
Land and Air base to be established, with naval base feasibility to follow
The Government of Namib-Swana has agreed a rolling ten year lease on an area of land around -22.62891984617119, 14.58321915425457 northeast of Swakopmund with 
Afsharid Persia. The base will host Persian land and air units, initially with an unpaved runway, improved as finances allow. Capital costs will be repayable by the NS govt. minus depreciation on break of lease which will require 5years notice after a minimum of ten years.
Feasibility into the cost of new naval facilities will also be undertaken with a 'red route' between the facilities and proposals for rail links.
The office of the Defense Minister - Kagiso Mamila said "Afsharid Persia is a valuable partner and a great power. We are working intensively to find ways that the two nations can mutually benefit from a closer defence partnership to secure the interests and borders of Namib-Swana.".
THE NEW YORK TIMES
January 30, 2024
The Race for New York: Replacing George Santos and Eric Adams, Respectively
(NEW YORK CITY, NY) - On February 10, 2024, voters in New York City and the 3rd Congressional District of New York will turn out in polling stations across their respective boroughs in special elections to replace former Rep. George Santos and former New York City mayor Eric Adams, both of whom left their respective positions after the former was expelled from the House and the latter resigned over a scandal involving foreign involvement in his mayoral campaign. The special elections were scheduled by New York Acting Governor Antonio Delgado, who himself rose to the position of Governor after the resignation of his former superior, Kathy Hochul, over health concerns.
The race for both positions is rapidly heating up. The race for New York City mayor is a split, four-way race with Rep. Ritchie Torres for the Democrats, Acting Mayor Jumaane Williams for the Working Families Party, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis for the Republicans, and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is mounting an Independent bid for the mayoralty. Current polling shows Torres and Malliotakis neck-and-neck for first and second, while Williams pulls several percentage points below in third, and Cuomo is even farther down in fourth, just over 10%. The previous officeholder was the centrist, hard-on-crime Brooklyn borough chief Eric Adams. He faced criticism and was underwater in polls for a majority of his tenure as mayor, thanks to rampant crime and homelessness that plagued the city. He finally resigned after a scandal implicated him in potentially accepting funds from foreign entities, which violates U.S. campaign law.
He was immediately succeeded by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams of the Working Families Party (WFP), who is the current Acting Mayor and is a candidate in the race, currently polling in third. Williams has sought to reverse many Adams decisions, slashing bloated funding for the NYPD, strengthening migrant response resources, funding new social programs to rehabilitate drug and alcohol users in New York, and control housing costs. Williams sought a joint Democratic-WFP ticket for the mayoralty and vice mayoralty, but was rejected by New York Democrats, who instead voted to nominate Representative Ritchie Torres as their nominee for New York City mayor. The Republicans nominated moderate Representative Nicole Malliotakis, who is the only Republican in New York City's Congressional delegation.
The biggest spoiler in the race is, arguably, Andrew Cuomo. The former Governor of New York who resigned after assault and discrimination allegations is making a comeback in New York City, mounting an Independent bid for the mayoralty after New York Democrats selected Torres over him. His campaign is centered around "breaking the duopoly" and bringing "independent views" to the table in the Big Apple. He still holds appeal among hardcore Cuomo supporters and voters nostalgic for the pre-pandemic New York, but he has so far failed to break through, and trails in fourth place, over ten points down from Williams in third and more than twenty points down the field leaders.
Just outside the city is the 3rd Congressional District, which was previously held by controversial Rep. George Santos, a Republican who was expelled from Congress after investigations began into campaign fund misuse, misrepresentation of records, and more. Democrats are unanimously backing centrist former representative Tom Suozzi, who previously held the seat until 2022, when he declined to run for re-election to attempt to primary Kathy Hochul. Republicans nominated Mazi Pilip, an Ethiopian-born local legislator, who while holding the backing of the strong local Republican chapter, does not have sufficient name recognition.
Polling shows Suozzi is expected to run Pilip over, securing 57% of the vote to 42% for Pilip, a marked shift from Santos' margin of victory less than two years ago. The New York Times, in interviewing some of the voters in the district, was told that Santos had degraded their trust in the local Republicans and their ability to select competent candidates. Suozzi is also running on a centrist platform with strong moderate credentials, advocating for a lockdown on the border and school choice. He called for a 'consensus' on abortion but is a strong proponent of strengthening Medicare and Social Security.
Both New York races are expected to act as litmus tests for the national election cycle this year. The 3rd District special election is highly suburban, and could mirror national sentiment in suburbs on national politics. The New York City race is almost guaranteed to go to a Democrat thanks to the ranked choice voting system used for the mayoral elections, but turnout and voter composition numbers could inform Democrats on enthusiasm for the party among different voter groups. Particularly, Democrats will want to watch African-American voter turnout, which will be crucial to helping flip North Carolina and Georgia blue in 2024.
Afsharid Persia, The Australis Republic, Namib-swana, and Congo-Kinsasa
- Summer Swim and Damaging Winds
Cyclone Kirrily tears through North Queensland
January 30th
Severe Tropical Cyclone Kirrily was a category 3 cyclone with sustained winds of up to 120km/h. It was the second tropical cyclone to hit North Queensland this summer after Cyclone Jasper hit Cairns and Port Douglas back in December.
Kirrily hit Townsville on January 25 as a category 1 cyclone before moving inland and weakening over time as it reached Charter Towers. 100-150mm of rainfall fell across North Queensland, with properties in and around McKinlay and Kynuna were inundated with between 400 millimetres and 500mm of rain over the past 48 hours. Flinders Highway near the aforementioned McKinlay was flooded with authorities warning it could be closed for at least a week.
23,000 people remain without power and dozens of people evacuated in Charters Towers, Townsville, McKinlay, and other towns in Queensland's north. The cyclone did not hit the same towns as Cyclone Jasper last month.
North Queensland isn't the only part of the state suffering, with severe storms in south east Queensland seeing flash floods and up to 300mm of rain fall across Brisbane, Ipswich, and the Gold Coast. 13 people have already been rescued across Queensland's southeast. Thunderstorms and severe flood warnings are in place across the state.
Afsharid Persia, Peredniy, Namib-swana, and Congo-Kinsasa
USER:WAR_BLOGGER_EGYPT - BLOG.TXT
[OPENING ENTRY 31/1/2024]
In news on the Sinai front, the Islamic Revolutionary Forces have continued their advances, advancing north of Sharm-el-Sheikh and now threatening to cut off the government forces starioned near the Israeli border.
They are targeting Arish heavily right now, as well as trying to advance into the Suez Canal area. In the mainland, I have received news that tribes in the Hala'ib Triangle have rebelled in favor of the Islamic Revolutionaries, capturing much of the area and surrounding a division of government forces in the City of Halayeb. Riots have broken out in Cairo due to lack of food, and have been met with violence from local forces. Around 50 rioters were killed yesterday around Western Cairo.
Lastly, I have heard rumors that the government will be imposing rations on urban populations as fears of a complete collapse of the food supply increase.
I will be staying at the Arish area for the next few days, will update you guys as things progress. Much lovd to you all!
Afsharid Persia, The Australis Republic, Peredniy, Kavkazian, and 2 othersCongo-Kinsasa, and Khilapha
THE NEW YORK TIMES
February 3, 2024
Sherrod Brown, the Architect of the Democrats' Centrist Shift, Faces an Easier Re-Election Bid Than Expected
(TOLEDO, OH) -- At a town hall in Toledo, OH, a voter stood up and asked Sherrod Brown a question. "Do you feel responsible for the recent shift by the Democratic Party towards the center on immigration and the economy?"
Brown smiled and called it a group effort.
In truth, however, no other person has contributed more to the months-long effort by centrist-leaning - and clearly politically savvy - Democrats to pull their party to the center on key issues like the economy and immigration and law enforcement, where Republicans have long held the upper hand. Brown, a U.S. Senator from Ohio, is up for re-election in November of this year. He was re-elected in 2018 by roughly six percentage points despite Trump winning the state by nine just two years ago in 2016. Now, he faces what will likely be his toughest re-election bid yet, with Republicans mounting efforts to take back the Senate, where Democrats currently hold 53 seats with the victory of Mandela Barnes, Cheri Beasley and John Fetterman in the 2022 midterms.
Brown has been heavily involved in the process of helping to shift Democrats to the center on many issues, even amid scrutiny and criticism from the progressive wing of the party, led by the likes of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Ro Khanna of California. In 2022, he pushed hard and advocated aggressively to pass the DIGI Act that toughened up regulations on video games that appealed to young audiences, pushed for the lifting of unnecessary regulations within the Department of Agriculture, and has constantly advocated for cutting red tape, for a harder line on the border and immigration, but has, on the other side, been a strong backer of protecting the right to unionize, the Harris Administration's protectionist "Buy American" policies, as well as the paid maternity and family leave that Democrats successfully passed in 2022.
James Carper, a fellow at the American Institute for Politics, told the New York Times that Brown was the person most deserving of the title of the Architect of 21st Century Democratic Centrism. "His influence as the Senate Banking chief can't be overstated, and his centrist politics on many issues makes him the best option for other centrists like him to push a more common sense and nuanced agenda than that advanced by the likes of Sanders, Warren and Ocasio-Cortez, which appeals mostly to progressive voters."
This shift has annoyed and at times outright angered the progressive wing of the party, most particularly Pramila Jayapal, the leader of the House Progressive Caucus. She has been extremely critical of what she has described an "aggressive shift" towards "Republican talking points". Progressives have been increasingly skeptical of the Harris Administration, which has been supportive of this policy shift towards the center, and at times has led the push to pull it further in that direction, but efforts have been made to placate them.
Now, Brown faces a 2024 re-election bid. The state voted farther away from Democrats than ever in 2020, and though in 2022 Republican Gov. Mike DeWine won re-election by a weaker margin than expected, the state is still certainly drifting harder towards the Republican side of politics. Democrats don't expect to mount a strong effort in the state in the 2024 presidential race, but all eyes are on Sherrod Brown and his re-election bid. Brown has been barnstorming the state aggressively, holding town halls and visiting traditionally Republican counties - constantly. All the while, the Republican primary field in the Senate race is growing increasingly divided. Republican Senators have rallied behind State Sen. Matt Dolan, who has been the most Trump-skeptic candidate in the race, while the MAGA wing is aggressively backing businessman Bernie Moreno.
Both ways, to the surprise of many, polls show Brown edging out both candidates by surprisingly substantial margins. RealClearPolitics polls show Brown beating Dolan 44% to 42%, and Moreno 45% to 39%. Considering Republican primary polling shows Moreno in the lead, Republicans could be letting their chance of retaking the seat slip away. All the meanwhile, a Brown re-election would mean a repudiation of MAGA theories that "Democrat centrism" won't succeed in states that lean red, and a re-affirmation that the policies of the Harris administration are succeeding.
THE JAKARTA POST
NAVIGATING INDONESIA’S CARBON MARKET: CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE ROAD AHEAD
| (KOTA JAKARTA RAJA) -- The rapid progress of carbon pricing in Indonesia has reached important milestones. Presidential Regulation (Perpres) 98/2021 on the Carbon Economic Value, or Nilai Ekonomi Karbon (NEK), has served as the cornerstone for building the infrastructure and framework for its implementation. The birth of the NEK regulation is a response to the Article 6 Paris Agreement, which allows parties to trade carbon in order to lower emissions. Some instruments are offered under the regulation, consisting of carbon trading, result-based payment, and carbon tax, which was twice delayed and is expected to be launched in 2025. Among all the instruments, carbon trading is identified as a mature instrument with a cap-and-trade mechanism that enables institutions to claim their high-intensive emission by buying credits from other activities that provide carbon stocks. |
| To strengthen the implementation of carbon trading under Law 4/2023 on the Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) is tasked with establishing and overseeing carbon trading in the carbon market. In just 7 months, the OJK issued regulations on carbon trading through carbon exchanges and officially launched the carbon market on December 26, 2023. This means that financing is one of the solutions to bridge the gap in achieving climate targets and plays a crucial role in raising awareness of the devastation of climate change, especially for the business sector. |
| Prior to this, Indonesia has been familiar with the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) since the past few decades before deciding to establish a mandatory carbon market to meet Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets for specific sectors. For example, the Sumatera Merang Peatland projects has successfully sold 3 million carbon credits to big companies and the Indonesia Climate Exchange (ICX), a trading platform, was created to build an ecosystem for the private sector with the voluntary scheme. Earlier this year, power generation was chosen as the first subsector to implement mandatory carbon trading due to its easily identifiable emissions calculations, based on and strengthened by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation 16/2022 on Procedures for Implementing Carbon Economic Value in the Power Generation Subsector. This was initiated in a pilot program in 2021 before being launched in February 2023. |
| In the first compliance carbon trading phase, 99 CFPP which covers 86% of coal power plants in Indonesia participating in cap and trade schemes. Each CFPP has a maximum allowance or emission quota that is set based on the previous performance and unit criteria. For those who emit less than the allowance, they are able to trade the remaining quota to other companies that exceed the maximum cap. When the CFPP emission is above the given quota, they must reduce the emission by buying quota from other CFPP or purchase carbon credits. The success of this pilot program, while requiring some improvements, has encouraged other sectors to consider carbon trading and expand its implementation beyond the energy sector, pending the release of the carbon trading roadmap currently under discussion at the Coordinating Ministry of Investment and Maritime Affairs. With the establishment of the carbon market, the trading products to be sold and traded are carbon quotas from the compliant sector, called PTBAE-PU, and carbon credits, or SPE-GRK. PTBAE-PU could only be sold and bought by the mandatory sector that has the maximum cap on emitting emissions, while credits may be supplied from various projects, for instance peat restoration and renewable energy projects, where all participants are able to purchase the credits to avoid the emission. |
| To participate in the carbon exchange, all entities, whether producers of emissions or not, must obtain a permit from the National Standard Registry (SRN), a platform managed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry as a national database for emissions and validate credibility of products and participants involved in the carbon exchange. With high hopes, careful emission monitoring and evaluation could be easily integrated across sectors in one platform and increase accountability and data transparency that is being shown to the public. The launch of the carbon exchange just one month after the OJK issued its regulations has raised several questions, one of which is whether Indonesia is adequately prepared to manage it. In the absence of a comprehensive market ecosystem, careful planning and implementation by the government, particularly the regulator and relevant ministries, is needed. Although enthusiasm has been shown by 13 transactions with a total volume of 459,914 metric tons of CO2 equivalent at a unit price of around USD 4.51, dominated by state-owned enterprises on the first day of the launch, lessons from several emissions trading systems (ETS), such as China’s, show that it takes a considerable amount of time, almost a decade, to build a strong and mature market ecosystem. Validation, credibility, and data transparency are fundamental aspects that should be carefully monitored by various stakeholders, including the OJK, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and others. Market integration between power sector carbon trading and the upcoming compliance sector with the recently released carbon market must be implemented to achieve one common system and pricing mechanism, since voluntary parties dominate the current market. |
| The existence of a carbon market provides an opportunity for companies to raise finance through carbon trading within the market. However, this should be closely scrutinized in terms of the requirements for companies to enter the market, such as taking action to reduce emissions, maintaining comprehensive emissions inventories, and having strategies for future emissions reductions. It is important to avoid the interpretation that the carbon market is simply a strategy to reduce emissions by buying as many carbon credits as possible. There should be an institution capable of conducting accurate and comprehensive checks and verifications of the PTBAE and SPE-GRK being traded, as well as verifying valid and internationally recognized calculation methodologies to avoid double counting and ensure accountability for projects generating PTBAE and SPE-GRK. In addition, there should be a careful monitoring system of the use of carbon market funds. The government has mentioned that the funds will be managed by the Environmental Funds Agency (BPDLH), but it is not clearly stated how the mechanism works yet. |
| Indonesia’s FOLU sector could potentially absorb 25.18 billion tons of carbon from rainforests, mangrove conservation could absorb around 33 billion tons of carbon, and peatland could absorb almost 55 billion tons of carbon. With the advent of the carbon market, significant forest, mangrove, and renewable energy projects are expected to grow rapidly. It is crucial to assess and verify each project holistically and monitor its implementation to avoid ‘greenwashing’ practices that claim significant carbon sequestration and reduction without following established procedures. It is also important to maintain a balance between supply and demand in the market in order to maintain market enthusiasm and ensure smooth transactions. Given the early experience of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), where an oversupply led to carbon prices approaching zero in 2007, precautions should be taken to prevent carbon prices from becoming uncompetitive. In addition, the carbon market will soon allow companies outside Indonesia to participate in carbon trading, which could lead to carbon leakage if prices are not competitive and domestic companies do not benefit from the incentives provided by the carbon market. |
| The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), which regulates quotas and allowances in the electricity sector, must limit the emissions allowed by each company that owns power plants. With a planned maximum quota of 85% in 2024, it is expected to encourage each operator to develop emission reduction strategies. At present, quotas are still based on emission intensity and the average emissions of the previous year, which can lead to higher allocations in the following year. Regular monitoring is therefore required to reduce the emission quotas for each power plant. Carbon markets also open the opportunity to widely inform the green taxonomy principles, especially to financial institutions, investors, and project owners. It could enable the identification of whether a project can be traded in the carbon market and falls within the green taxonomy classification. This can enhance transparency in assessments and trust while assisting investors and financial institutions in mobilizing funding for sustainable projects. However, further institutional coordination and agreements are also necessary for this. |
| Although the carbon market in Indonesia is still relatively new, its effective implementation is expected to drive changes in industrial behavior, particularly in the power generation sub-sector and the energy sector as a whole. Information dissemination to a wider audience is important to attract more buyers and traders to participate in carbon exchange beyond energy sectors. In this nascent stage, an incentive from the government is required since to pass the ‘green’ criteria, extra processes are needed which creates additional cost and potentially becomes a burden, making the carbon market unattractive. The market also creates opportunities for Indonesia to fulfill the need of climate financing, while pushing the launch of carbon tax is important as the complement tool. Regular monitoring and evaluation is necessary to keep all the activities on the right track while further enhancements and developments are necessary to make the market eligible at the international level. |
«12. . .445446447448449450451. . .454455»
Advertisement
