Israel after 74 years of independence

Jews all over the world celebrate Israel’s Independence Day – even those who have no intention of ever going to aliyah, and many of whom have never even visited Israel.

They term Israel a kind of insurance policy. They support Israel financially and emotionally. They consider Israel a sanctuary that is available to their children and grandchildren, should the need ever arise.

However, some find this kind of thinking very sad, because Israel is so much more than a refuge for persecuted Jews.

Not every immigrant who has built a life in Israel was escaping from the horror of the Holocaust, the tyranny behind the Iron Curtain or the cruelty of life in an Arab country.

Many of these Israelis referred to as “Anglo-Saxim” lowered their standard of living significantly when they settled in Israel, yet found something that enhanced the quality of life even as they struggled with inflation, mortgages and trying to make minuscule salaries stretch to the end of the month.

They have found a family – their own people. Of course, just like any family, they fight... about religion, politics and settlements – the fights can be very bitter. Yet they care about each other and band together when they face a common enemy. They celebrate together and sometimes even have to grieve together.

Basically, when the going gets rough, they are on the same side. They express their identity as Jews in different ways, but it is the same identity.

They found Israel a beautiful country, unique in the variety of its scenery and climate. Mediterranean beaches banded by azure and indigo water and pure white sand; coral reefs; dense forests; wooded mountains; deserts and rivers and waterfalls; the shimmering mirrored glass of the Dead Sea; fields carpeted with wildflowers – and Jerusalem, the priceless jewel.

Some of them found Israel a spirituality that they had never been able to achieve abroad. Anyone who has been in Israel on Yom Kippur, when the whole country comes to a standstill for one day, cannot doubt the kedusha, the holiness, of the Land of Israel. It is intangible, yet it is an undeniable presence.

They take pride in the remarkable achievements of this tiny country. They can match, and surpass, the hi-tech of much bigger, richer and better developed nations. They teach agriculture to the world. They are rich in poets, writers, musicians, actors and artists. They can boast of industrial entrepreneurs and brilliant scientists. When any new Israeli invention captures the world’s imagination, somehow they all bask in the reflected glory.

Israelis have always been compared to the Sabra – the cactus with the thorny exterior but the soft heart. They celebrate Independence Day in many ways – campfires and singing, picnics, Bible Quiz, concerts, music and dancing in the streets. They spend the day with family and friends and relish every moment of it.

But it is more than just enjoyment. On every building, the Israeli flag flies. Almost every balcony in every city flies the white flag with the blue Magen David, the Shield of David. And for days beforehand and a week afterward, the flag flies from every car on the road. Every ceremony opens with the singing of “Hatikvah” – the Hope – Israel’s national anthem.

They sing it standing straight and proud, and usually with tears in their eyes as they remember the broken people who found a safe haven in Israel, and those who never managed to reach its shores and died with the dream of Zion in their hearts. And they also remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in all of Israel’s wars, and in the pre-state days, the fighters and pioneers who fashioned this wonderful land that they have inherited.

 

European countries agree on mechanism to pay for Russian gas in roubles

European energy firms can open special accounts with Gazprombank to pay for Russian gas, a key demand by Moscow, without breaching sanctions if transferring euros or dollars to them fulfils their contractual obligations, the German Economy Ministry said.

Russia cut gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland this week for failing to pay in roubles, raising fears that other countries could be next.

Moscow's decree says Gazprombank would open special "K" type accounts for gas payments from foreign buyers. An EU company would transfer foreign currency into one such account, and then a Russian bank would convert the payment to roubles and transfer the roubles to another "K" account belonging to Gazprom.

European Union countries remain divided over whether sanctions would be broken if they engage with Russia's roubles payment demand.

Russia's decree said the buyer's obligation would be considered fulfilled only when the roubles arrived in Gazprom's account.

"There are European guidelines on payment modalities, which form the framework for us and which we adhere to," a spokesperson for Germany's Economy Ministry said on Friday in an e-mailed statement.

"According to these guidelines, account K, to which payment is made in euros/dollars, is in line with the sanctions if companies declare that contracts have been fulfilled with payment in euros or dollars."

A government source said that it was irrelevant in which country the K account is opened as long as the bank in question was not on any sanctions list.

The European Commission will provide EU countries with extra guidance on whether they can keep paying for Russian gas without breaching the bloc's sanctions, a Commission official told Reuters on Friday.

Companies and countries were at odds over Moscow's rouble-for-gas payment system on Friday, while European officials promised more guidance on whether buying Russian gas can comply with sanctions and Russia said it saw no problem with its plan.

It did not specify whether companies could do this and also open a rouble account, as requested by Russia, without being in breach of EU sanctions. 

Denmark's Orsted said it has no intention of opening a rouble account in Russia, although it declined to comment on payment in other currencies. Italy's ENI also said it had not opened an account in roubles.

Under Russia's mechanism, buyers are obliged to deposit euros or dollars into an account at privately-owned Russian bank Gazprombank, which has then to convert them into roubles, place the proceeds in another account owned by the foreign buyer and transfer the payment in Russian currency to Gazprom.

EU energy ministers will on Monday hold an emergency meeting to discuss their response to Russia's demand.

The European Commission, the EU executive, has already said countries may be able to make sanctions-compliant payments provided they declare their payments are completed once it has been made in euros and before it is converted into roubles.

EU countries, however, have said they want more clarity, while Germany, the bloc's biggest economy and among the most dependent on Russian gas, says it cannot afford to stop buying Russian supplies, even though it is taking steps to find alternative sources of energy.

A European Commission official told Reuters on Friday the executive will provide EU countries with extra guidance following complaints from some countries that ambiguity would leave different countries reaching different interpretations of what they were allowed to do.

Russia on Friday said it saw no problem with its proposed system.

"If the established procedure for interaction between gas buyers and the authorized bank is observed by the buyer, and there are no problems for the authorized bank in terms of selling currency on the stock exchange due to restrictive measures on the part of foreign states, then there cannot be any obstacles to paying for and receiving natural gas," Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said.

The rouble has to an extent benefited from Moscow's demand for roubles payment. The currency hit its highest level versus the euro in more than two years on Friday supported by capital controls as the central bank cut interest rates for the second time this month.

European gas prices have hit record levels since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Europe's top gas supplier, and were up slightly on Friday.

Central to the confusion on the part of the European buyers is whether Russia would only consider the payment to be complete after the gas-to-roubles conversion is done - a transaction that would involve Russia's central bank, which is subject to EU sanctions.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an EU diplomat admitted a certain amount of ambiguity could be helpful as the bloc seeks to prevent any widening of divisions between countries, which have different levels of reliance on Russia and different deadlines to make payments.

"In the circumstances, a little bit of messiness might just be preferable," the diplomat said.

Poland and Bulgaria have contracts with Gazprom due to expire at the end of this year, which meant their search for alternative supplies was already advanced. Poland also has very healthy gas stocks around 77% full.

Austria’s OMV, which has a contract with Gazprom until 2040, said it was analyzing how a change could be implemented for it to pay in roubles without breaching sanctions when next payment is due in May.

United States has 40 military sites in Germany

This morning I was dismayed to read the news that the United States is training Ukrainian troops in Germany. I immediately clicked WIKIPEDIA to find some details. The bigger surprise was the United States has 40 military installations in Germany. Over the years more than 220 installations have been closed, mostly following the end of the Cold War in the 1990s.

The rationale behind the large number of closures is that the strategic functions of the bases, designed to serve as forward posts in any war against the USSR, are no longer relevant since the end of the Cold War era.

WIKIPEDIA has a list of United States military locations in Germany, both closed and still existing. To preserve originality, place names follow US Forces nomenclature as far as is reasonable. As the amount of data grew, it became necessary to list each garrison on two separate pages: List of American Military Sites in Southern Germany, List of American Military Sites in Northern Germany.

The associations were subordinate to the following supreme commands:

The US armed forces were initially organized as USFET (United States Forces European Theater) from August 01, 1945 to February 28, 1946 in Berlin and Frankfurt am Main, IG Farben Building. 

On March 15, 1947 they were reassigned to EUCOM (European Command) in Frankfurt, 1948 moved from Frankfurt to Heidelberg, Campbell Barracks. On January 01, 1950 reorganized as USAREUR (United States Army Europe). USAREUR was subordinate to USEUCOM (United States European Command), since 1967 in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Patch Barracks.

The US Air Force was reorganized on August 16, 1945 from USSAF (US Strategic Air Forces) to USAFE (US Air Forces, Europe) in Wiesbaden, Lindsey Air Station, while still part of the US Army. 

Subordination to EUCOM was lifted in 1950 and1972 Transfer to Ramstein Air Base. 

USAFE was subordinate to USEUCOM (United States European Command), since 1967 in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Patch Barracks.

The US nuclear weapons on German soil formed the backbone of the North Atlantic Alliance. They were the crucial military element of the Cold War.

The ability to use the nuclear arsenal and the will to ultimately use these weapons, conveyed to the opponent in a credible manner, formed the core element in the global bipolar conflict.

The 59th Ordnance Brigade in Pirmasens was responsible for the nuclear operational capability of the USA. Nuclear custody according to the principle of the two keys was the responsibility of the United States Army Field Artillery Detachments (USAFAD) - in the Nike associations United States Army Artillery Detachments (USAAD), which were subordinate to the United States Army Artillery Groups (USAAG) at corps level.

The detachments were with all nuclear-capable NATO allies on German soil from 1958 (Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada (until 1984) and also France until 1966 stationed.

The "Regency Net" system with the control center in Pirmasens was set up from 1976 to 1982 as the command and control network. 

In an emergency, Regency Net would have served to transmit "Emergency Action Messages" from CINCEUR (also SACEUR in personal union) for the release of nuclear weapons for the national partners. 

For the Air Force there was a similar organization with Munitions Support Squadrons (MUNSS) and a Munitions Maintenance Group in Ramstein.

 

United States training Ukrainian troops in Germany

Reportedly, the United States has started training Ukrainian troops on howitzer artillery systems and radars at US military installations in Germany, said a Pentagon spokesperson on Friday.   

The efforts will build on initial artillery training given to a small number of Ukrainian forces elsewhere, and will also include training on the radar systems and armored vehicles the US recently pledged to Kyiv, press secretary John Kirby told reporters. 

The Florida National Guard will provide the bulk of the training, as those forces had been training Ukrainian troops before being moved out of Ukraine ahead of Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion, Kirby said. 

“The recent reunion now of these Florida National Guard members with their Ukrainian colleagues, we are told, was an emotional meeting given the strong bonds that were formed as they were living and working together before temporarily parting ways in February,” Kirby said. 

The US is training 100 more Ukrainians on howitzer artillery systems in Europe in a five-day course, according to the Pentagon.

Washington has said it will send 90 howitzers total to the embattled country as part of two security assistance packages worth US$800 million each, announced earlier this month.  

Another 15 Ukrainians are being trained on radars for about a week.

The troops will then return to Ukraine to train their fellow soldiers on how to use the systems. 

Kirby also noted that Germany is one of roughly three sites being used by the US to train Ukrainians outside of their country, but he would not say where the other sites were. 

In addition, the US is considering the option of doing virtual training with Ukrainians on some defense equipment, Kirby said.  

 

World Quds Day Celebrations

The World Quds Day is celebrated every year on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan. It was designated Quds Day on August 07, 1979 on the initiative of Imam Khomeini to support the Palestinian cause and nation and mark a new stage of solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Qods Day is a unique manifestation of unity among Muslims and all the world’s freedom seekers in expressing support for Palestine and disgust for the Zionists usurper. It illustrates an unparalleled portrayal of unity among the people of the world to condemn the atrocities and occupation of the Zionist regime and abhor the racist and inhuman nature of the Zionists.

Quds Day also symbolizes resistance. Undoubtedly, the establishment of the illegitimate and forged Zionist entity has become the prime element of instability and insecurity in West Asia since 1948. 

The tyrannized and resilient people of Palestine have risen up with the support of the Muslims and free peoples of the world, with a chain of Palestinian intifadas, against this massive oppression by the Zionist regime and have frustrated and depressed this forged entity.

Over the years, the issue of Palestine has transformed into the main issue of the Muslim world at least for three reasons: Firstly, the complexion of the Palestinian land, its sanctity and status among the followers of Islam. Secondly, the nature of the hostility of Zionists, their religious and historical claims and their expansionist and occupationist spirit. Third, the nature of Western-Zionist coalition which pursues to weaken the Muslim Ummah and generate dissension and split between the Muslims with the hope that the Muslim states remain dependent and reliant on the big powers.   

The Zionist regime is considered as the violator of fundamental rights including the right to self-determination of Palestinians and the main element of permanent insecurity in the region.

There are many reasons for this belief. Zionist regime breaches the international law and regulations as well as human rights and takes actions such as imposing collective punishment, blockading Gaza, completing the West Bank separation wall and evicting and displacing more than 5.7 million Palestinians; the Zionist regime assassinates Palestinian and other Arab and Muslim commanders and soldiers, destroys Palestinian houses and farmlands, Judaizes the al-Quds, and promotes and continues settlement constructions in occupied territories; Zionists enforce curfew on the Palestinian citizens of al-Quds and revoke the identification and permanent residence cards of Palestinians (in violation of international rules and agreements especially Article 43 of the Hague Convention and the Fourth Geneva Convention); moreover, the Zionist regime adopted the “nation-state of the Jewish people” bill in Knesset in 2018 and is separating the Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza. 

While the criminal and occupation-oriented logic of the kid-killer Zionist regime in the past seven decades has produced nothing but the continuation of occupation, murder, racism and dissension in the region, we regretfully are witnessing that a number of Muslim states have closed their eyes on the persistent crimes of the Zionist regime and have fallen into the trap of the Western-Zionist axis and have committed a historical but reversible and amendable mistake. Unfortunately, normalization of relations of some Arab and Muslim states with the Quds-occupying regime has emboldened the Zionists to expand their hostility. The recent desecration and atrocities of the Zionists in al-Aqsa Mosque testify to such emboldening. The satanic Western-Zionist conspiracy aims to hatch differences among the Muslims and has undoubtedly targeted the unity and solidarity of the Muslim world in supporting Palestine. 

The Zionist regime is regarded as the main source of insecurity and threat to regional and international peace and stability and represents the biggest violator of human rights in the world. The Quds-occupying regime is the only regime in the region which owns tens of nuclear warheads and avoids joining the International Atomic Energy Agency and related safeguards. Against this reality, the West and self-proclaimed Western defenders of human rights, in the past years, have continued military-political supports to the Zionist regime without any restriction. For example, we see how Americans, with double standards, veto resolutions against this regime in the United Nations, Human Rights Council, UNESCO and other international organizations. 

Washington has used its veto power at least 40 times to secure the interests of the Zionist regime. This per se suggests the sort of bias and partisan orientation of the Western policies in support of the Zionist regime and ignoring the fundamental rights of the Palestinians. The international community shoulders a heavy responsibility in this connection and must end its long-term silence and inaction and guarantee the termination of occupation and realization of the right to self-determination and human rights for the people of Palestine. 

The “Saif al-Quds (Sword of al-Quds) Operation” in support of the al-Aqsa Mosque dealt a massive blow to the forged Israeli regime. In particular, this stage is a new beginning for the unity of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Occupied Territories of 1948, Palestinian camps and all the Palestinians across the globe. 

Zionist occupiers and their global advocates must know that the determination of resistance will never be tremulous and Islamic and national resistance will continue to exist in various types and forms to support the suppressed people of Palestine. Without doubt, Islamic resistance against the Zionist occupation and diversion in occupied territories, Lebanon, Syria and other Muslim states would pave the grounds for terminating this diversion and purulent gland. As the “Saif al-Quds Operation” indicated, the capacity and capabilities of the Palestinian resistance are strengthening on a daily basis.  

I would like to commemorate the memory of the dignified martyred leaders of resistance such as the great general of resistance and liberation of the holy Quds, Haj Qassem Soleimani, who made continued efforts and wise decisions to fertilize the plant of resistance in so eloquent manner that the resistance movement now constitutes the main pillar of and is pioneer in all effective actions against Zionism and in support of the oppressed.   

The Islamic Republic of Iran would spare no efforts, like the past, in supporting the legitimate and usurped rights of the Palestinian nation. On the basis of the political and democratic plan registered by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Secretariat of the United Nations, the settlement of the issue of Palestine would be possible only through ending occupation and holding a referendum with the presence of the main inhabitants of the land of Palestine and all refugees to determine their own destiny.

The return of Palestinian refugees to their motherland and holding a national referendum among the original people of this land to shape their destiny and the type of political system is the most effective solution to resolve this crisis. Based on this proposal, Muslims, Jews and Christians of Palestinian descent should be bale to choose the type of legal system that is going to govern their destiny and benefit from its rights freely and equally. This plan, which has been presented based on the principles of democracy and international law as recognized by all governments and nations, could definitely replace the previous failed schemes. 

In conclusion, I would like to ask all the people of Iran and other Muslims in the world as well as freedom seekers and awakened consciences to participate gloriously in the ceremonies and rallies across the globe to mark the World Quds Day to commemorate this great day and express solidarity with the suppressed people of Palestine.   

Hudong Zhonghua inks largest ever LNG carrier order with Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha

According Seatrade Maritime News, CSSC Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding of China has signed contracts for six 174,000 cu m LNG carriers with Japan’s Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK). The contracts are valued valued at US$1.26 billion, the largest single LNG carriers order that the Chinese shipyard has ever received. 

With the addition of these six vessels, Hudong-Zhonggua Shipbuilding has booked in 17 LNG carriers in the first four months of year 2022. 

Independently developed by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, the LNG carriers will be 299 meters in length and 46.4 meters in width, equipped with X-DF dual-fuel engine and could reduce over 10 tons carbon emission daily. 

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) will be the charterer of the vessels upon delivery. 

Together with another six 174,000 cu m LNG carriers ordered from Hudong-Zhonghua in January this year, CNOOC will have twelve 174,000 cu m LNG carriers build by the yard. It is the biggest LNG carrier construction project in China, which will greatly improve the transportation capacity for China’s LNG industry chain, commented CNOOC.

The 12 LNG carriers are expected to be delivered gradually between 2024 and 2027. 

CNOOC is the largest LNG carrier owner working with Hudong-Zhonghua, and has ordered 22 LNG carriers in total at the yard since 2004. Ten of the vessels had been delivered. 

 

Africa faces new shocks with food and fuel price hikes

Sub-Saharan African countries find themselves facing another severe and exogenous shock. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a surge in food and fuel prices that threatens the region’s economic outlook.

This latest setback could not have come at a worse time—as growth was starting to recover and policymakers were beginning to address the social and economic legacy of COVID-19 pandemic and other development challenges. The effects of the war will be deeply consequential, eroding standards of living and aggravating macroeconomic imbalances.

It is expected that growth will decelerate to 3.8% this year from last year’s better-than-expected 4.5%, according to the latest Regional Economic Outlook by the IMF.

Though the Fund projects annual growth to average 4% over the medium term, it will be too slow to make up for ground lost to the pandemic. Inflation in the region is expected to remain elevated in 2022 and 2023 at 12.2% and 9.6% respectively—the first time since 2008 that regional average inflation will reach such high levels.

There are three main channels through which Russia-Ukraine war is impacting countries—with notable differentiation both across and within countries:

Prices for food, which accounts for about 40% of consumer spending in the region, are rising rapidly. Around 85% of the region’s wheat supplies are imported. Higher fuel and fertilizer prices also affect domestic food production. Together, these factors will disproportionately hurt the poor, especially in urban areas, and will increase food insecurity.

Higher oil prices will boost the import bill for the region’s oil importers by about US$19 billion, worsening trade imbalances and raising transport and other consumer costs. Oil-importing fragile states will be hit hardest, with fiscal balances expected to deteriorate by around 0.8% of gross domestic product compared to the October 2021 forecast—twice that of other oil-importing countries. The region’s eight petroleum exporters, however, benefit from higher crude prices.

The shock is set to make an already delicate fiscal balancing act more difficult, increasing development spending, mobilizing more tax revenues, and containing debt pressures. Fiscal authorities generally aren’t well-positioned for additional shocks after the pandemic. Half of the region’s low-income countries are already in or at high risk of distress. Rising oil prices also represent a direct fiscal cost for countries through fuel subsidies, while inflation will make reducing these subsidies unpopular. Spending pressures will only increase as growth slows, while rising interest rates in advanced economies may make financing more costly and harder to obtain for some governments.

Countries need a careful policy response to address these daunting challenges. Fiscal policy will need to be targeted to avoid adding to debt vulnerabilities. Policymakers should as much as possible use direct transfers to protect the most vulnerable households. Improving access to finance for farmers and small businesses would also help.

Countries that can’t provide targeted transfers can use temporary subsidies or targeted tax reductions, with clear end dates. If well-designed, they can protect households by providing time to adjust to international prices more gradually. To enhance resilience to future crises, it remains important for these countries to develop effective social safety nets. Digital technology, such as mobile money or smart cards, could be used to better target social transfers, as Togo did during the pandemic.

Net commodity-importers, such as Benin, Ethiopia and Malawi, will need to find resources to protect the vulnerable by reprioritizing spending. Net exporters, like Nigeria, are likely to benefit from rising oil prices, but a fiscal gain is only possible if the fuel subsidies they provide are contained. It is important that windfalls are largely directed to strengthen policy buffers, supported by strong fiscal institutions such as a credible medium-term fiscal framework and a strong public financial management system.

To navigate the trade-off between curbing inflation and supporting growth, central banks will need to monitor price developments carefully and raise interest rates if inflation expectations drift up. They must also guard against the financial stability risks posed by higher rates and maintain a credible policy framework underpinned by strong independence and clear communication.

The international community must step up to ease the food security crisis. The IMF’s recent joint statement with the World Bank, the United Nations World Food Program and the World Trade Organization called for emergency food supplies, financial support, including grants, increased agricultural production and unhindered trade, among other measures.

Following through on the commitment by Group of Twenty countries to re-channel US$100 billion of their IMF Special Drawing Rights allocation to vulnerable countries would be a major contribution to the region’s short-term liquidity needs and longer-term development. There are options for re-channeling SDRs, for example through the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust or the newly created Resilience and Sustainability Trust, which has received almost US$40 billion in pledges.

Finally, for some countries, restoring debt sustainability will require debt re-profiling or an outright restructuring of their public debt. To make this a reality, the G20 Common Framework needs to better define its debt restructuring process and timeline, and the enforcement of the comparability of treatment among creditors. Importantly, debt service payments should be suspended until an agreement is reached.

 

Indonesian palm oil export ban sparks concerns in many countries

Reportedly, the prices of all types of edible oils such are expected to rise after Indonesia announced a surprise ban on export of palm oil. Major edible oils are already in short supply due to adverse weather and Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The move by Indonesia to pause exports has placed an extra strain on cost-sensitive consumers in Asia and Africa hit by higher fuel and food prices.

“Indonesia’s decision affects not only palm oil availability, but vegetable oils worldwide,” James Fry, Chairman of Commodities Consultancy LMC International, told Reuters.

Palm oil – used in everything from cakes and frying fats to cosmetics and cleaning products – accounts for nearly 60% of global vegetable oil shipments.

Top producer Indonesia accounts for around a third of all vegetable oil exports. It announced the export ban on April 22, 2022, until further notice, in a move to tackle rising domestic prices.

“This is happening when the export tonnages of all other major oils are under pressure: soya bean oil due to droughts in South America; rapeseed oil due to disastrous canola crops in Canada; and sunflower oil because of Russia’s war on Ukraine,” Fry said.

Rasheed JanMohd, chairman of Pakistan Edible Oil Refiners Association (PEORA) said, “Nobody can compensate for the loss of Indonesian palm oil. Every country is going to suffer.”

Vegetable oil prices have already risen more than 50% in the past six months as factors from labour shortages in Malaysia to droughts in Argentina and Canada – the biggest exporters of soyoil and canola oil respectively – curtailed supplies.

Buyers were hoping a bumper sunflower crop from top exporter Ukraine would ease the tightness, but supplies from Kyiv have stopped as a result of Russia’s invasion.

This had prompted importers to bank on palm oil being able to plug the supply gap until Indonesia’s shock ban delivered a “double whammy” to buyers, said Atul Chaturvedi, president of trade body the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA).

Importers such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan will try to increase palm oil purchases from Malaysia, but the world’s second-biggest palm oil producer cannot fill the gap created by Indonesia, Chaturvedi said. Malaysia accounts for 31% of global palm oil supply, second after Indonesia’s 56%.

Indonesia typically supplies nearly half of India’s total palm oil imports, while Pakistan and Bangladesh import nearly 80% of their palm oil from Indonesia.

In February this year, prices of vegetable oils jumped to a record high as sunflower oil supplies were disrupted from the Black Sea region.

A state-backed Malaysian palm oil group said countries should pause or slow use of edible oil as biofuel to ensure adequate supply for use in food, warning of a supply crisis following Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports.

Palm oil is also used as biodiesel feedstock. Indonesia and Malaysia make it mandatory for biodiesel to be mixed with a certain amount of palm oil – 30% and 20% respectively – and just last month said they remain committed to those mandates, despite higher palm prices.

Wall Street Rattled

On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, stocks witnessed a steep decline in technology stocks that deepened Wall Street losses after a brutal start to 2022.

Dow Jones Industrial Average closed with a loss of 809 points, a decline of 2.4%. Nasdaq composite closed with a loss of 4% and S&P 500 index fell 2.8% by the closing bell

Following a year of stellar gains, all three indices have fallen since the start of the year as investors brace for the continued war in Ukraine, high inflation and the Federal Reserve’s attempts to cool off price growth to cut into corporate profits. Tech stocks that made up much of the market’s massive gains last year are among the leading forces behind the steady decline across Wall Street.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq is down more than 21% on the year, falling into a bear market as shares of Apple, Meta, Alphabet, Netflix and Tesla plunge from record highs. All posted significant losses Tuesday, with a 10% drop in Tesla stock leading the index downward.

The S&P is down 13% on the year, beyond what investors consider a correction, and the Dow is down 9.1% since the start of 2022.

All three indices have closed out the past three weeks with losses, reversing a brief comeback derailed by concerns about growing threats to business revenue.

Both the war in Ukraine and COVID-19 lockdowns in China have boosted pressure on prices for food, energy, shipping and manufacturing after more than a year of high inflation across the globe.

Deeper supply chain issues pose a major obstacle to the Fed as it attempts to raise interest rates fast enough to reverse inflation but slow enough to keep the strong US economy growing and adding jobs.

Higher interest rates raise borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, which can hinder business investment and shrink corporate profit margins. Stocks often fall as the Fed raises interest rates, particularly when investors fear the bank may need to hike quicker than they currently anticipate or higher than investors had expected.

“The Fed is raising rates to get inflation under control. This is painful in the short term, but necessary to lay the foundation for future growth. As always, we just need to ride out the short-term pain to benefit from that future growth,” wrote Brad McMillan, Chief Investment Officer for Commonwealth Financial Network, in a Monday research note.

Some economists and investment experts have become increasingly worried about the US economy falling into a recession this or next year as the Fed fights inflation amid several global obstacles. While there is no one universal definition of a recession, some banks and economists expected three to six months of negative economic growth within the next 12 to 18 months.

“We regard it … as highly likely that the Fed will have to step on the brakes even more firmly, and a deep recession will be needed to bring inflation to heel,” Deutsche Bank economists wrote in a report to clients Tuesday, CNN reported.

Other experts believe recession fears are overhyped given the strength of the US economy and the likelihood that inflation has peaked in the United States. The US added 1.7 million jobs over the first three months of 2022, and consumer spending has been resilient in the face of high price growth, thanks in part to rapid wage growth in low-income fields.

 “In spite of these risks, the metrics suggest that the economy could escape a recession in the near term, with potential for nearly 3% growth this year,” wrote Jeffrey Roach and Lawrence Gillum of investment firm LPL Financial, in a Monday research note.

“On balance, we think the economy is steady enough to handle the current tightening cycle even if the Fed is coming late with its hawkish tones,” they added.

 

Direct shipping service from Bangladesh to Barcelona and Rotterdam to start soon

Reportedly another direct container shipping service between Chattogram and two European ports is going to be introduced next month. According to the details, Switzerland-based maritime logistics service provider Commodity Supplies AG has taken the new initiative to launch the service with three of its chartered vessels to operate from Barcelona in Spain to Chattogram to the largest European port of Rotterdam in Netherlands.

Reliance Shipping and Logistics Limited, Bangladeshi agent of the firm, applied to the chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) to grant direct liner permission for the three container ships named as MV Spica, MV Andromeda J and MV Music.

Earlier in February, an Italian shipping company launched direct service between Chattogram and Italy, opening the door to transport the country’s export cargo directly to any EU destination avoiding transshipment ports.

Reliance Shipping Chairman Mohammed Rashed hoped that they would get the CPA’s permission soon as the CPA chairman has already reacted positively to their appeal.

Once the permission is granted, they have plans to launch the service in the third week of May when one of the three ships will start from Barcelona for Chattogram, he said.

Bangladesh has long been suffering from lack of direct shipping service to Europe, its biggest export destination, mainly due to limited access to large ships at Chattogram port.

Currently, export containers are at first transported through small-sized feeder vessels to four transshipment ports, including Colombo, Singapore as well as Tanjung Pelepas and Port Klang of Malaysia and some ports in China.

The containers are then loaded to connecting bigger mother vessels to Europe, USA and African destinations.

At present, the transshipment ports particularly Colombo are facing prolonged vessel congestion and thus it takes around 40 days for the country’s export cargoes to reach EU destinations.

Rashed said once the new service is launched export cargoes could be sent to Barcelona within 20 to 22 days.

CPA Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan said they always welcome any direct shipping service to EU destinations and would give priority to the services.

He said he already gave nod to this latest appeal and the permission is now under official procedure.

CPA Chairman also informed that within the next few months there would be more ships to call directly from Chattogram to Europe and other destinations as many countries have already expressed their interest in this regard.

Sources said Leixoes Port of Portugal is in a process of signing a memorandum of understanding with the CPA for direct service from Chattogram while Slovakia sent their expression of interest for direct shipping.

CPA chairman said the UAE has also shown interest to inaugurate direct calling from Chattogram.

He hoped that all those would reduce export lead time and would increase the country’s export orders.

 

The Guardian story aims at implicating Iran in arms smuggling to Russia

The Russian embassy in Tehran has dismissed media allegations that Iranian weapons are being sent to Russia to be used in the Ukraine war as "false".

"The information that circulated in the media about the delivery of Iranian weaponry to Russia is false and does not match with reality," the embassy tweeted.

The Guardian reported earlier this month that Russia was using weaponry smuggled from Iraq by Iran against Ukraine.

The Iranian embassy in London had earlier dismissed the report as "unprofessional and unfounded".

The Guardian report said, “Russia is receiving munitions and military hardware sourced from Iraq for its war effort in Ukraine with the help of Iranian weapons smuggling networks, according to members of Iranian-backed Iraqi militias and regional intelligence services with knowledge of the process”

It even went on to say that RPGs and anti-tank missiles as well as Brazilian-designed rocket launcher systems “have been dispatched to Russia from Iraq as Moscow’s campaign has faltered in the last month.”

An Iranian-made Bavar 373 missile system, similar to the Russian S-300, has also been donated to Moscow by the authorities in Tehran, who also returned an S-300, according to a source who helped organize the transport, the report claimed.

Assuming that the first three paragraphs were not ridiculous enough, the report became funnier when it said, “Using the weapons-trafficking underworld would signal a dramatic shift in Russian strategy, as Moscow is forced to lean on Iran, its military ally in Syria, following new sanctions triggered by the invasion of Ukraine.
The developments also have huge implications for the direction and volume of trade in the international weapons trafficking business.”

Using the weapons-trafficking underworld signals a dramatic shift in Russian strategy, as Moscow is forced to lean on Iran, its military ally in Syria, following new sanctions triggered by the invasion of Ukraine. The developments also have huge implications for the direction and volume of trade in the international weapons trafficking business.

Iraq has hosted US and western troops since the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and the US has trained and supplied various Iraqi army and Special Forces units to defend the Baghdad government against insurgencies. After two decades of war, the country is awash with weaponry.

Much of it has passed legally into the hands of Iran-backed Shia militias, which are opposed to the US presence in the country, but since 2016 have been officially incorporated into the Iraqi armed forces as part of the fight against Islamic State.

RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) and anti-tank missiles in the possession of Hashd al-Shaabi, the most powerful Shia militia umbrella, were transported to Iran through the Salamja border crossing on 26 March, where they were received by the Iranian military and taken on to Russia by sea, said a commander of the militia branch that controls the crossing.

United States will not pick sides in Bangladesh

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has said the United States will not take any sides in the upcoming elections in Bangladesh and reiterated US commitment across the world to help countries strengthen democracy.

“Let me be clear, the United States will not pick a side in the upcoming elections. We simply hope for a democratic process that allows the Bangladeshi people to freely decide who will run their country,” said the ambassador.

He made the remarks while addressing a seminar.

Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organized the seminar on “Bangladesh and the United States Relations: Moving Towards Enhanced Cooperation and Partnership” at the BIISS Auditorium.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen spoke as the Chief Guest.

The US ambassador said the relations between the two countries grew with a series of recent engagements while two more important engagements will be held in the coming months.

Ambassador Haas said the two countries can enhance security cooperation.

The ambassador also talked about two proposed agreements – General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) which are essential” to enabling a closer defence relationship, expanding opportunities for defence trade, information sharing, and military-to-military cooperation between two countries.

He said there are many misperceptions about these two proposed agreements.

The US Ambassador also said, “There is no scope for repealing the sanctions against Rab, without concrete actions and accountability.”

“We want to see a Rab which is capable of combating terrorism but which is also capable of respecting basic human rights,” said Haas.

Just prior to his remark Rab Director General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun spoke about how Rab had established an internal inquiry cell to ensure accountability of Rab personnel in 2011, with US cooperation.

He said that under the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program, a total of 147 Rab personnel have been trained on basic interviewing skills and human rights.

“The trained personnel have been distributed across Rab to ensure transparency and uphold human rights credentials,” said the Rab DG.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, also present at the event, commented that it was the former US Ambassador James F Moriarty who had called Rab the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) of Bangladesh.

“Rab has since then done an excellent job at combating terrorism. Maybe we have to look at it more closely to see how to increase accountability…but this is a great institution,” said Momen.

“Let us have a road – you tell me where the gap is and we will try to work with you,” he said.

Peter Haas also said that the Rab sanctions do not mean that the US and Bangladesh will not continue strong law enforcement security cooperation.

“We will continue to work with Bangladesh to combat violent terrorism, combat transnational crime and enhance security. We will continue our support to the transnational crime police and to the anti-terrorism unit and the specialized police units in Chattogram, Sylhet and Rajshahi. The signing of a proposed memorandum of agreement would facilitate our assistance training program and to donate new equipment to the police,” said Haas.

He also said, “The US is not perfect. We have embarked on our own democratic renewal. This journey ensures tackling our own issues with police accountability. We are inviting other countries in the world to make similar commitments.”

“Holding an election consistent with international standards is not just about ballot day – truly fair elections involve creating a space where civic discourse can take place, where journalists can investigate without fear, and the ability of the civil society institutions to advocate. In Bangladesh the elections have already started,” said Haas. He welcomed the law minister’s commitment to reform the DSA to prevent abuse of the law.

Momen responded to Haas’ comment about holding impartial elections by saying, “You are most welcome to come with your observers. We want to see and improve.”

The US ambassador also spoke about the need for signing two defence treaties called ACSA and GSOMIA that are foundational agreements for defence trade and cooperation.

He called the treaties “building blocks”. GSOMIA would set the ground rule for exchanging sensitive data about military operations, said Haas, while ACSA will allow exchange of fuel and food.

He said that they are not like the “broad vague defence agreement that Bangladesh signed with China in 2002”, referring to the “China-Bangladesh Defence Cooperation Agreement” which covers military training and defence production.

Haas also said that Bangladesh is not being able to capitalize on US relations because of labour rights violations.

“The DFC (US International Development Finance Corporation) has a US$4 billion active portfolio in South Asia across multiple sectors including clean energy, healthcare and agriculture. The DFC cannot operate in Bangladesh because of a lack of labour rights,” he said.

He added that the embassy will include the first full-time attache from the US department of commerce this summer, to increase two-way trade and investment.

Former ambassador Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, Chairman of BIISS, led the event, while former ambassadors Humayun Kabir, Tariq A. Karim, former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain, Director Gneral of BIIS Maj Gen Mohammad Masudur Rahman and Dhaka University professor Ruksana Kibria also spoke at the event.

 

United State wants Russia weakened

Secretary of Defense of United States, Lloyd Austin on Monday said that one of the goals of United States in aiding Ukraine is to see Russia weakened so that it cannot do the kind of things it has done.

When asked by reporters what the US goal was in Ukraine, he added, “We want to see Ukraine remain a sovereign country, a democratic country able to protect its sovereign territory.”

“We want to see Russia weakened to the degree that it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine,” he said.

Austin, along with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, shared their remarks while in Poland after a visit to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Austin added that Russia has already lost a lot of military capability, and a lot of its troops.

According to Austin, the US wants to see them not have the capability to very quickly reproduce those troops or military capability.

The Pentagon chief added, “We want to see the international community more united, especially NATO, and we are seeing that, and that is based upon the hard work of, number one, President Joe Biden, but also our Allies and partners who have willingly leaned into this with us as we’ve imposed sanctions and as we’ve moved very rapidly to demonstrate that we’re going to defend every inch of NATO.”

Austin praised Zelensky’s leadership as well and said, “Our deepest condolences to the president for the loss of so many civilians and, of course, the loss of those courageous troops that have done just a magnificent job of pushing back Russian forces.”

He added that the meeting was productive and their focus was “to talk about those things that would enable us to win the current fight and also build for tomorrow.”

Ukraine seeking $2B per month from US in emergency economic aid, official says Biden presses Congress on legislation to address veterans’ toxic exposures

Blinken and Austin’s visit marks the most senior US officials to visit Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on February 24 and comes on the heels of Biden announcing the US will send Ukraine another US$800 million in military aid. 

The Treasury Department separately announced Thursday US$500 million in funding to help Ukraine fund government salaries, pensions and other programs needed to keep operations afloat.

TAGS Russia-Ukraine conflict, Anthony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Zelensky Volodymyr,

 

Terrorist attacks in Afghanistan intended to wage ethnic and religious wars

The World Assembly of Islamic Awakening has denounced the recent despicable terrorist attacks against Muslims in Afghanistan, saying such acts are intended to inflame tensions among Afghan ethnic and religious groups and foster Islamophobia.

"Certainly, such actions are planned to create tension and wage ethnic and religious wars, launch massacre and killings of Muslims, and as a result, portray an unrealistic image of Islam and spread Islamophobia," the assembly said in a statement released on Saturday.

It went on to say that the acting Taliban governing body in Afghanistan is responsible for ensuring the safety of all Muslims doing religious activities and should be held accountable. 

The recent terrorist assaults in Afghanistan on masjid are a desecration of the holy month of Ramadan and a continuation of the slaughter of innocent people carried out by US-backed terrorists with the goal of inciting a regional crisis, according to the organization.

“The recent terrorist act in Mazar-e-Sharif in fact completes ... a conspiracy and plan that seek to create division among the Muslim Ummah… and shows that such crimes know no boundaries,” the statement mentioned. 

It highlighted that the Afghans will soon respond appropriately to such atrocities, and it urged all Muslim governments, nations, groups, and parties, as well as international freedom fighters, to preserve unity, coherence, and solidarity in the face of the enemies' machinations.

Since the Taliban took control of the country in August last year multiple assaults have been recorded, some of which have been claimed by Daesh.

Taliban’s rule has yet to be recognized by governments. The former Taliban government was solely recognized by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

At least 33 Afghans, including children, were killed and 43 others were injured as an explosion ripped through a masjid in the northern city of Kunduz on Friday, the latest in a string of horrific strikes in the war-torn country.

It happened only a day after a blast at a masjid in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan's northernmost city, which left dozens dead and wounded in the country's second significant attack on the Shia Hazara population in a week. 

 

United States does not want Iran and Saudi Arab to become friends

It was a pleasure reading “Iran and Saudi Arabia have resumed key talks after negotiations were suspended last month”, a senior Iraqi official told AFP on Saturday.

“Talks resumed last Thursday in Baghdad,” the official said, without giving further details.

Iran’s Nour news agency also confirmed that a meeting was attended by senior officials from the secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the head of the Saudi intelligence service.

For me the biggest inspiration are the words of the Saudi Crown Prince. In early March this year he had said, Saudi Arabia and Iran are ‘neighbours forever’ and that it was better for both of them to work it out and to look for ways in which they can coexist.

However, the contentious selection of words in AFP is evident which says, “Shia-majority Iran and the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia support rival sides in several conflict zones across the region, including in Yemen, where the Houthi rebels are backed by Tehran, and Riyadh leads a military coalition supporting the government. In 2016, Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed revered Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.”

The selection of words reminded me the western mantra, “Iran is a bigger threat as compared to Israel”. This was used to instigate Iraq to attack on Iran over four decades ago. The war continued for nearly ten years, only because two Arab countries provided money and ammunition to Iraq.

The economic sanctions imposed on Iran for more than four decades and the refusal of United States to implement nuclear deal signed by world super powers with Iran are the testaments that the super power does not want Iran to export oil and attain economic prosperity. It is highly regrettable that Saudi Arabia has fallen prey to the US mantra and has been supporting economic sanctions on Iran.

“It is expected that a joint meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries will be held in the near future,” Nour said, describing what it called the “positive atmosphere of the recent meeting, which raised the hopes of a resumption of bilateral relations”.

United States pledges to help Pakistan boost trade with Central Asian republics

According to a DAWN report, the United States has pledged to help Pakistan in improving its trade volumes, particularly with the Central Asian republics (CARs) under the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity (PREIA).

Under the PREIA, the Pakistani and Central Asian countries’ business communities are being provided assistance for the promotion of trade, exhibitions and other related activities focusing on enhancement in the bilateral trade among the countries.

“The US supports improving Pakistan’s trade volumes, particularly with Central Asian republics through USAID’s PREIA.

The project assists Pakistani and Central Asian businesses by supporting trade promotion initiatives, organizing trade exhibitions and business forums, facilitating bilateral trade deals and partnerships, and increasing awareness of untapped opportunities for trade and investment between countries,” said Acting Consul General Gibilisco after she joined 150 public and private sector representatives from Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan at a jointly organized Trade and Investment Forum in Lahore.

The forum aimed to create opportunities for the business communities of both countries, encourage dialogue on prospects for increasing bilateral trade and investment flows, develop linkages between the public and private sector stakeholders, and introduce new business and investment opportunities that can lead to the socioeconomic uplift of both countries.

“This year marks 75 years of US-Pakistan bilateral relations. During this time, our partnership has grown in many areas, and we look forward to building on our successes and expanding trade and investment ties and opportunities within the region,” noted Consul General Gibilisco.

The Forum was jointly organized by USAID, Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity (PREIA), the Ministry of Commerce, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), and the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Pakistan. Kyrgz Ambassador to Pakistan Totuiaev Ulanbek Asankulovich, and Director General TDAP Shahzad Ahmed Khan Rajput represented their respective countries.

A 45-member delegation from Kyrgyz Republic visited Pakistan from April 19 to 22 to participate in two trade and investment forums in Islamabad and Lahore.

The keynote remarks of the participants underscored the importance of utilizing the geostrategic locations of Pakistan and Kyrgyz Republic to bolster economic ties within the region.

Islamic State militants killing Afghans indiscriminately

A bomb blast ripped through a masjid during Friday prayers in northern Afghanistan, killing 33 people including children, just a day after a militant Islamic group had claimed two separate deadly attacks.

Meanwhile, Taliban forces have arrested a suspected militant who allegedly had planned a bomb attack that killed at least 12 offering prayers at a Shia masjid on Thursday, police said.

Balkh province’s police spokesman said Abdul Hamid Sangaryar was a key operative of the Islamic State (IS).

Since Taliban fighters seized control of Afghanistan last year after ousting the US-backed government, the number of bombings has fallen but IS militants have continued with attacks against targets they see as heretical.

A string of bombings rocked the country this week, with deadly attacks targeting a school and a masjid in Shia neighbourhoods.

Taliban arrest ‘mastermind’ of attack on Mazar-i-Sharif masjid

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that children were among the 33 dead in the blast on Friday at a masjid in the northern province of Kunduz. “We condemn this crime... and express our deepest sympathies to the bereaved,” he said, adding that 43 more were wounded.

An intelligence official said on condition of anonymity that the explosion was caused by a bomb, but it was unclear how it was detonated.

An AFP correspondent saw large holes blown through the walls of the Sunni Mawlavi Sikandar masjid, popular with Sufis in Imam Sahib District, north of Kunduz city.

One side of the mosque was completely destroyed by the explosion.

“The sight at the mosque was horrifying. All those who were offering prayers inside the masjid were either injured or killed,” Mohammad Esah, a shopkeeper who helped in carrying victims to the district hospital, told AFP.

“I saw 20 to 30 bodies,” a local resident said.

Relatives of victims arrived at the local hospital to look for their loved ones.

“My son is martyred,” screamed one man, while a woman accompanied by her four children searched for her husband.

A nurse told AFP over the phone that between 30 and 40 people had been admitted for treatment of wounds from the blast.

About a dozen ambulances were seen carrying the seriously wounded to the main provincial hospital in Kunduz city. “The shrapnel injuries on the bodies of the wounded show they were caused by a bomb explosion,” a doctor at the provincial hospital told AFP.

Friday’s blast was one of the biggest attacks since the Taliban seized power on August 15 last year.

The deadliest was just days later when more than 100 Afghan civilians and 13 US servicemen were killed in a suicide attack at Kabul airport as tens of thousands were trying to flee the country.

The regional IS branch in Sunni-majority Afghanistan has repeatedly targeted Shias and Sufis, who follow a mystical branch of Islam. IS a Sunni group like the Taliban, but the two are bitter rivals.

Shia Afghans, who are mostly from the Hazara community, make up between 10 and 20 per cent of Afghanistan’s population of 38 million. Taliban officials insist their forces have defeated IS, but analysts say the jihadist group is a key security challenge.

“Since the Taliban took power, the only achievement that they are proud of is the improvement in security,” said Hekmatullah Hekmat, an independent political and security expert.

In an earlier attack on Thursday, at least 16 people were killed by bomb blasts in two Afghan cities — including 12 offering prayers in a Shia masjid in an attack claimed by IS.

Earlier this week, at least six people were killed in twin blasts that hit a boys’ school in a Shia neighbourhood of Kabul.

Twelve people were killed and 58 wounded, including 32 were in serious condition.

In a separate blast on Thursday in the city of Kunduz, at least four people were killed and 18 wounded when a bicycle bomb exploded near a vehicle carrying mechanics working for the Taliban, police spokesman Obaidullah Abedi said.

Taliban officials insist their forces have defeated the IS, but analysts say the group is a key security challenge. Since seizing power, the Taliban have regularly raided suspected IS hideouts in eastern Nangarhar province.

In May last year at least 85 people — mainly girl students — were killed and about 300 wounded when three bombs exploded near their school in the Shia-dominated Dasht-i-Barchi neighbourhood of Kabul.

No group claimed responsibility for that, but in October 2020 the IS admitted a suicide attack on an educational centre in the same area that killed 24 people, including students.

In May 2020, the group was blamed for a bloody attack on a maternity ward of a hospital in the same neighbourhood that killed 25 people, including new mothers.

World heading towards worst food crisis

There are more warnings about the worsening global food crisis. Here is a snapshot of the latest key food stories from around the world. The countries having ample stockpiles have to stop smuggling to neighboring countries, and those with little supplies have to purchase as much as they can affords, that too in a speedy manner.

Pricey Nutrients

Expensive fertilizers are just one of many factors that have driven food prices to a record level. In response, rice farmers across Asia are scaling back usage of the nutrients, threatening harvests of a staple that feeds half the world.

The repercussions could be huge, predicts International Rice Research Institute. Yields could drop 10% in the next season, causing a loss of 36 million tons of rice, or the equivalent of feeding 500 million people. That could exacerbate food inflation that’s contributing to turmoil gripping developing nations such as Egypt, Tunisia and Sri Lanka.

Costly Shipping

Food prices are also being buoyed by high shipping costs, which is bad news for grain-importing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia.

The International Chamber of Shipping said about 80 to 100 ships have been unable to leave Ukrainian waters for almost two months due to underwater mines and military blockades.

Bulk freight rates are rising as owners and charterers expect ships will be tied up for longer periods. And that’s at a time when many importers are struggling to afford to buy enough grain. 

Food for Thought

The quality of Indian wheat — which has put off some buyers in the past — will be crucial as the country’s grain becomes competitive for the first time in years as the Ukraine war upends global trade flows. 

In Canada, where drought pummeled harvests last year, snow now threatens to delay crop plantings. The wintry weather there should mean more maple syrup because farmers can tap trees for longer.

And prices of fish crackers, a popular side dish in Indonesia, are set to surge as it becomes more expensive to make them.

Michael Ratney likely new US ambassador to Saudi Arabia

President Joe Biden is anticipated to nominate Michael Ratney, a career member of the foreign service, to serve as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the White House announced Friday.

Ratney most recently served as the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Jerusalem while Biden’s choice for ambassador to Israel, Thomas Nides, awaited confirmation. He has served in various State Department roles focused on Israel and the Middle East.

If confirmed, Ratney would serve as Biden’s envoy to the Kingdom at a precarious time for US-Saudi relations. The Biden administration has looked to Saudi Arabia and others to step up oil supply amid rising gas prices after the US and some other nations banned Russian oil imports over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Relations with Saudi Arabia have also been complicated given the kingdom’s human rights abuses, particularly the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Biden vowed last year to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for Khashoggi’s murder after US officials determined Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Crown Prince Mohammed refused to speak with Biden about the US banning Russian oil imports. The White House called the report inaccurate.

Michael Alan Ratney born in 1961 is at present the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in Israel. He was most recently the Dean of the School of Language Studies at the Department of State's Foreign Service Institute. Prior to that, Ratney served as the State Department's Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Israel-Palestinian Affairs and, from 2015 to 2017, as the US Special Envoy for Syria. From 2012 to 2015, Ratney was the US Consul General in Jerusalem. Until 2012, Ratney was Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Media and, before that, Spokesman for the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. He is the current nominee to be the next United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Since joining the Foreign Service in 1990, Ratney served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Doha, Qatar, as well as tours in Mexico City, Baghdad, Beirut, Casablanca, Bridgetown, and Washington, DC. Ratney is from Massachusetts. He earned a BS from Boston University, and an MA from the George Washington University.

 

Iran notifies Tel Aviv aiming its missiles at strategic Israeli sites

An unnamed Iranian source revealed to Al Jazeera that Tehran has informed Tel Aviv that they know the locations of all of their nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons sites, and has warned them that, in the event of any aggression, Iran will strike the sensitive targets.

The cable was sent through European intermediaries and included a map showcasing where all these targets are located, according to The Cradle.co.

An informed IR Iranian source told Al-Jazeera that Tehran red flagged all chemical, biological and nuclear weapons storages and facilities of IL Israel and that they will be the first targets, in case Israel decides to start a war with Iran. 

The information was initially reported, without explanation as to the source of such revelations, by independent conflict analysis and news aggregate channel IntelSky on April 18, 2022.

“Iran has sent to Israel, through European intermediaries, pictures/locations of all its biological, chemical and nuclear weapons storages that will be struck at the first military clash,” IntelSky said on Twitter.

These news comes after Iranian President Sayed Ebrahim Raisi made a general warning on April, 18, 2022 saying that any Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic will result in Iran striking into the heart of Israeli occupied lands and military bases.

“Just know that if the slightest move on your part occurs against our nation, our armed forces will target the center of the Zionist regime, and the power of our armed forces will not leave you at rest,” Raisi said as Iran marked Army Day.

During his speech, Raisi also said Iran’s military capabilities are internationally recognized.

“Today, our military industry is in the best condition,” he said.

After Raisi’s speech, a series of missiles, launch systems, and more than a dozen types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were displayed.

Asian Shipowners’ Associations oppose hike in toll changes by Panama and Suez Canals

According to Seatrade Maritime News, Asian Shipowners’ Associations (ASA) are critical of recent proposed toll changes at both Panama Canal and Suez Canal Authorities. At a recent meeting, ASA delegates expressed concern and disappointment over the proposed hike in canal toll changes.

They reiterated the significance of Suez and Panama canals as critical global infrastructure and called for the canal authorities to avoid sudden and significant changes in tolls and charges.

“Delegates expressed their confusion against new surcharges introduced on March 01, 2022 with only 48 hours prior notice, then to be revised on May 01, 2022 by Suez Canal Authority (SCA), which resulted in roughly a 7 to 20 percent increase in toll for different types of vessels, in addition to a 6 percent tariff hike for most types of vessels, implemented on February 01, 2022,” said ASA.

Uncertainty around how surcharges operate could undermine the stability of the Canal, said the committee, calling for the industry to express its concerns to SCA.

ASA delegates appreciated some positives in the Panama Canal’s new toll system proposed earlier in April 2022 by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). Delegates said the ACP had given sufficient notice and a formal consultation period, but were concerned that significant toll hikes could affect the long-term viability of the canal, “as the mark-up for some types of vessels may exceed 100% in 2025, as compared to the current toll.”

The ASA meeting also discussed the review of anti-trust exemptions for carriers on the US, a policy delegates said was “indispensable for the healthy development of the liner shipping industry and the maintenance of a reliable service to the entire trading community.” ASA will continue its efforts to maintain anti-trust exemptions for liner shipping agreements.

 

United States pouring more and more arms into Ukraine

With the each passing day my conviction is being cemented that United States has instigated Russia-Ukraine conflict to keep its military complexes busy in developing newer and more lethal arms. It is supplying arms from ‘stockpile’ to get rid of older stuff. 

The sale of these arms is fully funded, because the US has ample funds at its disposal after the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. 

Reportedly, Joe Biden, President of United States on Thursday announced to send another US$800 million in military aid to Ukraine to assist its ability to fight invading Russian forces.

The package has come a week after the administration sent a US$800 million weapons package to Ukraine, and as Ukraine will need to fend off Russian forces fighting to control the Donbas region.

With Thursday’s announcement, the United States has committed US$4 billion in security assistance since the start of the Biden administration, including US$3.4 billion since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.  

Thursday’s package will include 72 155mm howitzers, 144,000 artillery rounds and 72 tactical vehicles to tow the howitzers, according to a statement from the Pentagon.

Ukraine will also be receiving 121 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems developed by the Air Force for specifically Ukraine.  

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters that these systems, made by AEVEX Aerospace, have similar capabilities to the Switchblade—a rapidly-deployable system that can be used against personnel and light vehicles. 

To rush weapons to Ukraine, Biden has relied on presidential drawdown authority to direct the Pentagon to send weapons from its own stockpiles.

Biden acknowledged on Tuesday that he was nearing the limits of the drawdown authority provided to him under the US$1.5 trillion omnibus bill he signed last month, which included US$13.6 billion in supplemental aid to help Ukraine.

Therefore, he will ask Congress next week to approve supplemental funding to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption.

When asked how much supplemental funding he would request, Biden said that's being decided now, adding, “I'm asking the Defense Department to put together what they think we need.”

The US officials have in recent weeks warned Russia may be refocusing its efforts in Ukraine on hitting the Donbas region in a bid to overwhelm Ukrainian forces there after initial assaults on Kyiv and other major cities stalled.

Officials have warned the next phase of the fight could drag on for months or longer.

In addition to the military aid, the Biden administration will ask for US$500 million to help Ukraine keep government services. The president also announced a ban on Russian-affiliate ships docking in US ports.

Further, Biden also announced that the US will pledge to take in 100,000 Ukrainians displaced by the crisis.

As part of this, the Uniting for Ukraine program will allow Ukrainians to apply to stay in the US for up to two years through a process known as humanitarian parole, which allows government officials to temporarily waive immigration requirements.