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zvaigzdelasas · 1 year

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“How did we lose to China in Indonesia!?”

This is the question being worriedly debated in government offices and executive suites throughout Japan. [...]

Japan’s project plan called for a five year construction period, including a full one year trial operation period. If construction were to start in 2018 the line would be ready to take passengers in 2023. Total cost would be some Rupiah 64 trillion (JPY 534.6 billion, or $4.5 billion). The Japanese government operating through JICA (the Japanese International Cooperation Agency) would finance 75% of the cost with a 0.1% long term yen loan (terms and conditions in conformity with international convention for concessionary financing). The remaining 25% would have to be raised by the Indonesian government and private enterprises. Importantly, Japan’s concessionary loan would--in accordance with international conventions for official government lending--require an Indonesian government guarantee. Then, in October 2014, as the Japanese agencies and companies prepared for the project, something happened in Indonesia: the swearing in as president of Joko Widoko. Campaigning for office Joko had called for greater infrastructure investment, and it was taken for granted that he was a supporter of the Java high speed rail project. However, Joko had campaigned as a “man of the people” whose priority would be improving welfare for Indonesia’s common and rural people over the more affluent people in the big cities.[...]

on March 26, Joko visited Beijing and met Chinese president Xi Jinping. Xi publicly announced support for the Indonesian high speed project and the two governments signed a memorandum specifying China’s interest in the Jakarta-Bandung line. Well before the Joko-Xi meeting China had entered competition for the project. China’s proposal was for a total project cost of Rupiah 74 trillion (JPY 618.2 billion, $5.2 billion). The cost was higher than Japan’s, but China committed to financing the entire amount at an interest rate of 2%. Moreover, the project would be completed in three years--meaning taking passengers in 2018 [lol]. [...]

That China was awarded the project and Japan rejected seems to owe mainly to China’s willingness to accept the financial risk of the project (i.e., to forego an Indonesian government guarantee and also, thereby, possibly to finesse international ODA norms) and of Japan’s inability or unwillingness to do so. The Toyo Keizei piece makes the point that such projects’ risks are not small. Taiwan is an example. Taiwan’s high-speed rail line enjoys relatively heavy business passenger traffic, which allows relatively expensive ticket prices. But the high prices seem to have discouraged non-business passengers, such that ridership numbers have fallen short of forecasts and revenues have proven insufficient to cover debt service requirements. Compared with Taiwan, Indonesia is a very poor country. Given that business traffic will be relatively limited, ticket prices will have to be set low to be affordable for average citizens (and to avoid political backlash). Generating sufficient cash flow for debt service looks like a formidable challenge. That China is willing to take the risk speaks volumes about how China views infrastructure aid in the Asian region. According to press reports China sweetened its offer in other ways as well, including committing to establish a joint venture with Indonesian firms to produce rolling stock for high-speed rail, electric rail, light rail systems, not only for Indonesia, but also for export to other Asian countries; to transfer related technology [!!]; and also to renovate and rebuild train stations.

2015

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usafphantom2 · 11 months

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Sweden will choose a replacement for Gripen after 2030

Gripen E fighters will operate until 2060 and the current Gripen C/D fighters until 2040 or more.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 11/12/2023 - 12:46 in Military

After joining and then later leaving the UK-led Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the Swedish military is now postponing the decision on their way to a next-generation jet fighter until 2031, after being able to assess the "risks and possibilities" with different approaches, a Saab official said.

Three options are on the table for Stockholm: "build a system, develop a system with someone, or... acquire a system," said the official, speaking under the Chatham House Rules at the International Hunting Conference in Madrid. "It's an open question."

All the commitment of the Swedish Air Force today is in the implementation of the new Gripen E.

“We had bilateral and trilateral cooperation with Great Britain and also with Italy in the FCAS program,” said the official. “We abandoned this about a year ago and started some national studies... connecting what capabilities are needed for the future.” The official refused to comment on the reason why Sweden ended its collaboration with the United Kingdom and Italy.

So far, the authorities have not made a decision on an initial operational capacity date (IOC) for the jet they intend to choose as a next-generation fighter, but a wide range of planning activities will inform the 2031 acquisition decision.

Sweden was part of the Tempest program, now GCAP.

Indicating some level of control desired by Sweden over a next-generation schedule, the official said that Phase 1 will cover concept exploration between 2023 and 2025, with Phase 2 to address concept and technology development from 2026 to 2030. Operational analysis, system concepts and aircraft demonstrators are among the main lines of effort included in the two phases. Technological development activities will run from 2023 to 2030, while the planning of demonstrators will begin in 2026.

The disclosure of the long-term program planning comes after the Swedish defense materials agency (FMV) confirmed in September that it was prioritizing future fighter studies and "finding facts", while Saab also said it wants to be an "actor" in the program, which would ideally include a role as an integrator of "system systems".

Another sixth-generation combat aircraft program in Europe is the SCAF.

The French, German and Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, also known as SCAF, and the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) led by Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, formerly also known as FCAS, have committed themselves to a systems approach system, where the development of a next-generation fighter will allow them to control aircraft, effers and auxiliary sensors in a way that previous fighter jets have not been able to.

GCAP is expected to be in service from 2035, with FCAS five years later.

"One thing that has not been decided in Sweden is the IOC for next-generation hunting, so this is a great challenge because we need to be agnostic. ... We cannot simply look at a level of technology and align this [development] with the time of the IOC," said the official. He added that the "risks" and "possibilities" must be considered so that an acquisition decision can be made, including the role that the Swedish government and industry would play in development.

Gripen C/D fighters will fly in Sweden at least until 2040.

"What happened is that we made the decision to fully enter a concept phase of the next generation system, which [the approval] happened the week after the middle of the summer of this year," explained the official. "So what we will do is deliver concepts, both in the system [a new fighter] and at the system system level. We need to do technological development and integration activities. We need to develop national competence both on the government side and on the industry side."

Sweden has time in its favor to deliberate on which way to go for a future acquisition of fighters, since Saab's Gripen E, the backbone of the Swedish Air Force, is expected to be operated by 2060. Older Gripen C/D aircraft are expected to be retired between 2035 and 2040, or more, because of the war in Ukraine, according to the official.

The new Gripen E are scheduled to fly in the Swedish Air Force until 2060.

But postponing until the end of the decade to make a firm commitment to acquire future fighters risks losing industrial influence on the design requirements of GCAP or FCAS, if Stockholm decides to join one or the other, although the employees of each program have often emphasized that they remain open to new partners.

On this front, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to express interest in joining the GCAP, although the United Kingdom has stated that “there is no definitive timetable” associated with making a decision on Riyadh's potential involvement. Elsewhere, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in June that Belgium will enter the FCAS program.

Source: Breaking Defense

Tags: Military AviationFCAS - Future Combat Air System/Future Air Combat SystemFlygvapnet - Swedish Air ForceGCAP - Global Combat Air ProgramJAS39 Gripensaab

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Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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theculturedmarxist · 1 year

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The West’s attempt to recruit large swaths of the global community to enlist for the sanctions war has decidedly failed, notes ‘The American Conservative’. Outside of the U.S., E.U., and a few close allies (i.e., economic dependents and military protectorates) such as Canada and Japan, practically no other countries have joined in, preempting any economic dogpile sought by the self-proclaimed defenders of democracy. Increasingly, transatlantic policy seems to be having the exact opposite effect.

As of June 9, Pakistan is the latest country to begin accepting large shipments of discounted crude oil from Russia, as much as 100,000 barrels a day. “This is the first ever Russian oil cargo to Pakistan and the beginning of a new relationship between Pakistan and Russian Federation [sic],” announced Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In the present geopolitical landscape, such a move is perceived to be in direct defiance of Western efforts to obstruct Moscow’s revenues. The motive behind Islamabad’s shifted political and economic calculations is not difficult to decipher. Nor is it exceptional.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that Moscow is now sending out 8.1 million barrels of oil a day, the highest number going back to April 2020. In January 2023, almost half of those shipments were destined for China and India, which have respectively increased as a proportion of Russia’s oil exports from 21 percent to 29 percent and 1 percent to 20 percent since January 2022.

Chinese oil imports alone jumped in May to the third highest level ever recorded. Beijing also recently issued a crude oil import quota of a whopping 62.28 million tons of allotments. This makes the total import quota amount issued by Chinese leadership 20 percent higher than that of the same time last year. At the same time, Beijing’s natural gas purchases continue to push upward, increasing 3.3 percent year-on-year in Quarter 1, with a 10.3 percent year-on-year increase in April of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Just as important, if not more so, as the massive shifts in quantity and direction of the energy trade, however, are the size and scope of the joint initiatives—usually under the leadership of Moscow and Beijing — that continue to proliferate in opposition to Western-led international organizations.

The recent St. Petersburg International Economic Forum saw representatives of various economic groupings and cooperation organizations outside the Atlantic orbit meet to discuss greater interconnectivity, development collaboration, transportation corridors, as well as investment options for funding various cross border initiatives.

One of these groups is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which continues to focus on greater cooperation and integration with ASEAN nations. This year’s meeting included a notable presentation on the creation of a SCO investment bank to provide the capital necessary to facilitate such collaborative projects.

The BRICS organization featured prominently at the St. Petersburg forum as well. It also includes an important investment bank — the New Development Bank — that provides ready access to liquidity for its members, funds infrastructure projects, and facilitates increased industrial manufacturing. BRICS continues to grow in both clout and size.

A number of new countries applied for membership last year, including Iran and Argentina. 2023 has also seen membership bids from nineteen additional nations before an upcoming summit in Johannesburg this August. One of the most recent applications came from Egypt on June 14. Potential bids from important players in the energy market such as Venezuela (with direct support from Brazil’s President Lula) and the United Arab Emirates are also being discussed.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan traveled directly to the St. Petersburg forum in order to meet with Putin on June 16, where the two discussed their desire to build a closer relationship between the countries.

Gulf neighbor — and traditional U.S. ally — Saudi Arabia has to some degree also hedged its geopolitical bets. After refusing Biden’s phone calls in March of 2022 and denying his request to increase oil production to help lower international prices, Riyadh’s friendship with Washington has somewhat soured as of late. (Saudi Arabia also joined the SCO in March 2023, and is a potential candidate for BRICS membership.) In another move that will likely meet with the displeasure of its Western allies, Saudi Arabia additionally decided to move forward with further production cuts of 1 million barrels per day beginning in July.

Consider that, as discussed earlier, China alone has increased its trade with Russia by about 40 percent, and is set to reach a record $200 billion this year. Perhaps most importantly though, more than 70 percent of that trade has been settled in either yuan or the ruble, with the Russian central bank currently holding 40 percent of its reserves in yuan.

Pakistan has reportedly also paid for its new shipments of Moscow’s crude with Chinese yuan. Earlier in 2022, Saudi Arabia suggested the possibility of denominating its oil transactions with Beijing in the currency.

The present geopolitical system with all of its accompanying features is only made possible by the dollar reigning supreme as the world’s reserve currency. Champions of the present order faithfully hold that this system will be maintained indefinitely, guaranteed on the back of U.S. military might and Western economic dominance.

But the international environment is beginning to shift, as much due to the burgeoning economic alliances outside the confines of Western-backed international agencies as because of the policy decisions of those latter agencies and their U.S. patron. No recent move has acted as a greater accelerant to this shift than Washington’s decision to freeze and then seize the foreign currency reserves of the Russian Federation at the outset of the Ukraine war.

The weaponization of financial reserves has increased distrust in the present system to new heights. The end of dollar dominance may not be nigh, but it is a much more likely possibility than many in the West care to admit.

Russia has demonstrated that having an economy based on commodities and heavy industrial production matters more in today’s international environment than a narrow set of economic indicators such as annual GDP growth or per capita income. Should dollar dominance ever come to an end, this fact will be made painfully clear.

The United States and other Western countries have adopted an increasingly ideological perspective regarding the future course of economic development. Leaders choose to accept only information that aligns with their dogmatic beliefs.

A failure to remove its ideological blinders and comprehend political and economic conditions as they objectively exist will spell disaster for the Western bloc.

#us collapse #russia #sanctions #economics #de dollarization

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dreaminginthedeepsouth · 1 year

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Matt Davies :: [@MatttDavies]

* * * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

September 13, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

Russian president Vladimir Putin met with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un today in Russia’s far east. His need to turn to North Korea’s isolated leader is a dramatic fall for Putin, who just four years ago was hobnobbing with then-president Donald Trump at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. Now, thanks to his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin, too, is isolated, charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court, and under an arrest warrant.

It is no wonder that shortly before he met with Kim, Putin said of Trump’s 2024 presidential run: “We surely hear that Mr. Trump says he will resolve all burning issues within several days, including the Ukrainian crisis. We cannot help but feel happy about it.” Trump has said he will end the war in a day if he’s reelected, and has called for withholding funds to Ukraine until the Department of Justice and the FBI investigate President Joe Biden.

At the meeting, Putin and Kim vowed to strengthen the ties between the two countries, and Kim expressed total support for Putin as Russia’s isolation grows, calling their stance a “fight against imperialism” and saying at a state dinner that he is “certain that the Russian people and its military will emerge victorious in the fight to punish the evil forces that ambitiously pursues hegemony and expansion.”

And yet it is Russia that is attacking other nations, including the U.S.: on September 7 the U.S. Department of Justice indicted 11 Russian men for their participation in cyberattacks against governments, businesses, and major hospital chains around the world. The U.S. Treasury Department and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency say the hackers are associated with Russian intelligence services.

Russia is looking for artillery munitions from North Korea to continue its war against Ukraine; North Korea wants ballistic missile technology from Russia to develop its space and satellite program. Kim cannot get that technology elsewhere because of sanctions intended to keep him from developing nuclear weapons. Sergey Radchenko, a senior professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies who studies Russian and Chinese national security, concluded that we might be seeing an alliance between North Korea and Russia that, among other things, is likely to increase North Korea’s assertiveness.

That Putin feels the need to cozy up to Kim indicates the war is not going as he would like. Indeed, last night Ukraine hit the main base for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, in occupied Crimea, destroying two vessels and the port infrastructure. The Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for the strike, underlining its growing strength in Russian-occupied areas..

In a major speech today at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained the place at which the United States finds itself in both foreign and domestic affairs. He told the audience that the end of the Cold War, a period of competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, along with their respective allies, ushered in “the promise of an inexorable march toward greater peace and stability, international cooperation, economic interdependence, political liberalization, human rights.” That postwar period did, indeed, lift more than a billion people from poverty, eliminate deadly diseases, and usher in a period of historically low conflicts between nations, despite challenges such as the 2008 global financial crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, and regional conflicts like those in Rwanda and Iraq.

“But,” Blinken said, “what we’re experiencing now is more than a test of the post–Cold War order. It’s the end of it.”

The relative geopolitical stability of the post–World War II years has given way to the rise of authoritarian powers, he said. Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine is the most immediate threat to “the international order enshrined in the UN charter and its core principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence for nations, and universal indivisible human rights for individuals.” But the People’s Republic of China “poses the most significant long-term challenge,” he said, “because it not only aspires to reshape the international order, it increasingly has the economic, the diplomatic, the military, the technological power to do just that.”

As partners, “Beijing and Moscow are working together to make the world safe for autocracy,” Blinken warned.

As the competition between the two systems ramps up, many countries are hedging their bets, while the influence of nonstate actors—international corporations, public service nongovernmental organizations, international terrorists, transnational criminal organizations—is growing. At the same time, the sheer scale of global problems like climate change and mass migration is making cooperation across borders more difficult.

The international economic order of the past several decades is flawed in ways that have caused people to lose faith in it, Blinken explained. Technology and globalization have hollowed out entire industries and weakened workers, while laws protected property. Inequality grew dramatically between 1980 and 2020, with the richest 0.1% accumulating the same wealth as the poorest 50%. “The longer these disparities persist,” Blinken pointed out, “the more distrust and disillusionment they fuel in people who feel the system is not giving them a fair shake. And the more they exacerbate other drivers of political polarization, amplified by algorithms that reinforce our biases rather than allowing the best ideas to rise to the top.”

Democracies are under threat, Blinken said. “Challenged from the inside by elected leaders who exploit resentments and stoke fears; erode independent judiciaries and the media; enrich cronies; crack down on civil society and political opposition. And challenged from the outside, by autocrats who spread disinformation, who weaponize corruption, who meddle in elections.”

The post–Cold War order is over, Blinken said. “One era is ending, a new one is beginning, and the decisions that we make now will shape the future for decades to come.”

The U.S. is in a position of strength from which it seeks to reinforce a rules-based international order in which “goods, ideas, and individuals can flow freely and lawfully across land, sea, sky, and cyberspace, where technology is used to empower people—not to divide, surveil, and repress them,�� where the global economy is defined by fair competition and widespread prosperity, and where “international law and the core principles of the UN Charter are upheld, and where universal human rights are respected.” Such a world would serve humanity’s interests, as well as our own, Blinken said; its principles are universal.

“[O]ur competitors have a fundamentally different vision,” he said. “They see a world defined by a single imperative: regime preservation and enrichment. A world where authoritarians are free to control, coerce, and crush their people, their neighbors, and anyone else standing in the way of this all-consuming goal.”

They claim that the norms and values that anchor the rules-based international order are imposed by Western nations, that human rights are up to nations themselves, and that big countries should be allowed to dictate to their smaller neighbors.

“The contrast between these two visions could not be clearer. And the stakes of the competition we face could not be higher—for the world, and for the American people.”

Blinken explained that the Biden administration has deliberately integrated domestic and foreign policy, crafting industrial strategy to rebuild the U.S. and to address the wealth disparities that create deep political resentment, while aligning that domestic strength to foreign policy. That foreign policy has depended on strengthening alliances and partnerships, building regional integration so that regions address their own interests as communities, closing the infrastructure gap between nations, and strengthening international institutions—rejoining the Paris Climate Accords and the World Health Organization, working to expand the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and so on.

Blinken said that such investments will lead nations to stand up to “the Beijings and Moscows of the world” when they claim this system serves the West and try to tear it down, and answer back: “No, the system you are trying to change is our system; it serves our interests.” At the same time, such investments will offer new markets for American workers and businesses, more affordable goods for American consumers, more reliable food and energy supplies, more robust health systems to stop deadly disease, more allies to address global challenges.

Looking back from the future, Blinken said, “the right decisions tend to look obvious, the end results almost inevitable. They never are. In real time, it’s a fog.”

“We must put our hand on the rudder of history and chart a path forward, guided by the things that are certain even in uncertain times—our principles, our partners, our vision for where we want to go,” Blinken said, “so that, when the fog lifts, the world that emerges tilts toward freedom, toward peace, toward an international community capable of rising to the challenges of its time.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#Russia #Heather Cox Richardson #Letters From An American #war in Ukraine #world politics #Blinken #foreign policy #Matt Davies #Vision for America

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jordanianroyals · 1 year

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31 May 2023: A ceremony announcing the establishment of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association was held under the patronage of Prince Hassan.

The event was attended by Princess Sarvath Al Hassan, Princess Sumaya, Princess Wijdan, Princess Takamado and Princess Tsuguko of Japan, as well as Sasaki Mikiyo, the President of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association.

In his speech, Prince Hassn emphasised the importance of the historical and deep-rooted Jordanian-Japanese relations, which are based on mutual respect. Prince Hassan called for expanding cooperation between East Asia and West Asia.

He highlighted the significance of the association’s role in building and strengthening relations in various fields, emphasising the role of culture in empowering and supporting relations between nations. (Source: Jordan Times)

Furthermore, His Royal Highness stressed the importance of business, science, and culture in building commonalities and enhancing peace, emphasising the need to develop a comprehensive cultural commitment based on dialogue and appreciation for cultural diversity.

His Royal Highness also called for the establishment of a regional knowledge system to share “absolute truths” for regional development, empowerment and individual advancement.

Princess Takamado delivered a speech in which she emphasised the significance of the distinguished relations between Jordan and Japan, which have been strengthened by His Majesty King Abdullah, Her Majesty Queen Rania and HRH Crown Prince Hussein’s recent visits to Japan.

Princess Takamado pointed out that His Majesty King Abdallah has made several visits to Japan, reflecting the exceptional relations between the two countries.

Princess Takamado underscored the importance of Jordan’s role in the region in achieving peace and stability.

Princess Takamado characterised the establishment of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association as “a significant step in the history of relations”, urging all to take the initiative and support bilateral relations as they approach their 70th anniversary next year.

“Today’s celebration of the enduring friendship, which began nearly 70 years ago, marks the beginning of a new era in the history of relations based on mutual respect,” Mazen Darwazeh, the President of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association, said during his remarks.

Darwazeh pointed out that His Majesty King Abdullah attaches importance to the existing partnership between Jordan and Japan, based on the cultural exchanges shared between both countries during His Majesty’s visit to Japan last month.

Darwazeh stressed the importance of expanding relations with Japan at all levels.

Japanese Ambassador to Jordan Okuyama Jiro outlined Japan’s role in supporting development in Jordan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The ambassador stressed the significance of the Friendship Association in supporting and strengthening relations between Jordan and Japan.

Shefa’a Zghoul, the executive director of the association, presented the association’s plans to expand cooperation and establish more channels of communication with the Japanese community in various fields.

During the ceremony, HRH Prince Hassan and Their Imperial Highnesses were honoured, along with several contributors to the construction and strengthening of Jordanian-Japanese relations, in recognition of their efforts in this context.

The Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries and strengthen relations in academic, cultural, and economic endeavours.

#Prince Hassan #Princess Sarvath #princess sumaya #japanese imperial family

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libertariantaoist · 1 year

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News Roundup 6/7/2023 | The Libertarian Institute

Here is your daily roundup of today's news:

News Roundup 6/7/2023

by Kyle Anzalone

US News

The State Department has falsely accused rock legend, Roger Waters, a co-founder of Pink Floyd, of antisemitism over a recent performance in Germany. AWC

The Treasury Department announced sanctions on two members of a Mexican cartel. UPI

Russia

The New York Times reported Tuesday that the Biden administration has “shrugged off” Ukrainian attacks inside Russia as US officials are no longer as concerned about escalation as they were earlier in the war. AWC

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Monday that his government is asking Ukraine if Belgian rifles were used by pro-Kyiv fighters in a recent attack on Russia’s Belgorod region. AWC

US officials confirmed to The Washington Post that US and other NATO equipment was used in a cross-border attack in Russia’s Belgorod region that was launched on May 22. AWC

On Monday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said Ukraine was “well prepared” to launch a counteroffensive against Russian forces thanks to the support the US and NATO have provided. AWC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Saturday that his country will sit out the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius this July if Kyiv is not given a “signal” toward full membership in the alliance. AWC

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the US received intelligence in June 2022 about a Ukrainian plot to bomb the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline that connects Russia to Germany. AWC

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that Moscow must keep in mind that American-made F-16 fighter jets are capable of carrying nuclear weapons. AWC

China

CIA Director William Burns held “clandestine” meetings with Chinese intel agencies during an unannounced trip to Beijing last month, US officials told the Financial Times, suggesting the visit was intended to “stabilize” deteriorating relations with the People’s Republic. The Institute

The White House on Monday accused the Chinese military of being more “aggressive” in waters near China’s coast following two encounters between the US and Chinese militaries in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. AWC

French President Emmanuel Macron objects to NATO’s plans to open a liaison office in Japan and thinks the alliance should stay in the North Atlantic, Financial Times reported on Monday. AWC

The US, Japan and Australia announced a joint plan to build undersea cables. The project will cost about $100 million and viewed by the nations as a counter to China. Fox News

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said Tuesday that he wants Congress to pass a supplemental spending bill this year to address so-called threats from China, Defense News reported. AWC

The commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John Aquilino, highlighted the military’s threatening posture towards China, speaking at the annual meeting of the National Committee on US-China Relations last month. The group is known for encouraging engagement between the world’s two largest economies. The Institute

Middle East

Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Summit on Monday and pledged Washington’s “ironclad” support for Tel Aviv. Part of the White House’s plan to strengthen Israel’s security would be to push Saudi Arabia into a normalization agreement with Israel. The Institute

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ramped up his threats of war against Iran and slammed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, for cooperating with Tehran on Sunday. The Institute

On Tuesday, Iran reopened its embassy in Saudi Arabia after a seven-year closure, the result of the normalization deal between Tehran and Riyadh that was brokered by China. AWC

The Treasury Department placed sanctions on seven people and six entities for supporting Iran missile program. UPI

#kyle anzalone #libertarian institute #news roundup

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upismediacenter · 2 years

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OPINION: Bayad po, malayo bang masolusyonan ang krisis sa transportasyon?

Photo credit: Rachelle Baldelomar

Luntian, asul, pula, at dilaw—ito ang agaw-pansin na mga kulay ng mga bubong ng jeep na pumapasada sa loob ng UP Diliman. Sa lawak ng unibersidad, ito ang mga pangunahing moda ng transportasyon ng maraming mag-aaral at kawani ng UP, maging ng iba pang komyuter. Kasabay ng panunumbalik ng face-to-face classes ay siya namang pagtaas ng pamasahe, mga bagong ruta na ‘commuter-unfriendly’, at mas kaunting drayber na nagpalala sa oras ng paghihintay. Paglabas ng campus, sa Philcoa, Katipunan, o EDSA, nagpapatuloy pa rin ang mga eksena ng trapikong pahirap sa mga komyuter. Sa katunayan, ilang henerasyon na ng mga Pilipino ang nagtitiis sa bulok na sistema ng transportasyon—pagpapatunay na sa mga nakaraang administrasyong naupo sa pwesto, walang tiyak at maayos na plano ang naikasa para sa pangunahing pangangailangang ito.

Maiuugat ang lumalalang krisis ng transportasyon sa pagiging “intergenerational” nito. Dahil hindi naging maayos ang pagtugon ng mga nagdaang administrasyon, pasanin natin ito hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Nagkaroon ng mga hakbang ang huling dalawang administrasyon, katulad ng Public-Private Partnership projects (PPPs) ng administrasyong Aquino, na isa sa mga plano nitong pagkonektahin ang MRT-3 at LRT-1, at ang pamosong Build! Build! Build! (BBB) program ng administrasyong Duterte. Bagamat layunin ng PPPs at BBB program na paluwagin ang trapik sa Metro Manila, hindi matagumpay ang mga proyektong ito. Nakansela ang konstruksyon ng dalawang linya ng tren dahil sa kawalan ng maintenance plan. Sa pagwawakas ng termino ni Duterte, 12 sa 119 na BBB projects ang nasimulan at/o natapos. Bukod sa mabagal na usad ng mga proyekto, inilipat at inilaan ang pondong ito na inutang mula sa China para sa COVID-19 response. Ang ‘pagpapasa-pasa’ ng problemang ito ay ‘pagpapasa-pasa’ rin ng inkompetensiya sa bawat administrasyon dahil sa pagpalya ng mga plano at kakulangan ng maayos na pag-implementa rito. Sa pagpasok ng panibagong administrasyon, nagbabadya ang paglala ng krisis sa transportasyon. Ano nga ba ang mga hakbang ng administrasyong Marcos?

Isa rito ang pagbibigay ng panibagong pangalan sa BBB bilang ‘Build, Better, More’ (BBM) at paglalaan ng halos 120% increase sa 2023 budget para sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Ipagpapatuloy ng BBM program ang pagpapatayo ng BBB projects tulad ng kauna-unahang underground subway sa bansa o Mega Manila Subway, na pinondohan ng pautang mula sa Japan International Cooperation Agency. Kasabay naman ng konstruksyon nito noong Oktubre, ang patuloy na pagtaas ng inflation rate. Para sa buwan ng Nobyembre, naitala ang 7.7% rate na nagpataas ng presyo mga pangunahing bilihin, lalo na ng pagkain, at produktong petrolyo. Kaakibat ng pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo ang fare hike sa mga pampublikong sasakyan. Mula 11 piso noong Hulyo, tumaas ito sa presyong 12 piso sa loob lamang ng tatlong buwan.

Hindi lang bulsa ang masakit para sa mga komyuter, dahil mala-olympics ang agawan para sa mga pampublikong sasakyan. Nagmimistulang ‘events’ ang pakikipag-unahan, pakikipagsiksikan, paubusan ng pasensya sa mahahabang pila, pagsabit o pag-upo sa gitna ng jeep, pagtayo sa bus, at workout sa hita kapag kalahati na lang ng puwet ang nasasalo ng upuan. Naglipana man ang mga alternatibo na Transportation Network Vehicles Services (TNVS) katulad ng Grab at Angkas, mas mahal ito kaysa sa mga jeep o bus, at kinakailangan pa ng internet. Sa pagbabalik ng mga estudyante at mga empleyado sa daan, tugon ng Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) ang pagpapatupad ng bagong coding scheme, at itinuturing ang trapiko sa Metro Manila bilang “manageable”.

Sa kabilang banda, “kalbaryo” ang mas angkop na salita kung mga komyuter ang maglalarawan ng trapiko. Ang tagal ng pakikipag-agawan sa masasakyan, ay doble sa mismong itatagal ng biyahe. Dahil pagkatapos ng olympics, maiiba ang paligsahan, at karera ng mga pagong ang eksena sa mga sasakyan. Walang binatbat ang pagtitipid ng komyuter sa taas ng presyo ng mga bilhin at pamasahe sa dami ng kanyang oras at panahong maaaksaya dahil sa pagkakaipit sa trapiko. Pinapakita lamang nito na magkaakibat ang mga krisis sa transportasyon at ekonomiya ng bansa. At ayon sa Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, higit 3.5 bilyong piso araw-araw ang nawawala sa bansa dahil lamang sa trapiko sa Metro Manila.

Ang isang malaking kawalan para sa mga drayber at komyuter ay isa namang magandang bagay para sa mga car manufacturers. Sa patuloy na kawalan ng maayos, ligtas, at accessible na transportasyon, tumataas din ang bilang ng mga sasakyan sa daan. Higit pa itong pinapalala ng mga kumpanyang nag-aalok ng 0% downpayment kaya’t mas nahihikayat ang publiko na bumili ng kotse. Bukod pa rito, ang isinusulong na “modernisasyon” sa mga tradisyunal na jeep nitong pandemya ay isa na namang ‘win’, para sa mga kumpanya. Ang mga pamalit na EURO IV ay umaabot ng 1.6 milyong piso bawat yunit at iaangkat pa mula sa ibang bansa. Habang limpak-limpak ang kita ng mga dayuhang kumpanya, iniinda ng mga komyuter ang mataas na presyo ng bilihin at pamasahe, nagbabadya ang tuluyang phase out ng mga jeepney at mawalan ng hanap-buhay ang mga drayber.

Sa halip na bigyang prayoridad ang mga imprastrakturang makatutulong sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan, kapansin-pansin na pabor sa mga may kotse ang mga proyektong inuuna ng pamahalaan. Imbis na mga sidewalk, bike lane, at waiting shed, puro road widening at highways ang pinapagawa. Hindi maayos ang maintenance ng mga linya ng mga tren habang patuloy ang mga aberya dahil sa mga lumang bagon at equipment. Nitong Oktubre 4 lamang, sumiklab ang isang sunog sa MRT-3 dahil sa isang technical glitch. Sa halip na mapadali ang pagkokomyut, mas napeperwisyo ang mga mamamayan. Masyadong malayo ang mga tawiran, masyadong makikitid ang sidewalks, o ‘di kaya naman sobrang tarik ng mga footbridge kagaya sa Kamuning na binansagang “Mount of EDSA”. Ang mga konstruksyon at walang katapusang road improvements ay pawang dagdag pampabigat sa daloy ng trapiko. At higit sa lahat, nananatiling isa ang DPWH sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan na mayroong patong-patong na kaso ng korapsyon—isang malaking sampal sa naghihirap ng mga mamamayan, mapa-drayber o komyuter.

Malayong-malayo ang lagay ng transportasyon ng ating ilang kapitbahay sa Asya katulad ng Singapore. Ipinapakita nila na ang tamang pangangasiwa ng pamahalaan ay susi sa isang maayos na sistema ng transportasyon. Ang naturang bansa ay mayroong tatlong integradong ahensya; Land Transport Authority (LTA), Housing and Development Board (HDB), at Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). Bawat isa ay may sariling tungkulin para sa pagpaplano, pagdedebelop ng teknolohiya, at pangkalahatang pagpapabuti ng mass transportation. Isinasaalang-alang ng mga ahensyang ito ang accessibility, sustainability, at pagiging environment-friendly ng kanilang mga proyekto kasabay ng pagbibigay-serbisyo sa halos 60% ng working class ng Singapore. Epektibo ang kanilang metropolitan planning at makikitang magkakakonekta, o magkakalapit ang mga ruta at sakayan sa mga residential area.

Ngunit, sa kaso ng Pilipinas, ayon kay Arch. Felino Palafox, “Metro Manila is now the model of how not do it [urban planning].” Nakaayon ang mga daan para sa mga may kotse at sa may-kaya. Nabubuo ang “gated communities” at “discriminatory zonings” na hindi pedestrian at biker-friendly, at pahirapan ang akses sa pampublikong transportasyon katulad ng nangyayari ngayon sa Makati. Dagdag ni Palafox, lubhang pumangit ang metropolitan planning ng Maynila noong kasagsagan ng Martial Law o mid-70s. Pinapatunayan ng lubhang magkaibang kalagayan ng transportasyon sa Singapore at Makati ang mahalagang papel na ginagampanan ng pamahalaang may pakialam sa kapakanan ng karamihan sa kanyang mamamayan.

Ibinabatid ng pagiging “intergenerational” ng krisis na ito, maging ng anumang suliraning pambansa, na ang mga komplikadong problema ay nangangailangan ng komprehensibong solusyon. Hindi ito basta-basta lamang nalulutas, kaya marapat lamang na pag-isipan at pagplanuhan habang isinasaalang-alang ang interes ng masang Pilipino, na silang pinakanaapektuhan at pinakanahihirapan. Sa mga ipinapakitang aksyon ng kasalukuyang administrasyong Marcos, o marahil ang nakababahalang kawalan ng mga ito, patuloy na malulugmok sa kahirapan ang ating bayan sa susunod pang mga taon. Hindi lamang ang tumataginting na 13.52 trilyong piso na ‘generational debt’ ang mamamana natin mula sa ating mga magulang. Kung ang kasalanan ng ama ay “hindi” kasalanan ng anak, sa konteksto ng ordinaryong mamamayang Pilipino, ang mga krisis na araw-araw nating iniinda ngayon, ay tiyak, na sila pa ring mga krisis na haharapin ng susunod ng henerasyon. //ni Sam Arinto

Mga Sanggunian:

(2021, August 11). ANALYSIS: Why Build, Build, Build won’t fix Manila’s traffic. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/explainers/analysis-why-build-build-build-will-not-fix-metro-manila-traffic/

Barroga, G., Galang, B. (2022, June 26). Hits and misses of Duterte's 'Build, Build, Build'. CNN Philippines. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/6/26/Duterte-administration-infrastructure-program-BBB.html

Buan, L. (2021, June 30). DOJ: Local governments, DPWH have most corruption complaints. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/doj-report-corruption-complaints-lgus-government-agencies-2021/

Caling, R.R. (2020, November 6). Halted physical classes, looming phaseout burden UP jeepney drivers. Tinig ng Plaridel. https://www.tinigngplaridel.net/2020/up-jeepney-drivers/

Cayabyab, M. (2022, October 5). Fire disrupts LRT-1 operations. PhilStar. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/10/05/2214331/fire-disrupts-lrt-1-operations

Dinh Toan, T. (2018, November 24). Managing traffic congestion in a city: a study of Singapore's experiences. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330776732_Managing_traffic_congestion_in_a_city_A_study_of_Singapore's_experiences/citation/download

Domingo, K. (2022, October 3). Marcos signals start of construction of Philippines' first subway. ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/03/22/marcos-signals-start-of-first-ph-subways-construction

Esmael, L. (2022, November 3). PH debt soars to ₱13.52T in September. CNN Philippines. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/business/2022/11/3/PH-debt-soars-to-13.52T-September.html

Hallare, K. (2021, November 2). Why Metro Manila Is An Urban Planning ‘Mess,’ According To An Expert. One Network News. https://www.onenews.ph/articles/why-metro-manila-is-an-urban-planning-mess-according-to-an-expert

Japan International Cooperation Agency. (2022, February 16). JICA reassures commitment to support the “Project of the Century” in the Philippines [Press release]. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/6/26/Duterte-administration-infrastructure-program-BBB.html

Laurel, D. (2022, August 22). MMDA: Vehicle volume during start of F2F classes ‘manageable,’ no traffic surge observed. Top Gear Philippines. https://www.topgear.com.ph/news/motoring-news/mmda-f2f-traffic-a962-20220822?ref=article_hyperlink

Mirasol, P.B. (2021, June 21). A look back at the PNoy administration. BusinessWorld Online. https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2021/06/24/378119/a-look-back-at-the-pnoy-administration/

Ochave, R. (2022, May 9). PCCI seeks immediate action on NCR traffic to remove drag on economy. Business World Online. https://www.bworldonline.com/economy/2022/05/09/447325/pcci-seeks-immediate-action-on-ncr-traffic-to-remove-drag-on-economy/#:~:text=5%20billion%20is%20lost%20daily,the%20Japan%20International%20Cooperation%20Agency

Quismoro, E. (2022, August 23). Goodbye ‘Build, Build, Build’; P1.196-T sought for PBBM’s ‘Build, Better, More’ infrastructure program. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/23/goodbye-build-build-build-p1-196-t-sought-for-build-better-more-infrastructure-program/

Rivas, R. (2022, November 4). Philippine inflation rate soars to nearly 14-year high of 7.7%. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/business/inflation-rate-philippines-october-2022/

Sabalo, W.B. (2022, September 17). Fare hike will impact on our budget – commuters. Cebu Daily News Inquirer. https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/464520/fare-hike-will-impact-on-our-budget-commuters#ixzz7hkumLqJo

Sarne, V.B. (2019, June 6). More than the price, it’s the down payment that sways Pinoy car buyers. Visor PH. https://visor.ph/industry/more-than-the-price-its-the-down-payment-that-sways-pinoy-car-buyers/

Schuengel, F. (2018, November 5). This footbridge on EDSA is like a theme-park ride. Visor PH. https://visor.ph/traffic/this-footbridge-on-edsa-is-like-a-theme-park-ride/

#MC2023 #Opinion #Filipino #Sam Arinto

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What is a Space station?| all you need to know

Introduction

In today’s blog we will discuss about What is a Space station?, international space station, Space Station Huston, Russian Space Station, Space station before iss, How many Space stations are there?, NASA Space station, Chinese Space Station, Size of Space Stations, Is the space station dangerous for Earth?

What is a Space station?

A space station is like a home and lab in space where astronauts live and work. It orbits Earth, allowing scientists to do experiments and learn more about space.

The idea of a space station has a long history. It gained significant attention during the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. They both saw how useful it could be for studying space and living in space for a long time.

The Soviet Union launched the first space station, Salyut 1, in 1971. Since then, space stations have been important for learning about space and working together internationally.

What is a space station used for

Scientists use these stations to study various phenomena. They explore how plants grow in microgravity and how materials behave in space conditions.

Space stations provide a platform for testing new technologies and equipment. This ensures they function correctly in the harsh environment of space.

International cooperation is a crucial aspect of space station missions. It involves astronauts from different countries working together on shared objectives, fostering collaboration and goodwill among nations. Furthermore, space stations inspire people around the world, sparking curiosity about space exploration and scientific discovery.

Through their missions and discoveries. the space stations serve as beacons of human ingenuity and cooperation in the pursuit of knowledge beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

Space station before iss

Before the International Space Station (ISS), there were two main space station programs: the Soviet Union’s Salyut and Almaz stations. Additionally, there was the United States’ Skylab program.

1. Soviet Salyut Program: The Soviet Union launched the first space station, Salyut 1, in 1971. They sent several more stations into space afterward. These stations were like orbiting labs where astronauts lived and worked, doing experiments and tests.

2. Soviet Almaz Program: This was a secret military program by the Soviet Union. Between 1973 and 1976, they launched three Almaz stations. These stations had military equipment on board but also conducted some civilian science.

3. Skylab (USA): Skylab was America’s first space station, launched in 1973. It was made from a modified rocket stage. Skylab hosted astronauts who did scientific experiments for about six years.

These early space stations showed that people could live and work in space for extended periods, setting the stage for the ISS.

How many Space stations are there?

There are two main space stations in orbit: the International Space Station (ISS) and the Chinese space station Tiangong.

1.international space stations

The idea for the ISS started in the 1980s when NASA and other space agencies around the world thought about working together on a giant space project. They wanted to build something that could be a base for scientific research and help countries collaborate in space exploration.

Russia launched the first piece of the ISS in 1998. Over the years, NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other partners like Japan and Canada added more parts. It took a lot of teamwork and space missions to put everything together.

The ISS has been continuously inhabited since the year 2000. Astronauts live there for months at a time, doing all kinds of experiments. They study things like how plants grow in space, how the human body reacts to zero gravity, and how materials behave in space.

One of the ISS’s primary purposes is to learn more about space and how humans can live and work there for long periods. It’s also a symbol of international cooperation, showing that even countries with differences can come together for big, peaceful projects.