#putin on india presidency in g20

[newscast1]

Will strengthen world stability, security: Putin on India's presidencies in SCO, G20

Will strengthen world stability, security: Putin on India’s presidencies in SCO, G20

Putin said the two countries carried out large-scale trade and economic projects in addition to energy, military technology and other areas of cooperation, and coordinated efforts in addressing important matters of regional and global agendas. New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 31, 2022 00:22 IST Russia’s President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of their meeting…

[zvaigzdelasas]

Western support for Israel’s assault on Gaza has poisoned efforts to build consensus with significant developing countries on condemning Russia’s war against Ukraine, officials and diplomats have warned.[...]

In the flurry of emergency diplomatic visits, video conferences and calls, western officials have been accused of failing to defend the interests of 2.3mn Palestinians in their rush to condemn the Hamas attack and support Israel. In the first days after Hamas’s assault, some western diplomats worried that the US was giving carte blanche to Israel to attack Gaza with full force. That had eroded efforts since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine to build consensus with leading states in the so-called Global South — such as India, Brazil and South Africa — on the need to uphold a global rules-based order, said more than a dozen western officials.[...] “We have definitely lost the battle in the Global South,” said one senior G7 diplomat. “All the work we have done with the Global South [over Ukraine] has been lost . . . Forget about rules, forget about world order. They won’t ever listen to us again.”

Many developing countries have traditionally supported the Palestinian cause, seeing it through the prism of self-determination and a push against the global dominance of the US, Israel’s most important backer.[...] Some American diplomats are privately concerned that the Biden administration’s response has failed to acknowledge how its broad support of Israel can alienate much of the Global South.[...] Russia and its ally China have cultivated warm ties with the Palestinians. Russia’s president Vladimir Putin on Tuesday met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. “What we said about Ukraine has to apply to Gaza. Otherwise we lose all our credibility,” the senior G7 diplomat added. “The Brazilians, the South Africans, the Indonesians: why should they ever believe what we say about human rights?”[...]

Just four weeks before the Hamas assault on Israel, leaders from the US, EU and western allies attended the G20 summit in New Delhi and asked developing nations to condemn Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians in order to uphold respect for the UN charter and international law. Since last Sunday, many of those officials told the Financial Times they have had the same argument read back at them in demands for condemnation of Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza, and of its decision to restrict water, electricity and gas supplies there.

17 Oct 23

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazilian presidency of the G20 is likely to end with limited results

The G20 Leaders’ Summit takes place on November 18 and 19, in Rio de Janeiro, with the presence of leaders of the member countries, plus the African Union and the European Union. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, will not attend. Putin faces arrest if he travels abroad on a warrant accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine, issued by the International Criminal Court, and will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

In a simple metaphor, Brazil’s role in the leadership of the G20 can be summarised as “drying ice”. This is not the result of mistakes made by Brazilian diplomacy under the current government. Any country with the same status that Brazil enjoys in the international system would suffer the same limitations in an era in which great powers, who possess economic and military power, prioritise their interests. The country is considered a middle power, with a certain regional influence, but no presence on a global scale.

We’re not just in the world of America First. China First, Russia First, EU First: each looking after itself instead of trying to establish a minimum of coordination between them on issues such as global warming, trade and international security. It’s not easy for middle powers to be able to talk big with the rest of the world.

Even so, regional powers can influence specific elements of relations between countries and, therefore, of the global order. Compared to India’s presidency of the G20 the previous year, Brazil has made notable progress on social issues, having put the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty on the agenda, which is in line with Agenda 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals 1 (poverty eradication) and 2 (zero hunger and sustainable agriculture).

Continue reading.

[mariacallous]

Participating via video link, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech at the G20 leaders’ virtual summit, reports the Kremlin’s press service.

During his address, Putin responded to statements from other leaders who had expressed shock over the ongoing war in Ukraine. Putin attempted to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and repeated that Moscow is open to peace negotiations, blaming Kyiv for refusing to come to the table. He then shifted to talk about the war in the Middle East.

Some colleagues have already said in their addresses that they are shocked by Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. Yes, of course, military actions are always a tragedy for individuals, specific families, and the country as a whole. And of course, we should think about how to end this tragedy.

By the way, Russia has never refused peace talks with Ukraine. It is not Russia, but Ukraine that publicly announced its withdrawal from the negotiation process. […]

I understand that this war, and the loss of life, cannot but shock. And is the bloody coup in Ukraine in 2014, followed by the Kyiv regime’s war against its people in Donbas, not shocking? And is the extermination of civilians in Palestine, in the Gaza Strip, not shocking?

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping declined to participate in the G20 video summit. Putin did not attend the earlier in-person G20 summit in India, due to his “busy schedule,” sending Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to lead the Russian delegation in his stead.

[theculturedmarxist]

The principal news items on Russian state television this evening were the reception Vladimir Putin was given by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and the succession of meetings that he had with other heads of state who are participating in the 10th anniversary celebrations of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

You won’t find a word about the Russian President’s visit to Beijing in this evening’s online New York Times, but the paper’s editorial board is slow to post news about Putin, probably waiting for the State Department to suggest the proper ‘spin.’ However, The Financial Times online gives Putin ‘front page’ coverage in two articles: one is an overview of his scheduled meetings and the other focuses on his talks with one leader in particular, prime minister Viktor Orban of Hungary.

Let us stop for a moment to consider what the FT wants us to know about Putin in Beijing.  And after that we can come back to the Russian coverage, which not only casts a different light on what you read in FT but provides a good deal more factual information to take in.

                                                                 *****

In keeping with its regular propagandistic journalism, the FT cannot print an article about Putin without reminding its readers what a pariah he is, a man pursued by international courts, a man who is isolated and weak. The title itself already sets the tone: “Vladimir Putin visits Beijing for first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

Yes, they concede in the first paragraph that he arrived in China “for a high-level meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping,” but then take the air out of that by saying it was the Kremlin which described Putin as the ‘main guest’ at the event, not their own reporter on the ground in Beijing.

Two lines down we read: “The Russian leader cut back his foreign travel after the war in Ukraine began and until last week had not left the country since a war crimes indictment from the International Criminal Court in March.”  We are reminded that Putin skipped the G20 meetings in Indonesia and in India in September.

Thus, almost half the article is spent telling us about where Putin has not traveled to and nothing about this visit to Beijing.

Moving on, the authors speak about how “Russia had become increasingly dependent on China as an economic lifeline” ever since the launch of its Special Military Operation and imposition of sanctions by the West. This is a quote from a former political adviser at the European parliament who is now with a university in Taiwan. The same expert completes the downgrading of Russia by explaining that it is the ‘junior partner’ in the relationship with China.

After kicking the tires of the Belt and Road Initiative in general for having to renegotiate or write off $79 billion in bad loans, the authors give us four lines at the end that actually contain some news, of which I quote two below:

“Putin met Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban and Vietnamese president Vo Van Thuong on Tuesday, ahead of further meetings with Thai, Mongolian and Laotian leaders.”

The space allotted to the close-up photo of Putin and Xi smiling complacently to one another at the head of the article is six times bigger than the actual news in the text of the article.

The separate article “Orban meets Putin in bid to ‘save everything possible’ in bilateral relations” might be said to be marginally better journalism though the same Max Seddon in Riga is a co-author of both. The editors have done their best to spoil everything by giving it the subtitle “European head is first western leader to meet Russian president since issue of war crimes warrant for his arrest.” Once again the big photo of Orban and Putin, clasping hands at their meeting, tells more than the text.

There are some of the same general reminders here of Putin’s alleged isolation and pariah status, but they are given more force by a quotation from the U.S. ambassador to Hungary condemning the meeting: “…Orban chooses to stand with a man whose forces are responsible for crimes against humanity in Ukraine…” 

The only neutral remarks in the article catalog the common business interests of Russia and Hungary, including natural gas supply and a nuclear power plant under construction by Rosatom.

                                                                 *****

Russian television news support the view that Putin is the main guest at the BRI gathering in Beijing by videos showing the entry of the participants to the state banquet this evening:  the procession is led by Putin and Xi side by side. Just behind them is Xi’s wife and Kazakhstan president Tokaev. The several dozen others follow behind.  Similarly in the video of all the leaders lined up for their group photo, Putin and Xi are together in the very center chatting to one another.  Questions anyone about who is who, and what is what?

Perhaps the Russians go overboard in stressing the great demand of other participants for one-on-one time with Putin at the large residence which the Chinese made available for holding these tête-à-têtes in discrete luxury. Pavel Zarubin, the host of the Sunday evening program Moskva, Kremlin, Putin is a master at showing off details like the line of limousines of leaders waiting outside for their time in the sun with Putin.

Aside from footage from the meeting with Orban, Russian television presented to viewers the public part of Putin’s meeting with the president of Laos, who opened the conversation speaking passable if heavily accented Russian. As we learned, he was studying at Leningrad University during the same years as Putin, though in a different department.  The Vietnamese president also made reference to studies in the Soviet Union in their opening remarks for the cameras.  His talks with Putin were likely about energy first of all since Gazprom is fairly active in the country. Gazprom chairman Alexei Miller is in the Russian delegation.  As for the meeting that Putin had with the interim president of Pakistan, who is an English speaker, we know that they discussed energy projects and deliveries of more than a million tons of Russian grain to Pakistan, presumably paid for in yuan. With the Mongolian president, Vesti tells us they discussed a new gas pipeline which apparently is intended to supply Mongolia itself and not only serve as a transit route to China.

However, from the Russian perspective these side meetings with other BRI Forum participants are small beer. What they are awaiting with great anticipation is the several hours tomorrow that Putin and Xi will spend one-on-one and then are joined by their respective delegations. We know that the situation in the Middle East is at the top of their agenda, with a secondary focus on the Ukraine war and remaining time devoted to further development of economic ties.

The one tantalizing tidbit that Russian news (Sixty Minutes) threw out to viewers is that whereas Putin returns to Moscow tomorrow evening, Foreign Minister Lavrov flies to North Korea for a meeting with Kim.

©Gilbert Doctorow, 2023

[amor-est-potestas]

Good Stuff in 2023

Since every year seems to be shit, I thought I would go through some major news stories and pick out the ones that seemed pretty good, actually. There's a bit of a USA bias in the source I used... but here's some year-end positivity, anyway!

January

An ebola outbreak was successfully controlled in Uganda

Sierra Leone introduced a law that reserves more jobs for women

The UN declared the current approach to repairing the ozone layer is successful and could return it to 1980 levels

New York's gun restrictions were upheld by the Supreme Court

February

Google lost $100bn in shares because its chatbot was crap (lol)

Tesla had to recall over 350,000 cars because its self-driving system was crap (lmao)

March

The International Criminal Court put out a warrant for the arrest of Vladimir Putin

12 Democrat-led states in the USA sued to attempt to protect access to mifepristone (an abortion inducing drug)

Donald Trump was charged with criminal offences in New York

The Royal Society tested robotic prosthetics with the public and found that over 95% of people could use them well within the first minute

April

Finland was approved to join NATO

Christina Koch was announced as the first woman and Victor Glover as the first black astronaut on a NASA lunar mission

The tiger population of India was confirmed to have risen by around 200

A SpaceX rocket blew up (haha)

Japan approved an abortion pill for use for the first time

Pope Francis announced that women would be allowed to vote in meetings of bishops

The US Supreme Court rejected a West Virginia transgender athlete ban

Washington state eliminated the death penalty and sterilisation as criminal punishment

The US Supreme Court protected access to mifepristone (see March)

The UK fined TikTok for mishandling children's data

NASA was able to extract oxygen from lunar soil

Germany confirmed the shut down of nuclear power stations in the interest of safety

May

Colorado state signed several gun control bills into law

Donald Trump was found liable in a civil case where he was accused of rape and defamation

North Carolina's governor vetoed an abortion ban

The UK's first "three-parent baby" was born via IVF

June

Former Brazil president (Collor) was sentenced to prison for corruption

Federal courts blocked laws preventing healthcare for young trans people in Kentucky and Tennessee

July

Donald Trump's request for a new trial (see May) was rejected

Sweden's bid to join NATO was backed by Turkey

August

FDA approved use of the first drug (Zuranolone) to treat postpartum depression

Direct detection and nanopore sequencing (DDNS) used to halve the time for polio detection

India's space agency achieved their first unmanned moon landing

September

Mexico's Supreme Court decriminalised abortion rights

The African Union permanently joined the G20

The EU raised their renewable energy targets

Donald Trump was found guilty of fraud in New York

Apple announced a switch to USB-C charging ports in its new iPhone

October

California banned driverless taxis

November

A court in South Africa ruled in favour of introducing shared parental leave

The UK Supreme Court blocked plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda

An assault weapons ban in Illinois was upheld by an appeals court

The first images were received from ESA's Euclid space telescope

The EU started talks to bring Ukraine into the union

December

41 workers were rescued from a tunnel under the Himalayas in India

Pope Francis allowed priests to bless same-sex couples (but not for marriage... but still a win maybe?)

Supreme Court dismissed Ohio's attempt to enforce an abortion ban

Colorado's Supreme Court declared Donald Trump ineligible to run for office (only applies to Colorado)

IBM unveiled a quantum computing chip and machine

Google, Meta and other tech companies agreed to work towards open digital ecosystems (prompted by EU regulations on digital markets)

[head-post]

BRICS summit as major landmark towards multipolar economy

Participants of the BRICS summit in Kazan adopted the final declaration, focusing on economic development and equitable international trade.

The countries signed the Kazan Declaration on Wednesday, 23 October. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the decisions adopted during the discussion were expected to be proposed to the UN.

Together we have managed to make progress in all three major areas: in politics and security, economics and finance, cultural and humanitarian contacts.

The Declaration contains over 130 points, including a general assessment of global developments. Putin also underscored the desire of the participants to develop a multipolar international system.

One of the paragraphs addresses the war in Ukraine and stresses the importance of upholding the UN Charter. The BRICS countries promised to promote “peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.”

The summit expressed concern about the impact of sanctions on global trade and sustainable growth. The New Development Bank, formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting financial co-operation. The leaders plan to establish a BRICS multilateral digital payment platform, BRICS Bridge, to ensure dollar-free settlements.

Striving for multipolar world

The leaders pointed out that the creation of a new payment system did not mean an attempt to force their economy, but only presented an alternative to the decades-long dominance of the dollar, as the US could exert pressure on the BRICS members through it.

Previously, the G20 tried to unite major global players, but the agenda’s focus on political issues in favour of certain countries sidelined economic outlook. BRICS, in turn, represents an option for frustrated countries in the developing Global South.

Economic experts predict further expansion of the alliance, which initially consisted of Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined them in 2010. Since then, the name the alliance became known as BRICS.

Nations on the list of candidates for accession or partners will probably be able to participate in official BRICS events, as well as in some of the platform’s initiatives.

Some experts even see BRICS as a substitute for the UN, which South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticised for its inability to resolve acute crises. Each participant of the BRICS summit is hoping to see the alliance as a safeguard against economic and political turmoil, as well as a means to ensure international support in case of unfair treatment.

Xiao Duong for Head-Post.com

Send your author content for publication in the INSIGHT section to headpost.social@gmail.com

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping commenced their much-anticipated bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Summit in Russia on Wednesday. This meeting marks a critical step towards addressing long-standing tensions and geopolitical concerns between the two Asian giants. TOP UPDATES The meeting of the two leaders come in the wake of the two sides reaching an agreement on patrolling along their disputed border. The agreement on patrolling arrangements on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), announced by India on Monday, had raised the possibility of the first formal interaction between Modi and Xi since their brief encounter on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali in November 2022. “I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting held between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping tomorrow (Wednesday)on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit,” Misri said at a press briefing. Both the leaders are currently in Russia’s Kazan, where Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazil’s Lula da Silva, and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa are also attending the summit. Click here for Latest Fact Checked News On NewsMobile WhatsApp Channel For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram   [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping commenced their much-anticipated bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Summit in Russia on Wednesday. This meeting marks a critical step towards addressing long-standing tensions and geopolitical concerns between the two Asian giants. TOP UPDATES The meeting of the two leaders come in the wake of the two sides reaching an agreement on patrolling along their disputed border. The agreement on patrolling arrangements on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), announced by India on Monday, had raised the possibility of the first formal interaction between Modi and Xi since their brief encounter on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali in November 2022. “I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting held between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping tomorrow (Wednesday)on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit,” Misri said at a press briefing. Both the leaders are currently in Russia’s Kazan, where Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazil’s Lula da Silva, and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa are also attending the summit. Click here for Latest Fact Checked News On NewsMobile WhatsApp Channel For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram   [ad_2] Source link

[sa7abnews]

Putin reaffirms Russia’s support for Palestine

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/16/putin-reaffirms-russias-support-for-palestine/

Putin reaffirms Russia’s support for Palestine

The Russian leader has held talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is in Moscow on an official visit

Moscow stands for the peaceful resolution of all conflicts, including those in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Tuesday during a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is in Moscow on a three-day visit. Putin praised Russia’s “long-standing, deep-rooted ties with the Arab world, and in particular with Palestine,” adding that it causes “great concern that a humanitarian catastrophe is occurring in Palestine right now.”  According to the Russian leader, the roots of the Gaza conflict are the result of international resolutions regarding the creation of an independent Palestinian state being ignored. “To establish long-lasting, reliable peace in the region, it is necessary that all the resolutions of the United Nations are implemented, first of all an independent Palestinian State must be established,” Putin stressed. “We have adhered to this position for a long time and it hasn’t changed with the changes of political environment.”  The Russian president said the situation in Gaza is of “great concern” due to mass losses among the civilian population, mostly women and children. According to the UN, the death toll has already approached 40,000 people, he noted. “We do everything we can to support the Palestinian people. As you know we have already sent some 700 tons of humanitarian aid,” Putin concluded. Abbas thanked the Russian government and people, saying: “We feel that Russia is one of the dearest friends of the Palestinian people.”  He pointed out that since 1947, more than 1,000 resolutions have been adopted by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

Read more

Another NATO state recognizes Palestine

“Only one resolution, if implemented, could have helped the Palestinian people to ensure their rights,” Abbas said, adding that “nevertheless, due to the pressure from the United States this mission has failed.”  Western countries that favor Palestinian statehood have thrown their support behind the Palestinian Authority, which is internationally considered the representative of the Palestinian people, but is a rival of Hamas and only controls parts of the West Bank. Currently the State of Palestine is recognized by 146 UN members and half of the G20, including China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, and Türkiye. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow the creation of a fully functional Palestinian state. However, Israeli authorities have seen a steady decline in Western support due to the mounting death toll resulting from the latest incursion into Gaza.

[werindialive]

Russian President praises Modi, says he is a ‘very wise man’

Vladimir Putin sang all praises for PM Modi as he called him a ‘very wise man’. He also added that under Modi’s leadership, India has made great progress in terms of development.

The Russian President also expressed his expectations of having stronger ties with India exploring the field of financial security and creating a combat strategy against cybercrime.

A Russian media platform shared a video in which Putin was recorded saying the same. "We share very good political relations with Prime Minister Modi, he is a very wise man. And India has been making very great strides in development under his leadership. This fully meets the interest of both India and Russia to work on this agenda,” he said during an event.

The remarks from the Russian leader came in close collaboration with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration at the G20 Summit in India.

It is important to note that the declaration said that it was high time to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine but did not blame Russia for it. This was contrary to the Bali declaration.

Welcomed by several countries, the New Delhi declaration was a success. It was welcomed by Moscow which termed it a ‘milestone’. Moscow also commended the role of Indian leadership in ‘consolidating’ the G20 countries from the Global South.

Putin also praised PM Modi last month when he said that Modi is doing a great job by promoting the Make in India program.

While addressing the 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), President Putin said, "You know, we did not have domestically made cars then, but we do now. It is true that they look more modest than Mercedes or Audi cars, which we bought in vast amounts in the 1990s, but this is not an issue. I think that we should emulate many of our partners, for example, India."

"They are focused on the manufacture and use of Indian-made vehicles. I think that Prime Minister Modi is doing the right thing in promoting the Make in India program. He is right," he added.

For more political news India in Hindi, subscribe to our newsletter.

[ruminativerabbi]

Taking the Peace Train

The G20 Summit is not an event that often captures my attention. Yes, it’s a theoretical big deal—the twenty wealthiest and most powerful nations and international organizations meeting annually (or at least theoretically annually) to discuss issues relating to the global economy, the earth’s changing climate, international financial issues, and matters relating to the question of sustainable development. Lots of talking! But that’s all it generally feels like to me: lots of talking, not much action, rarely any reason to foresee real or positive change. Maybe it’s just me! (And, just to be precise, the G20 has twenty-one members now that they voted to admit the African Union at this year’s summit.)

But this year’s summit was different. For one thing, it was the first G20 held in India. For another, certain key players were missing: Vladimir Putin sent his Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, and Xi Jinping sent Chinese premier Li Qiang in his stead. But what caught my attention this year had nothing to do with people in or not in attendance, but with an announcement by Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modai that President Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had agreed to join him in working to create a rail- and sea corridor that will pass through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel to link Europe and India in a way that even a year or two ago would have seemed unimaginable. That caught my attention. It won’t come cheap: conservative estimates put the price tag at something like $20 billion. But this project has the potential truly to change the face of the Middle East and I couldn’t agree more with President Biden’s assessment of the project as, and I quote, “a real big deal.” That, it surely is. Will it be possible to take a train from Paris to Tel Aviv and then continue on to Abu Dhabi…and then take advantage of a dedicated ferry link to Mumbai? Now that would be a trip I’d take in a heartbeat!

There was a time when the Middle East, including Turkish Palestine, was linked by a vast network of railroad tracks. I think of that often when I imagine what could be in the future in the Middle East. But, of course, thinking of the future by remembering the past is so basic to the way Jews think of the world that that kind of fantasy comes almost naturally.

Abdul Hamid II, forgotten today by most in the West, was the last sultan of the soon-to-be-mostly-dismantled Ottoman Empire. He reigned from 1876 to 1909, and left behind a legacy so brutal that he was known in his own day as the Red Sultan (i.e., with reference to the amount of innocent blood his forces spilled). But he was also a railroad enthusiast and built the Hijaz Railroad, connecting Damascus, Haifa, Basra (today in southern Iraq), Lod, and Medina (in today’s Saudi Arabia). It cost a fortune to build—the final price was the equivalent of 15% of the budget of the entire empire—and was financed entirely by the Ottomans with contributions from Muslims around the world. The remainder, the Sultan made up himself with public funds. It took years to complete the project and then, finally, passenger service began in 1908.

Israel was then still part of the Ottoman Empire. World War I was years in the future. No one imagined then that a war of almost unimaginable barbarism was a mere six years away. But even fewer, if anyone at all, could have guessed that when the dust settled Israel would be wrested from the Ottomans and handed over to, of all nations, Great Britain. That actually did happen, of course. But I believe that prospect would have struck most, if not all, as unimaginable in 1908. And so, when the railroad began operating, it was to the Ottoman Empire what the Transcontinental Railroad was for the United States in 1869: a way to united a large nation of disparate states and regions by making travel reasonable, inexpensive, and easy between its far-flung states or provinces. By 1914, there were three weekly trains from Damascus to Medina and seven weekly trains ferrying people from Damascus to Haifa. (The trip from Damascus to Haifa took 11.5 hours. By way of comparison, it took 83.5 hours to travel from New York to San Francisco by rail in 1876.)  

Not many people think about what life was like in Ottoman times these days. But, of course, the great efforts of the early Zionists was precisely to bring Jews to Turkish Palestine. When Joan and I got married in 1980, some of her great-uncles were still alive and I heard lots of stories from them about their aliyah in 1909 to what was then a moshavah outside of Petach Tikvah called Ein Ganim. They had a lot to tell, but the detail that stuck me then was Uncle Shimshon’s comment that they fully expected the Jewish State to be born on land wrested from the Ottoman Empire. And so these Yiddish-speaking Polish Jews took Hebrew lessons out of conviction, but they also took daily Turkish class so as to be able to deal with the government, the bank, the post office, the local police, etc. Shimshon himself worked as a trumpet player in the Turkish Police Orchestra in Jerusalem, a job that most Israelis today would find surprising even to know once existed at all, let alone was open to Jewish musicians. But it was!

The announcement of a new rail-and-sea link from Europe to India G20 got me to remember the old Hijaz Railroad. (Hijaz, by the way, is the name of the western part of Saudia Arabia  where Mecca and Medina both are located.) And then I noted in the paper something even more surprising: that Hayim Katz, the Israeli Minister of Tourism, entered Saudi Arabia a few days ago to attend a U.N. Conference, thus becoming the first Israeli cabinet minister to travel in public to that nation…and that Naif al-Sudairi, the Saudi ambassador to the Palestinians, traveled through Israel to the West Bank to meet with officials of the Palestinian Authority. And that double-headed piece of unexpected news, combined with the endless speculation that I see all across the press and the internet that the Saudis may soon join the Abraham Accords, which decision would almost inevitably bring along other Muslim-majority countries as well, has filled me with an uncustomary sense of cautious optimism as this new year dawns.

What concessions Israel would be called upon to make as their part of the bargain, I have no idea. Where the Palestinians would fit into all of this, if they would part of it at all, I also have no idea. (On the other hand, I can assure you that that is precisely what Ambassador al-Sudairi is discussing with the Palestinian leadership this week.) But the announcement at the G20 that the world’s leaders can already imagine flying to Istanbul and then traveling easily through Israel, Jordan, and Saudia Arabia to India has truly caught my imagination. The Hijaz Railroad is probably gone for good—I don’t see the Syrians establishing a rail link between Damascus and Tel Aviv anytime soon. But the idea of taking the train from Haifa to Medina, or north to Beirut (which was also a public train line not that long ago) is thrilling.

So that’s my dream. A Middle East united not by political theory or by treaties, but by actual travel, by the interaction of people eager to live together and to prosper as neighbors and, even, as friends. To buy each other’s tchotchkes in the shuk. To attend each other’s universities. To learn each other’s language. Coincidentally, and while I was daydreaming about taking the train to Medina, one of our Shelter Rockers sent me a link to a blog published by the Times of Israel in which a Syrian woman named Rawan Osman wrote very movingly about her first encounters with Jewish people and with Israelis. (To read her piece, click here.) And her point was the same as mine: that the way barriers between peoples are broken down is not by politicians talking at each other, but by people actually meeting, drinking coffee in each other’s café’s, window-shopping on each other’s streets, etc. But most of all, connections are created through free, unfettered, affordable travel. And railroad travel could be the key to it all.

This last summer, Joan and I took the train for the first time from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. It was a great experience for us: on time, clean, comfortable…and incredibly fast: we were in Tel Aviv less than 45 minutes after leaving Jerusalem. So that was great. Maybe next summer we’ll take the train to Amman. Or to Medina. A new year is dawning. Who knows what it might not bring?

[zvaigzdelasas]

Western support for Israel’s assault on Gaza has poisoned efforts to build consensus with significant developing countries on condemning Russia’s war against Ukraine, officials and diplomats have warned.[...]

In the flurry of emergency diplomatic visits, video conferences and calls, western officials have been accused of failing to defend the interests of 2.3mn Palestinians in their rush to condemn the Hamas attack and support Israel. In the first days after Hamas’s assault, some western diplomats worried that the US was giving carte blanche to Israel to attack Gaza with full force. That had eroded efforts since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine to build consensus with leading states in the so-called Global South — such as India, Brazil and South Africa — on the need to uphold a global rules-based order, said more than a dozen western officials.[...] “We have definitely lost the battle in the Global South,” said one senior G7 diplomat. “All the work we have done with the Global South [over Ukraine] has been lost . . . Forget about rules, forget about world order. They won’t ever listen to us again.”

Many developing countries have traditionally supported the Palestinian cause, seeing it through the prism of self-determination and a push against the global dominance of the US, Israel’s most important backer.[...] Some American diplomats are privately concerned that the Biden administration’s response has failed to acknowledge how its broad support of Israel can alienate much of the Global South.[...] Russia and its ally China have cultivated warm ties with the Palestinians. Russia’s president Vladimir Putin on Tuesday met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. “What we said about Ukraine has to apply to Gaza. Otherwise we lose all our credibility,” the senior G7 diplomat added. “The Brazilians, the South Africans, the Indonesians: why should they ever believe what we say about human rights?”[...]

Just four weeks before the Hamas assault on Israel, leaders from the US, EU and western allies attended the G20 summit in New Delhi and asked developing nations to condemn Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians in order to uphold respect for the UN charter and international law. Since last Sunday, many of those officials told the Financial Times they have had the same argument read back at them in demands for condemnation of Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza, and of its decision to restrict water, electricity and gas supplies there.

17 Oct 23

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Lula, Who Has already Considered Appealing to The ICC, Says He 'Didn't even Know about The Existence' of The Hague Court

The PT member guaranteed that Vladimir Putin, the subject of the court's arrest warrant, would not be detained if he came to Brazil

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stated this Monday (11) that he did not know about the existence of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The statement was made at a press conference after the G20 summit in New Delhi, India.

"I didn't even know about the existence of this court," said the PT member, adding that he intended to investigate the reason why Brazil was a signatory to the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty, while great powers such as the United States and China were not. "It seems to me that the countries of the UN Security Council are not signatories, only the 'little ones'", he added.

There is, however, a series of evidence that Lula is, indeed, aware of the existence of the court. In February 2003, he was involved in the appointment of the first Brazilian judge to participate in the court, Sylvia Steiner. Furthermore, as Folha showed, he and other PT leaders spoke out in favor of the ICC in recent years, defending that the body should judge Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for crimes against humanity related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source.

[mirecalemoments01]

PM Modi Invites US President Joe Biden as Chief Guest for 2024 Republic Day Parade

In a significant diplomatic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended an invitation to US President Joe Biden to be the Chief Guest at India's Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2024. This invitation, made during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit, marks a gesture of strengthening India-US relations and promoting global cooperation. A Special Invitation During their meeting, Prime Minister Modi personally invited President Biden to grace the Republic Day celebrations, a tradition where India invites world leaders to attend the grand event. This invitation underscores the importance India places on its partnership with the United States and signifies a desire to deepen bilateral ties. The Role of the US Ambassador US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, confirmed this significant development. His announcement came in response to inquiries about reports suggesting that India might also extend invitations to leaders of the Quad nations, which include India, the US, Japan, and Australia, to participate in the Republic Day festivities. Ambassador Garcetti, however, indicated that he was not aware of such plans. A Symbol of India's Commitment The Quad, a strategic forum of these four democratic nations, is a platform for discussions on regional and global issues, including security and climate change. Hosting the Quad summit in India would further signify the country's commitment to fostering collaboration in addressing shared challenges. Republic Day Tradition India's Republic Day celebrations are a prestigious annual event where the country showcases its rich cultural diversity, military prowess, and achievements. It is customary for India to invite a prominent international guest of honor to the parade, reflecting the nation's diplomatic relations and its emphasis on global cooperation. Previous Chief Guests In recent years, several notable leaders have graced India's Republic Day celebrations. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the Chief Guest at this year's event. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no Chief Guests in 2021 and 2022. In 2020, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was the Chief Guest, while in 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the parade. A History of Distinguished Guests Over the years, India has welcomed an array of international leaders as Chief Guests at the Republic Day parade. This prestigious list includes figures like Nicolas Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, John Major, Mohammed Khatami, and Jacques Chirac. Each visit has reinforced the importance of India's diplomatic ties with nations across the globe. A Multifaceted Celebration India's Republic Day parade is a multifaceted celebration featuring military displays, cultural performances, and the vibrant tableau of India's states and union territories. It is a moment when the nation showcases its unity in diversity, highlighting its commitment to democratic values and progress. Conclusion Prime Minister Modi's invitation to President Biden for the 2024 Republic Day Parade serves as a testament to the growing India-US partnership and the significance of global collaboration. As India prepares to host this prestigious event, it reinforces its commitment to diplomacy, international cooperation, and the celebration of democracy. Why did Prime Minister Narendra Modi invite US President Joe Biden to India's Republic Day celebrations in 2024?Prime Minister Modi extended the invitation to President Biden as a gesture of strengthening bilateral relations between India and the United States and promoting global cooperation. What is the significance of President Biden's potential visit to India for Republic Day?President Biden's visit, if realized, would highlight the importance that India places on its partnership with the US. It would also signify a desire to deepen diplomatic ties and enhance collaboration on global issues. Are there plans to invite leaders of the Quad nations to the Republic Day celebrations as well?While there have been reports suggesting such plans, US Ambassador Eric Garcetti indicated that he was not aware of any such arrangements. How does India traditionally select the Chief Guest for its Republic Day parade?India typically invites a prominent international guest of honor to the Republic Day parade, reflecting the country's diplomatic relations and its emphasis on global cooperation. The choice of Chief Guest is a significant diplomatic decision. Read the full article

[rocknews]

Russian President Putin praises 'Make in India' initiative; says it's the 'right thing' to do

Putin made these remarks in response to a question on domestic-made cars and cited India's model as an example for Russia to emulate.

VLADIVOSTOK: President Vladimir Putin has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and said Russia can emulate the success stories of its partners like India in promoting the growth of its domestic industries.

Putin made these remarks on Tuesday while speaking at the Plenary session of the 8th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, a major port city in sanctions-hit Russia’s Far East region.

While responding to a question on Russian-made cars, Putin said, “You know, we did not have domestically made cars then, but we do now. It is true that they look more modest than Mercedes or Audi cars, which we bought in vast amounts in the 1990s, but this is not an issue. I think that we should emulate many of our partners, for example, India.”

Prime Minister Modi launched the ‘Make in India’ campaign in 2014 to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, protect intellectual property & build best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure.

The ‘Make in India’ initiative is based on four pillars, which have been identified to give a boost to entrepreneurship in India, not only in manufacturing but also in other sectors.

“They are focused on the manufacture and use of Indian-made vehicles. I think that Prime Minister Modi is doing the right thing in promoting the Make in India programme. He is right,” the Russian leader said.

He further added that it is absolutely fine to use Russian-made automobiles.

“We have (Russian-made) automobiles, and we must use them; this is absolutely fine. This will not lead to any infringements of our WTO obligations, absolutely not. It will concern state purchases. We must create a certain chain regarding what cars different classes of officials can drive so that they will use domestically-made cars.”

Putin also said that the ‘India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor’ (IMEC) will in no way affect Russia and claimed that it will, in fact, benefit the country.

The IMEC was launched during the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

On Saturday, the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was jointly announced by the leaders of the US, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union on the sidelines of the summit in New Delhi.

Putin did not personally attend the G20 summit because of his “busy schedule.”

“I think it is for our good; it will help us develop logistics,” Putin said while responding to a question about whether the IMEC initiative will affect the implementation of Russia’s and Chinese projects and what it means for Russia in general.

“First, this project (IMEC) has been discussed for a long time, maybe for the past several years. Truth be told, the Americans joined it at the last minute. But I do not really see why they would want to be part of it, except maybe in terms of some business interest.”

“In the meantime, the additional traffic of goods along this corridor will be in fact an addition to our North-South project. We do not see anything here that could harm us in any way,” he said.

“The North-South corridor goes to the Persian Gulf and then to India. If there is another route, I believe it includes Israel, we will be able to reach the Mediterranean through the Black Sea and use this corridor,” he added.

“I do not know, the colleagues who presented this project need to consider it carefully. This is only a memorandum of intent so far,” he added.

The new economic corridor is seen as an alternative to China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).