(January 2, 2024)
The deal, which has not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.
The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.
Starmer‘s Labour party had said it would seek a security and defence treaty with Germany if it won the July 4 general election, which it did by a landslide — propelling him to the premiership.
“The back-and-forth statements in the media are for public consumption. What matters is what’s happening behind closed doors, in intelligence coordination meetings in Cairo and other capitals.”
Likewise, Joost Hiltermann, an analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank, said suspension of the treaty “won’t happen”.
“Relations between Israel and Egypt remain strong, despite what is taking place in Gaza.”
Der ukrainische Präsident Selenskyj ist zu Besuch in Berlin. Dort soll ein Sicherheitsabkommen unterschrieben werden – ebenso wie später mit Frankreich. Denn das langfristige Ziel der Ukraine, ein NATO-Beitritt, ist nicht in Sicht.
(19.01.2024)
Der Tarifabschluss umfasst:
– Die Absenkung der Referenzarbeitszeit für Schichtarbeiter auf die 35-Stunden-Woche ohne Entgeltkürzung bis 1. Januar 2028;
– Die Erhöhung der Entgelte um 240 Euro zum 1. Mai 2024 und um 180 Euro zum 1. Februar 2025, also insgesamt um 420 Euro;
– Die Gewährung einer Inflationsausgleichsprämie (unter Anrechnung der bereits gezahlten IAP) in Höhe von 3 000 Euro mit der März-Vergütung, Teilzeitarbeitnehmer mit unter 50 Prozent Arbeitszeit-Soll und Auszubildende erhalten 1 500 Euro;
– Die grundsätzliche Fünf-Tage-Woche ab 2025;
– Die Erhöhung des Arbeitgeberbeitrags zur betrieblichen Altersvorsorge auf 2,4 Prozent, ebenfalls in zwei Schritten.
(December 23, 2023 7:03 PM)
Houthi officials in September visited Riyadh for the first time since the war broke out. That followed a first round of Omani-mediated consultations between Riyadh and Sanaa, running in parallel to U.N. peace efforts, when Saudi envoys visited Sanaa in April.
The peace initiatives gained momentum after arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish ties in a deal brokered by China. A permanent ceasefire in Yemen would mark a milestone in stabilising the Middle East.
The Israeli minister’s comments showed the penetration of “extremism and brutality” among members of the Israeli government, a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.
“Moreover, not dismissing the minister and only freezing his membership constitutes the utmost disregard for all human standards and values,” it added.
„These statements constitute a violation of international law, as well as incitement to commit grave violations of International Humanitarian Law, such as war crimes, and raise grave concerns of an intent to commit genocide,“ the UAE said. Jordan released a similar statement describing Eliyahu‘s comments as a „call for genocide and a hate crime that cannot be ignored,“ while the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that it „strongly condemns the threat made by an Israeli minister to strike Gaza with a nuclear bomb and considers it a serious incitement to a war crime.“
(October 5, 2023)
Fitzpatrick notes Saudi Arabia acquired more advanced DF-21 missiles from China in 2007, although Riyadh has never acknowledged the purchase. He also says that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) approved Saudi Arabia’s acquisition because they were modified not to carry nuclear warheads.
However, the inaccuracy of those missiles means that they are only suitable for large targets such as cities and would be ineffective with anything less than a nuclear warhead.
(31 December 2013)
This coincided with French President François Hollande’s visit to Riyadh.
The two companies have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with 5 Saudi industrial partners (Zamil Steel, Bahra Cables, Riyadh Cables, Saudi Pumps, Descon Olayan).
These agreements aim to develop the industrial and technical skills of local companies. They reflect AREVA and EDF‘s desire to build an extended network of Saudi suppliers for future nuclear projects in the country.
(29. November 2006)
Im Süden werden demnächst die Abbau-Rechte für Kupfererz im Werte von 1.6 Billionen Dollar an internationale Konzerne vergeben.
Aynak (Ainak), nördliches Ende der Provinz Logar, 35 Kilometer südlich von Kabul: hier im wüsten Landes des Kriegsgebietes von Südafghanistan sind nicht nur Opium, Waffen und Krieg als Geld-oder Gewinnquelle zu haben – hier liegen laut Sondierungen durch US- und britischen Behörden 240 Millionen Tonnen Kupfererz mit einem Kupfergehalt von 2.3%, dicht unter der Erdoberfläche und leicht abzubauen.
BAE Systems wolle Partner der Ukraine sein im Krieg um Freiheit und Unabhängigkeit sowie beim Aufbau einer starken Rüstungsindustrie, sagte Firmenchef Charles Woodburn.
Der deutsche Waffenhersteller Rheinmetall hat mit dem staatlichen ukrainischen Rüstungskonzern Ukroboronprom im Mai ein Gemeinschaftsunternehmen gegründet.
(29.08.2023)
Kielce, Poland: BAE Systems (Hall F, stand 9) will demonstrate its range of defence and security solutions for land, sea, air, space and cyberspace at MSPO 2023. During the show, held at Targi Kielce, Poland, from 5 to 8 September, the Company will also showcase its teams working in Poland, its partnerships with the Polish military and other companies in the Polish defence sector.
(Aug 31, 2023)
According to a press release, following the meeting of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy with BAE Systems’ CEO Charles Woodburn to open a representative office of BAE Systems in Ukraine, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and BAE Systems CEO signed a Framework Agreement on Cooperation on the repair, spare parts and production of new L119 howitzers.
(02.08.2023)
British defence company BAE Systems said it was making progress on a plan to set up a base in Ukraine to produce and repair weapons from tanks to artillery.
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, on the other hand, is negotiating a new “WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response”, which is referred to as the “Pandemic Treaty”. While both these processes are separate, they maintain close coordination with each other as both aim to submit final negotiated documents before the World Health Assembly in 2024.
(May 31, 2016)
The basic framework was strikingly simple. The U.S. would buy oil from Saudi Arabia and provide the kingdom military aid and equipment. In return, the Saudis would plow billions of their petrodollar revenue back into Treasuries and finance America’s spending.
It took several discreet follow-up meetings to iron out all the details, Parsky said. But at the end of months of negotiations, there remained one small, yet crucial, catch: King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud demanded the country’s Treasury purchases stay “strictly secret,” according to a diplomatic cable obtained by Bloomberg from the National Archives database.
“So our commitments have, I think, $38 billion in aid, military support, etc. going in through 2028,” he noted, referring to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2016 pledging Israel $3.8 billion a year from 2019 through 2028. “I want to get Israel to the place where it is negotiated back into the infrastructure of the rest of the Middle East. We should not be worried about holding one nation or one region hostage over one particular question relating to Palestine,” he said.
(March 19, 2023)
In general, the Saudis wish to present themselves as Iran’s equals, and if Iran can enrich uranium, say the Saudis, then so can we. In addition, the Saudis want to keep all their nuclear options open, even if they are not intending to work on the development of nuclear weapons immediately.
(2 Jul 2023)
Israel will buy its third fleet of F-35 stealth fighter jets in a deal worth $3bn that will be financed through US military aid, according to the Israeli military.
Israel’s Ministry of Defence approved the purchase on Sunday, with the additional 25 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin to bring the number of F-35 jets in Israel’s air force to 75.
(July 11, 2023)
Another significant challenge is the relatively long distance between Israel and Iranian nuclear targets, which is approximately 1,200 miles, beyond the conventional travel distances of Israeli Air Force planes.
For this reason, the IAF is eyeing new American-made Boeing KC-46 refueling planes, which would likely be crucial for a potential strike.
His visit came days after U.S. President Joe Biden said that U.S. officials have been negotiating with their Saudi counterparts to broker a normalization agreement between Riyadh and Jerusalem. But he noted that Israel and Saudi Arabia were still a „long way“ from a normalization agreement, which would include a defense agreement with Washington and help to set up a civilian nuclear program.
Wagner private military company boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has left Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don in southwestern Russia, new video, posted to Telegram and geolocated and authenticated by CNN, shows. CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh reports.
The abrupt about-face follows a rare, remarkable challenge to the Kremlin that threatened to plunge the country into crisis and destabilize its already stumbling war efforts in Ukraine.
The threat of civil war leaves the country – and the Putin regime – in a very different place Sunday than it had been just two days prior. And with Russia possessing the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, that instability has other nations on edge, prompting emergency meetings and high-level talks.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed that Prigozhin, a Saint Petersburg tycoon who made his initial fortune in catering, „will go to Belarus.“
He added that Wagner‘s fighters will not be persecuted, taking into account their efforts on the frontlines of the Ukraine conflict. Peskov explained that President Vladimir Putin‘s team „have always respected their exploits.“
PMC contractors who refused to take part in the mutiny – and whole units did not – will be allowed to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry, Peskov stated.
Die Vereinbarung sei vom belarusischen Staatschef Alexander Lukaschenko vermittelt worden, sagte Peskow. Dieser habe seine Hilfe angeboten, da er Prigoschin seit etwa 20 Jahren persönlich kenne. Putin habe dem zugestimmt.
(today)
Sherman took an even harder line on potential nuclear assistance, noting that Saudi Arabia has resisted the sort of safeguards to which other U.S. partners such as the United Arab Emirates have agreed. He argued that a nuclear-armed Saudi Arabia could be just as dangerous as a nuclear-armed Iran.
“Just because the Saudis are not Shiites does not mean that they are Zionists,” Sherman said.
(today / May 30, 2023)
„I say this to be as clear as I can within the framework of the fog that exists for us, too,“ Hanegbi said. „We are not really aware, right now, of what is happening in the Saudi-American corridors.“
The Israeli official suggested that any new U.S. weapons to Riyadh would have to comply with Washington’s commitment to preserving an Israeli “qualitative military edge” in the region, and predicted that any Saudi civilian nuclear program would first have to clear U.S. counter-proliferation regulations.
(July 15, 2022)
Riyadh is believed to have a covert relationship with Israel but has yet to officially disclose those diplomatic ties. In 2020, then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly flew to Saudi Arabia for a covert meeting with the kingdom’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – a claim that was denied by Riyadh’s top diplomat.
(25 February 2015)
Being able to use Saudi airspace would allow Israeli planes a shortcut to reach Iran without having to fly around the Persian Gulf, taking up precious time and fuel.
According to the dispatch, Israel and Saudi Arabia also share intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program at a very intimate level and the Saudis are no less worried by details coming out of the Geneva talks than Israeli leaders, who have loudly spoken out against the talks.
(28.03.2023)
Saudi Arabia is reportedly demanding that the White House unfreeze some weapons deals from the Trump administration that were put on hold when US President Joe Biden took office.
Saudi Arabia is also reportedly seeking a defense treaty with the US, akin to NATO, and US approval for a civilian nuclear program in exchange for full normalization with Israel.
(11.Mai 2014)
Die Menschen sowohl im Osten, wie auch im Westen der Ukraine werden in der bereits seit Jahren explizit von der Berliner Nomenklatura systematisch betriebenen Spaltung und damit Zerstörung des (nach Russland) größten Flächenstaates Osteuropas lediglich benutzt. Der Öffentlichkeit, gerade der in einem der reichsten und einflussreichsten Länder auf dem Planeten, nämlich Deutschland – wird eine Konfrontation vorgegaukelt, die so nicht existiert. Dienen soll diese inszenierte Dialektik zweier sich bekriegender Seiten ausschließlich den imperialen Zwecken der seit bald dreizehn Jahren weltweit wie ein Krebsgeschwür wuchernden Kriegsgewinnlern, feudalen Finanzmogulen, Spionage-Apparaten, Kontrollbehörden, etc. Deren Interesse bedient ein Zerfall, eine Zerstörung der Ukraine, als Dynamo für ein Fortsetzen des bald dreizehnjährigen Krieges „on terror“, mit dem nun nichtfiktiven, sehr realen Feind Russland, China, bzw umgekehrt dem „Westen“.
Denken wir nur ein paar Monate zurück: Deutsche Soldaten gefangen genommen von „Pro-Russen“ in der Ukraine? Gefahr eines „Weltkrieges“? Zerfall der Ukraine?
Nehmen wir an, ich hätte letzten September, so um den 11., eine entsprechende Prognose abgegeben. Wie, meinen Sie, wäre ich genannt worden?
When the negotiation‘s deadline is reached, the host of laws which seek to alter the nature of Basic Laws and allow the government to easily pass semi-constitutional laws will be passed as a single package of legislation, sources with knowledge of the emerging deal said.
(May. 18, 2023)
Despite the eye-watering sum, Deutsche Bank did not admit any wrongdoing as a result of the settlement, sources told the WSJ. “This groundbreaking settlement is the culmination of two law firms conducting more than a decade-long investigation to hold one of Epstein’s financial banking partners responsible for the role it played in facilitating his trafficking organization,” lawyers for the plaintiffs said in a statement.
Russland und die Ukraine lieferten vor dem Krieg fast ein Viertel der Getreideexporte weltweit. Im Juli 2022 kam die Schwarzmeer-Getreide-Initiative zustande, die von den Vereinten Nationen und der Türkei vermittelt wurde. Sie erlaubt kontrollierte Getreideausfuhren aus den Schwarzmeer-Häfen Odessa, Tschornomorsk und Piwdennyj (Juschny).
Speaking at the daily press briefing, António Guterres welcomed Russia’s decision to continue its involvement in the Initiative, which has allowed the safe export of more than 30 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs from Ukraine, via its Black Sea ports, and also aims to ensure the flow of food and fertilizer from Russia, through a Memorandum of Understanding.
The Initiative began in July last year, and is run by a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC), staffed with representatives from Russia, Ukraine, the United Nations, and Türkiye, headquartered in Istanbul.
(April 19, 2023 )
EcoHealth Alliance’s $3.3 million grant to fund a project titled “Understanding the Risk of Coronavirus Emergence” was initially to run from October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2018. The first “Project/Performance Site Location” is the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Three other Chinese sites follow: East China Normal University in Shanghai, Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention in Dali, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong in Guangzhou.
On May 27, 2014, the NIH awarded EcoHealth Alliance $3,086,735 over five years for “Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence.”
An EcoHealth Alliance grant application, received by the NIH on June 5, 2013, includes a list of “Senior/Key Personnel” including Shi Zhengli and Zhang Yun-Zhi of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV); Peter Daszak, CEO of EcoHealth Alliance; and other Chinese scientists, including Ke Changwen of the Chinese “CDC and Prevention of Guangdong Province.”
In der Periode der zweiten Obama-Präsidentschaft (2012-2016) war nach heftigen Debatten um „GoF“ die bundesstaatliche Förderung dafür mit Gültigkeit ab 2014 vorerst ausgesetzt worden – ein zeitweiliges „Moratorium“. Ein eigenes Verfahren zum Genehmigen von Vorhaben mit „besonders riskanten“ Mikroben sollte entwickelt werden. (2) Das setzte Grenzen für den Fortgang der Vorhaben an Barics UNC-Instituten für Virologie und Epidemiologie. Zur Hilfe kam eine Absprache zur Zusammenarbeit mit dem WIV, vermittelt durch die New Yorker Organisation „EcoHealth Alliance“ und deren Chef Peter Daszak, die dafür gerade noch rechtzeitig eine Finanzierung seitens NIH/NIAID beantragt hatte, die dann von Faucis NIAID ebenfalls noch 2013 für fünf Jahre ab 2014 genehmigt wurde.