Geopolitics - what is going on in the world

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59246899

Belarus threatens to cut off gas to EU in border row

Belarus's leader has threatened to cut off gas supplies to Europe if sanctions are imposed over an escalating migrant crisis at the country's border.

Thousands of people are at the border with Poland, enduring freezing conditions in the hope of crossing into the European Union.

EU officials have accused Belarus of provoking the crisis to undermine its security, an allegation it denies.

In retaliation, the EU is reportedly planning a fresh package of sanctions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/59233244

Where are the migrants coming from?

Many of those arriving in Belarus and then attempting to reach the EU in recent months have come from the Middle East, as well as from Afghanistan, but there also smaller numbers from further afield including countries in Africa.

Data from the EU's border force, Frontex, for September (the latest that is available) shows the main countries of origin for migrants detected that month crossing the bloc's eastern land borders were:

• Iraq
• Syria
• Afghanistan
• Turkey
• Iran

The numbers have been growing steadily since the summer, and these are just the crossings that are detected and reported to Frontex.

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https://news.sky.com/story/amp/microsoft-founder-bill-gates-warns-of-bioterrorist-attacks-and-urges-world-leaders-to-use-germ-games-to-prepare-in-interview-with-jeremy-hunt-12459391

Microsoft founder Bill Gates warns of bioterrorist attacks and urges world leaders to use 'germ games' to prepare in interview with Jeremy Hunt

 

Bill Gates, who is the fourth richest man in the world, said "tens of billions" will need to be spent in research and development to prepare for the next pandemic.

  Saturday 6 November 2021 06:17, UK

Bill Gates said governments must get ready for future pandemics and smallpox terror attacks by investing billions in research and development.

During a sit-down interview with the chair of the Health Select Committee, Jeremy Hunt, for the think tank Policy Exchange, Mr Gates suggested "germ games" could be used to practise how to respond to such events.

He also called for the formation of a new billion-dollar World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Task Force.

[dallysingh101 7,440]

Jeremy Hunt

East London rhyming slang will let you know exactly what these people are.....

 

 

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4 hours ago, dallysingh101 said:

Jeremy Hunt

East London rhyming slang will let you know exactly what these people are.....

 

 

 

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-59258112

A Myanmar military court has sentenced US journalist Danny Fenster to 11 years in jail.

Fenster was found guilty of breaching immigration law, unlawful association and encouraging dissent against the military. 

He was earlier this week slapped with two additional charges of sedition and terrorism, which carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. 

His trial on the new charges will begin on 16 November.

Fenster, 37, who was the managing editor of online site Frontier Myanmar, was detained at Yangon international airport in May. He is one of dozens of local journalists that have been detained since a military coup in February.

[shastarSingh 3,469]

 

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59254828

 

Julian Assange has been granted permission to marry his partner Stella Moris in Belmarsh prison, the BBC has been told.

The Wikileaks founder and Ms Moris have two sons together, who she said were conceived while he was living inside London's Ecuadorean embassy.

The prison service said Mr Assange's application was "considered in the usual way by the prison governor".

Ms Moris told PA she was "relieved that reason [had] prevailed".

She added: "I hope there will be no further interference with our marriage."

Inmates are entitled to apply to be married in prison under the Marriages Act 1983 and where applications are granted, they must meet the full costs of the marriage, with no taxpayer help.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday last year, Ms Moris, a South African-born lawyer, revealed that she had been in a relationship with Mr Assange since 2015 and had been raising their two young sons on her own.

In a video posted on Wikileaks' YouTube account, she said she had met Mr Assange in 2011 when she joined his legal team.

Ms Moris added that she had visited him in the embassy almost every day and had "got to know Julian very well".

The couple fell in love in 2015 and got engaged two years later.

Ms Moris said that Mr Assange had watched both boys being born via video link and they had visited their father at the embassy.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-59276428

 

At least 68 prisoners have been killed in new fighting at an Ecuadorean prison where more than a hundred inmates died in clashes between rival gangs in September, officials say.

The riot at the Litoral Penitentiary in the city of Guayaquil reportedly began on Friday evening.

Police tactical units who have entered prison buildings have found guns, explosives and blades, reports say.

Nearly 300 inmates have died so far this year in the country's prisons.

September's gang-related violence was the worst in Ecuador's history.

At the time, inmates from one wing of the prison crawled through a hole to gain access to a different wing, where they attacked rival gang members. Hundreds of officers and army soldiers were deployed to regain control of the complex.

The deadly fight, which saw some inmates decapitated, drew attention to the growing influence in Ecuador of transnational crime gangs such as the Mexico-based Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59280241

 

China and India will have to explain themselves to climate-vulnerable nations, COP26 President Alok Sharma has said as the summit ends.

It comes after the two nations pushed for the language on coal to change from "phase out" to "phase down" in the deal agreed in Glasgow.

But Mr Sharma insisted the "historic" deal "keeps 1.5C within reach".

It is the first ever climate deal that plans explicitly to reduce coal - the worst fossil fuel for greenhouse gases.

Mr Sharma said the deal struck in the Glasgow climate pact was a "fragile win" and urged China and India to "justify" their actions to nations that are more vulnerable to the effects of global warming.

He told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "I am going to be calling on everyone to do more.

"But as I said, in relation to what happened yesterday, China and India will have to explain themselves and what they did to the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world."

He added: "I wouldn't describe what we did yesterday as a failure - it is a historic achievement."

The world is currently 1.2C warmer than it was in the 19th Century. One of the main goals set out by COP26 was to ensure we do not go above 1.5C by 2100.

The climate summit had to go into overtime for the deal to be agreed and came to an end late on Saturday.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-59280215

the son of Libya's late leader Muammar al-Gaddafi has registered as a candidate in the country's first direct presidential election next month.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was once the heir apparent to his father, but his support for a brutal crackdown on protesters 10 years ago tarnished his image. 

Since that 2011 uprising, Libya has been riven by conflict. 

Rights groups have raised fears the vote, scheduled for 24 December, will not be free and fair.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-59288177

Australian women sue over Qatar airport strip-searches

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1 hour ago

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IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

The women were hauled off a Qatar Airways flight in Doha last year (file photo)

A group of Australian women who were strip-searched and examined at Doha airport are suing authorities in Qatar.

The women were ordered off a flight and checked for whether they had given birth after a baby was found in a bin at Hamad Airport in October 2020.

They described their experience as state-sanctioned assault and the incident sparked widespread outrage.

Qatar later apologised and one airport official was handed a suspended jail sentence.

But the women say their cases have since been ignored.

They were taken off the Qatar Airways plane by armed guards before being taken into ambulances on the tarmac where they were inspected by nurses.

The women said they did not consent to the examinations and were not given explanations for what was happening to them.

One of the women, who did not want to be named, told the BBC she was "subjected to the most horrifically invasive physical exam".

"I was certain that I was either going to be killed by one of the many men that had a gun, or that my husband on the plane was going to be killed," she said in a statement from her lawyer.

The examinations lasted about five minutes before they were escorted back to their flight.

Several women reported the incident to police after landing in Australia, sparking public attention and condemnation from several nations.

• Qatar to investigate 'invasive exams' of women
• 'Grossly disturbing' strip-searches anger Australia

At the time, Qatar's Prime Minister Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani tweeted an apology saying: "We regret the unacceptable treatment of the female passengers... What took place does not reflect Qatar's laws or values."

The Gulf state launched a criminal prosecution which led to a suspended jail term for an airport official.

But Damian Sturzaker, a lawyer for seven of the women, told the BBC they had been "met with a wall of silence" despite trying to engage with the Qatari authorities.

They want a formal apology from Qatar and the airport to change its procedures to make sure the incident does not happen again, Mr Sturzaker said.

The women are seeking damages and allege assault, battery, trespass and false imprisonment by the Qatari government, Qatar's Civil Aviation Authority and Qatar Airways.

One of the women- who she had recurring flashbacks and nightmares about the incident - said the alleged lack of action from the Qatari authorities had spurred the women to take action.

"By speaking up, we want to ensure that no woman is ever subjected to the demoralising, horrendous treatment we were subjected to," she said.

Qatar is set to receive thousands of foreign visitors when it hosts the 2022 football World Cup.

The country's embassy in Canberra and Qatar Airways have not yet responded to the BBC's requests for comment.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59257322

Google has announced that it will invest A$1bn ($740m, £550m) in Australia over the next five years.

It is the US technology giant's largest investment in the country to date.

Google says the money will be used to build a research hub, increase its cloud computing capacity and fund partnerships with local organisations.

The move - named the Digital Future Initiative - is expected to directly create 6,000 jobs and support 28,000 overall.

"Australia can help lead the world's next wave of innovation, harnessing technology to improve lives, create jobs, and make progress," Google boss Sundar Pichai said at the initiative's launch in Sydney.

Also attending the event, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed the plan: "The decision by Google has major benefits for Australian businesses as we engage with the economic recovery before us."

The investment will see the company partnering with local organisations, including Australia's science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Joshua Kennedy-White of cyber investment company DivisionX Global called Google's announcement a "huge win" for Australian technology:

"It takes money to move an idea into innovation and the first money is the hardest to come by.

"If Google cut $250k cheques to promising start-ups, they could fund 4,000 new tech companies in Australia," he said.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59302919

 

Poland border crisis: Migrants tear-gassed trying to cross from Belarus

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3 hours ago

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Related Topics

• Belarus border crisis

Media caption,

Watch the BBC's Steve Rosenberg at the scene of the chaos as water cannon and tear gas is used

Polish forces have used tear gas and water cannon against migrants trying to cross into the country from Belarus.

Videos showed migrants throwing stones and other objects at the Polish forces guarding a fortified border crossing.

For weeks, thousands of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, have been gathering at the Belarus border in an attempt to reach the European Union.

Belarus has been accused of pushing migrants to the border to try to destabilise the EU, a charge it denies.

EU-Belarus relations have been severely strained since long-term leader Alexander Lukashenko declared victory in a discredited presidential election last year and tried to silence dissent by cracking down on mass protests and arresting political opponents.

The EU imposed sanctions on Belarus in the wake of the poll and, along with the US, will step them up following the border crisis.

There have been more than 5,000 attempts by migrants to cross the border into Poland from Belarus so far this month, compared to just 88 in the whole of last year, the Polish border agency says.

• VOICES: The lives entangled in the Poland-Belarus crisis
• REALITY CHECK: What routes do migrants use to reach Minsk?
• BEHIND THE SCENES: How social media posts fuelled the Belarus crisis

The migrants, including children, have been living in makeshift camps in freezing conditions just inside Belarus. In recent days, thousands have converged on a crossing at Kuznica, south of Grodno in north-west Belarus.

On Monday, many of those migrants burst through a fence and gathered at a crossing on the Belarusian side of the border. They were blocked by Polish troops and a tense stand-off ensued.

By Tuesday morning, Poland's defence ministry said its forces had responded to migrants attacking a border fence at Kuznica.

"The migrants attacked our soldiers and officers with stones and are trying to destroy the fence and get to Poland. Our services used tear gas to quell the migrants' aggression," the ministry tweeted.

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

Tension at the Kuznica crossing has been growing in recent days

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

Polish police said one officer had been severely injured by a missile thrown across the border

[GurjantGnostic 4,644]

On 11/16/2021 at 1:57 AM, Premi5 said:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59257322

Google has announced that it will invest A$1bn ($740m, £550m) in Australia over the next five years.

It is the US technology giant's largest investment in the country to date.

Google says the money will be used to build a research hub, increase its cloud computing capacity and fund partnerships with local organisations.

The move - named the Digital Future Initiative - is expected to directly create 6,000 jobs and support 28,000 overall.

"Australia can help lead the world's next wave of innovation, harnessing technology to improve lives, create jobs, and make progress," Google boss Sundar Pichai said at the initiative's launch in Sydney.

Also attending the event, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed the plan: "The decision by Google has major benefits for Australian businesses as we engage with the economic recovery before us."

The investment will see the company partnering with local organisations, including Australia's science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Joshua Kennedy-White of cyber investment company DivisionX Global called Google's announcement a "huge win" for Australian technology:

"It takes money to move an idea into innovation and the first money is the hardest to come by.

"If Google cut $250k cheques to promising start-ups, they could fund 4,000 new tech companies in Australia," he said.

Yeah. What a beacon of human rights. Really like the way they handle things.  Let's go set up there. Like google and a police state need to get together. 

[GurjantGnostic 4,644]

On 11/16/2021 at 8:48 AM, Premi5 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59302919

 

Poland border crisis: Migrants tear-gassed trying to cross from Belarus

Published

3 hours ago

Share

Related Topics

• Belarus border crisis

Media caption,

Watch the BBC's Steve Rosenberg at the scene of the chaos as water cannon and tear gas is used

Polish forces have used tear gas and water cannon against migrants trying to cross into the country from Belarus.

Videos showed migrants throwing stones and other objects at the Polish forces guarding a fortified border crossing.

For weeks, thousands of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, have been gathering at the Belarus border in an attempt to reach the European Union.

Belarus has been accused of pushing migrants to the border to try to destabilise the EU, a charge it denies.

EU-Belarus relations have been severely strained since long-term leader Alexander Lukashenko declared victory in a discredited presidential election last year and tried to silence dissent by cracking down on mass protests and arresting political opponents.

The EU imposed sanctions on Belarus in the wake of the poll and, along with the US, will step them up following the border crisis.

There have been more than 5,000 attempts by migrants to cross the border into Poland from Belarus so far this month, compared to just 88 in the whole of last year, the Polish border agency says.

• VOICES: The lives entangled in the Poland-Belarus crisis
• REALITY CHECK: What routes do migrants use to reach Minsk?
• BEHIND THE SCENES: How social media posts fuelled the Belarus crisis

The migrants, including children, have been living in makeshift camps in freezing conditions just inside Belarus. In recent days, thousands have converged on a crossing at Kuznica, south of Grodno in north-west Belarus.

On Monday, many of those migrants burst through a fence and gathered at a crossing on the Belarusian side of the border. They were blocked by Polish troops and a tense stand-off ensued.

By Tuesday morning, Poland's defence ministry said its forces had responded to migrants attacking a border fence at Kuznica.

"The migrants attacked our soldiers and officers with stones and are trying to destroy the fence and get to Poland. Our services used tear gas to quell the migrants' aggression," the ministry tweeted.

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

Tension at the Kuznica crossing has been growing in recent days

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

Polish police said one officer had been severely injured by a missile thrown across the border

Try this one for size. 

Refugees always wind up slamming into a border. 

One country is so bad people are willing to die to save themselvesz or more usually their children. 

The other doesn't want a mass of refugees in their land. 

In this case belarus seems to not want to take any responsibility or do anything on their end. 

So what if...Poland were to set up an embassy camp if you will...a large enough area to accomodate and house, and feed, and screen and process all these refugees..on the belarusian side of the border. Then Poland can process them all, and still appease everyone in Poland who doesn't want a mad hoarde of undocumented people spilling into their country. 

And I bet if you literally lost part of your country temporarily when you create refugee hotspots the host countries would suddenly pay way more attention to helping people move out. 

Man...instead of throwing tear gas throw water and blankets and paperwork. Throw some aspirin. Diapers. Baby food. Matches a shovel.  You know how different things would turn out if when things got tense we bombed on each other that way?

Be a great place for langar and a tv camera Ravi. Get permission to ride in, do Langar, ride out every day.