IBPO Group and TIME dotCom partner to strengthen data security in fusion finance

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  • Chatbot may provide individualized financial options that are specific to each person’s needs.
  • Collaboration involves integrating M’sia’s 1st Artificial economic bot into Time’s community

Left to Right IBPO Group’s advisor, Samuel Quek, head of Contact Centre, Feruz Satar and the founder & Ggoup managing director, Andy Lim, together with Time dotCom Berhad’s head of Enterprise, Tan Hooi Siang

Through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU), IBPO Group Berhad ( IBPO ) and TIME dotCom Berhad ( Time ) have collaborated to advance the fusion financial landscape by implementing stringent data security measures. This collaboration, aimed at strengthening and potential- proofing data security for fusion finance, involves hosting IBPO’s fusion monetary system and Anika, Malaysia’s second AI- driven digital financial consultant chatbot, on Time’s secured network environment.

Customers can check their lender loan eligibility, possible monthly savings, fiscal health scores, and get customized financial solutions tailored to their personal needs using the chatbot.

Recent events at the MoU filing meeting included:

The MoU filing ceremony covered activities and partnerships, including:

    Established Security Compliance: IBPO’s services may work in a sealed setting on Time’s quad MEF- qualified system, meeting Bank Negara Malaysia’s risk management in technology policy.

  1. Safe and Flexible Cloud Hosting: To make sure a robust and flexible hosting environment is provided for IBPO’s AI-powered technology system and tools with Time’s online expertise in cloud hosting and cybersecurity services.
  2. Excellence in Broadband Service: Providing top-tier computer connectivity services for IBPO smooth operations.
  3. Robust Data Security Measures: Both IBPO and Time are committed to upholding the highest standards of data protection to protect customers ‘ information, privacy, and economic data.

With TIME dotCom as our partner, we can implement stricter and more stringent data security measures in our fusion finance business, according to Feruz Satar, head of IBPO’s contact center. This includes putting an extra layer of security behind our recent development of Anika and our fusion financial system.
Andy Lim, founder and group managing director of IBPO, emphasized,” Enhancing security measures is always our top priority, especially since we are in the financial- technology sector where we deal with highly sensitive information, including personal and financial data. At IBPO, we strive to do everything we can to ensure this data is protected from identity theft, fraud, and other financial risks”.

Tan Hooi Siang, head of Enterprise Sector at Time, stated,” Joining forces with IBPO marks a significant stride towards fortifying the fusion finance landscape. At Time, our focus is on building a secure foundation for innovation, leveraging our expertise in cloud hosting and cybersecurity. This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to producing robust and secure solutions that are based on IBPO’s cutting-edge technologies.

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The Big Tariff era is here - Asia Times

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Joe Biden is about to impose 100 % tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. A 100 % tax is an absolutely&nbsp, huge&nbsp, price. In order to be dynamic, Chinese EV manufacturers would have to buy their vehicles in the US for half the cost of those produced elsewhere. That just is n’t going to happen.

A 100 % price will probably suffice to keep essentially made-in-China Vehicles out of the US. The Rhodium Group just came out with a record called” Ain’t No Duty High Enough”, arguing that Europe would have 40- 50 % tariffs to preserve Chinese EVs up:

In the upcoming months, the European Commission is likely to impose countervailing duties on imports of electric vehicles ( EV ) from China to reduce the chance of subsidized cars causing harm to Europe’s auto industry. We expect the Commission to implement jobs in the 15- 30 % variety.

Some China-based suppliers will still be able to gain secure profit margins on the vehicles they export to Europe because of the significant cost savings they enjoy, even if the jobs come in at the higher end of this range.

Jobs in the 40- 50 % range—arguably actually higher for vertically integrated producers like BYD—would perhaps become necessary to make the German market unattractive for Chinese EV exporters. Policymakers in Brussels may choose to use unconventional means to protect the German automobile industry, including restrictions based on environmental or national security-related considerations, because competing duties at this stage are doubtful.

Well, Rhodium is right that non- tariff barriers — basically, sneakily crafted regulation that foreign products ca n’t satisfy but domestic products can — are pretty effective in shutting out imports. They may be correct in saying that Europe will not be politically able to have 40 to 50 % tariffs. But Biden’s new tariff is&nbsp, double&nbsp, the rate Rhodium mentions. All Chinese EV exports to the US will be destroyed by that.

Now, nuking all Chinese EV exports to the US will result in essentially&nbsp, zero change&nbsp, to anyone’s life. The reason is that China currently exports almost no EVs to the US:

Source: CSIS

So if you’re an American, you were n’t buying a Chinese EV yesterday, and now you’re not going to buy one tomorrow either. For you, nothing will change.

But that does n’t mean these tariffs are performative. They are preventative, in essence. In the past we’ve seen examples of where China suddenly floods the US or other countries with a massive amount of a certain export product— for example, &nbsp, excavators. This wo n’t happen with EVs, thanks to Binden’s tariff.

So is that good or bad? Are tariffs going to increase living costs for Americans? Will Biden’s move give a boost to the US auto industry? Will the green transition be slowed down? What does this mean for US trade policy going forward?

I’ll try to respond to those inquiries.

Will the tariffs on Chinese EVs make life more expensive for Americans?

The simple answer to” No” is that the answer is contained in the above chart. Americans were n’t buying any Chinese EVs, so doubling the price of Chinese EVs is n’t going to make Americans pay more for anything.

What the tariff&nbsp, might&nbsp do now is stop a foreseeable, cheap EV bbq from reaching America’s shores. It’s possible that if Biden had done nothing, China would have flooded the US with bargain- price high- quality EVs.

And then a few Americans who are stressed out about high interest rates and the cost of groceries might have been able to relax by purchasing a subpar, high-quality Chinese-made electric car.

And Chinese EVs are &nbsp, very&nbsp, good. China has struggled to produce high-quality internal combustion engines, but the transition to EVs has made it completely different from ICE vehicles. Since China dominates the battery industry, mastering EVs was easy.

Despite having some of the histrionic hand-wringing” We’re cooked,” etc., Kevin Williams has a long article about the high quality of Chinese electric cars. Williams ‘ conclusion is spot on:

It does n’t feel like it will lead to better cars if the US and Europe get what they want, a ban on Chinese imports. It feels like it would keep buyers of those markets locked to cars that are n’t executed as well.

It’s blatantly protectionist because, in the long run, all Western auto executives and some hawkish China experts agree that Chinese EV and PHEV models are more compelling than those from European, Asian, and American manufacturers.

This is correct. And it’s reasonable to worry that stodgy old companies like GM and Ford — and even Tesla — will have far less reason to copy creative Chinese features like screen-based controls without the pressure from Chinese imports. American consumers could end up with a dowdier, lower- quality selection of vehicles.

For one simple reason, I do n’t believe that will happen, though: &nbsp, Chinese car companies do n’t have to manufacture their cars there.

Tariffs are applied based on where final assembly for a good takes place. Therefore, BYD or other Chinese carmakers can still sell EVs to the US without being affected by Biden’s new tariff if they set up their factories in America, Mexico, Canada, or anywhere else. This is&nbsp, already in progress:

Chinese automaker BYD has made a global expansion push toward Mexico as its goal. Building cars in Mexico would help the automakers avoid high import tariffs if they were to ship them directly from China.

Chinese- owned car factories in Mexico will be able to take advantage of Chinese supply chains (especially batteries ), driving down their cost. They will create creative Chinese designs that Kevin Williams adores. And they will incorporate whatever assembly- line innovations Chinese factories have discovered, driving costs down even further.

Americans will still be able to purchase” Chinese” electric vehicles, but not from Chinese factories. That’s fine. Mexico needs the workers and income, American consumers could use some affordable, futuristic cars, and American automakers could use the competition.

An open question is to what degree China’s government will decide to subsidize Chinese- owned factories in Mexico. Theoretically, China could use all the same policy levers, such as tax credits, cheap loans, direct payments, etc., to encourage Chinese companies to import cheap cars from Mexican factories.

Whether it’ll actually do that is another question entirely — China’s government may want to keep manufacturing jobs in the country, and thus be leery of subsidizing FDI. So we’ll see.

But even without subsidies, Chinese companies do indeed make cheap good EVs, and Americans will still be able to get their hands on them under the new tariff regime.

Of course, this becomes even more difficult when tariffs are also applied to EVs produced in Mexico and other third nations. In fact, Trump is&nbsp, already threatening this:

Trump warned that Chinese companies would try to build cars in Mexico before avoiding tariffs by bringing them into the US under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Trump accepted as president. Trump said he’d put a 200 % tariff on Chinese- made cars in Mexico.

American consumers could be permanently locked out of the market for cutting-edge EVs if the tariffs are expanded to include third nations like Mexico. At that point, the only way for Chinese car companies to avoid the tariffs would be to make their cars in the United States.

Japanese companies did that successfully. But Chinese companies might be&nbsp, reluctant to do that, or their government might stop them from doing it. So we’ll see.

What do the tariffs mean for the US auto industry?

With the introduction of Biden’s tariffs, U.S. carmakers like GM and Ford will have a temporary respite from a potential wave of Chinese import competition. But unless Biden — or a future President Trump — put tariffs on EVs made in Mexico as well, the respite will be short- lived, because GM and Ford will still face brand competition from Chinese automakers in their domestic market.

That competition wo n’t just affect GM and Ford’s nascent EV business; it will also affect their entire business. ICE cars and EVs are in direct competition with each other. In the long run, EVs are preferred over ICE cars due to a number of structural factors. These include:

  1. Government initiatives to make the transition more environmentally friendly
  2. The fact that battery tech is improving by leaps and bounds while ICE tech is basically stagnant
  3. the fact that battery costs are falling annually as a result of scaling effects, largely from China ).
  4. Home charging

I argued in a post last year that EVs are going to replace ICE cars and that the transition will start right away.

ICE cars have to fill up often, unlike EVs, which charge overnight in people’s garages and so only have to visit charging stations on long trips. Therefore, to be viable, ICE cars need a sizable network of gas stations.

As EVs start to take over the market and ICE cars become rarer, many of our existing gas stations will go out of business. That will make the transition to EVs more difficult, causing the shift to become less convenient. Rinse and repeat.

Once this process starts, gas-powered vehicles will start to become a niche product, and EVs will be the vehicles most people will drive.

Right now, that is n’t happening. The US automakers are scaling back their EV plans because the market for EVs is still growing, but not as quickly as many had anticipated.

But most Americans — except for a hard core of conservatives who have turned green technology into a culture war — expect to get an EV in the not- too- distant future:

Hannah Ritchie,  

If GM and Ford scale back their offerings, and if Tesla focuses on robotaxis instead of new better EVs, then there’s a high likelihood that the EV revolution in America will be carried out by Chinese companies building cars in Mexico.

If tariffs are not imposed on Mexico and any other nation, then they wo n’t stop that, and Chinese automakers wo n’t build US factories.

And there’s something else that&nbsp, no&nbsp, US tariff can stop: American car companies getting outcompeted in export markets.

Ford generates the majority of its revenue from North America, but GM generates the same amount of revenue in Asia as does Tesla. U. S. tariffs obviously do not apply to Chinese EVs being sold to Vietnam, or Japan, or Australia, or anywhere else except the US.

They will also do absolutely nothing to hinder US automakers ‘ ability to compete in important foreign markets. Many of those other countries are unlikely to put up giant Biden- style tariffs on Chinese EVs, so GM and Ford and Tesla will be facing BYD and the other Chinese automakers on a more- or- less level playing field overseas ( except in China itself, where the government will tip the scales in favor of its own domestic brands ).

Thus, Chinese competition could force American and other automakers to leave domestic markets. That would exacerbate the existing trend:

Source: StockDividendScreener.com

Whether or not there are tariffs, US car companies are in grave danger, like European, Japanese, and Korean car companies. The EV transition is happening, and China is the best at EVs. They are, in the words of Kevin Williams,” cooked” unless they can raise their game.

Will the tariffs slow down the green transition?

Many people are concerned that these tariffs will stifle the transition to a low-carbon future powered by solar energy and batteries. For example, &nbsp, David Fickling writes:

China’s growing lead in clean technology and its vast trade surplus are combining with its sluggish efforts to decarbonize developed nations to create a toxic mix. [An acceleration in trade wars will only slow our path to zero carbon. ]

He’s right to worry. Nearly 30 % of the US’s carbon emissions, or about 4 % of the global total, are caused by transportation. If the US fails to switch to EVs, it could hamper decarbonization efforts by a small but noticeable amount.

There is n’t much to worry about here, as I previously mentioned, if tariffs are only applied to EVs produced in China. Americans will still switch to EVs, they’ll just buy their Chinese- brand EVs from factories in Mexico. The transition to green will be swift.

If the US places tariffs on&nbsp, all&nbsp, foreign EVs, though, we could be in trouble. A GM and Ford decision to ignore the EV transition ( and Tesla’s transition to robotaxis ) would then allow America to remain a gas-guzzling nation, clinging to our outdated comfort cars, orphaned from global technology, and locked out of the high-tech future.

And if Republicans turn EVs into a culture war the way they’ve done with&nbsp, lab- grown meat, they could enact restrictive state- level policies that would slow the transition even further.

I’m concerned about the US’s green transition, but it heavily depends on whether the US imposes tariffs on Mexican-made electric vehicles.

What does this mean for trade policy going forward?

The most crucial aspect of these tariffs probably is the message that they send. Protectionism is now the consensus economic policy of both major political parties in the United States.

Trump is trying to one-up Biden by promising to raise the 100 % tariffs to 200 %, extend them to Mexico, and impose an additional 60 % tariff on all Chinese-made goods after Biden extended the Trump tariffs and levied the new EV tariffs.

There is currently no major party or presidential candidate that you can vote for in America that is even remotely interested in free trade. Still, that raises a lot of questions. Most importantly, there’s the question of what, exactly, protectionism is trying to&nbsp, protect. I see four of the main potential uses for tariffs:

  1. Protecting auto industry jobs and/or corporate profits
  2. reducing trade frictions with China
  3. Eliminating security risks from Chinese hacking
  4. preserving the capacity of the domestic defense sector

The first of these is probably foremost in the minds of many progressives, and possibly Trump as well. On the plus side, labor protectionists would be happy if Chinese automakers were persuaded to establish their factories in the US like Japanese automakers did.

GM and Ford would still be mad, and they’d probably have some supporters in Congress, but the prospect of a whole bunch of good American manufacturing jobs in BYD or Geely factories would probably win out.

Everyone talks about the second of these, which is reducing trade imbalances. &nbsp, Articles about the Second China Shock&nbsp, usually mention things like Chinese underconsumption, overcapacity, and trade imbalances.

A report from The Rhodium Group called” Overcapacity at the Gates” effectively sums up the viewpoint. The two most well- known commentators on this issue— or at least, the two I read the most — are &nbsp, Brad Setser&nbsp, and&nbsp, Michael Pettis, so if you want to learn more about this idea, check them out.

It’s unclear whether trade imbalances on their own constitute a real concern or whether they’re a catch-all proxy for worries about jobs and other issues. It’s also not clear whether tariffs can restore trade balance — it’s possible that the expensive dollar is to blame, and that only an abdication of the dollar’s role as the global reserve currency can fix things.

In a post coming soon, I’ll elaborate on that. But for right now, what’s clear is that many people are upset about trade imbalances, and tariffs are one available policy for trying to address those imbalances.

The third problem, security risks from Chinese-made goods, is something I’m not really qualified to assess. The fear is that if China’s security services put backdoors in Chinese- made products, they could use those built- in vulnerabilities&nbsp, to cause havoc in the US&nbsp, in the event of a war:

According to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, connected cars “are like smart phones on wheels” and pose a significant threat to national security.

” These vehicles are connected to the internet. They gather a lot of sensitive information about the drivers, including personal information, biometric data, and where the car goes,” she told reporters late on Wednesday.

Data collection is not the only concern, she and other officials said. Additionally, connected vehicles could be remotely controlled or manipulated by evil entities.

” Imagine if there were thousands or hundreds of thousands of Chinese- connected vehicles on American roads that could be immediately and simultaneously disabled by somebody in Beijing,’ ‘ Raimondo said. So it’s frightful to consider the cyber risks and espionage risks that these pose. ‘

It’s pretty terrifying to think about how much destruction China could cause if it controlled all of our cars, given how one wayward cargo ship just&nbsp, took out a major bridge&nbsp, in Baltimore that will take years to repair.

I will say, though, that it seems like the danger here is entirely from Chinese- made&nbsp, computer chips. A BYD car made with those same chips has the same security as a GM or Ford vehicle.

So if you’re worried about cybersecurity, it seems to me that the one and only thing you need to keep out of the US are Chinese- made semiconductors.

Anyway, this brings us to the last factor: the capacity for defense manufacturing. In times of war, civilian factories are typically repurposed to make war materiel— for example, when Ford&nbsp, churned out massive quantities&nbsp, of B- 24 bombers during World War 2.

We have a law known as the Defense Production Act that authorizes the government to direct US businesses to switch their production lines to produce military equipment or other goods essential to national security ( for instance, we made companies build ventilators during Covid using the DPA ).

But the DPA is useless if you&nbsp, do n’t have the factories&nbsp, to repurpose. In a war, the US wo n’t be able to significantly increase its defense production capacity if US heavy manufacturing fails and dies in the face of Chinese competition. That could lead to a swift and devastating US defeat at the hands of China.

My guess is that China is well-versed in this and that it has been generous with subsidies and gung-ho about increasing its manufacturing exports because of it.

Yes, of course they want jobs and growth, but the tantalizing potential of forcibly deindustrializing the West through subsidized exports has undoubtedly crossed the minds of every Chinese leader.

Therefore, trade barriers must be erected to prevent overly heavily subventioned Chinese import surges in order to have domestic manufacturing available for military repurposing.

This consideration has nothing to do with American jobs or profits or trade deficits — it’s just a cold, hard military reality. The Cato Institute, the writers at&nbsp, The Economist, and others who support protectionism appear to have no other choice but to take the lead.

In other words, there are multiple intersecting reasons for tariffs to go up, and most off these have bipartisan appeal. The significant changes in American trade policy are likely only the result of Binden’s massive tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

This article was originally published on Noah Smith’s Noahpinion&nbsp, Substack, and it is now republished with kind permission. Read the&nbsp, original&nbsp, and become a Noahopinion&nbsp, subscriber&nbsp, here.

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Does Netanyahu have a plan beyond his own survival? - Asia Times

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Eight months have passed since the Gaza war’s conclusion, and it seems unlikely to be possible.

Israel claims to own killed 13, 000 Hamas insurgents thus far. If that number is accurate, one can assume that the number of militants who have been wounded or incapacitated is at least twice, or perhaps three, double that amount.

Israel estimated there were around 30 000 Hamas soldiers in Gaza before the war started. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be correct in saying that the removal of the previous battalions in the southwestern area of Rafah would probably prevent the team’s ability to be a danger to Israel if this total can also be taken at face value.

But, there are shortcomings in this argument. Israel’s method for calculating the number of militants killed by the Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) has not been disclosed. Given the turbulent problems in Gaza, it’s not difficult to believe the 13, 000 number is only an forecast based on the exact number of military- younger men ( 18- 40 years ) among the 35, 000 Palestinians killed in full.

What can be done to prevent the remaining extremists from using the pipe system to move northwest away from harm’s way, if, according to Netanyahu, they are hiding in caverns beneath Rafah? There is some information this is already occurring. Hamas has reportedly regrouped in areas of central and north Gaza that Israel claims” cleared” decades ago, according to the IDF and Israeli advertising.

More importantly, the IDF has been unable to find and get rid of Mohammed Deif, the leader of the Hamas and political leader Yahya Sinwar, who was in charge of the October 7 assaults. While these two remain at big, Israel cannot claim success.

Additionally, Israel has not been successful in bringing the victims that are still being held by Hamas to safety. Military action has rescued just three of the roughly 240 victims that Hamas sequestered on October 7. Through discussions and Hamas ‘ unilateral action, only over 100 other victims have been freed.

And the growing number of university sit-ins around the world and even the noisy shouting directed at Israel’s entry into the Eurovision song contest are all evidence of how rapidly global anger grows over Israel’s conduct of the war.

According to Netanyahu’s choice to continue with the Rafah rape, US President Joe Biden has also delayed a shipment of heavy-duty ammunition to Israel. But, this is metaphorical. According to the Wall Street Journal this week, the Biden administration is also working on new arms deals worth US$ 1 billion for Israel.

Force growing on Netanyahu

It’s reasonable to assume that Hamas ‘ stunning assault, which declanched the present war, was one that followed:

  • to place the Palestinian cause at the top of the Middle East’s plan at a time when Saudi Arabia was on the cusp of a peace deal with Israel.
  • to bring attention to the abhorrent problems in Gaza, which has been hailed as the largest open-air jail in the world,
  • to ignite Israel’s rage to such an extent, it responds with extreme force and draws common international condemnation.

On this reasoning, Hamas set a trap for Israel, and Israel walked into it.

Where does Netanyahu stand in the current scenario, with Netanyahu way from achieving his stated goals in the conflict and international criticism just getting worse? He’s facing force from three sides, with no great choices.

Second, he leads the most proper- aircraft government in Israeli history. If Netanyahu agrees to a protracted peace, the more serious members of his coalition partners, including security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance secretary Bezalel Smotrich, have made it clear they will leave the government and start fresh elections.

A new poll found that he almost certainly do lose any election held in the near future because 71 % of Israelis want Netanyahu to step down.

Next, the people and followers of the remaining 130 victims who are believed to be held by Hamas are relentlessly pressing Netanyahu to take a ceasefire in exchange for their discharge. According to Israeli intelligence, about a third of them have died.

And second, Biden, his main ally, wants the battle over as quickly as possible due to the upcoming US national vote. In order to automatically appoint Donald Trump as president, Biden is aware of the possibility that liberals and Arab Americans does not cast ballots in November.

Biden’s decision to delay the sale of ammunition earlier this month was just one of many reminders to Netanyahu that his persistence is waning.

The horrible irony is that Egypt and Qatar’s ceasefire negotiations have come extremely close to being successful. The Economist has been prompted to inquire whether Netanyahu really wants to accept a deal because of the negotiations ‘ failing to close it.

Power pump emerging

The longer the conflict has raged in, the more it has revealed that Israel, which has been under Netanyahu’s almost uninterrupted rule since 2009, has no long-term plan to live side by side with its Arab companions.

Even if a ceasefire could be agreed to, Netanyahu’s government has n’t articulated a plan for the “day after”. This lack of a program has already been filled by groups, groups, and criminals, creating a perilous strength vacuum in northeastern Gaza.

Kurt Campbell, the assistant secretary of state of the United States, warned this week that the present condition is reminiscent of what the US faced in Iraq and Afghanistan after annexation in the midst of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

]… ] after civilian populations had been moved and lots of violence ]… ] the insurrections continue.

So, what is the schedule for Gaza? Israelis and Palestinians do not agree with the Army reoccupying the ribbon for the long term.

A reformed Palestinian Authority, which now controls most of the West Bank, would not be allowed to retake control of Gaza, according to Netanyahu, who has also made it clear that his government would not support its decision. And Netanyahu’s preferred strategy is to persuade non-aligned community leaders to run the band on Israel’s representative, which leads to score-settling and corruption between rival families.

Choices that involve outside forces from the place or the UN have also failed to gain popularity.

Where does the Gazan population find themselves now? Arab citizens are losing hope as they flee from one discord area to another. One group leader in Rafah lately stated,” As one group president in Rafah said,

Everything has been altered by the combat, but most of all, there is now no protection. There is nothing left for the poor right now. The only ones who does live right now are the powerful.

Ian Parmeter is Research Scholar, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University

This content was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original post.

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The man who shot the Slovak prime minister - Asia Times

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Robert Fico, the prime minister of Slovakia, was shot several times on Wednesday in Handlova. The Slovak Prime Minister was transported by aircraft to the Banská Bystrica&nbsp, doctor in a life- threatening situation but today is expected to survive. The killer’s individuality has since been revealed, and he was taken into custody.

About 150 km north of Bratislava, where Robert Fico’s government had convened a authorities meeting before meeting with his supporters, the incident occurred in front of the city’s cultural center.

The enemy’s name is Juraj Cintula. He was born in 1953 and is from Léva. He is one of the founders of the LK Dúha ( Rainbow ) cultural association. When the team was transformed into a political connection, he became its leader. He wrote three books of poetry. He is part of the Slovak Writers ‘ Association.

According to what we have so much, Cintula has been consistently described by those who have had close contact with him as a radical left-wing, ultra-liberal intellectual. The dilemma of the situation is that Cintula intended to form a political party called” Action against Violence” eight years ago.

Formerly, he was a security guard in a shopping center and had a permit to carry arms. The murderer approached the excellent minister when Fico left the cultural center where the state meeting was held. Fico made a shake of his hands, but Cintula pulled out a gun and repeatedly shot him.

According to nearby reports, three or four bullets hit the Czech prime minister. The bullets hit Ficó’s neck and stomach.

He was rapidly transported to the helicopter by the lieutenants who then took him into the car. According to our knowledge, Fico was informed throughout the trip. Even though the Slovak police securely locked the hospital, they also took the doctors ‘ mobile phones away. However, it was revealed that the stomach photographs caused the biggest issue.

At 9 p.m., Central European moment, the Czech prime minister was operative. The procedure took time. The prime minister has many gunshot wounds, according to Slovak Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinák, who described his condition as “very critical and life-threatening.”

The Czech secretary of the onterior addressed the death for the first time at the hospital about the political motivation behind the killing. He initially made the suggestion that the assassination might be the result of a hate campaign fueled by domestic interpersonal tensions.

Let’s see the facts: According to the portal of the Hungarian- language regularly published in Bratislava, Juraj Cintula is a committed supporter of the pro- Russian military class Slovenskí Branci ( SB ). In 2016, Cintula often attended the group’s sessions, as evidenced by images. The military team’s Instagram page lists him as a writer and journalist, and several of his works have been published.

In his works, Cintula criticized refugees and the Czech position and openly supported the business. The military organization’s grave commemorations were held in uniform at Jozef Tiso’s grave, the head of the totalitarian puppet state known as the First Slovak Republic between 1938 and 1945, in a graveyard of the dictatorship.

The military team’s logo, which resembles the Nazi youth organization Hitlerjugend, also contributes to the confusion. This was covered by the English-language Czech news website VSquare. Új Szó even reported, referring to the Markíza tv channel, that Cintula stated soon after his imprisonment that he had been planning the death for a fortnight because he did not agree with the president’s plan.

Cintula’s state of mind even raised concerns. In one of his writings, he wrote:” In my dreams, I shot pribs, killed cells”. The illegal transcription is from the regular HVG.]Ed. Possibly, he was referring to the DNA cement PriB.

After all of this, I believe it is incorrect to link Fico’s decision to stop providing Ukraine with additional assistance. All the more so because Czech culture is incredibly supportive of Russian culture. Let’s not overlook that Bratislava still remembers the Second World War’s Russian troops ‘ occupation of the Czech capital.

In serious society, there is no significant anti-Russian sentiment. On the other hand, the typical Slovak is alarmed by the possibility of the nation getting dragged into the conflict. Because the preceding left-liberal government gave everything to the Ukrainians, Slovakia today practically has no army. The Hungarian Air Force primarily provides protection of Slovak airport, which is common of the condition.

However, according to the indications, the execution can get connected with the strong domestic social struggle in Slovakia. Fico discussed how the liberal media did shoot him and his authorities in a video he posted on social media a month ago. The film was &nbsp, leaked by the Hungarian daily Der Standard.

The prime secretary criticized the liberal media’s texts in the picture, which he claimed could have sparked violence against federal officials at the time. ” I just expect that this frustration deepened so passionately by Denník N. Smečko or Aktualita]that it did ] escalate to the death of one of the leading state lawmakers, and I am no exaggerating one millimeter”, added Fico.

Peter G Feher is a blogger based in Budapest who writes for Magyar Hrlap. This document was first published on Stephen Bryen’s Substack Weapons and Strategy, and it has since been republished with kind agreement.

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Time to establish a European Defense Fund - Asia Times

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At a recent conference in London, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Olha Stefanishyna, gave a video speech that confirmed her government’s relief at the US Congress’s US$ 60 billion of defense and humanitarian aid, help which comes some months later but still rapidly sufficiently to make a crucial difference in the battle against Russia’s invasion.

But two other messages were also clear: that it is now Europe’s turn to provide more help, and that this is a war for the future of the whole of Europe, not just Ukraine.

These messages went beyond the rather general, frequently ambiguous notion of European strategic autonomy that has been discussed so frequently in speeches by our European leaders, as well as those delivered by Mario Draghi on the economy and President Emmanuel Macron on defense. For a continent sharing huge land borders with often hostile states, and an economy that is the most globally connected of all major regions, the idea of “autonomy” is almost meaningless. The real issue is security.

Europe has many challenges: the energy transition, immigration, productivity and competitiveness to name already four. None of these, however, is more fundamental than the need to maintain the continent’s peace and security, which was the main inspiration for the creation of the European Union in the first place. Defense is still not given the priority it deserves despite the enormous pressure from Russia’s invasion of a nation close to the EU.

That was the theme being delivered, in a courteous way, by Ukraine’s impressive deputy prime minister for European and Euro- Atlantic integration, to give her full title. And her point is that while Europe did increase defense spending by 4.5 % last year, that increase was still lower than the growth in spending seen in Asia, despite the fact that in Europe there is a real war in progress, which Asia, fortunately, does not.

Whatever Donald Trump might think, the need to spend more on defense is unrelated to the possibility that he might be re-elected as president in November.

For more than 50 years, American presidents have encouraged Europeans to spend more on their own defense. The European project’s success in easing tensions and reducing hostility on the continent has made up for the large portion of that time for the fact that all European countries ‘ military forces have been weak, aside from those of France and the United Kingdom. Our main defense against the only real threat was America’s nuclear deterrence against the Soviet Union.

Now, however, times have changed. The deterrent effect of nuclear weapons can be used in a way that is the opposite of how it worked during the Cold War: An invader using conventional forces can use nuclear threats and the resulting fear of “escalation” to deter other nations from supporting its victim.

We can all debate what might Putin’s, and indeed the elite that surround him, long-term objectives would be if he were to succeed in invading Ukraine. Clearly countries that are closest to Russia, including Moldova, the Baltic States and Moldova, have the greatest cause for concern. However, the real threat from Russia is not the only factor in doubt. As other powers decide or feel compelled to react to changing international circumstances, instability has occurred at numerous times throughout history as a result of a force-shifting change in one nation’s borders.

Since the invasion of February 2022, Europe as a whole ( including the United Kingdom ) has contributed roughly twice as much money to Ukraine as the United States has since provided the same amount of aid. Given our geography, this larger European role is entirely appropriate. However, what we are failing to do is to make the necessary investments in our own security and defense to ensure our future safety.

Italy is one of those nations whose defense spending is significantly below the NATO goal of 2 % of GDP: In 2023, Italy’s spending was less than 1.5 % of GDP, and it also fell below the NATO average in terms of the proportion of that expenditure going to be devoted to military equipment. More than 60 % of Italy’s defense spending goes to personnel, which is the highest proportion among all the NATO members. That compares with 40 % in France, 30 % in the United Kingdom and 28 % in the United States.

Given that Italy is one of Europe’s most important manufacturing nations, has one of Europe’s strongest defenses, and is working with Japan and the UK to create new fighter jets for the 2030s, it may seem surprising to an outsider. However, this is also one of the reasons why Italy has n’t been a major supplier of military or weapons to Ukraine.

Italy is not one of the European nations that owns any of the Patriot air defense systems, so the Ukraine is asking for at least seven of them right away. Germany has now provided three, and there is pressure on Spain, Greece, and Poland to send some of their own systems.

In the longer term, however, there is only one real solution for Europe’s, and Italy’s, inability to spend enough on defense. That is to establish a legitimate European Defense Fund, one that is funded by collective borrowing, in the same vein as the EU Next Generation Fund, which, during the pandemic, provided the funds for Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

This is controversial, especially among northern European nations. Given the high public debts held by nations like Italy, as well as the competing demands for funding from the energy transition and immigration, it is actually the only workable solution.

Italy could once more be a significant beneficiary of a European Defense Fund with a scale comparable to that of the EU Next Generation Fund. Its defense sector is already world-class, and other Italian manufacturers would make essential contributions to European defense supply chains.

Mario Draghi’s influence on the support of the Next Generation Funds was crucial. Giorgia Meloni should now concentrate on persuading EU members to pursue similar actions in terms of defense and security.

Formerly editor- in- chief of The Economist, Bill Emmott is currently chairman of the&nbsp, Japan Society of the UK, the&nbsp, International Institute for Strategic Studies&nbsp, and the&nbsp, International Trade Institute.

First published on his Substack, &nbsp, Bill Emmott’s Global View, this is the English original of an article previously published in Italian by La Stampa.

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Shooting of Slovak leader heightens war risk - Asia Times

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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Europe’s toughest player of military support for Ukraine, was shot multiple times Does 15 by an as yet unnamed aggressor. He was flown by plane to a trauma center in Banska Bystrica, where he is battling for his career. &nbsp, His problem is never known.

Few&nbsp, facts have been published about the did- be killer, who was captured after the event. &nbsp, Officially a 71- year- aged guy used a legitimately- owned weapon. &nbsp, The shooting took place at a secret government off- page gathering in Handlova, and it is not known how the gunman&nbsp, learned of and&nbsp, gained admittance to the&nbsp, closed&nbsp, occasion. &nbsp,

It is the first time a German head of state has been shot since 1986’s death of Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme.

In a alliance led by his Direction- Cultural Democracy party and two other parties, Fico took office in 2023 after serving twice as prime minister. He opposed shipping American arms to Ukraine through Slovak&nbsp, place and&nbsp, has opposed the delivery of Western arms to Ukraine. Instead, Fico said in a September 2023 interview, &nbsp,” Why do n’t we force the warring parties, use the weight of the EU and the US to make them sit down and find some sort of compromise that would guarantee security for Ukraine”?

The Czech Republic does follow Slovakia’s opposition to the Ukraine conflict after next year’s legislative election. Andrej Babis ‘ ANO party&nbsp, has a significant result in voting elections. In opposition to US and European Commission funding for Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary are forming a bloc with Czechia and Serbia.

The firing recalls the July 31, 1914, &nbsp, assassination&nbsp, of&nbsp, French Socialist head Jean Jaurès, his government’s leading defender of battle after the death of Austria’s Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo the past month. &nbsp, He was shot at a Paris café&nbsp, by an alleged lone gunman.

So&nbsp, far, &nbsp, we have only questions about the shooting of Fico and no answers. But the strategic background to&nbsp, Ukraine’s military position is dire, the country’s military itself reports, as undermanned and exhausted Ukrainian units succumb to the relentless pounding of Russian air attacks and artillery.

The salient facts surrounding Kharkov are not in dispute, though it is unclear what Russia is trying to do with their reconnaissance force. NATO countries do not have enough shells and air defense missiles, and Ukraine does not have sufficient manpower, to push back Russia’s crawling offensive.

The Biden Administration wo n’t hold back as the most significant military conflict since Vietnam turns ugly. Ukraine has a greater significance than Vietnam, despite the absence of American body bags.

Two years ago, the West predicted that sanctions would scuttle the Russian economy and that its advanced weapons would defeat the Russian army. Instead, the West faces a Russian military that has been revitalized and who has demonstrated ingenuity in adapting to the battlefield, as well as, worst of all, the humiliation of a shriveled defense industrial base that is unable to produce enough weapons to match Russian output.

The Biden Administration will be concerned about the impact of a Ukrainian defeat in the November elections, but it has deeper concerns about how credible American leadership is in Europe and other countries.

The US and its allies have many options, none of them salubrious. One is to assist Ukraine in carrying out important Russian attacks, a hawks ‘ agenda in America. Another option is to directly or, as some have suggested, through a mercenary force of trained Western pilots flying Western aircraft against the Russians.

For the obvious reason that they might lead to a wider war, the Biden Administration has declined to take these actions. Before Russia appeared to have won, &nbsp, The attempted assassination of a determined, &nbsp, credible&nbsp, and duly elected East European leader might prove&nbsp, to be&nbsp, the writing on the wall.

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PM leading business mission to France

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sexta to make travel arrangements to Italy and Japan after the Paris attend.

PUBLISHED: 15 May 2024 at 18: 19

PM leading business mission to France
At the Ruamjai Pakdee climate protection event in the Sikhiu city of Nakhon Ratchasima on Wednesday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin delivers the opening target. ( Photo: Thai Khu Fah Facebook )

Srettha Thavisin, the prime minister, will be flying to France on Wednesday night to meet with a group of Thai business leaders it.

According to assistant government official Rudklao Intawong Suwankiri, the prime minister may travel to Italy on May 17 through May 21 and will also be present at the 29th Nikkei Future of Asia Forum in Tokyo on May 22 through May 24.

Following Mr. Srettha’s formal attend to France in March, Ms. Rudklao reported that the Thailand-France Business Forum was organized. It aims to promote cross-border business and draw in more funding from the European private sector.

Mr Srettha is also scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron to follow up on the results of their previous meeting, especially on trade and investment, the defence industry, gentle authority, and to enhance the France- Thailand proper association, in accordance with the Roadmap for Thai– French Relations ( 2022- 24 ), she said.

Mr. Srettha may speak with the leader of the Italian Council of Ministers and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in diplomatic terms in Italy. According to Ms. Rudklao, 156 years have passed since the two countries first started having diplomatic ties.

The two countries aim to strengthen assistance in areas of common interest, including clean energy, sports hospitality, health science, pharmaceuticals and military.

Mr. Srettha will also advocate for important issues like the cancellation of the Schengen visa for Thai citizens with regular passports, the conclusion of the Thailand-EU free trade negotiations by 2025, and potential job in Italy for Thai workers who have come back from Israel.

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