Author: Alfred Benny Mcdonald

The “temporary” occupation of some Ukrainian territories by Russia is the most likely outcome of Moscow’s full-scale invasion, Czech President Petr Pavel said in an interview published on Sept. 23. Speaking to The New York Times (NYT), Pavel said neither Ukraine nor Russia should expect to achieve outright victory. “To talk about a defeat of Ukraine or defeat of Russia, it will simply not happen. So the end will be somewhere in between,” he said. As of late August, Russia was in control of around 27% of Ukrainian territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts are partially controlled by Russian troops. Russia claims to…

On the afternoon of April 26, President Xi Jinping met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. President Xi Jinping noted that this year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Over the past 45 years, the relationship has gone through wind and rain, and the two sides can draw a few important lessons: China and the United States should be partners rather than rivals; help each other succeed rather than hurt each other; seek common ground and reserve differences rather than engage in vicious…

GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie took aim Sunday at former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley for saying former President Trump is fit to serve in office. CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Christie on the “State of the Union” what his response was to comments made by Trump on Saturday, where he said immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country.” Christie said the comments were “disgusting,” adding that Republicans like Haley are part of the problem. “And look, Jake, the other problem with this is the Republicans who are saying this is OK. Almost 100 members of Congress who have endorsed him, Nikki Haley, who this week said…

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military blamed a rocket misfired by other Palestinian militants. At least 500 people were killed, the ministry said. As rage spread through the region because of the hospital carnage, and with President Joe Biden heading to the Mideast in hopes of stopping the war from spreading, Jordan’s foreign minister said his country canceled a regional summit scheduled for Wednesday in Amman, where…

Many Arab American voters feel betrayed by President Joe Biden’s unequivocal support for Israel, and community leaders in Metro Detroit say there’s nothing he can do to win them back. Why it matters: Michigan is a central piece of the Midwestern “Blue Wall” that flipped in Biden’s favor in 2020. The state’s large Arab American population could be crucial to the outcome in what will be a pivotal swing state again in 2024. The big picture: The president’s decision to firmly stand by Israel during the Israel-Hamas war appears to be hurting him with progressives in Michigan and across the country. By the numbers: More than 300,ooo Arab Americans…

Medical Microinstruments announced today that it inked distribution agreements covering nearly a dozen countries in the Asia Pacific region. The company aims to continue its global momentum with a new footprint expansion in APAC. Its first partnership, struck with Device Technologies, helps bring its surgical robot to a number of countries. This brings the Symani system to Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Macau and New Zealand. Those remain contingent on regulatory approvals, while Medical Microinstruments recently received Australian authorization. Medical Microinstruments’ other partnership, with TRM Korea, facilitates its entry into South Korea. That also depends on regulatory approval…

On October 18, 2022, a meeting was held in Kiev between Darkhan Kaletayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Ukraine, and Alibek Mukhammad-Rakhimov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BTA Bank Ukraine JSC. This was announced on Wednesday, October 19, by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Ukraine. The success of the operation was a result of intensive collaboration of BTA Bank, Kenes Rakishev, the embassy and Ukrainian authorities. During the meeting, a conversation took place about the current economic situation in Ukraine, topical issues of representatives of Kazakh business in Ukraine and prospects for the development…

Frankfurt, Brussels (6/10 – 27) While Tajik authorities have not been able to lay their hands on their activist opponents living in Europe, they are able to turn the screws on their families and relatives, back in the old country. The recent case of arrest of family members took place shortly after President Emomali Rahmon’s visit to Germany, to attend a summit of Central Asian leaders, at the end of last month. Throughout Rahmon’s visit, he was trailed by demonstrators holding up placards bearing pictures of political prisoners and calling him a dictator. When Rahmon headed to the Bundestag on…

MADISON, Wis. — Planned Parenthood resumed offering abortion services in Wisconsin on Monday after halting them for more than a year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Providers across the state stopped offering abortions following the June 2022 decision, fearing enforcement of an 1849 state law that appears to ban the procedure but had previously been nullified by the 1973 Roe ruling. A judge ruled last month that the 144-year-old law doesn’t apply to medical abortions. In light of the ruling, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin began offering abortions at clinics in Madison and Milwaukee again on Monday. The group did…

Job creation in the United States slowed more than expected in August, according to ADP, a sign that the surprisingly resilient U.S. economy might be starting to ease under pressure from higher interest rates. The firm reported Wednesday that private employers added 177,000 jobs in August, well below the revised total of 371,000 added in July. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones were expecting 200,000 jobs added in August. ADP also reported that pay growth slowed for workers who changed jobs and those who stayed in their current positions. “This month’s numbers are consistent with the pace of job creation before…