Author: Phillip Colon

The September 2021 announcement of Australia’s transition to nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) under the AUKUS program indicated that ‘at least eight’ would be acquired. More recently, the rhetoric has firmed up to eight, with the program director telling a Senate committee in May that there would be three Virginia-class SSNs and five AUKUS SSNs. Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead implied that this was the full extent of the program and that decisions for what followed would be left for a future government. A decision to stop at eight overlooks critical strategic, industrial and personnel considerations that determine the number of submarines Australia acquires.…

Dubai is calling for a united front to spur the development of generative artificial intelligence to maximise its potential and reap economic benefits, the chief executive of the Dubai Future Foundation has said. Countries need to come together to prepare society for the innovation and to help bridge the gap between policies and the advancement of the emerging technology, which has a reported business opportunity of as much as $4.4 trillion, Khalfan Belhoul said at the Dubai Assembly for Generative AI conference on Wednesday. The industries with highest AI potential include banking, software and platforms, energy, communications and media, and…

On the morning of October 17, 2023, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who is in China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Xi Jinping pointed out that Hungary was one of the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and the traditional friendship between the two countries has a time-honored history. In recent years, China-Hungary relations have been developing at a high level. The two sides have witnessed the continuous deepening of political mutual trust, fruitful…

As the war in Israel rages, an ongoing struggle to control the narrative of the conflict is unfolding between Hamas and the Jewish state. This propaganda battle is not novel, as it has long been observed to coexist with the kinetic action between Israel and the Palestinian armed groups, dating back to at least 2014. Drawing from its prior clashes with Israel, Hamas has gained vital insights on how to effectively counter Israel. Despite being at a military disadvantage in nearly every area, Hamas has developed unconventional methods to attack Israel, including a powerful propaganda system to garner global backing…

Toronto, Atlanta (24/10 – 10) Not too long ago, “Halloween”, a contraction of the Christian holiday known as “All Hallows’ Eve,” was a time to honors dead saints. Take a look at the multi-billion-dollar enterprise, celebrated on October 31st every year, which it has evolved into, at least in North America, and you’ll find no sainted creatures – but a plethora of devils and the dead. Not to mention the Undead (imagine Yoko Ono) which have leaked out of the hundreds upon hundreds of horror movies, many of them truly horrible horrors, since brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the…

Berlin (22/10 – 75) UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, reported during his trip to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan, he met with representatives of civil society and residents of the region. Varennes arrived in Tajikistan for a working visit on October 9 till October 20. The UN Special Rapporteur told journalists that the residents of Gorno-Badakhshan informed him about violations of their rights in 2021-2022, particularly concerning the rights of detainees and cases of harsh treatment by law enforcement agencies. He stated, “People are complaining about religious restrictions as well as limitations on the use…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected at the White House and on Capitol Hill next week as he visits the U.S. during the United Nations General Assembly. Zelenskyy’s trip comes as Congress is debating President Joe Biden’s request to provide as much as $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion. Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, on Friday confirmed that the U.S. president will host Zelenskyy at the White House on Thursday. It will mark the third time that Biden and the Ukrainian leader have met at the White House. “It certainly comes at…

Michigan State University informed head football coach Mel Tucker in a letter Monday of the school’s “intent to terminate” his contract for cause, citing “a body of undisputed evidence of misconduct that warrants termination.” Michigan State delivered the notice in a five-page letter from athletic director Alan Haller, which details what the university sees as “unprofessional and unethical behavior.” Tucker has been suspended without pay after sexual harassment allegations emerged in media reports last weekend. An independent investigator hired by the school has been examining the allegations since January, and Tucker’s suspension came after the specific allegations arose in media reports. Prominent…

Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are going their separate ways. Grande filed a petition for divorce on Monday in Los Angeles. The singer cited “irreconcilable differences” as grounds for dissolution, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN. CNN has reached out to a representative for Grande for comment. Family law attorney Laura Wasser is representing Grande in the divorce. CNN has not yet determined who is representing Gomez. The “Thank U, Next” singer and Gomez wed in 2021. “It was tiny and intimate – less than 20 people. The room was so happy and full of love,” Grande’s representative told People of the…

Frankfurt, Brussels (11/3 – 120 Tajikistan’s reliance on a limited range of export products, including aluminium and cotton, makes its economy vulnerable to external shocks, such as changes in global demand or prices. Diversifying the export base by promoting new industries and products could help to reduce this vulnerability and create new opportunities for growth. The problem is the kleptocratic approach of a Stalin like economic regime of the Rahmonov clan. Improving trade relationships with existing partners, such as China, Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Afghanistan, and exploring new markets could also help to expand the country’s export base. However, to…