The US has cast the lone dissenting vote against a proposed UN Security Council resolution that would have demanded a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, amid rising civilian casualties in Gaza.
Thirteen member states voted in favor of the resolution, which was put forward by the United Arab Emirates on Friday in New York. The UK abstained, leaving Washington diplomatically isolated in blocking the measure. “What is the message we are sending Palestinians if we cannot unite behind a call to halt the relentless bombardment of Gaza?” Deputy UAE UN Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab asked members of the council. “Indeed, what is the message we are sending civilians across the world who may find themselves in similar situations?” The US has cast the lone dissenting vote against a proposed UN Security Council resolution that would have demanded a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, amid rising civilian casualties in Gaza. Friday’s vote came after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99, a rarely used provision in the UN charter, to warn the Security Council of an impending “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza. He said that with the war raging on for two months and counting, the humanitarian support net in Gaza faces a “severe risk of collapse.” More than 17,000 Palestinians have been killed and 1.9 million people have been displaced since the war began in October. Hamas triggered the war by launching surprise attacks against villages in southern Israel on October 7, killing an estimated 1,200 people and taking hundreds of hostages back to Gaza. US officials have opposed a general ceasefire because it would only help Hamas retain its grip on power in Gaza. A week-long ceasefire late last month enabled the release of 110 Hamas hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinians who had been incarcerated in Israeli jails. It also bought time for aid workers to bring more humanitarian supplies into the besieged Palestinian enclave. The US mission to the UN said in a statement that it opposed the ceasefire resolution because the “rushed” proposal was “divorced from reality” and would “only plant the seeds for the next war.” Washington’s suggestions for revising the resolution were largely ignored, deputy US UN Ambassador Robert Wood said. Among other concerns, he added, the document failed to include language condemning the Hamas attacks.
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A man hiding in a pit during the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on an outdoor music festival in Israel said he heard someone nearby screaming she was being raped. Elsewhere in the area, a combat paramedic saw the body of a young woman with her legs open, her pants pulled down, and what looked like semen on her lower back. An army reservist who was tasked with identifying those killed by the militants said some of the women were found wearing only bloodied underwear.
Such accounts given to The Associated Press, along with first assessments by an Israeli rights group, show that sexual assault was part of an atrocities-filled rampage by Hamas and other Gaza militants who killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 240 hostages that day.While investigators are still trying to determine the scope of the sexual assaults, Israel's government is accusing the international community, particularly the United Nations, of ignoring the pain of Israeli victims. "I say to the women's rights organizations, to the human rights organizations, you've heard of the rape of Israeli women, horrible atrocities … where the hell are you?" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a news conference Tuesday, switching to English to emphasize the point.U.S. President Joe Biden called the reports "appalling" and urged the world to condemn "horrific accounts of unimaginable cruelty." Two months after the Hamas attacks on the music festival, farming communities and army posts in southern Israel, police are still struggling to put together the pieces. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, priority was given to identifying bodies, not to preserving evidence. Police say they're combing through 60,000 videos seized from the body cameras of Hamas attackers, from social media and from security cameras as well as 1,000 testimonies to bring the perpetrators to justice. It has been difficult finding rape survivors, with many victims killed by their attackers. The group Physicians for Human Rights in Israel, which has a record of advocating for Palestinian civilians in Gaza suffering under Israel's longtime blockade of the territory, published an initial assessment in November. "What we know for sure is that it was more than just one case and it was widespread, in that this happened in more than one location and more than a handful of times," Hadas Ziv, policy and ethics director for the organization, said Tuesday. "What we don't know and what the police are investigating is whether it was ordered to be done and whether it was systematic." Hamas has rejected allegations that its gunmen committed sexual assault. Taylor Swift is Time’s 2023 Person of the Year. In the year of the blockbuster Eras Tour and accompanying film, as well as “Taylor’s Versions” of Speak Now and 1989, Swift was “the individual who most shaped the headlines over the previous 12 months, for better or for worse,” according to the magazine’s criterion. She is Time’s first Person of the Year to be recognized for success in the arts, the announcement notes. Her cover shoot features a cameo from her cat Benjamin Button, as credited in her acknowledgment post.
Time’s Sam Jacobs wrote, “In a divided world, where too many institutions are failing, Taylor Swift found a way to transcend borders and be a source of light. No one else on the planet today can move so many people so well.” This year in particular, Jacobs added, Swift “achieved a kind of nuclear fusion: shooting art and commerce together to release an energy of historic force.” This year alone, Swift has had three No. 1 albums: the two new “Taylor’s Versions” and a brief return to the top for last year’s Midnights. The Eras Tour movie broke box office records for a concert film. And, as Time notes, the tour itself came to symbolize American soft power: “A U.S. diplomat told me how meaningful it was to get Swift to agree to play in his host country,” Jacobs wrote. This is Swift’s second time on the Person of the Year cover, following her appearance in 2017 among “silence breakers” who contributed to the #MeToo movement. Last year, Time honored “The Spirit of Ukraine” and the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Read “Meet the Argentine Taylor Swift Fans Who Have Been Camping Out for the Eras Tour Since June” and, below, Pitchfork’s review of the Eras Tour movie. Plus, check out the Pitchfork Review podcast on the film and the surrounding mania. F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff has stated that she is 'deeply insulted' by allegations aimed at her and Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, after the FIA opened up an investigation regarding a potential conflict of interest. Wolff and her husband are understood to be at the centre of an FIA investigation over a potential conflict of interest that alleges the pair are benefitting from the passing of confidential information to one another in their respective roles. Although neither of the Wolffs, nor Mercedes, have officially been named by the FIA, the team recently posted a statement defending themselves in the light of certain accusations coming to light. On Tuesday, the sport's governing body said: "The FIA is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel. "The FIA Compliance Department is looking in to the matter." And now Susie has taken to social media to hit back any and all allegations that have been made against her, something she believes is rooted in 'misogynistic behaviour'. Wolff denies allegations “I am deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised by the public allegations that have been made this evening,” she penned. “It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner, especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities. “Throughout my career in motorsport, I have encountered and overcome numerous obstacles and I refuse to let these baseless allegations overshadow my dedication and passion for F1 Academy. “As a woman in this sport, I have faced my fair share of challenges but my commitment to breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations to succeed remains unwavering. “In the strongest possible terms, I reject these allegations.”
There are almost 2,500 fossil fuel lobbyists at this year's Cop28 climate change summit in Dubai, more than four times as many as last year, according to an environmental analysis. The analysis from the Kick Big Polluters Out (KBPO) coalition examined the presence of delegates from the fossil fuel industry at the UN's flagship climate summit, which has come in for sustained criticism for its host's ties to oil and gas. KBPO found 2,456 fossil fuel lobbyists have been granted access to Cop28, despite reducing or phasing out oil and gas altogether being one of the main aims of climate scientists and leaders from around the world. If the fossil fuel lobby was a country, its numbers of delegates would only be beaten by Brazil, with more than 3,000 in attendance and the host United Arab Emirates with 4,400, KBPO said. Its analysis calculated the fossil fuel industry was given more passes to Cop28 than the combined passes of 10 of the countries across the world that are most vulnerable to climate change, and seven times the number given to delegates from indigenous people. 'Poisonous presence' Alexia Leclercq of the environmental non-profit Start:Empowerment said: "Big polluters’ poisonous presence has bogged us down for years, keeping us from advancing the pathways needed to keep fossil fuels in the ground. They are the reason Cop28 is clouded in a fog of climate denial, not climate reality.”
Cop28 has been dogged by criticism it is greenwashing the climate change summit. President of Cop28 Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber has allegedly been planning secret deals to vastly expand oil and gas production at the event, a direct contradiction of the aim of the event, which is for world leaders and scientists to agree a path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Mr al-Jaber, who is head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), the 12th largest oil-producing firm in the world, told chair of the Elders Mary Robinson in a contentious online exchange there is "no science" behind the aim of reducing fossil fuels if global warming is to be kept to 1.5C compared to the 1850-1900 age, in direct contradiction to the almost unanimous consensus of global scientists.
According to Basha, the Russian bank recorded an exponential growth in transactions settled in national currencies passing through VTB’s infrastructure within the subsidiaries and branches abroad. She added that the bank also works in India and China and operates a chain of banks across the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The global trend towards using national currencies in cross-border trade instead of the US dollar began to gain momentum in 2022, shortly after Ukraine-related sanctions saw Russia cut off from the Western financial system and its foreign reserves frozen. Israel has readied plans to flood Hamas’s system of tunnels under the Gaza Strip with water pumped from the Mediterranean Sea, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Citing US officials, the report says the Israel Defense Forces last month set up five large water pumps near the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, which are capable of flooding the subterranean network within weeks by pumping thousands of cubic meters of water per hour into the tunnels. The officials say Israel alerted the US about the plan last month, but has not yet decided on whether to implement it. According to the report, opinions in Biden administration were mixed, with some officials expressing concern about the Israeli plan while others say they back Israel’s efforts to destroy the tunnels and say there isn’t necessarily any American opposition. Among the concerns cited in the report were potential damage to Gaza’s aquifer and soil, if seawater and hazardous substances in the tunnels seeps into them. “We are not sure how successful pumping will be since nobody knows the details of the tunnels and the ground around them,” a person familiar with the plan is quoted as saying. “It’s impossible to know if that will be effective because we don’t know how seawater will drain in tunnels no one has been in before.” It might be compared to a new Harry Potter book being announced or the long-awaited Rolling Stones album. Although gamers will say that even the enthusiasm for this contrasts sharply with their expectations.
After years of waiting, a trailer for the new Grand Theft Auto VI was supposed to be released this afternoon, but that was suddenly moved forward to the middle of the night: the trailer then turned out to have been leaked on social medium X, after which the developer decided to release the full-fledged video itself. to give. There are few video games that have been waiting for as many gaming fans as the new GTA VI. Rumors and speculation have been going around for months about what the game will look like. Developer Rockstar Games is still keeping many details secret, but expectations are high. What becomes clear from this trailer: the setting is once again Vice City, a fictional city based on Miami. For the first time, the game has a female protagonist. And the game won't be released until 2025. The previous GTA, the fifth in the series, was released in 2013. It is not known why Rockstar waited so long to release a sequel, but they themselves are silent about it. Experts think the developers wanted to take their time to deliver a good product. There are also critics who say that GTA V is a cash cow that still makes a lot of money. GTA V has grossed more than $8 billion since its launch ten years ago. This makes it one of the greatest entertainment products ever. Avatar, for example, remains far behind as the most lucrative Hollywood film with less than 3 billion. It is not yet possible to say whether Grand Theft Auto VI will live up to expectations. However, images of the game have been leaked in recent months. A hacker posted them on an online fan forum. Rockstar Games confirmed that "a third party" had illegally downloaded confidential information, including footage from the game. Thailand’s new civilian-led administration is facing criticism over its plan to go forward with the purchase of a high-cost navy frigate from China in a deal first negotiated by the previous military government.
The purchase of the vessel was negotiated after China reneged on a 2017 plan to sell Thailand a S26T Yuan-class submarine because it could not obtain diesel engines from Germany, which forbids them to be used in Chinese military hardware, according to the Bangkok Post. However the frigate, which would add to an existing fleet of seven mostly Chinese-built frigates, will cost the country $480 million — $28 million more than the submarine would have cost. That has been criticized by the opposition Move Forward Party, which argues that the submarine deal should simply have been allowed to lapse. "Chinese authority should rather take responsibility for failing the agreement," said Move Forward MP Rangsiman Rome, who was quoted by Matichon, a major Thai newspaper and website. Thai Defense Minister Sutin Klungsang has defended the purchase, saying that revoking the deal or asking for a refund from China “would only impact other aspects of cooperation and relations” between the two countries. Sutin also said that the submarine deal is being shelved rather than replaced by the new warship deal. Scott Edwards, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Reading in the U.K., said there may be other countries where Thailand could purchase a frigate but that political considerations can go into a purchase. "Vessels sometimes rely on originating countries for spare parts and maintenance," he wrote in an email exchange. John Bradford, executive director of the Japan-based Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies, pointed out some advantages to a frigate over a submarine. He said the training and maintenance costs should be lower, and that a frigate would be more useful in dealing with challenges posed by Thailand's "exceptionally complex" maritime environment. Those challenges include fishing regulation enforcement, guarding against smuggling, ocean resource protection and governance over waters that face both the Indian and Pacific oceans, Bradford said. Edwards agreed that a frigate is more sensible than a submarine, which would likely be underutilized and of limited use to Thailand. "While Thailand may want submarines to match the subsurface capabilities of its neighbors, frigates can also be equipped with anti-submarine warfare capabilities," said Edwards, who is an expert in Southeast Asia's maritime security governance. However, he questioned Bangkok's decision to purchase a frigate from Beijing, citing China's assertive behavior in the South China Sea. "China's actions in the South China Sea should still be a consideration despite Thailand not being in direct dispute," he said. Thailand previously purchased two Naresuan-class and four Chao Phraya-class frigates from China as well as one frigate from South Korea. Most of the missile-launching warships have been in commission since the 1990s. While Thailand has relied on both the United States and China for military hardware, the kingdom shifted toward Beijing after a 2014 coup prompted the U.S. to suspend millions of dollars in military financing and funding for military education and training. Washington normalized its relations with Bangkok after a 2019 election, widely seen as legitimizing the military-led government. The vote was held under a junta-written constitution and resulted in the victory of coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha. Dulyapak Preecharush, associate professor of Asian studies at Thammasat University in Bangkok, noted that Thailand has been led by a civilian government since August and argued that the kingdom should maintain a nonalignment policy, including more balance on military hardware procurement. "Thai [Defense Ministry] has acknowledged the current geopolitical competition between the US and China and will put more balance on Thai relations with major powers," he wrote in a recent email to VOA Thai. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Thailand bought 33% of its military material from South Korea, 14% from China and 10% from the United States during the period from 2018 to 2022. Edwards, from the University of Reading, agreed that the current Thai government, led by the Pheu Thai Party and consisting of pro-military and pro-establishment coalitions, is likely to rebalance toward the U.S. But "it is unlikely such shifts will be dramatic in nature," he wrote, noting that as recently as May, the U.S. rejected selling F-35 stealth fighter jets to Thailand. Thailand's trade volume with China in 2022 was about $135 billion, according to China's state-run Business Information Center. Its total trade with the United States that year was an estimated $79.1 billion, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. With less than 20 trading days left until the end of 2023, we have just witnessed a series of record-breaking price developments in the international gold price, as well as heightened gold price volatility, and the price moving in a $120 range intraday.
While a new all-time high monthly close in the US dollar gold price was achieved on Thursday 30 November at $2040/oz, and new all-time highs on the weekly close and daily close were achieved on Friday 01 December at $2072/oz, these new record highs were in hindsight, overshadowed by what happened subsequently. For following the weekend pause of Saturday and Sunday (when gold market venues around the world are closed,) the gold market re-opened into the new trading week with a shock and awe surge to $2143, the speed and magnitude of which has not been seen for many years. As the gold market opened at 6 pm New York time on Sunday 3 December (11 pm Sunday London time, 7 am Monday morning Singapore / Shanghai time), this price surge began to take shape a mere 15 minutes after opening, with the gold price blasting up by $70 from $2073 to $2143 in a little over 20 minutes – that’s a 3.38% surge in the gold price in a mere 20 minutes – shattering all resistance levels in a flash, and breaking through the psychologically important $2100 level. Equally spectacularly, after this price spike to $2143, the gold price went down again, as first violently, and then over the next 12 hours in a very controlled fashion. For the record, here are the details, using New York times as the reference point. Note that the ‘gold market’ opens on Sunday evening New York time when the CME’s Globex electronic trading platform opens for gold futures trading. This is a time of relatively low liquidity as none of the world’s major gold markets are officially ‘at their desks’, although its just before the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) begins trading. Starting at 6:15 pm New York time on Sunday evening, the spot gold price rose over a 5 minute period from $2074 to $2088. Between 6:19 pm and 6:24 pm, the price then rose again from $2088 to $2112. Then between 6:24 pm and 6:29 pm, the price increased again from $2112 to $2124. Finally, between 6:29 pm and 6:34 pm, the gold price accelerated even further from $2124 to $2143.37. To reiterate, that was a $70 surge in a 20-minute period. Something remarkable happened in Hong Kong’s decadeslong LGBTQ rights movement in recent months, though it is unclear what it means for the future. Hong Kong’s courts issued several rulings in favor of granting LGBTQ rights — including no longer requiring conversion surgery to change their gender on ID cards, allowing same-sex couples to apply for subsidized public housing together, and perhaps the most important by the city’s highest court — ordering the government to come up with a framework within two years to recognize same-sex partnerships. Additionally, the government last month allowed the Gay Games, an international sports event for LGBTQ athletes, to be held in Hong Kong — a first for the city and Asia. "In general, [LGBTQ rights] are progressing. ... It’s pointing in the right direction," said Jerome Yau, co-founder of Hong Kong Marriage Equality, a group dedicated to eliminating discrimination against same-sex couples. "The government is now legally obliged to come up with a framework to legally recognize same-sex marriage by October 2025. … So, something has to happen in two years. That’s a very significant decision." While that ruling and other recent developments are seen as achievements, there are worries that government hesitation, possible intervention by Beijing, and Christian opposition – could prevent the city from becoming the next place in Asia, after Taiwan and Nepal, to grant equal rights to same-sex couples, including the right to get married. "We’re in a rather complicated situation," Yau said. "We have to tread very carefully." The government, considered conservative in advancing LGBTQ legislation even before Hong Kong’s handover to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, has given no indication of how it would carry out the top court’s ruling. The Housing Authority, meanwhile, has appealed to overturn the housing rulings issued by lower courts. At the same time, anti-gay religious opponents, including a lawmaker, have protested the games and the legalization of same-sex marriage, alleging they could threaten national security. The controversial national security law passed in 2020 has been used to jail people on charges of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Additionally, the annual Hong Kong Pride Parade, which used to attract thousands of participants to march on the city’s streets, was not held again this year, despite the end of COVID restrictions. Instead, an indoor exhibition was held. "With all these developments, sometimes you see the government take one step forward and walk two steps backwards. We feel disappointed," said Paul Choi, an LGBTQ rights advocate. Hong Kong’s courts and public opinion may be moving at a faster pace than the government seems willing to. A survey conducted by three universities earlier this year found that 60% of Hong Kongers said they supported same-sex marriage, up from 50% in 2017 and 38% in 2013. At the same time, the percentage of Hong Kong residents who said they were unaccepting of gay men and lesbians dropped significantly — from 32% in 2013, to 13% this year, according to the survey. The study’s researchers attributed the change in attitude to favorable court rulings, more jurisdictions around the world legalizing same-sex marriage and increasing representation of lesbians and gay men in the media. This includes the recently held Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, the longest running of its kind in Asia. Now, many are waiting to see if the government will keep pace. There are concerns it will drag its feet or allow only separate and partial rights. Same-sex couples who got married abroad, including simply on Zoom calls with U.S. states that allow remote marriage registration, already qualify for dependent visas, civil-servant spousal benefits, and joint tax filing. But LGBTQ community members said they want equal rights, arguing the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, promises all Hong Kong residents "shall be equal before the law." They said creating a separate status for them will not grant them the same rights heterosexual couples enjoy. "Think about it, as a citizen, I’m born and grew up here and want to get married. Why do I have to travel somewhere else to get married?" asked Choi, who recently married his partner in Melbourne, Australia. They have had to create a will and prepare power of attorney documents, although they still don’t know if they can visit each other in a hospital as family members or make medical decisions for each other if needed. There are also fears that a tightening of restrictions on LGBTQ groups in mainland China in recent years could spread to Hong Kong, especially given lingering government worries about a return of the widespread and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests seen here in 2019. "There's no one threatening us, but the biggest problem we’re facing right now is that when we want to hold events [like the pride parade], we have people telling us maybe it’s not a great idea," said Alan Hau, deacon of the LGBTQ-inclusive Blessed Ministry Community Church. Yau sounded hopeful, though, pointing out that another gay pride event, Pink Dot, has received permission to be held in a popular gathering spot. "We still have space to do things, which unfortunately is a whole different situation across the border. We should treasure this space," Yau said. "Things are happening. … It’s just that things are not moving at a faster pace. Let’s see how things will go in the next two years."
US retail giant Walmart has announced it is suspending advertising on X (formerly Twitter), becoming the latest major brand to abandon the platform.
Corporations including Apple, Coca-Cola and Disney have halted their paid ads on X in recent weeks. “We've found some other platforms better for reaching our customers,” a Walmart spokesperson said, explaining the decision. Walmart is the largest retailer in the US, with $500 billion in domestic sales in 2022. The mass exodus from X was sparked in November, when the advocacy group Media Matters for America claimed the platform had posted “pro-Nazi” and “anti-Semitic” content next to the posts of major advertisers. X has denied the findings, publishing an analysis suggesting Media Matters had manipulated the algorithms with fake accounts. Owner Elon Musk personally came under fire in November after he publicly endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory in a post on X. The tech tycoon agreed with a user who said Jews hold a “dialectical hatred” of white people, sparking responding with: “You have said the actual truth.” Later Musk later backtracked, calling his reply “one of the most foolish” posts he’d ever made on X. Since buying Twitter in October 2022, Musk has been continually accused by the mainstream media and the political left of failing to adequately moderate content. Starting in December last year, Musk countered many of those allegations by releasing the Twitter Files – a select series of internal documents given to journalists – detailing the company’s activities under previous management. In one of the most damning examples, it emerged that Twitter had helped block the dissemination of a bombshell report alleging influence-peddling by Joe Biden’s family, just three weeks before he was elected president. When Musk purchased Twitter for an estimated $44 billion, he fired many of Twitter’s former staffers, and unbanned many accounts in the name of promoting free speech. Speaking earlier this week at a conference in New York, Elon Musk struck a defiant tone on the exit of major advertisers, telling them to “go f*ck yourself.” Oil prices began to retreat on Thursday afternoon as it became clear that OPEC+ members were agreeing to voluntary cuts beginning in the new year, and that those cuts would be announced only by each member country instead of by the group as a whole.
OPEC+ announced during the full OPEC+ meeting on Thursday that because all the cuts agreed to today were voluntary, they would be announced not by the group, but by the individual member states. Immediately following the meeting’s kickoff, it was also announced that Brazil would join the OPEC+ group effective in January. Three weeks ago, OPEC’s Secretary General HE Haitham al-Ghais said that the group’s door was open should Brazil wish to join. Brazil has a goal of substantially increasing its crude oil production to become the world’s fourth-largest producer by 2030. In September, Brazil exported $3.92 billion in crude oil, while importing $681 million, according to OEC data. This level of exports is a 13% increase year over year, with China as the primary destination. Brent crude oil prices, which had been trading up around 1.5% during the JMMC meeting, sank to +0.16% on the day in the absence of an announced production strategy from the group’s leadership. WTI slipped into the red with a loss of 3.43% on the day following the full meeting. The specifics of what was agreed to for the first quarter of 2024 among the OPEC+ members:
Angola not only didn’t announce an additional voluntary cut, but it publicly rejected its current quota, and reiterated its proposal for a 1.18 million barrel quota beginning in January. It added that it will not stick to the new OPEC quota. Not including cut extensions from Saudi Arabia and Russia, the additional voluntary cuts beginning in January and carrying through to the end of March is 684,000 bpd. All together, the total voluntary cuts for the first quarter is 2.184 million bpd. The next OPEC+ meeting is scheduled for June 1, 2024. News has been spreading throughout the media about a “disease outbreak” in China. For many, this brings back bad memories. The illness, described as a form of pneumonia, has reportedly gone widespread very quickly, triggering comparisons to how the Covid-19 pandemic emerged. As with the coronavirus, it was not long before there followed accusations of a government cover-up of the extent of the spread.
Cases of the same illness occurring outside of China have been the target of media attention, such as those in Denmark and the US, as has the World Health Organization’s request for more information and Beijing’s response. In reality, there doesn’t appear to be that much to worry about this time around. The pathogen responsible has already been determined not to be a novel virus and therefore not posing a distinctive new threat to humans the way Covid did. Known as “white lung syndrome,” it is a form of pneumonia that is resistant to some antibiotics and usually causes mild flu-like symptoms. In fact, the aforementioned Denmark suffers nationwide outbreaks every few years. So, rather than a mysterious political conspiracy wrapped in secrecy and malign intentions, this outbreak has a much simpler explanation: China is facing its first winter after having opened up from its zero-Covid policy and therefore old illnesses are reasserting themselves. But that won’t stop the scaremongering. Throughout history, it has been a human trait to scapegoat a group of 'others' when a disease emerged to threaten the community. Humans are tribalistic creatures, and each social group usually bonds together through a commonly held sense of values and customs, which are deemed superior to those of outsider groups. Disease, however, as abundant as it always has been, contravenes the group’s collective sense of self-esteem, causes misery and consequentially demands accountability on a political level. Because of this, it becomes habitual of human thinking to deflect the origins of a disease outbreak on an outsider group and to frame it as an invasive force which challenges the values they hold, and therefore could not have come from themselves. This mode of thinking is especially relevant in the East-West geopolitical dynamic, whereby Western countries hold themselves to be inherently superior and the ultimate standard of civilization in the world. In such thinking, most of the East, be it Asia or the Middle East, is deemed uncivilized, inferior and brutal. This mode of thinking is only confirmed by popular stereotypes, rather than introspecting material, economic and social realities. As a result, it has become commonplace to scapegoat the Eastern world, especially a large and powerful country like China – which happens to also a be a geopolitical adversary to the main Western power, the US – as being a source of disease outbreaks 'inflicted' upon the West. This was the narrative which took hold during the Covid-19 pandemic, as Western media and governments scrambled to deflect attention from unpopular decisions and their dramatic consequences. They sought to blame the Chinese government’s negligence, malice or both, for Covid, and propping up that narrative was an astronomical amount of racism which sought to play on stereotypes about Chinese culinary habits and hygiene, perfectly in line with the West-East mentality of Oriental 'inferiority'. Anti-communism, especially in the US, was conveniently layered on top of these prejudices, concealing them in a somewhat acceptable manner. Thus, the science of how Covid spreads was ignored in favor of a dramatic political blame game, which was aggressively amplified by the Trump administration. This time around, there won’t be a new pandemic, but it’s easy to draw false comparisons. It’s a basic fact that for the past three years China has lived under a strict zero-Covid regime which often entailed extreme precautions to prevent the spread of the disease. Entire major cities such as Shanghai found themselves in lockdown, and these restrictions only became more tedious as Covid variants became more transmissive. Because of this, there was no space in the disease ecosystem for flu and other less sensational illnesses, as they were jammed between the rock and hard place of Covid and all these protection measures. Therefore, as soon as China abandoned these restrictions, with the coronavirus having swept through the population, the winter season meant the less severe viruses could spread their wings again. Despite this, we are likely to see more media headlines about the scary new “Chinese disease,” because fear of disease, and especially fear of disease linked to a fear of China, sells well. Even though this development is a nothingburger, expect some close coverage, baseless speculations, even outright propaganda and hearsay about how things are worse than they seem, how the Communist Party is covering up deaths, how statistics are rigged, hospitals are full, etc. – we’ve heard it all before. The Covid pandemic has been a lesson in how diseases can be politically weaponized to suit an agenda, and in this case it’s happening again at a smaller scale. The British F1=team Williams have opted to retain Sargeant for a second campaign despite his troubled 2023 season.
The 22-year-old, who scored just one point throughout the season, will race alongside Alex Albon, with the London-born Thai's place already announced. "I am thrilled to be continuing with Williams Racing for the 2024 season," Sargeant said on Friday. "It has been an incredible journey with the team so far and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue developing as a driver within such a talented and dedicated group. "We have exciting plans for the future and I can't wait to contribute to the team's success in the coming year." Sargeant claimed his maiden point in Formula One, the first American to score in the sport since Michael Andretti 30 years ago for McLaren, after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were both disqualified from the United States Grand Prix in Austin in October. Albon finished the year with an impressive 27 points to help Williams land seventh in the constructors' championship, the team's best result for six seasons. "I am pleased to continue our journey with Logan into 2024," said team principal James Vowles. "Logan has demonstrated immense skill whilst under the pressure of the world stage, making him a perfect fit for our team. "We have great confidence in his abilities and believe that together we can achieve even greater success in the upcoming season." The Formula One season will start in Bahrain on March 2. |
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