Geopolitics
Putin announces “Special Operation” – multiple Ukrainian cities reported explosions
Explosions were reported across multiple cities in Ukraine, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa and Mariupol. There are also unverified reports that amphibious assault on Mariupol and Odessa. Mariupol is in Donetsk oblast. But if Russian troops lands in Odessa (which is west of Crimea), it would invalidate our assessment that this would just be a limited…
Read MoreDonbas is the final warning from Putin
As the world buzzes with the news of Putin recognizing the independence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic + the decreed to OFFICIALLY deploy the Russian military into the 2 regions as “peacekeepers” – the headline calling this an invasion is actually a bit of a misnomer. You can’t invade what you…
Read MoreRussia will not invade Ukraine… unless…
There are so much media hype and perhaps, even misinformation, on the “Ukraine Crisis” – as the western media narrative of an impending invasion of Ukraine by the Russia – the layman on the streets are not going to realise how far it is from the reality. Yes, Russia had massed a lot of forces…
Read More[ Express ] Global tensions grow as Chinese rocket scientist defects to the West
Described as a rocket technician, the Chinese national was attached to the stateowned Aviation Industry Corp of China, where he helped develop a mid-range hypersonic boost-glide vehicle capable of carrying DF-17 missiles to a range of up to 2,000 miles. Sources say the scientist, in his 30s, is connected with a more recent hypersonic missile…
Read MoreNATO doubled down as the alliance demands Russian withdrawal from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
NATO had officially replied to Russia and provided NATO’s own proposals to Russia. In short, NATO basically doubled down on their position and further demanded Russian withdrawal from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. Russia was waiting for a reply from the United States, and the reply had instead came from NATO, and in General Jens Stoltenberg…
Read More[ AP ] Russia threatens retaliation if Ukraine demands not met
Russia warned Wednesday it would quickly take “retaliatory measures” if the U.S. and its allies reject its security demands and continue their “aggressive” policies, ratcheting up pressure on the West amid concerns that Moscow is planning to invade Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied it has any such designs, but the United States and its NATO…
Read MoreAre small and medium states ready to stop terrorists with cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency, or “crypto” as some prefer to call it, is slated to be the future of financial transactions. While the further development of crypto is widely celebrated, with mild speculations, traceability remains the most important issue surrounding the digital currency that requires abject focus. Often, acute discussions about the pros and cons of cryptocurrency assume…
Read More[ AP ] Indonesia, Singapore sign key defense, extradition treaties
The agreement on defense cooperation — along with separate treaties on extradition and airspace rights — were signed in the presence of Indonesian President Joko Widodo of Indonesia and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The defense cooperation agreement will significantly boost Singapore’s ability to carry out naval and military exercises amid regional tensions over…
Read More[ Reuters ] Indonesia, Singapore sign extradition, airspace and defence agreements
Indonesia and Singapore signed on Tuesday a bilateral extradition agreement, a move that Jakarta expects to help authorities in their effort to bring to justice people accused of stashing offshore billions of dollars in state money. Senior cabinet ministers from both countries also signed bilateral agreements covering airspace and defence in a ceremony aired on…
Read More[ Reuters ] Singapore PM backs continued exclusion of Myanmar junta from ASEAN meetings
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a video call on Friday urged the regional group’s new chair, Cambodia, to engage all sides in Myanmar’s conflict, Singapore’s foreign ministry said on Saturday. Lee told his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen that ASEAN should continue inviting a non-political representative from Myanmar to its meetings and any decision to…
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