All the difficulties related to the integration of new partners in the new generation SCAF fighter aircraft program, which unites Germany, Spain and France, were summed up by Spanish Defense Minister Amparo Valcarce, when asked about the arrival of Belgium with observer status in the SCAF program .

In fact, the minister expressed her great satisfaction that Brussels was joining the program, which is designed to address the entire industrial effort of European aeronautical defense and the capabilities of the old continent’s air forces.

However, when a journalist asked her about the redistribution of industrial participation under the programme, she gave a completely different speech, indicating that she intended Spain to retain 33% of industrial activity, at least in phase 1B, with the aim of making the demonstrator to develop by 2029 Madrid has committed to finance 2.5 billion euros on the basis of Paris and Berlin.

In the shelf press, but also among the gurus of defense commentary on social networks, it is common for France to be blamed for the lack of flexibility within European cooperation programs.

In reality, the situation is often different and very often France, or rather President Macron, is much more forgiving than its partners but also than its own industrialists when it comes to promoting the emergence of a real pan-European dynamic of defense.

This case is the perfect example as it is very likely that it was Paris that gave Brussels observer status under the SCAF programme. And not without reason, because if Belgium did in fact opt ​​for the F-35A over the Rafale in 2018, it has since shown more than a clean paw to France by ordering almost 5 billion euros in equipment from French manufacturers (VBMR ). , EBRC, Caesar, McM, Mistral 3).

Be that as it may, the Spanish stance shows unfilteredly that industrially it will be very difficult to make ‘space’ for other European countries under the SCAF programme, even if from a political point of view this is undeniably desirable, as is the case is is the sizing for the BITDs involved.

The only conceivable alternative to expanding the European base of the program would be to expand its scope, ie to integrate additional developments that justify the entry of new partners.

This can include, for example, the development of a single-engine combat aircraft, as mentioned several times on this site, extending the range of combat drones beyond currently planned remote carriers, or integrating space capabilities, to name a few trivial examples

The solution to integrating the BITD into the SCAF program could be to expand the scope of this program, for example by developing new drones or a single-engine combat aircraft.

It is also possible that an agreement between two countries that extends the scope of the program to only those two members could lead to a balanced agreement. This is the hypothesis mentioned in an article dated June 12 dedicated to this subject, which examines the possibility of integrating Belgium into the Rafale F5/Neuron program against the acquisition of equipment to space within the French part of SCAF to be released for Belgian industrialists.

Conversely, as long as the industrial scope of the program remains fixed, the slightest attack, however possible, on established industries will provoke epidermal reactions on both sides, industrialists and politicians anxious to protect theirs To preserve achievements that are considered strategies for developing their own BITD.

Be that as it may, and as the above-mentioned article concluded, the opening of the SCAF program to other European countries cannot be done without a good dose of imagination and disturbing thoughts to come up with solutions. Acceptable for everyone. From a certain point of view, the granting of observer status to Belgium fulfills this condition.

Kiev goes “in depth” and restarts the battle for the bridges, a campaign carried out with new equipment and tactics already proven.

The raids

In recent days, Ukrainians have suffered numerous setbacks: parts of the railway, commandos and depots have been blown up. On Thursday morning it was aimed at the Chongar Bridge, which provides connections between the Kherson region and Crimea. The images, which surfaced on the internet almost immediately, showed a large crater. Travel delays are occurring and traffic is being diverted to make room for rescue workers. The raids take place in parallel with the slow offensive and present a way to hamper the invaders’ logistics, particularly behind the defensive bastion built in the southern region.

The effects are all the more noticeable the more numerous the targets are hit. Photos have recently surfaced of possible breaches in the pylons of the Cherch Bridge, a strategic and symbolic target apparently attacked with a truck loaded with explosives months ago. Other problems were reported along the lines of communication. However, Moscow has tried to improve supply channels, but with partial success. As with other aspects of the conflict, observers’ judgment on the adjustments has never been unanimous, and some remain skeptical. Others prefer to wait for more concrete evidence.

The weapons

To implement the plan, Ukraine used weapons supplied by NATO – such as the British Storm Shadow cruise missile or its French version Scalp – and planted the saboteurs (partisans, special forces) behind the enemy. The availability of extended-range systems expands the options for action, allows for tracking of occupants, and threatens large concentrations of ammunition. So Zelenskyy continued to call for 300-kilometer-range missiles that could be deployed by the Himars, but the White House didn’t listen, despite rumors from the US that Biden might change his mind.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainians have also been looking for alternative solutions, from using the vehicle bomb detonated in the middle of the Cherch infrastructure to using a radio-controlled kamikaze boat launched under the arches. And now the cruise missiles. According to the Russians, among the wreckage of the vectors found on the bridge there is a gun that indicates French origin, a gun with a range of 300 kilometers.

The frame

There is always a propaganda framework around important war developments. Ukraine delivers a message in information warfare. Even away from the main front and despite the offensive slowdown, there is impact, damage and ability recovery. Moscow, in turn, emphasizes the use of material from NATO: from its sources it was clear what kind of bombs were dropped on Chongar.

The reasons are obvious: the Kremlin reiterates to its citizens that the conflict is now being fought with the Atlantic Alliance, reintroducing the version that the invasion is necessary to respond to an aggressive enemy, justifying all future ones measures and uses them to make threats against anyone Who supports the resistance? In the last few days, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced rules of engagement: if Crimea is bombed, we will respond with attacks on Ukrainian decision-making centers, ie Ukrainian leaders and institutions.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of the Caribbean, Raúl Li Causi, explained in an interview with Prensa Latina that this commemoration aims to celebrate a historic day for the region, namely the founding of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) on July 4, 1973 at the initiative of four great leaders.

In this sense, he reminded the independent States of Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago that they had taken a fundamental step towards integration with the Treaty of Chaguaramas, signed in the latter country on the aforementioned date.

The Venezuelan Ambassador to the Caribbean Community stressed that on this occasion, “above all, we celebrate the creation of this mechanism, which is of great importance for international relations” and is of enormous importance in the global context.

He estimated that the Caribbean bloc, currently made up of 15 countries and eight observer states, has been crucial in defending principles during times of the greatest attacks not only on Venezuela but also on Cuba and Nicaragua.

He always takes a position of principle, offers his friendly hand as a mediator and understands the historical links that bind us to them and the different models of cooperation that we could propose to move forward together on this path, he said.

The also President of the Board of Banco del Alba said that Venezuela is honored to celebrate this week, which in a way aims not only to deal with the historical memory but also the different challenges that Caricom is facing today , to learn and deepen.

He announced that the commemoration of this half-century will include various activities, such as holding a symposium in which the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, will be the keynote speaker and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil will attend .

This meeting, scheduled to take place Monday at the State Department’s Yellow House, is aimed at the field of academic and policy analysis to reflect not only on the history of the Caribbean community, but also where it is heading after its first 50 years , detailed.

He pointed out that alongside Gonsalves, invited representatives from the Caribbean will come to Venezuela to attend the reparations seminar in Caracas, which will be held next week in coordination with the Simón Bolívar Institute.

Li Causi pointed out that a photo exhibition will be opened at the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters, which will provide an overview of Caricom’s history over the past half century.

On this occasion there will also be tastings of cultural events with the support of artists from the region and a joint reception with the embassies of the countries of the accredited integration group in Caracas.

The appointment includes further meetings attended by several Venezuelan ministers to work with these nations’ heads of missions on various aspects and strengthen cooperation.

Participants at this Caribbean week in Venezuela would pay homage to the country’s father, El Libertador Simón Bolívar, with a flower donation, he stressed.

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the meeting that there was no need to wait for major reforms, but that it was possible to act now and take a giant step towards global justice. The two-day meeting initiated by Macron is about consultations on a more supportive financial system. Binding decisions were not to be taken, but guidance was expected on how to bridge the widening gap between industrialized countries and countries in the Global South, which are particularly affected by the consequences of climate change.

As Macron said before the meeting, it is about reforming the financial system with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and public and private funds to tackle the dual challenges of poverty and climate change.

In a joint contribution to the Paris summit, 13 heads of state and government, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, EU Commission Chair Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister , Rishi Sunak, emphasized their commitment to improving the well-being of the world’s people. “We are convinced that a fair ecological transition, which leaves no one behind, can be an important factor in combating poverty and supporting sustainable and solidary development”. Long-term investments would have to be made worldwide and solutions found for heavily indebted countries.

Dealing with poverty and tackling climate change would require innovative finance, debt buybacks and accountability for the sectors that have benefited most from globalization. “Solidarity and joint action are at the heart of our cooperation to alleviate the difficulties faced by developing countries and achieve our global goals,” said the statement, published by Le Monde newspaper.

Specifically, the summit is about investments in countries particularly affected by climate change. In view of growing inequality, Macron insisted on significantly more public and private funds. So far, not enough has been done in both areas. “Without the private sector, we will not meet this challenge.”

Labor and Economy Minister Martin Kocher represented Chancellor Karl Nehammer (both ÖVP) at the summit. “To effectively combat climate change, not only public investment is needed, but also decisive incentives for private capital,” Kocher said Thursday, according to the broadcast. “By creating a framework that encourages private companies to develop and fund sustainable solutions, we can unlock the full potential for entrepreneurship and innovation.”

Development organization One demanded from the meeting that economically weak countries be given easier money to deal with crises. Until now, the conditions for granting loans to these countries have often been unfairly regulated. The federal government must push for reforms of development institutions like the World Bank.

Dealing with debt will also be discussed at the summit. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told RFI that the debts of extremely poor countries with excessive debt would have to be restructured. “We want to do this together with our Chinese partners.” With a view to Sri Lanka and Zambia, they are now close to reaching an agreement.

Along with Japan and India, France launched a platform for negotiation between Sri Lanka’s creditor states. In April, however, it was still unclear whether China, as the largest bilateral creditor, would join the process. Sri Lanka had external debts of US$ 35.1 billion in September last year. According to Japan’s Ministry of Finance, 19 percent of that was in China, seven percent in Japan and five percent in India.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an old promise made by the G-20 countries to the poorest countries has finally been fulfilled: “We are reaching the target, we have 100 billion”, IMF head Kristalina Georgieva told a conference summit in Paris on Thursday. In 2021, G20 countries had pledged to reallocate so-called special drawing rights worth $100 billion to the poorest countries so they can better arm themselves against the consequences of climate change.

So far, this promise has not been implemented. Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were created by the IMF as early as 1969 and used, among other things, during the 2009 financial crisis and during the corona pandemic. They represent a kind of artificial currency reserve. The Prime Minister of the Caribbean state of Barbados, Mia Mottley, defended the use of this instrument for climate protection. There is another promise that dates back to the 2009 climate conference in Copenhagen. According to this, developing countries should receive 100 billion annually for climate protection from 2020. This has not yet been implemented.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the meeting that the list of things that can be done is long. You don’t have to wait for major reform, but you can act now and take a giant step towards global justice.

In the corona pandemic, the debts of numerous poor countries exploded. As interest rates are rising significantly, many of them are threatened with collapse. The World Bank plays an important role in planned aid. She announced measures to accommodate countries in case of natural disasters. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also spoke in favor of this.

According to the manuscript, the new head of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, wants to show several ways to help developing countries more in a speech on Thursday. This included suspending debt payments or being more flexible in case of sudden disasters. It’s time for a new vision for the World Bank, a Washington-based development bank whose largest shareholder is the United States. Banga referred to the war in Ukraine, the climate crisis and rising inequality in the world as justification.

A draft summit statement seen by Portal said leaders wanted to support development banks’ plans to allocate more capital. In this way, more loans could be extended to poor countries, as long as the maximum “AAA” credit rating is not lost as a result. According to sources, however, no binding decision is expected at the summit. It is more likely to result in strong commitments to support poor countries.

Since the Titan submersible’s disappearance and the profile of its passengers were announced, many have wondered why people with high spending power who paid $250,000 for the excursion embark on perilous voyages like this.

Harvard psychologist Ellen Larger, who specializes in social cognition and decisionmaking, told Insider that it’s about escaping the boredom of routine and “breaking the ordinariness of your everyday life.”

Read more about the missing submersible

According to Larger, many people are trapped in an unfulfilling life and are inattentive most of the time. In this sense, doing something dangerous can alleviate the feeling of emptiness as it requires attention and awareness from the individual. “Unfortunately, many of these people don’t realize that it’s easy to be aware without risking your life,” she added.

In addition to exploring the depths of the ocean, according to the insider, space travel — which is estimated to be around 10,000 times more dangerous than commercial flights — and cruise expeditions to places like Antarctica are among the risky travel experiences trending among wealthy people.

Billionaire Hamish Harding, who was aboard the Titan submersible, flew into space in a Blue Origin plane owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos last year.

Peter Anderson, chief executive of luxury travel agency Knightsbridge Circle, told the New York Times about the recent case of a client wanting to visit South Sudan one of 19 countries the US State Department has classified as unsafe to travel to. The planning process for this trip even included consulting with safety experts to determine how best to mitigate potential hazards.

Anderson told the Times that this type of tourist has become so used to more ordinary destinations that they see as “typical vacations” that they are starting to look for more unique experiences, many of which involve some level of risk.