Articles
Lebanon. Economic crisis
Between January 2020 and April 2021, prices of basic commodities in Lebanon increased by 350%. Taking into account the last two years, the increase amounts to 700%. The value of GDP decreased by about 40% from $55 billion in 2018 to $33 billion in 2020. On July 6, Prime Minister Hassan Diab appealed to the international community and the UN to provide help and prevent a humanitarian disaster and collapse of the country’s economy.
Event Summary: New York and Building Safety. What Can We Learn from the World’s Most famous city?
The Guardian Angels have branches in thirteen countries and over a hundred cities. While the original group of thirteen in his hometown has grown to thousands around the world, the mission has not changed: make a positive difference to the community by engaging our community members to take a step forward and play an active role. The creator of this group and a candidate for the mayor of New York is Curtis Śliwa, a guest of the Warsaw Institute.
Tribute To Russia: Will Lukashenko Give Belarus Into Russian Hands?
Russia Monitor is a review of the most important events related to Russian internal and external security, as well as its foreign policies. Date: Tribute To Russia: Will Lukashenko Give Belarus Into Russian Hands? Many signs are that the Belarusian...
Hungary, Russia Agree New Gas Contract
Hungary has agreed with Russia on all the conditions for a new long-term gas supply deal, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The agreement is for 15 years and gas flows running to Hungary will bypass Ukraine.
Rosneft In Talks With Potential Investors In Vostok Oil
Russia’s biggest oil company Rosneft is in talks with various groups of investors on joining the company’s flagship Vostok Oil project. Earlier the energy giant had seen a major lifeline to develop its Arctic project once it sold a 10 percent stake to international trader Trafigura.
The Role of Hydrogen in Gazprom Neft’s New Policy
Mikhail Antonov, Head of Gazprom Neft’s Oil and Gas Refining Directorate, announced that the company will modernize its refineries by 2025. This upgrade is expected to increase the production of hydrogen, which is gaining importance in the energy policy of Russia.
Russia Takes Inventory Of Its Natural Resources
Russia’s natural resources and environment ministry and energy ministry specified the exact amount of crude oil in the country. Russian Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov said the country should continue geological research to find new deposits despite a global tendency to gradually shift away from crude oil and gas.
Russia Faces Renewed Covid-19 Surge
While many countries around the globe are experiencing the fourth Covid-19 wave, Russia is still struggling with the third one. Russia saw the highest monthly coronavirus death toll of the pandemic in July 2021, with 50,000 people dying from Covid-19.
Putin Gives Cash Before State Duma Elections: More For Siloviki, Less For Pensioners
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for one-off cash payments to be awarded to Russia’s pensioners and military service personnel in a highly anticipated pre-election move. The payments will total more than 500 billion roubles. The Kremlin and the government are doing whatever they can to give the ruling party the best possible result in the upcoming vote.
Russia Deploys Missile Forces To Grodno, Belarus
Russia and Belarus are putting into practice their military cooperation deal both have concluded this spring. Units of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Russian Federation arrived in Grodno to create three joint “combat training centers” for the air force and air defense forces of the two states. Thus for the first time in many years, Russia is beefing up its permanent military presence in Belarus.
Pegasus Affair: Who Was Wiretapped in the Middle East?
The case of Pegasus, an Israeli software that allows various intelligence services in its possession worldwide to infect and take control over almost any device, returned again in mid-July 2021. According to the latest reports, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have used it extremely often, both to monitor their own citizens (particularly those critical of their own governments) as well as politicians of other countries, especially from Egypt and Iraq.
Chinese-Russian Axis In Afghanistan
Russia and China are now following a coordinated policy towards the rapidly developing situation in Afghanistan. Both countries have been long in contact with the Taliban, seeking friendly ties with Afghanistan’s new government and business deals in the country. Meanwhile, Moscow and Beijing are right to voice concern over the Taliban policy in the future while staying aware of possible threats Islamic fundamentalists pose to Afghanistan.
German Court Rejects Russian Nord Stream 2’s Appeal
A German court in Düsseldorf has rejected an appeal by Nord Stream 2 AG to allow its pipeline to be exempt from the EU’s gas directive rules. Thus Russia will be unable to use the full transport capacities of the new gas pipeline once it is launched soon. This will not affect EU customers, but Gazprom will still have to send large gas flows through Ukraine.
Russia Stiffens Stance On The Taliban
Moscow’s recent decisions show it hesitates whether the Taliban will meet their commitments to stop the Islamic expansions northwards to Central Asian countries. The Russian military is beefing up its Tajik base, Vladimir Putin says Islamic factions could “infiltrate” the region while the country’s deputy foreign minister adds that Moscow is not racing to recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s rulers.
