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    • Secretary Shapps Warns of Increased Conflicts with Major PowersDefense Secretary Grant Shapps urges NATO allies to prepare for potential conflicts with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, and the UK is taking action by sending troops to drills and conducting targeted strikes.

      The world is moving towards a more conflict-ridden future, according to Defense Secretary Grant Shapps. He urged NATO allies to increase their defense spending and warned that in the next 5 years, conflicts with countries like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea could increase. The UK is taking action against this threat, sending troops to NATO drills and conducting targeted strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been attacking international shipping lanes. The international community, including the US and Labour, condemns these attacks and supports efforts to reinforce maritime security. It seems that the era of peace and stability is over, and businesses, big and small, need to prepare for a more volatile geopolitical landscape.

    • Global trade, peace, and legal trustGlobal trade promotes peace and prosperity, but miscarriages of justice and labor disputes can undermine trust in the legal system and disrupt economic activities. The UK may declare a terrorist organization, and Labour could win an election.

      The free flow of global trade and open sea lanes are crucial for peace, prosperity, and avoiding poverty. Admiral Sir James Bernal Nugent, a former commander in chief fleet at the Royal Navy, emphasized this international principle. Meanwhile, miscarriages of justice, such as the case of Joe Hamilton in the Horizon IT scandal, can undermine trust in the legal system. Elsewhere, the Islamist group Hisbah Tahir, which has been linked to pro-Palestinian marches in London, may soon be declared a terrorist organization by the UK government. In the labor sector, train drivers in England are planning another week of strikes due to a dispute over pay and working conditions. The unions have rejected proposed changes, but the current situation may force adjustments as there aren't enough drivers to maintain the 4-day workweek. A recent poll indicates that, if an election were held at that moment, Labour would win a majority, while the Conservatives would keep only 169 seats.

    • UK Election Predictions and Winter Weather WarningsA YouGov survey predicts similar election results if held then, while the UK braces for snow and ice warnings, causing potential disruptions and dropping temperatures as low as -8 degrees Celsius.

      A YouGov survey of 14,000 people provides insights into how the upcoming UK election might unfold, based on current trends. This model, which has a strong track record in predicting election outcomes, suggests that the election results would look similar to the current polling if an election were held at that moment. However, it's important to note that this is not an actual election and the situation could change. Meanwhile, the UK is bracing for multiple snow and ice warnings, with disruptions to travel and power expected across Scotland, northern England, North Wales, and potentially the south of England. Temperatures could drop as low as minus 8 degrees Celsius in some areas. While the political landscape and weather conditions are in flux, some things remain constant. For instance, the need for health insurance. UnitedHealthcare TriTerm Medical Plans, underwritten by Golden Rule Insurance Company, offer flexible and budget-friendly coverage that lasts nearly 3 years in some states. Moreover, 1800flowers.com is not just a gift-giving destination for birthdays, anniversaries, or "just because" occasions. Their commitment to delivering a smile extends beyond the gifts themselves, with every product made with care and love. From farmers and bakers to florists and makers, they put their hearts into every step of the process. To learn more, visit 1800flowers.com/acast.

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    Episode 17 - EN / Alice Speri / utopia3

    Episode 17 - EN  / Alice Speri / utopia3

    17th episode of the utopia3 podcast with Alice Speri


    Interview in English.    


    Joining us to discuss her reporting the International Criminal Court’s recent decision on Afghanistan, as well as the ICC’s history, and the background of the the U.S.’s relationship with the court is journalist Alice Speri, whose work for the independent American news organization The Intercept has focused, in addition to the ICC, on civil and constitutional rights abuses by the U.S. government, and the how those abuses impact the United States’ role as proclaimed advocate and defender of international human rights.


    In Sept of this year, the ICC's prosecutor Karim Khan announced that the court would re-open its investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan during the U.S. military occupation. The ICC is the sole international body with the mandate to adjudicate war crimes and crimes against humanity, which were unfortunately all too common in Afghanistan under the U.S.-backed regime. Kahn’s announcement, while welcome to many who are seeking justice for crimes committed by the Taliban and the Islamic State Khorason province (IS-K), comes with a glaring qualification: neither the United States occupying force, nor its allies, including the recently deposed Afghan government will be investigated for offenses that are clearly within the ICC’s jurisdiction. Khan’s statement seems to justify what he calls the “deprioritization” of investigating crimes against humanity by the U.S. and its allies on the grounds that the “gravity, scale, and continuing nature of the crimes by the Taliban and IS-K demand the full resources of [his] office.” Interestingly, Kahn defends his focus on IS-K by by citing the group’s designation as a terrorist organization, despite the fact that nowhere in the Rome Statute - the International Criminal Courts founding document - is the court given the authority to prosecute the crime of “terrorism.” Kahn’s narrow focus on terrorism and the crimes of the Taliban gives credence to those who accuse the court of subserivance to the political agendas of more powerful nations like the United States and its allies. The United States in particular has never recognized the jurisdiction of the ICC, despite having encouraged the court’s investigation of crimes against humanity and war crimes that do not involve US, comporting itself as too big to prosecute in an international forum.

     

    Interviewer : Jonathan Matthew Schmitt 


    Editing : Martial Mingam 


    Photo : The Intercept

     

    www.utopia3.ch 

    Is the Nation State an Outdated Concept? | Ben Studebaker

    Is the Nation State an Outdated Concept? | Ben Studebaker

    Globalization has resulted in higher living standards, cheaper products, and brought many out of poverty. It's also reduced the ability of states to manage their economies and safeguard the well being of their citizens.

    Ben Studebaker discusses how nationalist movements and autocraticies have gained strength as a result of states becoming weaker in recent decades.

    You can read more of Ben's work on the subject here: https://cosmosandtaxis.files.wordpress.com/2022/09/studebaker_ct_vol10_iss11_12.pdf

    For commentary on this episode and other issues of the day, sign up for YDHTY's newsletter ay https://www.YDHTY.com/news

    Kate Hawkesby: Unfortunately for Labour, voters don't care about costings

    Kate Hawkesby: Unfortunately for Labour, voters don't care about costings

    It’s funny as we get to the sharp end of the election campaign, what exercises people and what doesn’t.  

    The media are exercised by the Nats tax cut plan. They’re exercised by it largely I assume because the Labour party are exercised about it. And the Labour party are exercised about it because they hate it because it’s popular. It’s seen poll surges for National, and they’ll do anything to try to stem that tide.  

    Problem is, as the feedback I’ve received this week would attest, and as the polls would suggest too, it is popular. And people seemingly do not care how it’s costed, or what a handful of economists say about it, or how much Grant Robertson bangs on about it being flawed.  

    The reality is, this government can’t really talk smack about costings to anyone given the state they’re leaving the economy in. They can’t really talk costings when they’re the government who oversaw wasteful spending like we’ve never seen, money poured into mad ideology that went nowhere like bike bridges and light rail, and a general mismanagement of our economy including bloating the public service and taking away targets for anything.  

    So in a nutshell – bit rich from a government who didn’t even hold themselves accountable on anything, to now throw stones at the opposition. It’s not credible, the criticism is falling on deaf ears. Unless you’re the media of course, who love it and will run with anything this deep in the weeds if the Labour party tells them to.  

    My point is – it’s of no interest to the average voter. People are looking at the mood, the state of their bank accounts, the state of their mortgages, the state of the country in general, and they’re saying, no thanks. Time for change.  

    Now, whether they think that change is ACT or the Nats or Winston or any of the other minor parties, that’s an MMP roller-coaster we’ll probably be on for the next few weeks. But the upshot is, it ain’t Labour. So no amount of haranguing Luxon and co over tax cut costings is going to move the needle in my opinion. Too much is going in the wrong direction to turn the truck around now.  

    I guess attacking all the Nats policies is all they’ve got though – because Labour releasing policy now just looks kind of desperate. Suddenly they’re waking up to a whole bunch of stuff they had six whole years to fix. Suddenly they’re realising we need more doctors, we need better qualified teachers, we need better healthcare, we need more Police, they’re suddenly coming up with policy promises around all these things. It’s just too little too late.  

    All that time spent naval gazing about how low speed limits should be and how many judder bars to put in, all that time spent wondering how to go easier on criminals, facilitate gang convoys, where to put up more Maori signs, all that time on stuff that in the end got us nowhere and just infuriated everyone. It didn’t advance us economically, or productively, or in terms of our enthusiasm and motivation, it just saw our best and brightest wave ta-ta.  

    So as frustrating as it must be for Labour and for the media, who are so determined to run the ‘we want costings!’ rhetoric —which by the way they pick and choose when they ask for it, think of all the stuff they’ve not asked for costings on— but as determined as they are about hammering this one, the reality, as the polls suggest, is that voters just don’t care. 

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