“I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, Mother, what was war?” ― Eve Merriam




INTERNATIONAL   FOCUS










CHINA









North Korea and China
 

Kim Jong Un really did make that rumored trip to China. And the North Korean leader reportedly talked about getting rid of his country's nukes with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese state media reported Kim said he's committed to denuclearization -- with conditions; North Korean state media reported Xi accepted an invitation to visit Kim in Pyongyang. Experts think Kim made the trip to Beijing because he'll need support from North Korea's closest ally before possible meetings with the Presidents of South Korea and the US. [Good Morning from CNN, March 28, 2018]



EUROPE




AUSTRIA




The former Austrian Minister of Finance is walking on the paths of Gerhard Schröder and is advising the Gazprom project Nord Stream 2.   https://twitter.com/handelsblatt/status/978713678877995008?utm_source=POLITICO.EU&utm_campaign=ea85b89641-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_03_28&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_10959edeb5-ea85b89641-189694413





GERMANY



Merkel talks about using the €500-billion or so in the existing European Stability Mechanism’s cash box as an ultimate backstop not only for failing states but also bankrupt banks. Macron (and Lagarde, for that matter) talk about new money to be redistributed in case of an economic downturn. The former is insurance, the latter will inevitably be used.

Is that acceptable for Germany? Probably not in its current form, which would require governments to cough up an (additional) 0.35 percent of GDP annually — €11 billion in Berlin’s case — but it’s an opening pitch. Also … Lagarde is a household name among those contemplating who could be a possible European People’s Party Spitzenkandidat for the 2019 EU election. Lagarde is regularly mentioned by those who believe it would be wise for Merkel to sell Macron on a French European Commission president who she herself could live with (in exchange for transferring Bundesbank President Jens Weidman to the European Central Bank). [POLITICO Brussels Playbook, March 27, 2018]



BULGARIA




It’s been a while since EU representatives met with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in person, and today’s face-to-face in Bulgaria doesn’t seem particularly promising.
Bulgaria’s Boyko Borissov brings the phenotypical resilience towards a foreign strongman to the table, Council President Donald Tusk carries the strong words of 28 EU leaders, and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker packs the most personal experience in dealing with Erdoğan. The trio is off to Varna this afternoon, on the generally friendly Bulgarian shores of the nonetheless flighty Black Sea; it took the Argonauts some effort to cross.
They’ve also got an additional €3B for refugees in Turkey in their back pockets, plus pre-accession money that was redirected as much as legally possible, but not halted, in the wake of Erdoğan’s post-attempted-coup backlash. And another carrot, of sorts — the EU has never actually taken visa liberalization for Turks traveling to the union completely off the table.

The EU wants something in return, as per the conclusions of last week’s EU summit. In a best-case scenario, the Varna meeting would result in the release from jail of two Greek policemen, who were arrested by Turkish forces after crossing the border, as well as Ankara quelling its appetite for potential gas fields off Cyprus. Turkey on Friday protested against an alleged EU bias in favor of Cyprus at the expense of Turkey (the former an EU member, the latter obviously not), but seems to have some interest in the meeting, with no word of a Turkish no-show so far. Make no mistake: Keeping the 2016 refugee deal with Ankara is still very much on the EU’s list of interests. [POLITICO Brussels Playbook. March 26, 2018]



BELGIUM








BARBADOS





THE BAHAMAS












BRAZIL




ARGENTINA



AUSTRALIA







NOTE: The news sources here vary.  Not all sources have the same credibility, but in an effort to share some different perspectives, they are included here.  This compendium itself cannot claim to be unbiased.  Please take into consideration where these different perspectives originate in assessing their value.  Thank you

NOTE: I have no official connection to any organization from which information is shared.. Occasionally, I post informational material and/or an opportunity to donate or join as  a "community service" announcement.  These again are shared for their varying perspectives.

Any books listed are random or topic-related to something else in the post.  Think of these as a "library bookshelf" to browse.  They are shared for informational or entertainment value only, not as being recommended

Comments