Capping oil price - Can beggars be chosers?

 

The same is being exposed in Europe since the war in Ukraine. The sanctions that the USA coerced the EU to impose on Russia is backfiring on all cylinders. It exposed the vulnerabilty of Europe's dependence on Russian energy, and they are planning to add more misery for themselves moving forward.

The sanctions failure is evident and now morphing into using the oil and gas price cap as a toothless weapon against Russia. By imposing oil price cap on Russian oil, it was clearly going to be a catastrophic failure, with barely only few countries in the EU in favour, while the rest of the world are not participating, and are benefitting, particularly China, India and Saudi Arabia with even cheaper oil and bigger discounts.

The intention of introducing a price cap on gas is even more problematic now, with Qatar threatening to cut off all gas exports to the EU if they put the plan into gear. Many are asking if EU leaders are sane or just trying to scare Putin. Russia has already planned to move it's energy exports eastward and away from Europe, since the Ukraine War and even after that. Russia knows as long as the USA wants the energy market in Europe, and the Europeans can do nothing, the USA can have it for good, if the Europeans can tolerate the price and its effect on industries.

The oil price cap was an idea floated by Janet Yellen loosely, and they lapped it up as a realistic and pragmatic approach to cut off Russian funding for the Ukraine War, and it is definitely not going to be effective. It was and idea, as always, plucked from the air on the spur of the moment, and will face failure from the start without the rest of the world participating. And no country outside of the G7 are as silly as the EU leaders to take such a step.

As I mentioned above, all these actions are just exposing the vulnerablities of the West as they try to strangle Russia. And Putin is just watching and capitalising on such vulnerabilties the longer the standoff continues.

Anonymous 

PS. When Europe is not oil producer and needs to buy oil, can a buyer insists on a lower price and the seller must sell to him when the seller can sell to other buyers at higher price? The insanity is that they may have to buy at much much higher prices from the US when there is no seller willing to sell at the asking price. RB.

The Americans and the West exposing their horrific crimes against humanity by their own fabricated lies

 

The more the USA and the West tried to demonise countries like China and Russia, the more will people now dig out their vile, evil, inhuman and immoral dirt that they committed in the past, that were hidden in the closet.

The accusations of genocide in Xinjiang has already angered many Chinese to dig out the genocides committed by the Brits, Canadians, Australians (aka British criminals dumped by shiploads onto Australia) and Whites of USA against Native Americans and Aborigines in the past, that would otherwise be left in the closet and not well dispensed to younger generations on social media. Now, every crime against humanity that they committed in the past, are going to be displayed for all to be demonised in return.

China is not going to forget the century of shame and the arrogance of the Brits, Japanese and the collective West to force the opium trade onto China. A crime against humanity, clear and unambiguous.

Africans are not going to forget the slavery, exploitation and theft that the Anglo Saxons committed in the past against them. And the USA and the West still thinks the Africans are ignorant of those crimes, and still want to influence the Africans to forgive and forget so that they can inflict more of the sufferings on them.

Muslims are not going to forget the atrocities committed by the USA and the West in Iraq, Afghanistan and still ongoing in Syria, Palestine and Yemen. All are clearly crimes against humanity or war crimes that they thought could be hidden in the closet, with the help of the UN.

And they think that just an apology or two, sincere or not, is going to clean the slate. Not so easy for them just to sweep all this under the carpet. There are blood debts still held in silence by descendants that will have to be settled in time to come.

Japan still holds lots of blood debts against many Asian countries, and they know they have never been forgiven. The fact that they do not even admit their crime, and even denying, is making victims and descendants even more vindictive. That is why Japan's aim to spend more on militarisation is worrying for Asia and harbours a very sinister agenda.

Anonymous 

The Secret Betrayal: How the UK ejected the Chinese sailors who had risked their lives

 

This is a 45 min documentary of how the British betrayed Chinese seamen that fought bravely for them against the Germans in WW2, defending Britain in the British merchant Navy. They were called heroes, comrades in arms when they were needed, dying for Britain.

After the war, the British betrayed them, called them undesirable and 'deported' them in very suspicious circumstances. They were rounded up, put into boats and supposedly ships from Liverpool and never to be heard again. About 8,000 Chinese seamen were sent off, many had British wives and children. They did not know where they would be going. The wives and children too did not know.

The fact that none of them return to find their families spoke of something very cruel, very nasty and evil that could have happened to them. They might not be sent back to China as there was no follow up on this in the documentary.

The saddest and cruelest thing was that their wives and children thought their fathers had abandoned them, heartless men that left them to be destitutes. Many of the children were sent to orphanages and their mothers heartbroken and probably hated their husbands, the ungrateful and uncaring men. The hurt was made doubly painful when the British govt disowned the British women and children as British citizens for marrying the Chinese seamen. Some suffered immeasurable pain mentally, unable to bring up their children as the seamen were the breadwinners of the families.

The surviving children and grandchildren of the seamen are demanding justice, the truth, and an apology for the harm brought to them by a cruel and racist govt then. If they were terminated during the 'deportation', the crime against humanity is unforgiveable. The suffering of the wives and children due to the crime and deceit is unpardonable. The racism then, and still now in Britain, speaks of a people that dare to go around condemning other countries of human rights violation, human decency, as ugly and evil beyond redemption. For all their crimes against humanity in the last few hundred years, and still practising today in all kinds of deceitful ways, the Brits must be ashamed of themselves to talk and preach humanity and human rights. It is so shameful and disgusting to know what they did and what they are and still spurting lies about caring and protecting human rights when they were and are the devils themselves.

The British govt is still refusing to make an apology to the children and grandchildren of the victims of their cruel and vicious crimes, and for their painful growing up with unhappy memorie, rejected by their society, and mistaken anger against their fathers and grandfathers that could have been massacred during the deportation. Would the Brits ever tell the truth and say sorry for their wickedness and vileness against their crimes to the children and grandchildren of the seamen and to the people of the world?

PS.  Many of the seamen were from Hong Kong.

Africa? What, where? Quick, arrange for a Summit...no agenda never mind

 Lloyd Austin just gave a speech telling the African leaders that the presence of Russia in Africa is destabilising because Russia is selling weapons and paying mercenaries in Africa. What, what? Russia is paying mercenaries and selling weapons in Africa to destabilise Africa?  And these words came from the mouth of the world's number suppliers of weapons and mercenary forces in Africa? Is Austin in dreamland or smoking marijuana? If selling weapons and paying mercenaries are destabilising, then the biggest supplier of weapons and paymaster of mercenaries must be the most destabilising force and America must be the ONE that is destabilising Africa. And obviously Austin does not know this. Or does he? He might as well tell the African leaders he is the best example of how good the USA is to Africans. If his forefathers were not sold to the Americans, he would not have become a Defence Secretary.

After more than 500 years of imperialism, colonialism, apartheid and looting of Africa, not forgetting the cruel and inhumane hunting of Africans as slaves for America, Africa is still as poor as a church mouse. Didn't the kind and generous white colonialists do anything to help the Africans? NO!. After all the looting and plundering, they left Africa to die. They forgot about Africa. Africa was left to rot on its own, with barely any development or investment by the colonial powers.

According to Zainab Usman, African Director of Carnegie Endowment, to most Americans, Africa is a humanitarian case, a basket case, the world's worst basket case according to Trump, the ex president of the USA. Why is Africa a basket case when it has the most precious stones and essential minerals, including oil and uranium? Who condemned Africa to become a basket case by stealing its natural resources and wealth without paying a single cent?

Biden and his administration suddenly woke up and discovered that there is a place called Africa. And the investments and infrastructure development by China is destabilising Africa! Can you believe it? Where were America and the European powers when China was investing in Africa and helping the Africans to rebuild their countries and economies?

The Africans must forgive the Americans and the European powers, their former colonial powers and slave masters. They have gotten so rich with African resources, gold, diamonds, minerals and oil and got drunk with African wealth. They forgot that they were there in Africa. They forgot that for a few hundred years, Africa was conquered and owned by them, the Africans condemned by them as slaves.

Now they are going to help the Africans by inviting the African leaders for a party in the White House to show their kindness and generosity. How did the Americans got to know there is a continent called Africa and with 55 countries? Because they discovered the Chinese and the Russians were there, investing and trading with the Africans, rebuilding the ransacked countries of Africa by their former colonial powers, America was one of them.

So, they going to offer aid to Africa? To many Americans, what Africa needs is aid, not development. Africa is a hopeless case.The Africans had turned to the World Bank and IMF and many European powers, and America for assistance to rebuild their countries, to invest in their countries. But most were turned down. These American and European countries would not lend money to the African fearing that they would not pay back, could not pay back. They literally abandoned Africa to their own doings, to find their own ways. 

Africa turned to China and other non white countries. China was the one that came marching in since the 1960s when China was still very poor. But China worked with many African countries. Today, China is able to do more for Africa and is in every corner of Africa, building, investing and trading with African countries. Africa is rising and getting off its feet, some starting to take off, working with China, not with their former colonial power or the USA.

And to the Americans, this is bad, very bad, debt traps. America is now coming to Africa to help Africa. Is that the real reason, or because they want to increase their influence over the Africans? Why now, why after 500 years of colonial plunders? Why is Africa suddenly an object of amusement to the Americans, something that becomes important to the Americans?

The Americans still think the Africans are stupid. They still think throwing some aids to the Africans would do and the Americans would come crawling back for more aids. Africa is now led by many wise leaders that want to develop their countries to become rich and prosperous, to lift themselves from being seen as basket cases. Trump was brutally frank and honest by saying Africa is the world's worst basket case. And he left it at that. Nothing need to be done for Africa. 

Biden is going to do something? Is Biden pricked by his conscience or is this an act of compassion? Is it a bit too little or too late? China came to Africa, signed economic development and trade agreements without any political strings attached. It is simply economic cooperation, no interference in African domestic affairs, no conditions attached. Would Biden do the same, no conditions, no strings attached? Or would it be conditional like Qatar or Saudi Arabia, sanctioned China and Russia, choose sides or no aids?

The aids promised would only arrive if the African countries turn against China and Russia, break ties with China and Russia? All American aids comes with conditions, human rights, democracy, terrorism, and taking sides in America's war with China and Russia. Period.

How long would the feel good feeling lasts after the Summit? When would the Americans start to threaten the Africans like they threatened the Saudis with more consequences and cutting off the sale of F35s from Qatar? That is the true colour of the Americans and their hegemonic interests for pretending to be nice and kind to the Africans. 

PS. Professor Lina Benabdallah said the Summit with 49 African leaders is more like theatre with all the rhetoric about loving Africans, want to invite Africa into G20, want to give Africa a bigger say in world affairs, blah, blah, blah. The Pacific Islands got more attention than the whole of Africa, got invited to the White House first. Africa is queuing behind the Pacific Islands in terms of American priority and importance or irrelevance.

Rasyidah - 大家好，我是华语新闻主播 - 拉丝达

 

The first Malaysia TV2 Malay anchor presenter, presenting programmes in Mandarin. 24 minutes clip of Rasyidah introducing herself and how she learnt to speak Mandarin so perfectly.

According to Ghana's President, an Ivy League American University used to have a Chinese language class in the past and there was no student. Today the same course has only standing room. Classes are over subscribed, students want to learn Chinese.

The Africans were the earliest to learn Chinese as China was in Africa since 1960s. Many Africans speak fluent Chinese. Many studied in Chinese Universities in China.