Despite populism, Modi a hit among Indian elites: Report

As per Pew research, 66 per cent of Indians who had primary school education favour Narendra Modi, but it rose to 80 per cent among those with higher education

• 31 March, 2024

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (ANI Photo)

By: Shajil Kumar

Elites may usually dislike populist leaders globally, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeing increasing support among educated voters, The Economist has said.

In an article titled ‘Why India’s elites back Narendra Modi’, the publication said, “Three factors – class politics, economics, and elite admiration for strongman rule – help explain why.”

Calling it ‘the Modi paradox’, The Economist said India’s prime minister is often lumped together with right-wing populists such as Donald Trump, but Modi, who is expected to win a third term, is no ordinary strongman.

“In most places, support for anti-establishment populists, such as Trump, and policies such as Brexit tends to be inversely correlated with university education. Not in India. Call it the Modi paradox. It helps explain why he is the most popular leader of any major democracy today,” it noted.

Quoting a Gallup survey, it said that in America just 26 per cent of respondents with a university education approved of Trump, compared with 50 per cent of those without, but Modi bucks this trend altogether.

Citing a Pew Research survey, it said that in 2017, 66 per cent of Indians who had no more than a primary school education said they had a “very favourable” view of Modi, but the number rose to 80 per cent among Indians with at least some higher education.

After the 2019 general election, a Lokniti survey found that around 42 per cent of Indians with a degree supported Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, while around 35 per cent of those with only a primary-school education did.

At the same time, The Economist said, Modi’s success among the well-educated does not come at the expense of support among other groups.

Like other populist leaders, his biggest inroads have been made among lower-class voters, it quoted Neelanjan Sircar, a political scientist at the Centre for Policy Research, as saying.

Modi has marketed the BJP as a caste-agnostic “pan-Hindu” party, allowing him to retain support from high-caste groups while extending the party’s reach to others.

While the pattern of his support is comparable to other countries in which less-educated or rural people have shifted right, unlike many of his counterparts abroad, Modi has also been able to increase his support among the educated, it said.

Citing economics as a major factor, the article said that India’s strong GDP growth, albeit unequally distributed, is driving a rapid increase in the size and wealth of the Indian upper-middle class.

The Congress party enjoyed strong support among the upper-middle class during the fast-growing late 2000s and it took a slowdown and a series of corruption scandals in the 2010s to change things, it said.

“But Modi’s tenure has increased India’s economic and geopolitical standing in the world, too,” it added.

Also, some think a dose of strongman rule is exactly what India needs and they point to China and the East Asian tigers, the experiences of which they believe show that muscular governance can tear down barriers to economic growth, it said.

On what could shake Modi’s elite fan base, the publication said, “Continued weaponisation of the state, as in the case of (Delhi Chief Minister Arvind) Kejriwal, could come back to bite him; most elites still say they believe in democracy.”

It further said that elites feel that their support for Modi will continue until a credible alternative appears.

“Most elites have lost faith in Congress and its leader, Rahul Gandhi, who is seen as dynastic and out of touch,” it said.

It quoted an unnamed senior Congress official as saying that Modi “has taken our best ideas” such as distributing welfare payments digitally, and “executed them better” than his party could have done.

“A stronger opposition is probably the only thing that will cause India’s elites to abandon Modi. But for now, that is nowhere in sight,” it concluded.

India will vote to elect a new government in seven phases between April 19 and June 1, and the results will be announced on June 4. (PTI)

Lebanon Accuses Israel of Targeting UN Peacekeepers at Border

UNIFIL Spokesman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Peacekeepers Were Taken Off-Guard

26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfra Shouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfar Shouba. (dpa)

Beirut: Paul Astih
31 March 2024 AD ـ 21 Ramadan 1445 AH

Three United Nations observers and a translator were wounded on Saturday when a shell exploded near them as they were carrying out a foot patrol in south Lebanon, the UN peacekeeping mission said, adding it was still investigating the origin of the blast.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), as well as unarmed technical observers known as UNTSO, are stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, known as the Blue Line.

Two security sources had earlier told Reuters the observers were wounded in an Israeli strike outside the border town of Rmeish.

A Lebanese security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel was behind the attack.

The source said the attack was carried out by a direct strike or an artillery shell. It added that such attacks "don’t happen by accident."

Tel Aviv has denied involvement. "Contrary to the reports, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) did not strike a UNIFIL vehicle in the area of Rmeish this morning," the military said in a statement.

UNIFIL did not pin blame on any side. Its spokesperson, Andrea Tenenti said three OGL (UNTSO) military observers and one Lebanese language assistant on a foot patrol along the Blue Line were injured when an explosion occurred near their location.

They were evacuated for medical treatment. OGL (UNTSO) observers support UNIFIL in implementing its mandate, he explained in a statement.

"We are investigating the origin of the explosion," he continued.

"Safety and security of UN personnel must be guaranteed. All actors have a responsibility under international humanitarian law to ensure protection to non-combatants, including peacekeepers, journalists, medical personnel, and civilians," Tenenti added.

"We repeat our call for all actors to cease the current heavy exchanges of fire before more people are unnecessarily hurt," he stressed.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Tenenti said the wounded were in stable condition even though one was severely injured.

He revealed that the peacekeepers who were wounded did not receive prior warning and were taken off-guard.

He vowed that a full investigation will be held, saying no direct information was available yet to make accusations.

Given how dangerous the incident was, all facts must be verified before reaching conclusions, he went on to say.

In line with UN Security Council resolution 1701, the results of technical probes carried out by UNIFIL are shared with the concerned parties and not revealed. Dozens of probes have been carried out since October 7, he said.

The aim is to stop the escalation, stressed the spokesperson.

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati spoke with UNIFIL commander Aroldo Lozaro, condemning the "targeting" and wounding of UN staff in southern Lebanon, according to a statement from Mikati's office.

The mayor of Rmeish, Milad Alam, told Reuters that he had spoken with the Lebanese translator and confirmed his condition was stable.

"From Rmeish, we heard a blast and then saw a UNIFIL car zipping by. The foreign observers were taken to hospitals in Tyre and Beirut by helicopter and car," Milad said.

One of the observers was a Norwegian citizen, who was lightly injured, the Nordic country's defense ministry told Reuters. Lebanon's National News Agency said the other two wounded observers were Chilean and Australian.

Israel's shelling of Lebanon has killed nearly 270 Hezbollah fighters, but has also killed around 50 civilians - including children, medics and journalists - and hit both UNIFIL and the Lebanese army.

UNIFIL last month said that the Israeli military violated international law by firing on a group of clearly identifiable journalists, killing Reuters reporter Issam Abdallah.

The UN's Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, said in a statement that she was "saddened" to learn of the injuries and that the incident served as "another reminder of the urgent need to return to a cessation of hostilities across the Blue Line".

The US and other countries have sought to secure a diplomatic resolution to the exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah said it will not halt fire before a ceasefire is implemented in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the explosion and called for the safety of peacekeepers to be ensured, according to a statement from UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"These hostile actions have not only disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of people, but they also pose a grave threat to the security and stability of Lebanon, Israel, and the region," Dujarric said.

Colossal floods stun Kazakhstan

Solider assisting cleaning up a flooded area. / Kazakh defence ministry 

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By Almaz Kumenov for Eurasianet March 31, 2024

Entire swathes of Kazakhstan look like a scene from a disaster movie.

Vast amounts of floodwater have destroyed villages and carried away livestock. Social media is filled with images of people clambering for safety onto the roofs of their homes as rescue helicopters circle above.

When spring arrives, Kazakhstan knows to expect runoff water from melting ice and snow, but this year has been a shock. Bridges have been destroyed, entire sections of highway are now underwater, hundreds of homes have been rendered uninhabitable, and many have been left without tap water and household gas. At least three people are believed to have lost their lives.

The floods that began earlier this month have affected at least seven regions, with the north hardest hit. The Emergency Situations Ministry said that as of March 29, around 4,700 people, including almost 1,700 children, have been rescued and evacuated. More than 500 residential buildings are flooded. In some regions, entire government buildings, schools and hospitals are flooded.

Speaking at an emergency government meeting on March 29, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov described these as the largest floods in recent years.

“The main thing now is to save people’s lives and minimise the fallout from the disaster,” Bektenov told Emergency Situations Minister Chingis Arinov, who briefed the Cabinet on mitigation measures being adopted.

Bektenov said an investigation would be conducted by the Prosecutor General’s Office into whether the scale of the crisis was compounded by negligence.

The Abai regional department of the Emergency Services Ministry reported on March 29 that a search for three men who went missing during the floods has been going on for the past week. One is believed to have fallen from his horse into a rushing river, after which he was apparently carried away by the stream. Two others tried to cross the same river on a tractor and got stuck. Divers were enlisted to search for the missing men, but that effort had to be suspended due to weather conditions.

Residents of some affected areas have mounted wildcat demonstrations at what they perceive to be inadequate efforts by the authorities to handle the situation. In doing so, they have incurred sanctions.

A court in the northern Akmola region on March 28 fined six residents of the village of Koyandy for participating in an unsanctioned rally. Fifty people in the village had blocked a nearby road in protest at the local authorities failing to clear snow in good time, which they said caused their homes to be flooded.

Although spring floods occur every year, authorities are often unprepared for the costly consequences. Government critics argue that officials are pathologically incapable of learning from experience and even ignore warnings from experts about incoming floods. Officials argue in turn that the natural disasters are growing worse in scale.

A particularly bitter irony is that while Kazakhstan routinely struggles with floods in March-April, the months that follow have often delivered a period of drought.

Kirill Pavlov, the Shymkent-based leader of a farming lobby organisation, says that the government should have long ago learned how to manage meltwater.

“All countries that have water shortage collect every drop of rain, every snowflake, but in our country all the water from the floods is lost. We have never learned to value water,” Pavlov was quoted as saying by Radio Azattyk, the Kazakh service of RFE/RL.

Almaz Kumenov is an Almaty-based journalist.

This article first appeared on Eurasianet here.

Lost in Orientalism: Arab Christians and the war in Gaza

Centuries-old misconceptions compel Western Christians to ignore the plight of Palestinian Christians and Muslims.


Robert Clines
Associate Professor of History at Western Carolina University
Published On 31 Mar 2024

Pastor Munther Isaac shows an installation of baby Jesus lying in rubble, symbolising the fate of Palestinian children amid Israeli bombardment in Gaza, ahead of Christmas at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on December 5, 2023 [File: Mussa Qawasma/Reuters]


On February 21, it was announced that the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby refused to meet with Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor, after Isaac had appeared at a pro-Palestine rally with former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Isaac, whose Christmas Eve sermon went viral for its condemnation of the Israeli assault on Gaza and concomitant Western Christian silence, has repeatedly called for ecumenical peace amid Palestinian suffering.

A week later, Welby apologised and agreed to meet with Isaac. But in his apology X post, the archbishop stated it was wrong to shun Isaac “at this time of profound suffering for our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters”, making no mention of the equal suffering of Palestinian Muslims, with whom Isaac has repeatedly stood in solidarity.

Today, as Catholics and Protestants celebrate Easter, Palestinians of these denominations are barred from visiting their holy places in Jerusalem. Neither the Church of England nor other Western churches have denounced these restrictions on free worship by the Israeli government.

Welby’s refusal to meet Isaac and the continuing silence of Western churches on Israeli crimes perpetrated against Palestinian Christians and Muslims are just further reminders that, for Arab Christians, their place in the West remains tenuous because of Orientalist and Islamophobic views of the Arab world.

Rarely allowed to speak for themselves, Arab Christians are either depicted in the West as hapless victims whose numbers continue to dwindle because of “Islamic fundamentalism” or as heretical Christians whose faith is marked by its cultural proximity to Islam. Driving this is an Orientalist gaze that sees the Arab world as barbaric and uncivilised, with only Western civilising missions and the state of Israel serving as a bulwark against its “terror”.

Ignored in turn are the experiences and perspectives of Arab Christians who lived alongside their Arab Jewish and Arab Muslim neighbours in relative peace and security from the seventh century to the latter period of the Ottoman Empire and the onset of Western imperialism.

From the Crusades onward, Western Christians have seen Arab Christians as the victims of “Islamic terror” in need of rescue. One of Pope Urban II’s justifications for the First Crusade (1095-1099), which resulted in the Western conquest of Jerusalem, was that Muslims destroyed churches, raped Christian women, and forced Christian men to be circumcised.

Similarly, Western observers across the Middle Ages and into the 16th and 17th centuries claimed that the perceived theological ignorance and poverty of Christian communities, such as the Copts in Egypt and the Maronites in Lebanon, were due to the oppressive Muslim rulers who overtaxed them, refused them permission to build or repair churches, and through various means, convinced more and more Christians to convert to Islam.

When Arab Christians were not perceived as victims of “Islamic terror”, they were seen as a product of it. This attitude was apparent in letters by Catholic missionaries who had been dispatched by Rome to the Middle East in an effort to bolster Catholic numbers following the loss of large swaths of Europe to Protestantism in the wake of the Reformation.

Many of them were aghast that Arab Christians had purportedly been Islamised and were thus in need of cultural reform. They also saw Arab Christian religious practices and theological beliefs as evidence of both ignorance and poverty as well as centuries of influence of Islam.

Catholic missionaries frequently grew frustrated when local Christian communities, like the Coptic Orthodox and the Syriac Orthodox, refused to change their beliefs to the benefit of distant Rome, referring to them as obstinate and ignorant fools who were more like their Muslim and Jewish neighbours than their European co-religionists.

In the period of European imperialism, European powers established missionary schools as part of their colonisation efforts in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Europeans strove to reform and civilise these newly subjugated populations, and they saw Arab Christians as potential allies to undermine Muslim powers.

In the wake of widespread Westernisation and modernisation throughout the Ottoman Empire known as the Tanzimat reforms (1839-1876), Christian communities in the Middle East were often politicised as Western fifth columns who potentially undermined the sectarian equilibrium of Ottoman society. This resulted in 5,000 people killed in the Massacre of Aleppo (1850) and more than 20,000 killed in the 1860 conflicts in Mount Lebanon and Damascus.

While most Arab Christians rejected such Western interventions, and many Muslims protected their Christian neighbours during riots, Arab Christians nevertheless became, as historian Ussama Makdisi argues, “the most obvious symbol of the new Europe-oriented Ottoman order of things”.

Yet, even when Arab Christians are Catholics, Anglicans (like the late Palestinian scholar Edward Said) or Lutherans (like Munther Isaac), they continue to be seen as Arabs first, Christians second. They are racialised, Orientalised, and erased in the European view of what a Christian should look like.

What is often absent in this Orientalist view of Arab Christians are their rich histories, cultures and traditions. Ignored are the great contributions of Arab Christians, such as Hunayn ibn Ishaq al-Ibadi (808–873), whose translations and commentaries were integral to preserving Ancient Greek philosophy across the Middle Ages and beyond, and Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq (1805/1806-1887), a central writer of the Nahda, or the Arab Awakening, a period of immense cultural reform and modernisation within the Arab world.

Quick to comment on the purported anti-Christian and anti-Semitic violence of Islam, Western Christians have remained mostly silent on the plight of Palestinian Christians at the hands of Israel. At the root of this stance is the longstanding Orientalist belief that all Arabs are “Muslim fundamentalists” bent on murdering Christians and Jews.

But this ignores the plurality of Arab life and how religious ecumenism between the three Abrahamic faiths has long transcended differences and united people across the Arab world. Western Christian leaders like Archbishop Welby must see beyond their Orientalist views that dismiss the concerns of Arabs and Palestinians like Munther Isaac, regardless of their faith. Otherwise, the plurality of the Arab world and a truly ecumenical future for all will remain lost in Western Orientalist, moral and political apprehensions.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance

.
Robert Clines
Associate Professor of History at Western Carolina University
Robert Clines is Associate Professor of History and International Studies at Western Carolina University. His scholarship focuses on Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and Orientalism in Medieval and Renaissance Europe, as well as the history of pre-modern Arab Christianity.

JESUS WAS THE MAN FROM PALESTINE

Christian communities in North America lead solidarity walks for Gaza amid ongoing war

The marchers advocate for a cease-fire and unblocking humanitarian aid.

ByKori Skillman
March 31, 2024, 

This comes as the U.N. warns that those in Gaza are facing the worst worst famine since World War II

Christian communities in the U.S. and Canada are holding walks this Easter weekend to advocate for a cease-fire in Israel's war with Hamas.

Members of Vancouver's Christian community made a 25-mile solidarity march on Saturday, to match the approximate length of Gaza's Mediterranean coast. More than 2,000 miles away, many in Nashville's Christian community did the same. About 560 miles from there, Pittsburgh Christians made a similar trek. Gaza Cease-fire Pilgrimage walks were also held in San Diego, California; Buffalo, New York, and Spokane, Washington, as well as other cities.

Gaza's Mediterranean coast ends in the south in Rafah, the city that holds the crossing into Egypt. More than 1 million Palestinians have made this journey to Rafah to leave the heavy fighting in northern Gaza in the hopes of entering Egypt.

According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military campaign in response to Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Terrorists killed 1,200 people and took 253 others hostage, according to Israeli officials, who say roughly 100 hostages may remain alive inside Gaza. Israel maintains its goal is to free the hostages and destroy Hamas.

People sit by their destroyed homes following Israeli air strikes, on March 29, 2024, in Rafah, Gaza.
Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images

Holding the public's attention on the conflict "makes critical movements like this even more consequential," said Jer Swigart, lead organizer for the walk in Spokane.


The organizers say the purpose of the walks is to draw attention to four main goals, including a cease-fire in the war, the unblocking of humanitarian aid, the end of Israel's occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, and regional peace through the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners. The pilgrimage is overall ecumenical -- primarily Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, Catholic and Evangelical, according to organizers.

"Jesus was a Palestinian Jew who lived his life serving others and promoting liberation," said Jonathan Walton, organizer for New York City's walk that took place Friday. More than 150 people attended the walk, organizers said. The actions of both Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces are "totally outside the call and teachings of Jesus," Walton said.

Organizers of the walks told ABC News they are against antisemitism and advocate for nonviolent demonstrations, but are critical of Israel's military actions.

Holding a pilgrimage during Lent is significant as Holy Saturday is traditionally a day of lament within Christianity, according to organizers. Lindsay Acker, an organizer for the Buffalo walk, said this is a time to sit with grief and mourn together as a community amid the rising death toll in Gaza. Some participants say they are even fasting to mirror the Palestinian experience during the religious month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast between dawn and sunset.

MORE: Gaza 'feels like a coffin for children,' some adolescents are 'wanting to die': UNICEF

Organizers credit peace advocate James Harris for sparking the idea for the walks. At the start of Lent in February, he documented his pilgrimage from Australia's Byron Bay to Ballina, a similar distance from Gaza City to Rafah. Similar walks advocating for a cease-fire have taken place in dozens of cities across 19 countries, organizers say. Many of the walks are put on by Christian churches, they say.




"We're utilizing the power of media and experience and access to grow more pro-human understanding of the conflict, with the hyperfocus on U.S. American Christians," Swigart said. He emphasized his outreach to Evangelical Christians.

As director of Global Immersion, a faith-based peace advocacy organization, Swigart, who holds a doctorate in leadership in global perspectives from Portland Seminary, said he was in Gaza on Oct. 7 doing on-the-ground work as a delegate between his Palestinian colleagues and his Israeli colleagues. When he returned to the U.S., he said, he put his work into overdrive, knowing that the events of Oct. 7 were going to "fundamentally change everything."

Spokane's walk began Saturday morning and followed Centennial Trail in six intervals, denoting periodic breaks for prayer. Swigart said more than 200 people attended.

Demonstrators with Jewish Voice for Peace attempt to block President Joe Biden's motorcade route 
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images, 

"The essence of this is that this is a pro-human movement. It's not a pro-Palestinian movement because while it's wildly pro-Palestinian, to say 'pro-Palestinian' suggests that it's anti-Israeli. That is just not the case," said Swigart. "Our one-sideism is lethal, and if there's ever been question on how lethal our one-sideism is on this particular issue, we're looking at it right now."

Organizer David Vidmar has worked closely with Swigart and is leading this weekend's walk in Buffalo. For him, the walk is an entry for Christian involvement in calling for a cease-fire in the war.

"We're not feeling starvation," said Acker. We're not feeling the bombings. We're not feeling the effects of the genocide, but in this very tiny way, we can feel what it's like to flee 25 miles."

Organizers say they will split the proceeds from the walks between several charities. Acker says she has dedicated a third of Buffalo's proceeds to a Palestinian immigrant in Buffalo who has been trying to get his mom and five sisters out of Gaza.

"Together we channel this into action of the body, action with our money, action in our community, and also action in prayer," Acker said.

Pope: only the Risen One can remove the stones of war and injustice

In his Urbi et Orbi Easter message, Francis called for a general prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, along with a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza. He noted that “the path of reconciliation in the midst of hatred” begins from the Jesus’s tomb. His thoughts also turned to Myanmar, “torn for years now by internal conflicts,” and to children unborn because of abortion. May Christ who “has set us free” also remove the “stone of human trafficking” and free its victims.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – As he does every year, Pope Francis today delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi Easter message at noon from the Loggia of Blessings of the Vatican Basilica after presiding over the solemn Mass in the churchyard, in front of tens of thousands of faithful gathered in the square.

In his address, the pontiff called on today's world, burdened by the heavy stones of wars and other tragedies that stifle all hope, to come back and look to the Risen One who, alone, can sweep them away with the power of his forgiveness.

“Today too,” Francis explained, “great stones, heavy stones, block the hopes of humanity: the stone of war, the stone of humanitarian crises, the stone of human rights violations, the stone of human trafficking, and other stones as well.”

Yet, the discovery on Easter morning is that that the big stone has already been rolled over: the tomb of Jesus is open and empty. “From this, everything begins anew!” Francis said.

“A new path leads through that empty tomb: the path that none of us, but God alone, could open: the path of life in the midst of death, the path of peace in the midst of war, the path of reconciliation in the midst of hatred, the path of fraternity in the midst of hostility.”

The Risen One “opens that path, humanly impossible, because he alone takes away the sin of the world and forgives us our sins. For without God’s forgiveness, that stone cannot be removed. Without the forgiveness of sins, there is no overcoming the barriers of prejudice, mutual recrimination, the presumption that we are always right and others wrong. Only the risen Christ, by granting us the forgiveness of our sins, opens the way for a renewed world.”

With this in mind, Pope Francis turned to look again this Easter at the world, starting with Jerusalem, scene of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, and today also the face of the victims of the many conflicts that are underway in the world.

“May the risen Christ open a path of peace for the war-torn peoples of those regions. In calling for respect for the principles of international law, I express my hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine: all for the sake of all!”

“I appeal once again that access to humanitarian aid be ensured to Gaza, and call once more for the prompt release of the hostages seized on 7 October last and for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip.”

“Let us not allow the current hostilities to continue to have grave repercussions on the civil population, by now at the limit of its endurance, and above all on the children. How much suffering we see in the eyes of the children: the children in those lands at war have forgotten how to smile! With those eyes, they ask us: Why? Why all this death? Why all this destruction? War is always an absurdity; war is always a defeat!”

Following this logic, he calls on people not to give up and bow to the increasingly strong winds of war that are blowing across Europe and the Mediterranean.

“Let us not yield to the logic of weapons and rearming,” he warned. “Peace is never made with arms, but with outstretched hands and open hearts.”

Yet, the glorious body of the Risen One also bears many other wounds. Francis cites Syria, now forgotten after 13 years of war. “So many deaths and disappearances, so much poverty and destruction, call for a response on the part of everyone, and of the international community.”

He then turned to Lebanon, whose institutional crisis is also economic and social, “now aggravated by the hostilities on its border with Israel.”

The pontiff also encouraged talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, “so that, with the support of the international community, they can pursue dialogue, assist the displaced, respect the places of worship of the various religious confessions, and arrive as soon as possible at a definitive peace agreement.”

The Pope also called upon the Lord to give hope to all those “who in other parts of the world are suffering from violence, conflict, food insecurity and the effects of climate change.”

In appealing to the Risen One, he said: “May the Lord grant consolation to the victims of terrorism in all its forms. Let us pray for all those who have lost their lives and implore the repentance and conversion of the perpetrators of those crimes.”

Turning to Asia, Francis mentioned the wounds of Myanmar. To the One who conquered death, he asks that He “grant consolation and strength to the Rohingya, beset by a grave humanitarian crisis, and open a path to reconciliation in Myanmar, torn for years now by internal conflicts, so that every logic of violence may be definitively abandoned.”

As he encouraged ongoing talks in the Western Balkans, he also did not forget Haiti, once again on its knees due to violence, as well as the many wounds on the African continent, from Sudan to Mozambique’s Cape Delgado, as well as the communities suffering from drought.

To the Risen One, the Pope entrusted migrants and those who are going through a period of economic hardship. “May Christ guide all persons of good will to unite themselves in solidarity”.

On the day that celebrates life, his thoughts also turn to all those situations in which the precious gift of life is despised. “How many children cannot even be born? How many die of hunger and are deprived of essential care or are victims of abuse and violence? How many lives are made objects of trafficking for the increasing commerce in human beings?”

“[O]n the day when Christ has set us free from the slavery of death, I appeal to all who have political responsibilities to spare no efforts in combatting the scourge of human trafficking, by working tirelessly to dismantle the networks of exploitation and to bring freedom to those who are their victims.”

Finally, “May the light of the resurrection illumine our minds and convert our hearts, and make us aware of the value of every human life, which must be welcomed, protected and loved.”

Ramy Youssef's plea on SNL: 'God, please free the people of Palestine'

Egyptian-American comedian and actor Ramy Youssef shared during his hosting on Saturday Night Live (SNL) that he has a friend whose entire family resides in Gaza. He expressed his concern by saying, 'God, please stop the suffering. Stop the violence. Please free the people of Palestine.

March 31, 2024

 

US oil suppliers muscling into Opec+ markets around the world

Published Sun, Mar 31, 2024 · 

ONE major beneficiary of sanctions on Russian and Venezuelan oil? US suppliers who have muscled their way into markets once dominated by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and its allies.

US oil exports have set five new monthly records since Western nations began imposing sanctions on Russia in 2022. And with trade restrictions on Venezuela set to renew in April, American barrels are beginning to displace sanctioned crude in India, one of the biggest buyers of illicit oil.

The shift underscores the extent to which sanctions have helped American crude capture market share around the world. While US oil has long been the world’s go-to flex barrel, the disruption of energy flows after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine created new pull for American barrels. Shipments to Europe and Asia surged in the aftermath, transforming the US into one of the world’s largest exporters.

Record production from the US – coming just as Opec and its allies curb their own supply – has also helped American producers gain a bigger foothold in overseas markets. Physical oil prices are reflecting that, with WTI in Houston trading near the highest levels since October and sour benchmark Mars not far behind.

“US production is going up, and Opec and Russian production is going down – so the US, by definition, is going to have more market share,” said Gary Ross, a veteran oil consultant turned hedge fund manager at Black Gold Investors.

India – the third-largest crude importer and Moscow’s second-largest buyer after China – is the latest market seeing an influx of US oil. American shipments to India are set to jump in March to their highest in nearly a year, according to data from crude tracking firm Kpler.

At the same time, Russian oil imports have fallen by about 800,000 barrels a day since last year’s high point, Bloomberg tanker tracking shows. Russian shipments may decline further with Indian oil refiners no longer accepting cargoes from tankers owned by state-run Sovcomflot, which was recently sanctioned by the US.

While US supplies cannot fully replace Russian crude due to differences in oil quality and voyage times, “there’s definitely a bit of a pivot there towards pulling in more US crude”, said Matt Smith, lead Americas oil analyst at Kpler.

Indian refiners have also halted purchases from Venezuela ahead of the expiry of a US sanctions waiver in the middle of next month. Those supplies are now poised to hit the lowest this year.

Even before the latest raft of trade restrictions, the US was fast becoming a key supplier to Asia, where US imports hit an annual record last year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

And in Europe, which has largely eschewed Russian oil since the war in Ukraine began, US shipments will hit a record 2.2 million barrels a day in March, according to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

To be sure, not all of the pull from Europe is due to sanctions. Imports into the Netherlands have surged since West Texas Intermediate was included in the dated Brent benchmark last year, ensuring US crude would become a part of the European diet.

But shipments increased markedly after the imposition of sanctions as European nations sought non-Russian sources of supply. US imports to France jumped nearly 40 per cent from 2021 to 2023, while those to Spain rose 134 per cent.

“As US production continues to gradually grind higher, every incremental barrel that’s being produced is likely going to be exported,” said Kpler’s Smith. 

BLOOMBERG

US worries intelligence it shares with Israel used to kill civilians, report says

A LITTLE LATE FOR THAT, EH

Wall Street Journal reports secret memorandum expanded intelligence sharing with Israel after Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, leading to questions from Democratic lawmakers and human rights groups

Ynet|

There is concern in the United States that intelligence provided by Washington to Israel is being used to kill civilians in Gaza. At issue is a secret memorandum that expanded intelligence sharing with Israel after the October 7 Hamas attacks which is prompting increasing questions from Democratic lawmakers and human-rights groups, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the issue.

Among the worries is that there is little independent oversight to confirm that U.S.-supplied intelligence isn’t used in air strikes and other operations in which civilians are killed or infrastructure is damaged.

 
Explosions in Khan Younis in the northern Gaza Strip
(Photo: SAID KHATIB / AFP)

“What I’m concerned about is making sure our intelligence sharing is consistent with our values and our national-security interests,” Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told the WSJ. He added that he met separately with a senior Israeli military figure and U.S. intelligence officials and said there were “some pretty big inconsistencies” in the two sides’ accounts of the civilian death toll.

According to the WSJ, citing U.S. officials, intelligence sharing with Israel is conducted under a secret memorandum issued by the White House issued shortly after the October 7 Hamas massacre and then amended a few days later. At about the same time, the U.S. expanded its intelligence collection on Gaza, since it had relied on Israeli intelligence on the strip in recent years.

At the start of the war, according to sources familiar with the matter, the U.S. intelligence community formulated guidelines for sharing intelligence with Israeli counterparts, but senior White House officials were the ones who ultimately determined whether any violation had occurred.

It was also reported that the US intelligence agencies are collecting cases of possible violations of the "laws of armed conflict" by both sides in the war, as part of a bi-weekly report titled “Gaza Crisis Potential Wrongful Acts Summary,” which describes specific incidents and trends related to the fighting.

The support of the American spy agencies in Israel, the WSJ reported, is mainly intended to help locate the leaders of the military wing of Hamas, find the hostages held by the terrorist organization and watch Israel's borders. The US shares so-called "raw intelligence," such as live video feeds from intelligence-gathering drones over Gaza with Israel's security agencies.


Soldiers of the Nahal Brigade operate near Al Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

The U.S., the newspaper adds, does not share intelligence specifically intended for ground or airstrike operations in Israel's military campaign in Gaza. "Our intelligence sharing focuses on hostage recovery efforts and preventing future invasions of Israel. This includes monitoring recruitment or movement near the border," an administration official told the WSJ.

U.S. officials familiar with the secret October memorandum said that Israel is required to ensure that U.S. intelligence is not used in ways that cause unacceptable civilian casualties, or damage to civilian infrastructure.

China issues travel advisory to citizens visiting the US, warning of ‘unwarranted interrogations and harassment’

Beijing urges citizens to prepare for ‘unexpected situations’ after Chinese students and workers are questioned and deported from American airports

Chinese foreign ministry says it has lodged formal protest with Washington over the situation

The US and China have pledged to encourage educational exchanges in recent months. 

Photo: Reuters

Phoebe Zhang
30 Mar 2024

China issued a travel advisory for citizens visiting the United States, asking them to take safety precautions and to be prepared for “various unexpected situations”, such as being searched.
Several Chinese students and company employees have recently been subjected to “unwarranted interrogations and harassment” by US airport law enforcement officers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on its WeChat account on Friday.

Their phones, computers and other luggage items were searched piece by piece, and several people were banned from entering the country, it said.

“The ministry and the Chinese embassy and consulates in the US have lodged a solemn representation to the US, and we remind those who plan to travel to the US to be aware of these situations,” it said, advising Chinese nationals in need of help to contact their embassy or consulate.

Since November, at least eight Chinese students with valid documents have been searched, interrogated or sent back just from Washington Dulles International Airport alone, according to a tally by Chinese media.

In January, China Science Daily, a newspaper affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, reported that a biological sciences PhD candidate was deported by officials at Dulles airport in December as she was trying to return to the US to continue her studies.

The report said the student was subjected to a body search and spent eight hours in an interrogation room followed by 12 hours in solitary confinement.

When she returned to China, she learned of 10 other Chinese students who had similar experiences. The students were mainly interrogated on their undergraduate scholarships from the China Scholarship Council and their involvement in confidential research, the newspaper said.

On March 8, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the US has disrupted personnel exchanges between the two countries, violating the consensus reached by the heads of states. She called the incidents “political and discriminatory law enforcement” and said they were caused by the “cold war mentality” of some people in the US.

Last month, ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said US authorities were “weaponising” academic research, overextending the concept of national security, persecuting Chinese students, and “poisoning” the atmosphere of bilateral people-to-people exchanges.

In recent months, the two countries have pledged to encourage educational and other exchanges. In November, while on a visit to the US, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China would invite 50,000 young Americans to study in the next five years.

This week, Xi met representatives from the US business community, academia and policy circles. He noted that the “China-US relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world” and expressed hope that people from all sectors in both countries could take part in more visits and exchanges.

Following that meeting, Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng met Stephen Schwarzman, chairman of investment management company Blackstone Group, and his delegation in Beijing on Thursday. Huai stressed that the ministry would encourage top universities in both China and the US to increase student exchanges and increase high-level cooperation.

Economic Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics

The leaders of the PRC have often emphasized the concept of creating a “harmonious society” at the domestic as well as international level.

BYUMME LAILA
MARCH 30, 2024



People’s Republic of China, a rising global economic power has a unique way of developing policies in its style calling it “Chinese-Style” or “China’s wisdom”. The relationship of a state’s economy with its diplomatic ties is known as “Economic diplomacy”. States employ economic policies to achieve their foreign policy objectives. It is an umbrella term including trade agreements at the global and regional level, economic pacts, bilateral and multi-lateral investment projects, etc. At the broader level, economic diplomacy is divided into two major groups: developmental aid (Investment) and Economic sanctions. For example, the US along with other signatory states has imposed economic sanctions on many countries including Iran, Syria, Russia, and Cuba (Masters 2019). Similarly, states provide financial and developmental aid to developing countries to strengthen their diplomatic ties.

The leaders of the PRC have often emphasized the concept of creating a “harmonious society” at the domestic as well as international level. Similarly other ideas like “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”, and “China’s dream of global development” are often used by Beijing’s top leadership (Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2011). Beijing has employed the instrument of Economic diplomacy to create a “harmonious society” focused on mutual benefits, peaceful coexistence and cooperation. Beijing has a unique approach to defining things according to their norms and values. PRC first redesigned its domestic economy through various reforms after the death of revolutionary leader Mao Zedong in 1976. President Deng Xiaoping introduced reforms for a sustainable economy. His successors also remain stuck to this goal and Beijing’s economy has gone through a major transition from an Import Substitute Industry (ISI) to Export Oriented Industry (EOI).

In 2013, President Xi Jinping launched a well-conceived mega-investment project called One Belt One Road, later known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). BRI is the revival of ancient China’s Silk Route. It has two dimensions: the Belt means an Economic Corridor on land while the Road denotes to a Maritime Silk Road. It is an infrastructure development project aimed at forming a web of connectivity through railways, roads, telecommunications, ports and energy pipelines, facilitating a network for three densely populated continents of the globe; Asia, Europe and Africa. Latin America has also become a part of BRI in recent years. According to the recent reports of 2023, 154 countries of the globe are part of BRI. There are five key components of BRI: strengthening regional political cooperation, free and unhindered trade, financial integration, infrastructure development and people-to-people exchange. The initiative defines China’s commitment to its principles of openness and cooperation, harmony and inclusiveness, market operations, and above all a ‘win-win situation’ for all countries of the globe towards a “common good” for mankind (Issued by the National Development and Reform Commission 2015). The six international Economic corridors include The New Eurasia Land Bridge Economic Corridor, The China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, the China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor. The Maritime Silk Road covers the South China Sea, the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean connecting Southeast Asia, Oceania and North Africa (Hong Kong Trade Development Council ‘The Belt and Road Initiative 2018).

To provide financial assistance to this mega project, Beijing laid the foundation of two important global financial institutions: the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

NDB, headquartered in Shanghai is founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) in 2014 with the purpose of financing and mobilizing resources for sustainable development projects in emerging markets of developing nations. NDB has identified key areas of interest such as clean energy, transport infrastructure, digital infrastructure, management of water resources (sanitation and irrigation), sustainable urban development, and economic cooperation among member states. Being the largest donor of NDB, China has contributed about $100 Billion (Yin 2014) . NDB is strictly committed to Beijing’s goal of prosperity and south-south cooperation. While addressing the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held on October 18, 2023, the President of NDB Mrs. Dilma Rousseff praised Chinese values and commitment to global peace and harmony by quoting the famous proverb: “The Ocean is vast because it accepts all rivers”.

China, along with 57(37 Regional and 20 non-regional) other countries, launched AIIB in 2016, with headquarters in Beijing. Its mission is to enhance “social and economic outcomes in Asia”. That would be achieved by investing in sustainable infrastructure projects, connecting people, services, and markets, which ultimately impact the lives of billions; building a better future for them. According to recent reports, AIIB has 109 member countries which means 81% of the total global population and 65% of world’s gross domestic product (GDP). In 2020, the Board approved a Corporate Strategy reviving its pledge to development. The five pillars of Corporate strategy include: establishing a market position, achieving impact at higher scale, adding value along the project cycle, serving a broad range of clients and building the corporate culture. These pillars reflect Beijing’s core vision of economic sustainability and comprehensive banking accompanied by robust multilateral governance.

PRC’s persistence to its goal of creating a harmonious society is reflected through its economic diplomacy. Through its policies, it has created a favorable environment where countries can interact both at bi-lateral and multi-lateral levels for cooperation in different domains including economy, technology, industry, infrastructure development, etc. Beijing is an active member of many multilateral formal and informal groups like SC0, G20, G77 plus China, BRICS, and FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) which shows the success of its diplomacy. These multilateral groups are aimed at fostering economic and diplomatic engagements among member states. China’s role as a mediator in the Saudi-Iran Rapprochement is another example of Beijing’s concern for promoting regional stability and prosperity. PRC is the biggest trading partner of both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Beijing is importing 40% of its oil from the Middle East. Middle East is receiving huge trade and investment opportunities under BRI while China also showed its willingness to share expertise in fields like telecommunications, AI and other high-tech areas. In the first 10 years (2013-2023) of BRI, the PRC has invested a huge amount of $1 Trillion in different projects of this initiative. It clearly defines how Beijing is making huge investments in more than 154 countries following its commitment to prosperity and development in every part of the globe. During official visits for top-level summits, Chinese leaders are always accompanied by a large entourage of government officials and the business community. The purpose of this activity is to facilitate interaction with the business class of the host countries on the sidelines of summits and meetings to avail the options of partnerships and investments, immediately.

In my opinion, Beijing has effectively employed the instrument of economic diplomacy by launching the One Belt, One Road initiative (BRI). This initiative has not only opened ways to new and untapped markets of the developing world but also helped Beijing in fostering its diplomatic relations with these countries. PRC is member of many multi-lateral formal and informal groups but the chief areas of all the partnerships are economic cooperation and diplomatic relations. Beijing has strong diplomatic ties with its immediate neighbouring countries as well as with countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.


Umme Laila Mphil Scholar at NDU, Isb. My area of interest includes strategic shifts in global order, complex economic interdependence and South Asian politics.

BUILD THE UNITED FRONT

Chinese solar power industry urged to stay united in face of US pressure

Industry body says companies should avoid ‘disorderly and vicious’ competition

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently said she would push for measures to address overcapacity in China

He Huifengin Guangdong
Published: 31 Mar 2024

A Chinese solar industry body has warned against “vicious” internal competition in the face of efforts by the United States to target overcapacity in the sector.

Overseas trade barriers already pose a big challenge for Chinese solar panel makers, according to the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, a semi-official organisation in Beijing, but it fears the situation will become worse.

China’s solar industry experienced fierce competition in 2023, resulting in overcapacity and a general sharp decline in product prices, the chamber said in a report released Saturday.

“[We must] avoid disorderly and vicious competition within the industry. The government and business associations should promote industry self-discipline and compliance and sustainable development.” the report said.

“Because of the limited domestic instalment and high overseas stocks, the industry is now under pressure.”

Recently US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen vowed to “press my Chinese counterparts” to take necessary steps to address overcapacity issues and create a level playing field for American businesses.

China’s photovoltaic product exports amounted to US$47.59 billion in 2023, down 4.9 per cent year on year, according to data from the chamber.

It said sales of photovoltaic units by volume had risen by 36.6 per cent, but their value was down by 5.8 per cent. Meanwhile, solar cell shipments jumped by 69.4 per cent but the sales value rose by just 5.2 per cent.

Solar cells have been hailed as one of China’s biggest growth engines, and exports to the European Union were worth US$19.2 billion last year, according to Chinese customs data.

China’s largest photothermal power facility drives development of new form of energy

However, exports to the US face tariffs. Chinese exports of solar cells to the US dropped 6.7 per cent year on year to only US$3.3 million last year, or 0.1 per cent of the country’s solar cell exports, according to data from the chamber.

The Chinese trade chamber warned that other trade barriers may be imposed on grounds ranging from “human rights”, “low carbon certification” and “energy efficiency certifications” and urged the governnment to provide advice on how to counter these “new forms of trade barriers”.

Chinese companies signed 180 new photovoltaic power projects overseas totalling US$17.16 billion, mainly in Asia last year.

The chamber predicts that Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas will be the main markets for new installations in 2024, with mainland China is expected to add about 172 gigawatts, accounting for more than a third of the global total.


He Huifeng is an award-winning journalist who has reported on China since 2001. She has gained an in-depth knowledge of political, economic and social issues in mainland China through years of close observation, which has given her a love for journalism in the field.

Xinhua Commentary: China, U.S. need to keep faith with win-win cooperation


Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2024-03-31
by Xinhua writer Ma Qian

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Apple just last week launched its new store in downtown Shanghai, the second-largest flagship store worldwide. Tim Cook, CEO of the American tech giant, also pledged to broaden its applied research initiatives in China on the sidelines of this year's China Development Forum in Beijing.

Apple's continuous investment in China is in stark contrast with the "China threat" and "China collapse" theories peddled by Washington's China hawks and U.S. media in recent months.

The American company's commitment to China's market offers a glimpse into the very nature of China-U.S. trade relations: win-win cooperation. That is also one of the key messages Chinese President Xi Jinping conveyed during his recent meeting with representatives of U.S. businesses, strategic and academic communities.

Faced with the recent years' new and evolving situation in China-U.S. business ties, the two sides should stay committed to mutual respect, mutual benefit and equal-footed consultation, follow economic and market rules, expand and deepen mutually beneficial business cooperation, respect each other's development rights, and work for win-win outcomes for the two countries and the world at large, Xi said.

If history is any guide, cooperation, instead of competition, has always been the mainstream of China-U.S. ties since the two sides forged diplomatic relations.

Over the past 45 years, bilateral trade has expanded by more than 200 times. More than 70,000 U.S. companies have invested and operated in China, and nearly 90 percent of the operations are profitable.

Today, China and the United States stand as two of the world's top economic powerhouses, whose combined economic output is more than one-third of the world's total. Also, for the two countries, the success of one is an opportunity for the other.

U.S. exports to China have supported a broad swath of the U.S. economy. In 2021, China stood out as the largest export market for four U.S. states and one of the top three export markets for 38 states in America. And the current annual bilateral trade supports over 2.6 million jobs in the United States.

Qualcomm, FedEx and the Blackstone Group, whose top executives sat down with Xi a few days ago, are some of the American companies that have over the decades materialized their development through persistent investment in China. Their growth has also contributed to China's development.

Under the new circumstances, China and the United States have more, not fewer, common interests. American companies in China reported improved financial performance in 2023 with increased profitability, showed the 2024 China Business Climate Survey Report recently released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China).

Many U.S. companies also share a positive outlook on conducting business in China. According to the AmCham China's report, the two-year business outlook for China has improved, with members showing increased optimism across the board, especially with regards to domestic market growth, estimated profitability, and the economy.

In the meantime, Beijing's steadfast dedication to opening-up and high-quality development, as well as more measures to attract foreign investment will also bring about fresh opportunities for bilateral cooperation in more areas like green transition, climate change, electric car design and production, and artificial intelligence, among others.

In fact, the two sides have witnessed frequent communication and interaction in law enforcement and counter-narcotics following the summit between Xi and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, in San Francisco late last year, and has made some progress.

Still, future cooperation between the two countries is overshadowed by growing China-phobia in Washington. America's China hawks have turned a blind eye to the interdependence between the world's top two economies. For them, strategic competition should define future China-U.S. ties, and taking China down is the only way for the United States to maintain global supremacy.

Nevertheless, whether it was the trade war or the so-called chip war, or any other form of small-yard-high-fences protectionist tactics against China, they have not only failed to alter the overall momentum of China-U.S. trade ties, but also brought unnecessary pain to enterprises of the two countries, and rocked global industrial chains and supply chains.

"Even if the two economies could be separated, the result would be disastrous for both," a recent editorial by The Washington Post argued.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. The two countries can take it as an opportunity to revisit the past successes in bilateral cooperation for future accomplishments. Just as Xi said: "The relationship cannot go back to the old days, but it can embrace a brighter future." ■