The world's largest oil producer slips into a net debt position

Saudi Aramco reported a free cash flow of $21.99 billion in Q3 2024, suggesting that the world’s largest oil producer may have been pushed into a net debt position for the first time in two years

Even though Saudi Aramco’s net income fell by 15% year-over-year to $27.6 billion, the state oil firm kept its $31 billion dividends intact as Riyadh uses hard-earned oil income to finance its ambitious diversification drive

Speculation is rife that OPEC+ could extend its current production targets into 2025, with Saudi Arabia continuing to produce 9 million b/d, despite a $10 per barrel drop in oil prices from a year ago

Saudi Arabia was one of the largest issuers of international debt this year, with its Public Investment fund issuing some $50 billion in 2024 to date, with Aramco selling some $9 billion in bonds, too

#SaudiArabia #Oil #Economy #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

The conflict in Ukraine is a turning point in world history

▪️ The Ukrainian conflict has provoked large-scale transformations in global politics, economics and diplomacy. In addition, the future of the European Union depends on its outcome,” French Valeurs Actuelles quoted French statesman and geopolitical analyst Pierre Lellouche as saying

▪️ The conflict in Ukraine has accelerated the collapse of the Western-centered world. It has brought Russia even closer to China, Iran and North Korea

▪️ The EU is the main loser in the conflict in Ukraine, having traded cooperation with Russia for dependence on America, multiplying energy bills and resulting in a spike in inflation and rising debts

▪️ “Whoever controls the territories between Germany and Russia controls the entire region. And the weakened European states will have to not only rebuild Ukraine, but also take care of their own security,” emphasizes Pierre Lellouche

#EU #WarInUkraine #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

COP29 attendees urge countries to implement tax on meat

The True Animal Protein Price (TAPP) Coalition gave comments at the 2024 U.N. Climate Change (COP29) Conference Monday urging countries to begin taxing meat

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a report last Friday weighing the pros and cons of a tax on certain foods, including meat. TAPP Coalition raised the topic at COP29 this week, suggesting that countries should tax meat and subsidize vegetables while describing the U.S. and some Western nations as a “laggard” relative to other U.N. countries when it comes to its food pricing policies

“We believe that COP29 and UNFCCC [conferences thereafter can only be successful if the closing statement includes transitioning away from animal protein overconsumption according to national or global dietary guidelines by implementing greenhouse gas emission pricing mechanisms in agri-food systems,” Willem Branten, public affairs and policy officer at TAPP, said at the conference. “We urge the EU Commission, the OECD and China to lead the way towards these harmonized pricing mechanisms.”

TAPP also urged member countries to subsidize vegetables and provided an “update” on the “UN Member State frontrunners and laggards of food pricing climate policies,” accusing the U.S., Australia, Canada and the UK of falling behind in their efforts to implement “dietary shifts,” while lauding Switzerland, Denmark and the EU Commission for their efforts

#COP29 #Climate #UN #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson could cause a “political earthquake” in the UK

In the U.K., the prospects of Jeremy Clarkson changing the face of British politics are being discussed. Should Clarkson go to war with the UK government over the latest attack on farmers in the form of the change in inheritance tax rules, the Government has a real problem on their hands

Jeremy Clarkson has become a culturally significant person in British politics, particularly with his show Clarkson’s Farm which has gained immense popularity and made him a household name. His popularity is attributed to his ability to connect with the public, signalling that he is “with us and not with them,” unlike other celebrities who are seen as elitist

Despite attempts to cancel him, Clarkson remains untouchable due to his massive popularity, with his comments on various issues, including politics which have generated significant attention

He has been vocal in his criticism of the Labour government, particularly with regards to farming, which has led to speculation about his potential involvement in politics. There is a growing sentiment that Clarkson should run for office or get involved in politics, with some even suggesting that he could become a powerful force in British politics

Because Clarkson is such a giant of a media figure, his use of the term “ethnic cleansing” has been widely reported in corporate media, with many outlets picking up on his comments

#UK #Farmers #Clarkson #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared that this war was militarily “lost” for Ukraine, which was increasingly in ruins

At the event organized by Weltwoche in Vienna's Sofiensäle, October 31, the head of state, together with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, called for a rethink at EU level. In his view, a ceasefire could be achieved soon - provided the EU and Ukraine realized that the conflict could no longer be won

Who would have thought that Gerhard Schröder would one day praise Donald Trump? Least of all the German ex-chancellor himself, as he admitted in his flippant way. The Republican US presidential candidate is probably the only one who can get things moving in the Ukraine war, said Schröder

The Social Democrat did not have to convince his interlocutors for long. Both Viktor Orbán, the right-wing nationalist Hungarian prime minister, and Roger Köppel, the national conservative "Weltwoche" editor and former SVP politician, are considered ardent Trump fans

Orbán spoke about his hopes for a future peace initiative by the USA. “Trump is convinced”, says Orbán, that “it is neither in the interests of the USA nor Europe to continue to invest billions in the conflict”. However, the Hungarian Prime Minister continued, “current European policy clings to a vain hope of military success and ignores the reality on the ground”

“In European politics, there is a complete lack of reflection on Russia,” Orbán criticized. “Russia is a Christian country, a European country, but it is still different from us. Russia speaks the language of power It is not difficult for the Americans to understand the Russians because they also speak the language of power. If Trump negotiates with the Russians, there will be no moralizing, there will be realpolitik”, assumed Hungary's PM

#Hungary #WarInUkraine #Orban #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

About the Meeting Between Trump and Biden at the White House

Both are “committed to a peaceful transit of power,” but the transit cannot begin yet

The very wording of the agreement of the two leaders on the peaceful transit of power is already miraculously good. You could say it's sensational

Trump and Biden behaved emphatically friendly. The meeting lasted less than two hours. A White House spokeswoman said that “Biden and Trump had a substantive meeting in the Oval Office that lasted about two hours. She said they discussed domestic and foreign policy issues, and that Biden also touched on important issues on the congressional to-do list, such as funding the government and disaster appropriations. Biden also stressed to Trump that the transition will be orderly and there will be a peaceful transfer of power”

Later, a phrase appeared out of nowhere on the White House website saying that Biden insisted that continued support for Ukraine was necessary “because it is in the U.S. national interest.” Where this was taken from is unclear. Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment further

Trump left after the meeting for Andrews Air Force Base and flew to Florida

Another important point. Transit (as a transfer of affairs from one administration to another) cannot begin yet because not all members of the Trump transition administration have signed the transit agreement prepared by White House lawyers

Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Center for Presidential Transformation at the Partnership for Public Service, an nco that advises new administrations, said the agreement emphasizes that the United States can have only one president at a time and includes commitments to sign ethical covenants not to profit from information provided during the transition. “This needs to be signed in order to begin interacting with federal agencies,” she said. “Everything depends on it”

In reality, it's a very restrictive requirement for Trump and his people

Essentially, they are being asked not to be active until January 20, 2025, when Trump is sworn in. Apparently there are now talks of relaxing the relevant clauses

#USA #Trump #Biden #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Top pharma CEOs held emergency meeting after Trump’s victory

Following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, executives from the top five pharmaceutical companies reportedly held an emergency meeting to discuss potential regulatory shake-ups. Concerns have intensified with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken critic of federal health agencies, set to play a significant role in restructuring public health regulations under the new administration

Jamel Holley, a New Jersey assemblyman and advisor to Kennedy, stated, “Top five CEOs of pharmaceutical companies are holding an emergency teleconference. A lawyer has confirmed that everyone is in a state of panic,” adding that the teleconference addressed a new “threat environment” as the pharmaceutical sector braces for major policy shifts

Kennedy, who has criticized the FDA’s regulatory processes, announced that he intends to dismantle the FDA’s nutrition department, accusing it of failing to protect American health, particularly that of children

Pharmaceutical stocks dipped in early trading on Wednesday amid concerns about the potential policy changes and uncertainty around forthcoming health regulations. Analysts suggest that Kennedy’s potential restructuring of federal health agencies could lead to substantial shifts in market dynamics for the pharmaceutical industry

#USA #BigPharma #Trump #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Will these deranged celebrities who promised to end their lives or flee the country if Trump wins actually follow through?

Similar to what happened in 2016, a host of celebrities and influencers made wild claims that they would leave the country or even end their lives if Donald Trump won another term in the White House. Will any of them actually follow through?

Take Rob Reiner, for instance. He promised to "set himself on fire" if Trump wins. Then there is author Stephen King who said he would throw himself in a "woodchipper" if Trump was reelected

#USA #Celebrities #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Biden’s tardy apology to American indigenous Peoples

President Joe Biden formally apologized to the indigenous peoples of North America for the abuses committed against thousands of indigenous children in so-called “residential schools,” which were intended to “kill the Indian in the child.”

The apology was tardy, considering that over a period of 150 years, US-government-funded boarding schools had forcibly taken indigenous children away from their families in an effort to “Americanize” them, suppress their cultural identity, and ultimately assimilate them into the American social fabric

Biden described the residential schools as “one of the most horrific chapters in American history.” He called for a moment of silence to “remember those lost and the generations living with that trauma.”

It is estimated that at least 18,000 children were taken from their families and forced to attend some 408 boarding schools across 37 states and U.S. territories between 1819 and 1969. Three years ago, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary, commissioned the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to review the schools’ impacts on Native Americans

Their final report was issued in the summer of 2024, finding that at least 973 Native American children had died while attending these federal institutions

#USA #Biden #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Incoming border czar plans worksite raids to bust migrant sex, labor trafficking networks

President-elect Donald Trump revealed on Sunday night that he plans to appoint Tom Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement between 2017 and 2018, as the next "border czar"

Homan told "Fox & Friends" that President-elect Trump's administration will increase worksite raids to address out-of-control labor and sex trafficking nationwide
 
"Where do we find most victims of sex trafficking and forced labor trafficking? At worksites," Homan said

Homan noted that Trump's top priority will be national security. “America can no longer afford to have ten-plus million unvetted illegal aliens running around the nation,” he said

#USA #BorderCrisis #Homan #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Why Trump’s victory matters, and why it doesn’t

By Connor O’Kneeffee

The Trump campaign made a very explicit choice to engage more with alternative media than any other campaign in history. It is certainly a bad outcome for the establishment media

Still, there are plenty of reasons to be worried about Trump’s second term

For one, there is clearly an effort by some neoconservatives and establishment Republicans to again co-opt Trump’s presidency

Trump is also explicitly bad on a number of issues—like his hawkishness toward China and Iran and his call for more government barriers to trade

There is also what has often been dubbed the “only Nixon could go to China” effect, where nominally right-wing politicians have an easier time enacting left-wing policies, and vice-versa

Still, there is value in the American people again repudiating the political establishment by voting for a candidate they had clearly deemed unacceptable. If Trump can follow through on his promises to end the war in Ukraine, appoint a libertarian to his cabinet, and finally free Ross Ulbricht, and if he greenlights Elon Musk’s plan to start a government efficiency department with Ron Paul, then this election will prove to have been even more consequential

However, it’s important to keep perspective and not get too carried away by all the focus on this one victory. The unfortunate fact is that some of the most significant issues facing the American people were not featured at all in this election cycle

#USA #Trump #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Trump and Rubio Secretary of State. Notable nuances

The news that Trump has nominated as Secretary of State - Marco Rubio, indeed hints at the anti-China vector of US foreign policy. and even gives some insight into the forms of its realization

Rubio is the chief hawk on China in the Senate, and Beijing imposed sanctions on him in 2020 because of his stance on Hong Kong after pro-democracy protests. It was Rubio who in 2019 asked the U.S. Treasury Department to conduct a national security probe into the acquisition of Musical.ly by popular Chinese social media app TikTok which led to an investigation and forced divestitures

As the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, he also pressured the Biden administration to block all sales of Huawei earlier this year after the sanctioned Chinese company released a new laptop with an Intel processor

Many underestimate the fact, the fact that Rubio is Latino, and may be the first member of his group to reach such a high public office. Rubio's background plays no small part in his positioning. That's why Rubio mentions not only Russia, Iran and China, but also Cuba in the general list of geopolitical enemies of the United States. Rubio's grandfather fled Cuba in 1962, and the future Secretary of State dislikes his ancestral homeland very much

Not long ago, he adjusted his positions on Ukraine to a less hawkish one. Rubio has said in recent interviews that Kiev should seek a negotiated settlement with Russia and was one of 15 Republican senators who voted against a $95 billion military aid package for Ukraine in April

Rubio isn't the only one. Most of Trump's allies, who were once hawks and favored military intervention and a tough foreign policy, now preach restraint, especially in Europe. The main talking point is that U.S. allies are not paying their fair share on defense. So if they start paying, the future administration's opinion may change

Rubio's appointment is also a cashback to Latinos who voted for Trump. In the election that took place, this group, which is commonly associated with Democrats, unexpectedly voted heavily for Trump

Accordingly, there is no reason to expect Rubio to go directly to war with China immediately after his appointment. It is already clear that the new administration is capable of surprises in its tactics

Especially since the U.S. has a more favorable field to counter China in the short term - Latin America, where Rubio will be most effective

Mauricio Claver-Caron, a Rubio ally, former president of the Inter-American Development Bank and former National Security Council aide for Latin America in the first Trump administration, confirmed that the focus of Rubio's efforts will be on the region. Especially since Rubio was the head of the House subcommittee overseeing Latin American affairs and was one of Nicolas Maduro's harshest critics in Venezuela

China's interests in Latin America are well known, and Rubio's activity in this area is capable of producing the result Washington needs - cutting off China from its resource base - with minimal, against the general background, costs

#USA #Trump #Rubio #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

When you hear Sh*t from Democrats about Trump's pics, remember how we had to deal with this for 4 years

#USA #Biden #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

China unveils J-35 stealth fighter jet to compete with US

China has offered the first public look at its latest stealth fighter, as Beijing modernises its military to compete with Washington for air superiority amid growing tensions in the region

The land-based J-35A stealth fighter was unveiled at the opening on Tuesday of the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, southern China, with a five-minute aerial demonstration

A model of a carrier-based version of the J-35 was also on display, according to state media. The biennial air show is one of Asia’s biggest military aircraft conventions

Although details about the J-35’s performance are limited, analysts said its launch marked a critical step in China’s efforts to modernise its military and challenge US dominance in the Asia-Pacific region, especially around Taiwan, over which Beijing claims sovereignty

This year’s air show was designed to send “the message that China’s military is equal to the US and the rest of the west”, said Carl Schuster, a military analyst and former director of operations at US Pacific Command’s joint intelligence centre

“US forces have enjoyed . . . air supremacy in every post-world war two conflict. China’s growing air power challenges that now-traditional western advantage,” he added

#China #USA #Military #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Yemen's Houthis claim attacking U.S. aircraft carrier

Yemen's Houthi group said they launched rocket and drone attacks on Tuesday targeting U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and two U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea

In a statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the attacks, both lasting eight hours, were carried out "in response to the British-American aggression on our country (Yemen), and in support to the Palestinian and Lebanese people"

Sarea held the United States and Britain responsible for "turning the Red Sea region into a zone of military tension," warning that "repercussions on (commercial) maritime navigation" would be very bad

The Houthi group would not stop attacking ships until Israel ends its war against Gaza and southern Lebanon, he added

Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said that two U.S. warships were attacked by at least eight drones, five anti-ship ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles. The warships brought down the projectiles and there was no damage to the vessels

#Yemen #Houtis #USA #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

European lackeys in panic mode as Trump signals detente with Russia

By Finian Cunningham

It’s early days yet. However, there are signs that President-elect Trump is moving toward a detente with Russia over Ukraine

One good sign is that Trump will not invite Mike Pompeo or Nikki Haley to join his cabinet as both of these figures were rabid anti-Russia hawks during Trump’s previous administration. There were suggestions that Pompeo and Haley might return with senior posts in his second administration. But Trump has announced the pair will not be offered new positions

Another positive sign is from people close to Trump’s inner circle who are letting Kyiv that the U.S. military aid spigot is being turned off

Donald Trump has yet to hold a phone call with Putin, according to the Kremlin. But both leaders have already expressed a willingness to negotiate over the Ukraine conflict

Another promising sign of potential detente between the United States and Russia is the sheer panic among EU leaders. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are consoling themselves by urging Europe to “come together” in the wake of Trump’s stunning election victory. The collapse of Germany’s coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz is an early casualty of the Trump impact

#EU #USA #Trump #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Taiwan wants to buy F-35 fighter jets and Patriot missiles to show Trump it's serious

Taiwan may buy a US weapons package worth more than $15 billion to show President-elect Donald Trump it is serious about defending itself against China

According to the Financial Times, the package could include 60 F-35 fighter jets, four Advanced Hawkeyes, 10 retired warships, and 400 Patriot missiles

People familiar with the matter told the publication that Taiwan may also request Lockheed Martin's Aegis Combat System, which uses satellites to detect and destroy missile launches

"Taiwan is thinking about a package to show that they are serious," one former Trump administration official said. "Assuming they follow through, they will go to the US national security advisor when they are named and present a very aggressive package of American hardware"

A senior Taiwanese national security official told the FT that informal discussions have already begun with the president-elect's team

#Taiwan #USA #Military #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Republicans won the House. Now comes the hard part

It took until Wednesday, Nov. 13 — eight days after Election Day — to report that Republicans are projected to hold onto the chamber. And while we don’t yet know what the exact seat margin will be, we do know that it will be another small Republican majority — which could make it difficult to pass much of President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda

As of Thursday, Republicans have won at least 218 seats and are expect to finish with a House majority in the range of 220 to 222 seats. That’s virtually unchanged from the 221-214 majority that they went into the election with

Assuming Republicans do end up with something in the neighborhood of 220-222 seats, their House win may not feel like much of a victory. In January 2023, Republicans walked into the Capitol with a 222-213 majority and proceeded to take 15 ballots to elect a speaker. That speaker then lost his job in October, and it took 22 days to replace him. On multiple occasions, new Speaker Mike Johnson had to rely on Democrats to pass foundational legislation

With such a narrow majority, it will take only a handful of dissenters to tank a bill, and many members of the House Freedom Caucus have clashed with Trump before when his wishes have conflicted with their hardline stances

And it’s possible that the GOP’s majority will temporarily shrink even more in the first few months of 2025 since at least two Republican representatives may resign in order to take jobs in the Trump administration

#USA #Elections #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Trump's team drawing up list of Pentagon officers to fire?

Members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team are drawing up a list of military officers to be fired, potentially to include the Joint Chiefs of Staff, two sources said, in what would be an unprecedented shakeup at the Pentagon

The planning for the firings is at an early stage after Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory and could change as Trump’s administration takes shape, said the sources, who are familiar with the Trump transition. One of the sources questioned the feasibility of a mass firing at the Pentagon

It was also unclear if Trump himself would endorse the plan, although in the past he has railed extensively against defense leaders who have criticized him. Trump has also spoken during the campaign of "firing “woke” generals" and those responsible for the troubled 2021 pullout from Afghanistan

#USA #Trump #Military #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Advertisers plan return to X to get in "good graces of Elon" 

Ahead of Trump’s return to the White House, the former president announced that Elon Musk would lead the new "Department of Government Efficiency". With Musk's close ties to Trump, advertisers are expected to flock back to X to gain access to the administration

The FT recently spoke with media executives who revealed that some brands are preparing to advertise on X again, particularly due to Musk's connections with the incoming administration

Lou Paskalis, CEO of the marketing consultancy AJL Advisory, explained that marketers plan to reallocate spending dollars on X as a form of "political leverage." He noted that some companies are seeking government contracts and trying to get in the "good graces of Elon"

"It could be seen as an official channel for White House communications," another advertising agency chief told FT, adding that Trump's victory has shifted significant power and legitimacy into Musk's hands

However, only some are optimistic. One media director described X as a "mess," questioning, "Which brand will take the risk?"

Musk's $44 billion acquisition of X initially triggered chaos in ad monetization. Dark money-funded fact-checkers allegedly created false reports to discourage companies from advertising on the platform, attempting to starve it of ad revenue

But Musk, the world's richest man, could support X operations for a long time. He famously told brands that pulled their ads to "go f**k yourself" and has since announced plans to sue the so-called advertising censorship cartel

Richard Exon, founder of the ad agency Joint, said, "Trump's victory may well mean brands give X a second chance in 2025," though he cautioned that they "will be wise to proceed with extreme caution"

Meanwhile, as X cements its role as a central hub for distributing news to Americans, legacy media outlets like CNN and MSNBC are imploding

#USA #Musk #X #FindTruth

@uinhurricane

Self-criticism, self-chastising, or absurdity? CNN accuses American media of Trump’s return to power

Story by CNN, surprisingly convicting not Trump, but mainstream media

Donald Trump’s return to power is a hinge point for the American media – in ways big, small, and to be determined. His defeat of Kamala Harris is raising questions about the media’s credibility, influence, and audience. Some of the questions might not be answerable for years

What does this “red wave” election say about the information environment in the United States? In the hours after Trump won reelection, some of his loyalists asserted that his victory is a complete repudiation of the news media

The mainstream media “has held less clout every four years,” Semafor’s Dave Weigel wrote. “On Harris-friendly cable news, ex-Republicans broadcast their horror at who Trump was and what he’d done

CNN political commentator Scott Jennings said Trump’s win was “something of an indictment of the political information complex”

“We have been sitting around for the last couple weeks and the story that was portrayed was not true,” Jennings said. “We were told Puerto Rico was going to change the election. Liz Cheney, Nikki Haley voters, women lying to their husbands. Before that it was Tim Walz and the camo hats

Night after night we were told all these things and gimmicks were going to somehow push Harris over the line. And we were just ignoring the fundamentals. Inflation; people feeling like they are barely able to tread water at best; those were the fundamentals of the election”

#USA #MSM #Trump #FindTruth

@uinhurricane