North Korea/DPRK: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the launch of a long-range ballistic missile

 

Press material Saturday 15 April 2023

● Council of the EU   15/04/2023 20:40 | Press release | North Korea/DPRK: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the launch of a long-range ballistic missile   The EU strongly condemns the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) launch of a new type of long-range ballistic missile on 13 April. The DPRK’s repeated demonstrations of its intention to continue developing the means to deliver weapons of mass destruction threaten international peace and security. The DPRK must cease all illegal and dangerous actions that violate UN Security Council resolutions and recklessly escalate military tensions in the region. The EU reiterates that the DPRK must comply immediately with its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions by abandoning all its nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missile programmes and existing nuclear programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and cease all related activities. This is the only viable route to sustainable peace and security on the Korean peninsula. The DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear weapon state under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or any other special status in that regard. The EU urges the DPRK to return immediately to full compliance with the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, bring into force the Additional Protocol and sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The DPRK’s use of resources to support its unlawful weapons programmes exacerbates the difficult living conditions endured by much of its population. The EU again calls upon the international community to respond in a united and firm manner to uphold the international non-proliferation architecture and to prevent the DPRK from further escalating military tensions in the region. It is critical that all UN Member States, especially Members of the UN Security Council, ensure the full implementation of UN sanctions and urge the DPRK to resume meaningful dialogue with all the main parties. The EU expresses its full solidarity with the Republic of Korea and Japan. The EU is ready to work with all relevant partners in promoting a meaningful diplomatic process aimed at building sustainable peace and security through the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Άρθρο Ευάγγελου Βενιζέλου στο αφιέρωμα «Η Ανάσταση που προσδοκώ»

 

15 Απριλίου 2023

 

Άρθρο Ευάγγελου Βενιζέλου στην Καθημερινή, στο αφιέρωμα «Η Ανάσταση που προσδοκώ»

 

Είναι εύκολο να προσδοκάς μια ανάσταση συνεκδοχική. Συνώνυμη της ανάτασης, της  ανάκαμψης ή   της  υπέρβασης. Μια ανάσταση  πολιτική, οικονομική,  ακόμη και εθνική. Μια ανάσταση της φύσης, των αισθήσεων ή του παρελθόντος.

Το δύσκολο είναι να διαχειρίζεσαι την κατά κυριολεξία Ανάσταση που θέτει το όριο της θνητότητας και του ορθολογισμού μας. Η Ανάσταση είναι πολλαπλή σύνοψη, της θεολογίας πρωτίστως, αλλά και της ανθρωπολογίας, της φιλοσοφίας, της επιστήμης, της τέχνης. Δεν είναι ένα θαύμα που ενδέχεται να συμβεί, αλλά μια προσδοκία που δεν υπόκειται σε προθεσμίες, ούτε πολύ περισσότερο σε λογικό έλεγχο. Μια προσδοκία των πιστών ή μήπως κατά βάθος όλων, ακόμη και εκείνων που δεν μπορούν να την αποδεχθούν λογικά, αλλά θα τη δέχονταν ευχαρίστως αν συνέβαινε;

«Προσδοκώ ανάστασιν νεκρών. Και ζωήν του μέλλοντος αιώνος» λέει το Σύμβολο της Πίστεως. Η Ανάσταση είναι συνεπώς μια δοκιμασία της πίστης. Μια άσκηση θανάτου χωρίς τον οποίο η Ανάσταση δεν θα είχε νόημα. Μια άσκηση ζωής χωρίς την οποία η Ανάσταση επίσης δεν θα είχε νόημα.

Τη Μ. Παρασκευή όταν ο Επιτάφιος επιστρέφει στον ναό μετά την περιφορά του, ακούγεται  η προφητεία του Ιεζεκιήλ για τη σωματική Ανάσταση των νεκρών. Η περιγραφή είναι σαφής  και η δέσμευση απόλυτη: «λελάληκα καὶ ποιήσω, λέγει Κύριος» και προλέγει ο προφήτης. Ο Απ. Παύλος είναι εξίσου σαφής, «σαλπίσει γάρ, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐγερθήσονται ἄφθαρτοι, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλλαγησόμεθα. δεῖ γὰρ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀθανασίαν.»

Δεν  υπάρχει ούτε καν η επιφύλαξη της «εν έτερα μορφή» Ανάστασης, ούτε λόγος να πούμε και εμείς «μη μου άπτου» στις δικές μας Μαγδαληνές.

Χωρίς την Ανάσταση δεν συγκροτείται η χριστιανική διδασκαλία, αλλά αυτό, για διάφορους, ως γνωστόν, λόγους, αφήνει παγκοσμίως πολλούς έξω από την εμβέλεια του μηνύματος. Το ζήτημα είναι ότι χωρίς την Ανάσταση και τον δικό της απώτατο ιστορικό ορίζοντα δεν συγκροτείται το αφήγημα της νεωτερικής και τώρα πλέον της μετανεωτερικής κοινωνίας. Δεν αποκτούν τις πλήρεις διαστάσεις τους οι υποχρεώσεις μας απέναντι στον Κόσμο, τον πλανήτη, το κλίμα, τη φύση, την αξία του ανθρώπου, συνεπώς και τη νοημοσύνη του φυσική και τεχνητή, αλλά βεβαίως και συναισθηματική.

Προσδοκώ συνεπώς μια Ανάσταση που προ-τυπώνεται, που προ-ενεργεί ευεργετικά, με σεβασμό στις θεολογικές της προδιαγραφές, αλλά πολύ  πέραν αυτών. Μια Ανάσταση που μας εξοικειώνει με τον θάνατο, αλλά δεν μας συμφιλιώνει μαζί του. Μια Ανάσταση που μας ωθεί να χαιρόμαστε τη ζωή και να αγαπάμε τους άλλους. Μια Ανάσταση που μας επιτρέπει να αποκτήσουμε αίσθηση της μέγιστης κλίμακας του χρόνου και της ελάχιστης κλίμακας της ύπαρξης μας, ατομικής και συλλογικής,  μέσα στο σύμπαν.

 

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

 

14 Apr 2023 Latest news

Dear maria CHADZIDAKIS VAVOURANAKIS, Below are the news items published today on the WTO public website

NEWS ITEM DDG González: To make trade more inclusive, make it easier, faster and less costly In a keynote address delivered to the “Rethinking World Trade 2023” conference held at Georgetown Law School in Washington D.C. on 13 April, Deputy Director-General Anabel González highlighted the importance of a strong, revitalized and reformed WTO to bring more people, businesses and communities from the margins into the mainstream of the global economy. “More inclusive trade means a world trading system that is more adaptable and resilient, that enjoys broad-based support and that is relevant to the real-life challenges of our time,” she said. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM Data Blog, by the WTO Secretariat Tariffs applied by WTO members have almost halved since 1996 Blog   ⟶   NEWS ITEM New report calls for G20 coordination to address causes of food insecurity A new report issued by the WTO, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank Group (WBG) on 13 April urges the G20 to coordinate efforts on tackling the root causes of food insecurity. The report emphasizes the need for a unified approach and suggests that the G20 is in a unique position to facilitate collective action. It recommends focusing on improving the supply of development finance to support agriculture investments and to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth in rural areas. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM WTO offers venue for cooperation amid geostrategic competition, says DDG González Without trade cooperation we cannot make meaningful progress toward climate and other global development goals, Deputy Director-General Anabel González said at “The New Face of Globalization” event held at the George Washington University on 11 April. She highlighted the importance of reinforcing the WTO’s role in managing trade tensions and promoting the development of common approaches in areas where WTO members’ national and shared interests are aligned. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM United States formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies The United States deposited its instrument of acceptance for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 11 April, making it the fourth WTO member, and the first among the large fishing nations, to do so. The formal acceptance by the United States marks a pivotal moment for the approaching entry into force of the landmark agreement for ocean sustainability, said Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as she received the instrument from U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai in Washington, D.C. Acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are needed for the Agreement to come into effect. News item   ⟶

nasa's EARTHDATA DISCOVERY

 

EARTHDATA DISCOVERY OPEN ACCESS FOR OPEN SCIENCE | APRIL 2023                               Carbon Comes Full Circle           Two investigations—one using field campaigns, one using commercial smallsat data—are helping put the cycle in carbon cycle.           Taking a Deep Dive for Ocean Carbon Data           The NASA-led Export Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing (EXPORTS) project investigates how organic carbon is biologically produced, processed, and stored in the depths of the ocean.           NASA Counts 9.9 billion Trees in Africa with the help of Commercial Satellite Data           Results from this research establish a framework for mapping carbon stocks at the level of individual trees at a sub-continental scale, help improve ecosystem models, and provide a tool for restoration efforts.                         April 22 is the global Earth Day celebration and NASA has you covered. NASA maintains one of the largest archives of Earth science data on the planet—all of which are fully and openly available. Start your explorations today! Get Started                       Articles                 Preparing for Oceans of Data Careful calibration and validation ensure that the recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission will provide the best data possible.           Monitoring and Tracking Tropospheric Ozone Ozone is a two-edged sword: beneficial in Earth’s stratosphere, but harmful in the troposphere. Dr. Owen Cooper’s work using NASA Earth science data is shedding new light on the current—and future—state of this critical atmospheric component.           NASA Announces Pause in GEDI Mission The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) instrument has temporarily been moved to an alternate location on the International Space Station. GEDI will return to its original location and resume operations in 2024.           New Data Discoveries Added to VEDA Dashboard Discoveries about fire, coastal risks from sea level rise, changes in the global water cycle, snowpack projections, and Houston heat are the newest additions to NASA’s Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis (VEDA) Dashboard.           Airborne and Field Data Workshop Report The final report from the NASA Airborne and Field Data Workshop is now available. The report provides recommendations on how NASA can improve the ability for data producers and data users to meet NASA science objectives.

IMF SPRING MEETINGS

 

Dear maria, welcome to a special edition of the Weekend Read In this special edition from the Spring Meetings, we spotlight the IMF managing director’s global policy priorities, the threats to the world economy from geopolitics and protectionism, the International Monetary and Financial Committee, economic outlooks for all the world’s regions, and more. The Weekend Read will return next Friday, when we will report on must-watch sessions covering central banks’ battle with inflation and the benefits of digital infrastructure.

Managing Director Sets Out Policy Agenda The global economy is at another highly uncertain moment, as tentative signs of stabilization earlier this year have receded and the outlook is increasingly risky, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in her Global Policy Agenda. At the same time, divisions within and across countries are deepening, exacerbated by rising fragmentation. Strong policy action is needed together with pragmatic approaches to find areas of common ground to respond to shared challenges. The IMF is proactively engaging with members to chart a clear course to a stronger and more sustainable path for the global economy, she added.

IMF update

 

Dear maria, We just published a new blog—please find the full text below.  In Latin America, Fiscal Policy Can Lighten the Burden of Central Banks (Credit: sfurlan/iStock by Getty Images) By Gustavo Adler and Nigel Chalk Growth in Latin America is projected to slow to 1.6 percent this year after a remarkable 4 percent in 2022. Price pressures that accompanied last year’s brisk economic activity appear to have peaked, but underlying inflation remains stubbornly high, disproportionally hurting low-income households who spend most of their earnings on food. To mitigate the risk that inflation becomes entrenched, fiscal policy can help monetary policy in reducing demand pressures. After peaking at 10 percent in mid-2022, headline inflation in the largest Latin American economies has slowed to 7 percent in March. However, this drop mostly reflects the fall of commodity prices from their peaks. Progress in bringing down core inflation, which excludes food and energy, appears to have stalled. Labor markets are tight, with employment firmly above its pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, output is at or above potential, and short-term inflation expectations exceed central banks’ target ranges. Strong domestic demand, rapid wage increases, and broad-based price pressures all point to a risk that inflation in the region could remain unacceptably high. Tempering demand to tame price pressures