World

Ukrainian embassy says Russia ships ‘stolen’ wheat to Syria

Russia has sent its ally Syria an estimated 100,000 tons of wheat stolen from Ukraine since invading the country, the Ukrainian embassy in Beirut said, describing the shipments as “criminal activity.”
In a statement to Reuters, the embassy said the shipments included one aboard the Matros Pozynich, a Russian-flagged vessel which docked at Syria’s main sea port Latakia in late May.
Data from Refinitiv showed the Matros Pozynich loading wheat at the port of Sevastopol in Crimea – annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014 – with a May 19 departure date and the discharge location given as Syria.
Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC on May 29 showed the same vessel docked in Latakia.
Ukraine’s embassy in Lebanon, citing Ukrainian law enforcement, alleged the grain aboard the Matros Pozynich had been “stolen” from Ukrainian storage facilities in areas newly occupied by Russian forces.
Russia’s defense ministry and the Syrian information ministry did not immediately reply to Reuters’ requests for comment. Russia has previously denied allegations of stealing wheat from Ukraine.
“The wheat is stolen from a facility that combines wheat from three Ukrainian regions into one batch,” the embassy said.
“This is criminal activity,” it said, adding that it had tried to reach out to the Syrian authorities but had never received a response.
The embassy said more than 100,000 tons of “plundered” Ukrainian wheat had arrived in Syria over the last three months.
With international wheat prices above $400 a ton, such a volume would be worth more than $40 million.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the Ukrainian allegations.
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Syria’s information ministry did not immediately respond to emailed questions from Reuters seeking comment on the accusation the country had received 100,000 tons of stolen Ukrainian wheat, and that the deliveries amounted to criminal activity.
Neither did it respond to a question on whether Syria had failed to answer Ukrainian correspondence on the issue.
The Syrian agriculture ministry and officials at the Latakia port did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russia has been an important source of wheat imports for Syria since the start of its civil war in 2011, both as commercial imports and humanitarian aid. Moscow has also provided President Bashar al-Assad with vital military support during the conflict, sending its air force to Syria in 2015.
Russia pledged to supply Syria with one million tons of wheat under a bilateral deal in 2021, according to Interfax.
Syrian grain imports have included shipments from Crimea.
The Matros Pozynich had initially set its destination for Beirut, Lebanon, but turned its transponder off on May 25 off the Lebanese coast, according to Refinitiv ship tracking data.
On Wednesday, the ship turned its transponder back on and could be tracked sailing west, away from the Syrian coast, according to movements shown by MarineTraffic.com.

500,000 tons

Russia invaded Ukraine in February, launching what it called a “special operation” to disarm and “denazify” the country.
Ukraine and its Western allies call this a baseless pretext for a war to seize territory.
In a statement last month, Ukraine’s agriculture ministry said the theft of 500,000 tons of wheat had already been recorded from occupied regions of the country.
The grain was being sent either to Russia, primarily from the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, or to Crimea from the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, the ministry added.
In April, the Kremlin denied allegations of stolen wheat, saying it did not know where the information came from.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency on May 25 that Russia strongly denied Western media reports of stealing grain from Ukraine: “We are not stealing anything from anyone.”
However, the Russian-controlled Ukrainian region of Kherson began exporting grain to Russia, the TASS news agency reported, citing Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the pro-Russian military-civilian administration, earlier this week. He did not
say how payment had been organized.
Last month, Ukraine thanked Egypt, one of the world’s largest wheat importers, for turning away a Russian ship loaded with grain which Kyiv also said had been stolen from Ukraine.
Read more:

Wheat can’t be ‘weapon of war’, urges lifting Ukraine block: Pope Francis

UN had ‘constructive’ talks in Moscow on Russian grain, fertilizer exports

Ukraine’s giant seed bank at risk of being lost as war rages

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM