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Russian diplomats blast US: American aircraft have no business near Russia’s borders


Russian diplomats warned the US against violating Russia’s territorial waters and air space and accused Washington of trying to spy on Moscow, in the wake of the crash of a US military drone into the Black Sea after being intercepted by Russian fighter jets, state media reported on Wednesday.

A US military surveillance drone crashed into the Black Sea after an encounter with Russian Su-27 fighter jets in international airspace near Russia’s borders.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the US was “ignoring” the fact that Russia had established air space restrictions in the Black Sea region after it launched its invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov, who was summoned by the State Department over the drone incident, told American officials that Moscow considers the appearance of an American drone over the Black Sea a “provocation”.

He added that American military aircraft and warships have nothing to do near the borders of Russia and positing the question of what the American reaction would be if a Russian military drone would appear near its borders.

“Could you imagine what the reaction of the US media or the Pentagon would be, if a Russian strike drone appeared near New York or San Francisco?” Antonov said.

He added: “I’ve been saying the same in regard to the [US] Navy or the Air Force, who often test and seek to reveal the Russian air defense, to see where our vulnerabilities are, to test if we are ready to repel a potential attack or have some kind of weakness. I warned them against such actions, I said that we will continue to make sure that no one breaks into the waters that belong to the Russian Federation,” state news agency TASS reported.

The Pentagon said the drone in question was a US Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle. It added that the drone “was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft.”

The Commander of US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa Gen. James Hecker said: “The incident follows a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with US and allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea. These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.”

Moscow denies the American version of events, stressing that the drone was flying towards Russian borders and that the Russian jets which intercepted it did not come into physical contact with the drone. The defense ministry said, “the device went out of control as a result of sharp maneuvering” and then crashed.

The Russian ambassador also accused Washington of spying operations using drones, in which the US collects intelligence data which is subsequently used by Ukraine to strike at Russian forces and attack targets inside Russian territory.

Antonov added: “What are they doing thousands of kilometers from the United States? The answer is obvious: they are collecting intelligence information, which is subsequently used by the Kyiv regime to strike at our armed forces and territory.”

The Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev also said that the drone incident contradicted US official stance of maintaining no direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

Russian foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin said Moscow was well aware of the “intelligence goals” Washington was allegedly pursuing in the Black Sea region.

On the other hand, the US maintains that a Russian Su-27 fighter jet clipped the propeller of the drone which led to the crash. It also blasted Moscow for acting in “unsafe, unprofessional and reckless” ways.

White House spokesman John Kirby said in a CNN interview: “The message that we delivered to the Russian ambassador is that they need to be more careful in flying in international airspace near US assets that are, again, flying in completely legal ways, conducting missions in support of our national security interests.”

Kirby added in an ABC interview: “The message was: Don't do this again.”

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Read more:

US told Russia to be more careful after Black Sea drone incident: White House

Relations with US in bad state amid drone incident, the Kremlin says

Russia should respect international airspace after US drone crash: UK minister

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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

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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.

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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

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