Forwarded from Song of Oil and LNG
🌍 Germany’s €500 Billion Gamble: Defence, Infrastructure, and Climate
The German Parliament (Bundestag) has approved a historic constitutional reform allowing the country to borrow hundreds of billions of euros to boost its defence, infrastructure, and climate initiatives. On March 18, 2025, lawmakers passed the reform with a two-thirds majority, signaling a significant shift from Germany’s long-standing "debt brake" policy. Key components include a €500 billion special fund for infrastructure and climate investments, exemption of defence spending above 1% of GDP from debt limits, and a constitutional commitment to achieve climate neutrality by 2045.
This move reflects Germany’s response to geopolitical tensions and the need for domestic modernization. However, concerns remain about the fiscal prudence of such a massive borrowing spree and the potential for bureaucratic inefficiencies in executing these ambitious projects. Critics argue that the focus on green energy could sideline more practical solutions, while the defence spending surge may strain Germany’s fiscal stability in the long run.
Germany, as Europe’s largest economy, has set a precedent that could influence the entire EU. While the boost in defence and infrastructure may enhance Germany’s readiness and regional security, the push for climate neutrality raises questions about the feasibility and economic costs of green policies. This decision could have ripple effects across global markets, especially if other nations follow suit, potentially reshaping economic strategies worldwide.
🔎 Source
#Germany
@songofoil
The German Parliament (Bundestag) has approved a historic constitutional reform allowing the country to borrow hundreds of billions of euros to boost its defence, infrastructure, and climate initiatives. On March 18, 2025, lawmakers passed the reform with a two-thirds majority, signaling a significant shift from Germany’s long-standing "debt brake" policy. Key components include a €500 billion special fund for infrastructure and climate investments, exemption of defence spending above 1% of GDP from debt limits, and a constitutional commitment to achieve climate neutrality by 2045.
This move reflects Germany’s response to geopolitical tensions and the need for domestic modernization. However, concerns remain about the fiscal prudence of such a massive borrowing spree and the potential for bureaucratic inefficiencies in executing these ambitious projects. Critics argue that the focus on green energy could sideline more practical solutions, while the defence spending surge may strain Germany’s fiscal stability in the long run.
Germany, as Europe’s largest economy, has set a precedent that could influence the entire EU. While the boost in defence and infrastructure may enhance Germany’s readiness and regional security, the push for climate neutrality raises questions about the feasibility and economic costs of green policies. This decision could have ripple effects across global markets, especially if other nations follow suit, potentially reshaping economic strategies worldwide.
🔎 Source
#Germany
@songofoil
Forwarded from Insider Paper
NEW 🚨 Trump says he’ll cover pay of astronauts who received no overtime after being stranded in space for 9 months: ‘Out of my own pocket’ - NYP
@insiderpaper
@insiderpaper
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Forwarded from QVINTA ÆTAS
Intel Slava
In Odessa, a car dealership with BMW X6 cars burned down after a drone attack.
"In the Thursday evening and overnight hours Russia continued to pound Ukraine's key Black Sea port city of Odesa, which was widely described as one of the biggest single drone attacks visited on the city since the war's start.
At least three locals were injured in the attack, and large fires resulted, importantly just as Czech President Petr Pavel was in Odesa on Thursday, after which he traveled back to Kiev.
Odesa's regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram, "Significantly, it was during our meeting that the enemy once again massively attacked the Odesa region" - in reference to meeting with President Pavel."
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Telegraph
Russia Pounds Ukraine's Odesa As Czech President Visits City
In the Thursday evening and overnight hours Russia continued to pound Ukraine's key Black Sea port city of Odesa, which was widely described as one of the biggest single drone attacks visited on the city since the war's start. At least three locals were injured…
Forwarded from Insider Paper
BREAKING - STRONG GEOMAGNETIC STORM PREDICTED: NOAA forecasters are predicting a strong G3-class geomagnetic storm on March 23rd when a CME is expected to directly hit Earth.
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In the comments are foreign ISIS supporters who are also obsessed with Syria.
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Bellum Acta - Intel, Urgent News and Archives ✝️ #FreeVenezuela
The missile was shot down over Saudi Arabia.
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* — Designated as a Terror organization in the United States and the European Union
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Bellum Acta - Intel, Urgent News and Archives ✝️ #FreeVenezuela
People gathered in Saraçhane Park.
They brought Turkish national flags, portraits of Turkey's first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and posters against Erdogan
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Forwarded from /CIG/ Telegram | Counter Intelligence Global (jd)
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The Taiwanese President said, "Alaska is the source of high-quality natural gas, and its relatively short distance from Taiwan facilitates transportation. We are very interested in buying Alaskan natural gas because it can meet our needs and ensure our energy security."
🔗 BehizyTweets
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Forwarded from /CIG/ Telegram | Counter Intelligence Global (jd)
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will revoke the temporary legal status of 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans in the United States, according to a Federal Register notice on Friday, the latest expansion of his crackdown on immigration.
It will be effective April 24.
https://www.ksl.com/article/51280632/trump-revokes-legal-status-for-530000-cubans-haitians-nicaraguans-and-venezuelans
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KSL.com
Trump revokes legal status for 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will revoke the temporary legal status of 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans in the United States, a Federal Register notice says.
Forwarded from /CIG/ Telegram | Counter Intelligence Global (jd)
🔺Vinson CSG moving to the Middle East from WESTPAC
🔺Truman CSG deployment extended; conducting continuous strike operations against the Houthis
🔺Nimitz departed Bremerton for its final deployment
USNI reports it will take 2-3 weeks for Vinson to reach CENTCOM, which will overlap with Truman’s expected 1-month extension — positioning 2x carrier strike groups in theater.
Last August, the U.S. also had 2x aircraft carriers in the Middle East, with Lincoln & Roosevelt overlapping for ~3 weeks.
Nimitz, which has been working up off the west coast, left Friday on its 22nd and final deployment. Ford began COMPTUEX on 14 March and will deploy after completion.
Dual carrier coverage in CENTCOM confirmed. Whether a 3rd arrives depends on: 1) how long Ford takes to complete training, 2) where Nimitz ends up, and 3) length of Truman and Vinson deployment extensions.
🔗 Ian Ellis
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Forwarded from /CIG/ Telegram | Counter Intelligence Global (jd)
resident Donald Trump suggested that the United States could join the British Commonwealth on Friday in a post to Truth Social, his social media platform.
The president shared an article from British tabloid The Sun reporting that King Charles III was making a "secret offer" to the White House, and that plans are in process for the U.S. to become an associate member of the international organization.
"I Love King Charles. Sounds good to me!" Trump wrote in response to the report.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-suggests-us-could-join-british-commonwealth-2048679
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Newsweek
Donald Trump suggests US could join British Commonwealth
"I Love King Charles," the president said in a Truth Social post.
Forwarded from /CIG/ Telegram | Counter Intelligence Global (jd)
President Donald Trump announced that Boeing will build the next-generation fighter jet, the F-47, for the U.S. Air Force. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined him in the Oval Office for the announcement.
"I’m thrilled to announce that at my direction the United States Air Force is moving forward with the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet… Nothing in the world comes even close to it, and it’ll be called the ‘F-47,’ the generals picked that noscript."
Trump said that Boeing was awarded the contract after a "rigorous and thorough competition between some of America’s top aerospace companies." The president also stated that an experiential version of the jet has apparently "secretly been flying" for nearly five years.
"The F-47 will be the most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built," Trump told reporters. "America’s enemies will never see it coming," he later added.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/boeing-build-next-gen-f-47-us-fighter-jet-trump-announces
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Forwarded from /CIG/ Telegram | Counter Intelligence Global (jd)
A crucial problem for U.S. shipbuilding is its increasingly long production. Most modern warship designs take much longer to build than their World War II counterparts; at the same time, U.S. industry has become less efficient, not more.
Like Japan in World War II, the United States seems to be driven by an assumption that superior weapons and training will compensate for its slower shipbuilding and allow its outnumbered fleet to quickly prevail in a war at sea with China. The Chinese navy, by contrast, resembles the U.S. fleet in the runup to Pearl Harbor: qualitatively less capable than its prospective opponent but with a far greater shipbuilding capacity that during a war could allow it to rapidly recover from early losses and, over time, overwhelm even a more skilled opponent whose production simply could not keep up.
https://archive.is/KPGbG
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/does-america-face-ship-gap-china#
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archive.is
Does America Face a “Ship Gap” With China? | Foreign Affairs
archived 19 Mar 2025 14:08:59 UTC