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In its latest defense white paper, Japan expressed grave concern about Russia's continuing aggression against Ukraine and cautioned that "unilateral changes to the status quo by force" shake the foundation of the entire international order. Tokyo administers the islands and insists they are an inherent part of the territory of Japan, but China claims they should be under Beijing's control. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports that Czar Peter III was overthrown by his wife Catherine, in late June 1762, orders were issued that her coinage in gold and silver begin as soon as possible. It was considered then, as now, that the currency should reflect the real ruler of the country. Within a matter of weeks planning for the gold coinage was well underway.

Purpose: This paper attempts to investigate the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on the returns and volatility of the United States (US) natural gas futures market. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses secondary data of 996 trading day provided by the US Department of Energy and investing.com websites and applies the event study methodology in addition to the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (GARCH) family models. Findings: The findings from the exponential EGARCH (1,1) estimate are the best indication of a significant positive effects of the Ukraine–Russia war on the returns and volatility of the US natural gas futures prices. The cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) of the event study show that the natural gas futures prices reacted negatively but not significantly to the Russian–Ukraine war at the event date window [−1,1] and the [−15, −4] event window. CARs for the longer pre and post-event window display significant positive values and coincides with the standard finance theory for the case of the US natural gas futures over the Russia–Ukraine conflict. Originality/value: This is the first study to examine the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on natural gas futures prices in the United States. Thus, it provides indications on the behavior of investors in this market and proposes new empirical evidence that help in investment analyses and decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how modern Russian bank notes are disposed of once they have outlived their usefulness. It is noted that low denomination bank notes can be expected to circulate more often than will higher denominations and so the 5- and 10-ruble notes are anticipated to be damaged earlier and for that reason need to be recalled. It is also evident that Russia is currently updating the security and designs on its 10-, 50-, 100-, 1,000- and 5,000 ruble bank notes.

Two trends are transforming contemporary Uzbek–Russian relations: first, the leadership change following long-serving president Islam Karimov’s death and Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s election as president of Uzbekistan; and second, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. This short paper analyses the influence of both domestic and external changes on the two countries’ relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After Novaya editor Dmitry Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, President Vladimir Putin warned that the honor wouldn't provide protection from legal pressure. (Bloomberg) -- Novaya Gazeta, one of the few major independent media outlets left in Russia, said it's suspending publication after regulators twice cited it for failing to comply with laws designating groups "foreign agents.". [Extracted from the article]

Trump cheered the reversal on Flynn, which provoked outrage from Democrats, who again accused Attorney General William Barr of doing Trump's partisan bidding and renewed demands that he resign. The reversal plays into Trump's re-election strategy, as Flynn has become a symbolic figure among conservative activists who believe a cabal of government officials were out to take down the Trump administration. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Your Evening Briefing: Trump and Russia, Paradise Papers, Bank Hiring A Russian lawyer who met last year with President Trump's oldest son and now-indicted former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has spoken out in a Bloomberg interview. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers information on the white paper published by the German government which feature its security policy and the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). It mentions that the 2016 white paper highlights the increasing violence in the security environment of the country brought by the Russian government in the European continent.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze how the development and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for social responsibility are defined in the national AI strategies of the USA, Russia and China. Design/methodology/approach: The notion of responsibility concerning AI is currently not legally defined by any country in the world. The authors of this research are going to use the methodology, based on Luciano Floridi's Unified framework of five principles for AI in society, to determine how social responsibility is implemented in the AI strategies of the USA, Russia and China. Findings: All three strategies for the development of AI in the USA, Russia and China, as evaluated in the paper, contain some or other components aimed at achieving public responsibility and responsible use of AI. The Unified framework of five principles for AI in society, developed by L. Floridi, can be used as a viable assessment tool to determine at least in general terms how social responsibility is implied and implemented in national strategic documents in the field of AI. However, authors of the paper call for further development in the field of mutually recognizable ethical models for socially beneficial AI. Practical implications: This study allows us to better understand the linkages, overlaps and differences between modern philosophy of information, AI-ethics, social responsibility and government regulation. The analysis provided in this paper can serve as a basic blueprint for future attempts to define how social responsibility is understood and implied by government decision-makers. Originality/value: The analysis provided in the paper, however general and empirical it may be, is a first-time example of how the Unified framework of five principles for AI in society can be applied as an assessment tool to determine social responsibility in AI-related official documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the political context of the spread of COVID-19 in Russia, identifies major social support programs, and evaluates their impact on mitigating undesired consequences for the population. Relying on the analysis of state support programs, expert evaluations of their impact, and academic papers devoted to the political and socioeconomic context, the paper reaches several conclusions. First, the particularity of the political regime and its dynamic account for (1) the prioritization of the political agenda to adopt amendments to the Constitution over preventive measures to contain the pandemic, (2) the leading role of presidential decrees in identifying the main priorities of state support, and (3) the limited managerial capacities and financial resources of regional authorities to contain the pandemic and its consequences. Second, the particularity of the social policy response, including the focus on families with children and the categorization of beneficiaries of state assistance, mirrors the existing principles and priorities of welfare provision in Russia. Third, the scope of financial support is seen as inadequate by experts. The introduced temporary measures and the absence of additional measures of support during the autumn rise in the number of COVID-19 cases show that the political leadership has underestimated the long-term consequences of the crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates a scenario of how Russia's invasion of Ukraine could influence global LNG balances in the medium term to 2030. The reaction to the war reduces Russia's pipeline and LNG exports. However, the overall size of LNG trade in 2030 is broadly unchanged. On demand, higher EU LNG imports offset lower LNG imports into Asia. The US and Middle East share of LNG growth increase to offset the lower Russian LNG exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

President Donald Trump said the Justice Department has warned him that releasing internal documents on the Russia investigation, as he's demanded, could have a "perceived negative impact" on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe. AttributionLarry Liebert: editor primaryJoshua Gallu: editor secondaryChris Strohm: by reporterAlex Wayne: editor responsible. [Extracted from the article]

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was ordered by a federal judge to give Exxon Mobil Corp. more privileged documents related to a $2 million fine assessed against the energy company for violating sanctions related to Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine. U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle in Dallas on Wednesday rejected Treasury's objection to a magistrate judge's June order to hand over more documents sought by Exxon to help challenge the fine. [Extracted from the article]

This paper looks at how the Russo-Ukrainian war has affected Buryatia and Buryats, as well as what this might mean for the future of the region. Buryats are a Mongolic ethnic group who have historically been split across three countries: Russia, Mongolia, and China. Based on the available data, it appears that Buryats and/or soldiers from Buryatia are overrepresented among casualties on the Russian side. The article explores this overrepresentation and local reactions thereto, placing these grievances in historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bashkir Scientific Research Center for Beekeeping and Apitherapy (BSRC) has sent a trial shipment of 1,170 kg of honey to Azerbaijan. The honey, which includes linden, sunflower, and flower varieties, underwent laboratory tests before being approved for export. The Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Congress Activities of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Margarita Bolycheva, highlighted the diverse range of exports from Bashkortostan to Azerbaijan, including metals, fuel and energy goods, chemical industry products, wood, pulp, and paper products, machine-building products, and food products. Trade between the two regions has seen a 1.4 percent increase in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year, with potential for growth in chemical and oil and gas industry products, mineral fertilizers, and aluminum. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin about his alleged role in the offshore tax shelters detailed in the Panama Papers. It discusses the involvement of Putin's friend Sergei Roldugin in the scandal, the claim by Putin about the involvement of the U.S. government in the scandal, and the claim by the Ukrainian service of Radio Free Europe about the offshore deals of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The article reports on the involvement of wealthy Russians in the use of offshore tax havens to hide their assets, which was revealed in the "Panama Papers" that have leaked. It discusses the Russian government's effort to prevent tax avoidance through parking assets, and the involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin's friends Sergei Roldugin and Arkady Rosenberg in the tax avoidance scandal.

Contemporary Russian society does not visibly oppose the invasion of Ukraine. There are no barricades or protesters in the streets; even the military mobilization has not triggered an open clash between the public and the authorities. Despite several waves of active emigration from Russia, the majority--if surveys by sociologists at the Russian Levada Center are to be believed--remain silent. But does this silence mean consent and support for the war? In this paper, we examine the various forms of protest in which Russians are engaging, with a focus on the less visible, "silent" (and therefore in need of closer examination) forms of resistance to the regime. These are small acts of dissent that have generally been individual, spontaneous, and unarmed and that have taken place in spaces of everyday soccialization. They may be no more than words or symbols, yet they are not insignificant, as they demonstrate disagreement with the powers that be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The media is a rich data source for IB scholars to study policy uncertainty, stakeholder attention, and issue salience. However, the media is exposed to geopolitical tension and political interference. The resulting bias distorts the insights scholars gain from media analysis and leads to potentially impaired conclusions. This study introduces GDELT and Google Trends as novel data sources to handle this challenge. Their usefulness is illustrated by an analysis of media coverage of Russia's invasion in Ukraine in 2022. The paper guides scholars in conducting media-based research in the face of abrupt geopolitical tension and political interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the libretto of the opera Boris Goudenow (1710) by the composer and theorist Johann Mattheson in the context of Pseudo-Demetrius dramatic works written until around the end of the Baroque period. Pseudo-Demetrius dramatic works, i. e. works that depict events in early 17th century Russia and feature the character of False Dmitry I and often Boris Godunov, are not a rare phenomenon in European literary history. Most of them were written in the 19th century in Germany and Russia, where another and much more famous opera about tsar Boris Godunov was written by Modest P. Mussorgsky. However, the first playwrights began to deal with the two monarchs, Godunov and especially False Dmitry I, only a few years after the death of both tsars. The very first drama about Pseudo-Demetrius was written by Lope de Vega in Spain, followed by Italian writers, and the same theme appeared in England by the end of the Baroque. A comparison of these dramatic works shows that the prevailing religion of the authors' homeland played a significant role in their understanding of the characters of False Dmitry and Boris, which was also related to the sources from which they drew information when studying the subject matter. In Catholic countries, they generally used rather Jesuit and Catholic sources, and therefore understood False Dmitry I as the rightful successor and a virtuous Catholic, i. e. the opposite of the way he was described in hagiographical and historiographical works in Russia. In Protestant countries, the religious nature of False Dmitry's adventure played a secondary role. This is not unlike the opera by Mattheson, who not only wrote the music to Boris Goudenow but also the libretto. In his opera he depicted the period when Godunov allegedly pretended to be persuaded to ascend the throne, but his character is not negative (unlike Boris in the Catholic dramas) and his peripeties stand in the background of the love plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses special train celebrating Russian achievements in science, space and the arts. Topics discussed include story entitled "British scientists have explained why ‘British Scientists' exist" featuring a paper by Andrew Higginson and Marcus Munafo at Exeter and Bristol universities; the Research Excellence Framework and accusations of Russia's election hacking and fake-news creating.

This paper analyzes the impact of the Ukraine war on Armenia's situation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). I argue that the Russia--Ukraine war and the ensuing deterioration of relations between the West and Russia have, with one notable exception, significantly limited Armenia's capacity to instrumentalize the Eurasian agenda to its political and economic advantages. The study will show that this new challenge has, by and large, been due to the huge asymmetry in economic power between Russia and other EAEU member states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Big data are indispensable in scientific endeavours ranging from nuclear research to climate studies. However, there is a growing misperception that congeries of data can be easily reconstructed into competitive business insights. Such notions have been encouraged by a plethora of mainstream techno-utopian forecasts. Design/methodology/approach: This paper investigated such claims and related big data developments, including its "systems-first" and oligopolistic orientations. Due to the paucity of current scholarship on an admittedly pessimistic topic, the paper studied contrarian developments in the industry by relying on secondary data. The study of experts and scholars; industrial trends; and discrepancies and critical gaps in the mainstream data narrative were sourced to prognosticate the likely trajectory of many data giants. Findings: A key finding was that the big data industry faces an untenable market bubble worth trillions of dollars. This will have severe consequences for common digital access and social stability worldwide. Evidence presented also suggests that the data industrial complex may undergo a function creep by facilitating a transition from surveillance capitalism to surveillance society. Research limitations/implications: Primary data for a study of this nature may take years to materialize. This is a "first-pass" study that seeks to illuminate latent dangers facing the big data/AI sector. There is a paucity of scholarly study that even remotely touches on this topic. Therefore, supporting arguments was sourced from contemporary reports and expert study (secondary data). Practical implications: As control of data may have geostrategic implications, balkanization of the wired ecosystem may be underway with Russia and China leading the way. Future superpowers may be defined by the way they handle data. The concentration of data in fewer hands may also affect citizen innovation. Social implications: A break-down of the data industrial complex may lead to social mayhem as the monetization of presently free software, blogs and social media platforms may be unfeasible. Originality/value: This topic has hardly been explored due to the novelty of big data, its applications and the daily hype over its potentials. This paper boldly describes dark countercurrents in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the selection of three Russian telecommunication participants such as Russian Towers LLC, Vertical and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) by the bank Merrill Lynch in the second round tender for Vimpelcom Ltd.'s wireless tower infrastructure assets in Russia.

U.S. and EU officials say Putin continues to aid pro-Russian separatists while voicing support for peace talks. U.S. and EU leaders have sought to keep the threat of sanctions alive, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel warning on July 2 that broader sanctions haven't been ruled out if Russia fails to back peace efforts. [Extracted from the article]

With the aim of supporting the ruble, the Russian Central Bank announced three weeks ago the ruble (Russia's currency) would be backed by gold. The Russian ruble is now stronger on the foreign exchange market versus the dollar than it was before the invasion of Ukraine. A little history The U.S. dollar was tied to gold until 1933 when the gold standard was rescinded, meaning before 1933, anybody could take paper dollars to any national bank and redeem those paper dollars for gold at a guaranteed rate. [Extracted from the article]

"The EUROCALL Review" is EUROCALL's open access online scientific journal. Regular sections include: (1) Reports on EUROCALL Special Interest Groups: up-to-date information on SIG activities; (2) Projects: reports on on-going CALL or CALL-related R&D projects; (3) Recommended websites: reports and reviews of examples of good practice in language learning website development; (4) Research papers on CALL-related topics; (5) Research and Development papers on CALL-related topics; (6) Reflective Practice papers on CALL-related topics; and (7) Reviews of new books, CALL software, etc. This issue contains the following papers stemming from the INTENT conference on "Telecollaboration in University Foreign Language Education" held at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University of León, Spain, on 14 February 2014: (1) Promoting critical thinking in online intercultural communication (Marie-Thérèse Batardière); (2) Why in the world would I want to talk to someone else about my culture? (Chesla Ann Bohinski and Yumei Leventhal); (3) A blended learning scenario to enhance learners' oral production skills (Hee-Kyung Kim); (4) Combining Skype with Blogging: A chance to stop reinforcement of stereotypes in intercultural exchanges? (L. Lynette Kirschner); (5) English learning in an intercultural perspective: Russia and Norway (Anne-Mette Bjøru); and (6) Pan-American teletandem language exchange project (Aurora Castillo-Scott). The regular paper section includes: An e-portfolio to enhance sustainable vocabulary learning in English (Hiroya Tanaka, Akio Ohnishi, Suzanne M. Yonesaka, and Yukie Ueno). The following recommended website is reviewed by Rafael Seiz Ortiz: ABA English. Individual papers contain references.

Given its ambitious integration agenda, including the creation of a genuine internal market and a common external trade policy, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) was expected to affect Russia's place in regional and global food trade. To date, however, the EAEU has performed below its potential as a vehicle for growth. This paper attributes this to the weakness of Eurasian institutions when it comes to removing regulatory distortions and their inability to constrain the politicization of Russia's food policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endemic corruption in the country, the rising numbers in higher education, heightened competition between educational institutions at various levels and the creation of improper dependencies among all actors involved in the higher education sector are most likely the main reasons for the extensive spread of corruption at Russian universities. This paper discusses these issues as well as their consequences for further domestic development and for international cooperation with Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Central Asian states adopted an ambiguous positioning when addressing the sharp polarisation that Russia's invasion of Ukraine instigated within the geopolitics of Eurasia. This short paper analyses Russia-Central Asia relations within this newly polarised geopolitical settings, contextualising recent developments in the partnership within the processes of authoritarian consolidation currently at play in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: AFKS@RM; GZPR@RU; SGZH@RM; ALLTOP; BASIC; BLD; BUSINESS; CMD; COS; EUROPE; EURTOP; FIN; INDUSTRIES; MARKETS; MED; METMNG; PAC; REL; RUSSIA; STK; SVC; TLS; TMT; WORLD EN AFKS@RM GZPR@RU SGZH@RM ALLTOP BASIC BLD BUSINESS CMD COS EUROPE EURTOP FIN INDUSTRIES MARKETS MED METMNG PAC REL RUSSIA STK SVC TLS TMT WORLD Russian wood, paper and packaging producer Segezha Group sold 30 billion rubles ($400 million) of new shares in an initial public offering closer to the lower end of its price range. QS9LOPT0AFB7 (Bloomberg) -- Russian wood, paper and packaging producer Segezha Group sold 30 billion rubles ($400 million) of new shares in an initial public offering closer to the lower end of its price range. [Extracted from the article]

The contribution summarizes two research papers that examine the mechanisms of Russian agriculture subsidization considering the incentives of the key stakeholders involved. We first put Russian agricultural support in an international context, briefly comparing it with the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and other countries' support systems. Then, using a unique dataset from the Russian Ministry of Agriculture and drawing on the political economy literature, we map the incentives of regional and federal governments in the distribution of targeted subsidies among the Russian regions. Results suggest that similar to the US and the EU, the regional and federal levels of the Russian government not only seek to boost agricultural development but also see subsidies as a tool for pursuing political goals. We conclude by discussing the implications of these results and the corresponding policy options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explain and illustrate the character of Russian systems thinking and to show how it is different and similar to traditions in the West. This study's second aim is to describe the contributions of some Russian scientists to developing systems thinking and the theory of evolution. This study introduces the predecessors of Charles Darwin in Russia, both supporters and critics of his ideas, as well as scientists who have made similar contributions to the development of systems thinking, particularly Vladimir Vernadsky and Alexander Bogdanov. Design/methodology/approach: Philosophical and theoretical comparisons. In the Russian intellectual tradition, the terms "Russia" and the "West" are likely codes for signifying fundamental philosophical questions about the universality of thinking and culture. The term "West" means universal, rational truth without taking into consideration any differences in life and cultural practice. The term "Russia" means impossibility of such a universal truth and a necessity to look for solutions on the level of life, not only on the level of rational thinking. Findings: Paying attention to differences in approaches to systems and cybernetics and the theory of evolution will enrich the further development of systems sciences in Russia and the West. The paper examines the philosophical underpinnings of science rather than just testing or extending an existing theory. The result is better mutual understanding among scientists with different backgrounds. Originality/value: This study suggests new avenues for research and expands the range of conceptual possibilities. It improves mutual understanding among scholars and countries. Also, it adds to the topics discussed within the field of systems and cybernetics and the theory of evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the extent of poverty in Russia and analyses the government's policies to combat it. Russia's fight against poverty only targets the most extreme poverty, not the entire lower third of the population which sociologists consider "poor." Extreme poverty, which affects about every eighth Russian, has become the focus of political attention, as shown by Putin's promise to halve poverty in Russia by 2024. To achieve this goal, Russia needs a sustained high rate of economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying the theory of deterrence to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, this paper addresses where deterrence failed and identifies applicable lessons. NATO's success building and reinforce resilience between 2014 and 2022 demonstrates the capability of national resilience to deny an aggressor achieving objectives without escalation. Russia's use of Strategic Deterrence presents the capability, credibility, and communicated nuclear threat necessary to deter NATO involvement, but Russia's reliance on other nations within a multi-polar world increasingly diminishes the credibility of their deterrent threat. Finally, the Russo-Ukraine war demonstrates that as a defensive organization, NATO lacks credibility in extended deterrence and must act to safeguard aspiring nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the silver coinage reforms in Russia under Tsar Nicholas I during the late 1820s and early 1830s. Topics include the military conflicts with Turkey and Persia, the economic impact of abolishing assignats, and the coinage changes from 1829 to 1832, highlighting the introduction of new designs, minting challenges, and the rarity of certain coins from this period.

Purpose: The Russia–Ukraine war has disrupted the wheat supply worldwide. Given that wheat is one of the most important agri-food products in the world, it is necessary to pay attention to the wheat supply chain during the global crises. The use of resilience strategies is one of the solutions to face the supply chain disruptions. In addition, there is a possibility of multiple crises occurring in global societies simultaneously. Design/methodology/approach: In this research, the resilience strategies of backup suppliers (BS) and inventory pre-prepositioning (IP) were discussed in order to cope with the wheat supply chain disruptions. Furthermore, the p-Robust Scenario-based Stochastic Programming (PRSSP) approach was used to optimize the wheat supply chain under conditions of disruptions from two perspectives, feasibility and optimality. Findings: After implementing the problem of a real case in Iran, the results showed that the use of resilience strategy reduced costs by 9.33%. It was also found that if resilience strategies were used, system's flexibility and decision-making power increased. Besides, the results indicated that if resilience strategies were used and another crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, supply chain costs would increase less than when resilience strategies were not used. Originality/value: In this study, the design of the wheat supply chain was discussed according to the wheat supply disruptions due to the Russia–Ukraine war and its implementation on a real case. In the following, various resilience strategies were used to cope with the wheat supply chain disruptions. Finally, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wheat supply chain in the conditions of disruptions caused by the Russia–Ukraine war was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a review of Chinese official discourse, expert debates, and media narratives on China's relationship with Russia since February 24, 2022. It suggests that it remains an open question whether China's relationship with Russia will develop as one determined by China-US relations or as a genuine endogenous relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the authors analyse the ambiguous political decision to ban the major Russian web resources from access to the Ukrainian market, in spite of heavy criticisms from local and foreign experts. While the supporters of the new internet policy claimed the new strategy to be coherent with cybersecurity priorities of the country, the opponents pointed out a set of legal and political limitations. Drawing on the setting and results of taking a new approach to information policy, we describe the fragility of Euromaidan democratic heritage and drawbacks of the current political regime. The logical method of legal interpretation has been applied to analyse the controversies of the current legislation on Russian internet resources restriction. The article concludes that Ukrainian post-Euromaidan governance model needs to consolidate the efforts in order to prove the commitment to freedom of speech as a core European value and replace spontaneous actions with an evidence-based approach to political decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ALLTOP, EUROPE, EURTOP, EXE, GEN, GENTOP, GOV, LAW, NORTHAM, POL, RUSSIA, US, WORLD Keywords: ALLTOP; EUROPE; EURTOP; EXE; GEN; GENTOP; GOV; LAW; NORTHAM; POL; RUSSIA; US; WORLD EN ALLTOP EUROPE EURTOP EXE GEN GENTOP GOV LAW NORTHAM POL RUSSIA US WORLD Former White House Counsel Donald McGahn will testify to Congress at a private hearing about Russia's interference in the 2016 election, according to court papers, ending a long-running legal fight over his testimony. [Extracted from the article]

JPMorgan Chase & Co, UBS Group AG, VTB Capital Plc, Alfa Capital Markets Ltd, Gazprombank JSC, BofA Securities and Renaissance Capital are helping to organize Segezha's IPO. (Bloomberg) -- Wood, paper and packaging producer Segezha Group set a price range for its initial public offering in Moscow that values the company at as much as 152.4 billion rubles ($2 billion). [Extracted from the article]

A recent research paper in the American Chemical Society's journal ACS Nano describes a potential breakthrough in using focused plasma to protect sensitive electronics from extreme heat generated by high-speed flight. If further research confirms the method, it could give the United States an advantage in deploying hypersonic missiles and spacecraft with more advanced electronic guidance. The breakthrough was discovered during efforts to use a laser to measure the temperature of electronics in plasma-facing environments. The cooling effect of the plasma could also potentially help cloak the thermal signature of power-hungry electronic systems. [Extracted from the article]

The Novaya Gazeta newspaper was effectively banned by a Russian Court on Monday in the latest blow to independent media in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secure defense of NATO members does not depend on the Kyiv frontline; the southern flank is the most unguarded. This paper deals with the Mediterranean, a closed sea without borders which globalized before globalization, examining some strategic alternatives for Western allies. The Mediterranean is a point of contact, a diaphragm, and a battlefield. In addition, the central Mediterranean is a relevant area where Russia and China have their foot in the door because of the disengagement of France and Italy and the lack of attention of NATO. It is precisely on this weaker frontier that NATO must relaunch its commitment and presence. Defending marine spaces determines the continent’s safety. So, losing the Mediterranean can be disastrous. And finally, it examines Italian policy in the Mediterranean to date and the reasons why Italy can and must correct the strabismus of the USA, which is completely looking at the Indo-Pacific, and of imagines a peripheral Europe without politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of 2022, just as the globalizing world was entering the post-Covid period and the United Nations Climate Change Conference declared a “code red” emergency for the climate crisis at COP 27, a strategically calculated move came from Russian President Vladimir Putin to unlawfully invade Ukraine. From the beginning, the invasion of Ukraine has generated impacts much larger and more transformative than any previous crisis, triggering serious crisis-ridden developments in the international system and globalization and forcing national governments and global actors to recalibrate and reposition. It is in this global and broader context NATO’s Madrid Summit and its “new Strategic Concept” should be analyzed and assessed. This paper argues that the summit is historic, necessary, but not sufficient. To substantiate this argument, it analyzes is NATO’s new strategic concept in detail, exploring its critical importance, its transformative effect and the six challenges that it faces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]