Old guard?
left handed
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has shared a photo of himself eating dried pineapples from Taiwan in support of the country, as officials confirmed he's likely to travel to Taiwan later this year.
In a photo posted on Twitter Monday (April 12), the former top diplomat is seen holding a bag of fruit snacks while playing chess. “As a proponent of freedom, enjoying some Taiwanese dried pineapple. Checkmate,” wrote the caption.
Pompeo was referring to the #FreedomPineapple campaign waged by Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on social media, after Beijing prohibited the import of pineapples from Taiwan over what it arbitrarily called pest fears, effective March 1. Wu called upon the world to demonstrate its support for Taiwan by consuming the fruit it grows.
The packet of dried pineapples Pompeo relished was a souvenir from Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), de facto Taiwanese ambassador to the U.S. She retweeted the post, saying she was glad to see Pompeo enjoy the sweets.
Earlier this week it was announced that Pompeo, whose tenure ended in January, will join Fox News as a contributor. He was treated to a dinner by Hsiao at the Twin Oaks on March 31, when the two savored Taiwan-style delicacies including pineapple cakes and bubble milk tea in their first-ever meeting, reported CNA.
He has publicly praised the country, saying Taiwan and the U.S. share core values in advocating freedom, democracy, and a market economy. MOFA Deputy Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) confirmed at a legislative interpellation on Monday that Pompeo is very much likely to visit Taiwan this year
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4174656
#FreedomPineapple campaign
Bickering over pineapples
Ties between China and Taiwan, despite being controversial, are underpinned by strong trade links. According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), trade between the two amounted to $150.5 billion in 2018, up from $35 billion in 1999. China is Taiwan’s largest trading partner, making up nearly 30% of the island’s total trade – which includes commerce in agricultural products.
So, after China said it would stop pineapple imports from Taiwan, the latter expressed fears that the ban could cause a glut of the produce on the island, and cause its price to fall. According to Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture, the island last year exported 10% of the 420,000 tonnes of pineapple that it grows annually, with most of the exports going to China.
Taiwan slammed China’s move, saying that 99.97% of pineapple batches imported by China from the island passed inspection.
Critics blamed China for weaponising its rising economic heft to bully democratic nations that refuse to toe its line, citing the previous example of its trade war with Australia, in which China imposed tariffs on Australian wine and beef imports after the latter asked for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/china-taiwan-clash-freedom-pineapple-campaign-7238679/
The packet of dried pineapples Pompeo relished was a souvenir from Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), de facto Taiwanese ambassador to the U.S. She retweeted the post, saying she was glad to see Pompeo enjoy the sweets.
Earlier this week it was announced that Pompeo, whose tenure ended in January, will join Fox News as a contributor. He was treated to a dinner by Hsiao at the Twin Oaks on March 31, when the two savored Taiwan-style delicacies including pineapple cakes and bubble milk tea in their first-ever meeting, reported CNA.
He has publicly praised the country, saying Taiwan and the U.S. share core values in advocating freedom, democracy, and a market economy. MOFA Deputy Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) confirmed at a legislative interpellation on Monday that Pompeo is very much likely to visit Taiwan this year.
MV EVER GIVEN is officially confiscated: Suez Canal chairman
CAIRO – 13 April 2021: Chairman of Suez Canal Osama Rabie told Youm7 Tuesday that MV EVER GIVEN container ship has been officially confiscated as the operating company is unwilling to pay the compensation worth $900 million.
The compensation would make up for the losses the international waterway sustained and the costs it incurred to refloat the vessel after its stranding for six days starting March 23.
After it was freed on March 29, the ship was escorted to the Bitter Lakes for technical inspection, crew interrogation, and black box analysis.
The Suez Canal chairman stated that the outcome of the investigation will be released on April 15.
Chairman of Suez Canal Osama Rabie stated Sunday that 61 percent of oil tankers' traffic passes through Egypt's international waterway.
Yet, Rabie added that container ships and bulk carriers still compose the majority of vessels crossing Suez Canal pointing out that the incentives offered by the authority in 2020 resulted in a rise of eight percent in vessels using the canal in spite of COVID-19.
The official highlighted that around 18,000 ships cross the Suez Canal every year, and that the authority has 17,000 workers.
Rabie noted that the authority is acquiring tugboats whose capacity is between 250 and 300 tons. The first of those was received on April 9, while another will be delivered in August. Their height is 147.5 meters, and they can dig to a depth of up to 35 meters.
The dredger delivered Friday is dubbed "Mohab Mamish," and that to arrive in summer is called "Hussein Tantawy."
The dredgers' purchase is part of a plan to develop the authority by 2026. That includes developing the maritime fleet, including dredgers, tugboats, and boats used to transport guides.
The chairman had indicated Thursday that the number of ships that cross the Suez Canal daily is 85 and that 84 crossed over the previous 24 hours carrying the heaviest load since the waterway was launched in 1869 as it weights 6.1 million tons.
Rabie also pointed out that 422 ships had crossed when MV EVER GIVEN was still stuck. Those were waiting in Port Said, Suez, and Bitter Lakes. In that context, he affirmed that the accident has nothing to do with the depth as it occurred in the deepest spot of the canal. The official added that all the tugboats used in refloating the container ship are Egyptian, except for one that was rented from the Netherlands.
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/100830/MV-EVER-GIVEN-is-officially-confiscated-Suez-Canal-chairman
Mohab
[A]
fake?
https://www.c-span.org/video/?305307-4/white-house-easter-prayer-breakfast
OBAMA SAYS CALM BEFORE THE STORM
08:15
https://www.cnbc.com/id/23334395
https://prospect.org/departments/obama-calm-storm/
so Q been giving us search terms in drops