"German industry is in the deepest slump since the global financial crisis, and threatens to push Europe's powerhouse economy into full-blown recession. The darkening outlook is forcing the European Central Bank to contemplate ever more perilous measures.Why? What is going on here? It seems that, though other European member-states used to be Germany's largest market, Germany's first and third largest export destinations are now the US and China, respectively. Together, they account for more than 15% of all outbound German trade activity. More than 18% of Germany's export goods ended up somewhere in Asia. Therefore, Germany's industrial struggles in 2019 point the finger in the direction of its external focus, which means the US, China, and Asia - i.e. its largest marginal trade partners. And the principal assailants in today's trade and tech wars.
"The influential Ifo Institute in Munich said its business climate indicator for manufacturing went into "free fall" in July, as the delayed damage from global trade conflict takes its toll and confidence wilts. It goes far beyond the woes of the car industry. More than 80pc of Germany's factories are in outright contraction."
"Venezuela's Vice president Delcy Rodriguez denounced Wednesday that a ship containing 25 thousand tonnes of Soya has been seized in the Panama Canal due to the U.S. blockade while calling on the United Nations to take action against the 'serious aggression' that impede Venezuela 'right to food'.It is indeed true that the US has just greatly escalated its sanctions upon Venezuela. The Trump administration, which according to a study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research has already murdered over 40,000 Venezuelans by starvation with sanctions geared toward installing a puppet regime in the most oil-rich nation on the planet, increased sanctions to a full economic embargo on Monday. These are the most aggressive sanctions leveled against any western government in decades.
"The shipment seizure comes just days after Trump signed an executive order Monday that imposes a near-total blockade on government assets in that country, which includes an embargo against food suppliers, among other basic inputs."
U.S. President Donald Trump has said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to meet once again to "start negotiations" after joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises end. Trump tweeted on August 10 that Kim made these statements in a letter to him and that he looked "forward to seeing Kim Jong Un in the not too distant future!"And this from Reuters 10/8/2019: Kim oversees test of 'new weapon'
Trump said that Kim offered him "a small apology" for the flurry of recent short-range missile tests that have rattled U.S. allies in the region and that Kim assured him they would stop when the exercises end.
Also on August 10, an EU spokesperson accused Pyongyang of undermining efforts to denuclearize and bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula and urged Kim to return to talks.
South Korean defense officials described the dawn launches on August 10 as two short-range ballistic missiles that flew 400 kilometers before plummeting into the sea."With the launching of two short-range ballistic missiles today, a fifth such test in recent weeks, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues to undermine international work for building trust and establishing lasting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, free of nuclear weapons. We expect the DPRK to refrain from any further provocations, abide by its stated commitments, and fully implement its international obligations as determined by multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions."It called for more talks and urged "concrete and credible" moves from Pyongyang toward denuclearization and the abandonment of its ballistic-missile program.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected Saturday's test of a new weapon, state media KCNA said on Sunday, as a senior diplomat dismissed the possibility of inter-Korean talks in protest against South Korea-U.S. military drills. North Korea calls such exercises a "rehearsal for war" and has countered them with its own military action.See also: Talks ahead? Trump's "beautiful" letter from Kim excusing missile tests, says drills with South are 'expensive and provocative'
The new "projectiles" were developed to suit the country's terrain, and the latest test proved their "advantageous and powerful demand of the design was perfectly met," KCNA said.
Missile experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in California said photos released by KCNA appear to show a new type of short-range ballistic missile, though detailed analysis is necessary.
"Given that the military exercise clearly puts us as an enemy in its concept," said Kwon Jong Gun, director-general for American affairs at the foreign ministry. "They should think that an inter-Korean contact itself will be difficult to be made unless they put an end to such a military exercise or before they make a plausible excuse or an explanation in a sincere manner."
Kwon said South Korea talked "nonsense" by urging the North to stop missile tests which served its right to self-defense. "Even the U.S. president made a remark which in effect recognizes the self-defensive rights of a sovereign state, saying that it is a small missile test which a lot of countries do," Kwon said.
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