Photo credit: CASIO NASA https://gshock.casio.com/us/products/limited/gwm5610nasa/
This model is approved for use in spacecraft and on board the ISS.
Launched Casio G-Shock watch in orange, which is dedicated to the NASA space agency. The full model name is GWM5610NASA4.
The case and strap of the novelty are made in the corporate color of the suits. Orange space suits are made that way for a reason. This color is intended to improve visibility in emergencies and rescue operations.
There is an agency logo on the watch strap, and an astronaut is engraved on the metal case back. G-Shock and NASA have been collaborating for years. The manufacturer claims that this watch is suitable for use in spacecraft and aboard the International Space Station.
The battery life of the model on a single charge is approximately 10 months in normal mode and 22 months in standby mode. The space watch costs $170.
The Bishops of the European Union congratulate Albania and North Macedonia on the opening of EU accession negotiations. Fr. Barrios Prieto: “a credible EUenlargement process is of strategic importance for stability, prosperity and peace on the European continent”.
Czech Republic’s Petr fiala, North Macedonia’s Dimitar Kovacevski, Albania’s Edi Rama and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Credit: EPA)
The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) congratulates Albania and North Macedonia on the opening of EU accessions talks officially lauched on Tuesday 19 July 2022 in Brussels in what can be described as a historic moment for the two Western Balkan countries and for the European Union.
Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE, reacted on behalf of the Bishops of the European Union by “warmly congratulating Albania and North Macedonia and their people, who have long awaited this moment with hope and faith”.
“Acredible EUenlargement process is of strategic importance for stability, prosperity and peace on the European continent”, the COMECE General Secretary added.
In June 2022, COMECE released a statement prepared by its External Affairs Commission urging the European Council to “renew its efforts for peace in Ukraine and to implement a credible EU enlargement process”, including the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia and granting a candidate status to Ukraine.
In February 2020, COMECE received a delegation from the Albanian Bishops’ Conference, facilitating exchanges with high-level representatives of the EU on the future European path.
In May 2018, a delegation from the International Bishops’ Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius visited COMECE to draw attention to the importance of embedding the region of the Western Balkans in the EU integration process.
Syria became only the second country to do so, after Russia
Syria has announced that it is severing diplomatic relations with Ukraine as a reciprocal measure, reported AFP. Kyiv took a similar step late last month after Damascus recognized the independence of pro-Russian separatist republics in eastern Ukraine.
“The Syrian Arab Republic has decided to break diplomatic relations with Ukraine in accordance with the principle of reciprocity and in response to the decisions of the Ukrainian government,” said a representative of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted by the state news agency SANA.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine effectively severed bilateral relations back in 2018 when it refused to confirm the status of Syrian diplomats in Kyiv, making it impossible for them to carry out their duties.
The Syrian embassy in Kyiv then suspended operations “as a result of the hostile attitude of the Ukrainian government,” the statement quoted by the Associated Press said.
On June 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he was cutting diplomatic ties with Syria after the regime in Damascus recognized the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), supported by Moscow since 2014, earlier that month. recalls AFP.
“The Syrian Arab Republic has decided to break diplomatic relations with Ukraine in accordance with the principle of reciprocity and in response to the decisions of the Ukrainian government,” said a representative of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted by the state news agency SANA.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine effectively severed bilateral relations back in 2018 when it refused to confirm the status of Syrian diplomats in Kyiv, making it impossible for them to carry out their duties. The Syrian embassy in Kyiv then suspended operations “as a result of the hostile attitude of the Ukrainian government,” the statement quoted by the Associated Press said.
Syria became only the second country to do so, after Russia. Moscow recognized the independence of the DPR and LPR a few days before launching its invasion of Ukraine.
As early as 2018, Damascus recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two Georgian separatist regions that are also supported by Russia.
Damascus and Moscow have been allies for decades, with their ties further strengthened since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict. In 2015, Russia launched a decisive military intervention in Syria in support of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a federal law that equates crossing over to the enemy’s side during hostilities to treason, Gazeta.ru reports.
The Criminal Code introduces criminal liability in connection with the participation of Russian citizens in an armed conflict or military actions on the territory of a foreign country, when this is contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation.
Such an act carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
This penalty can also be applied in the case of espionage, as well as the transfer to a foreign country or a foreign organization of information that constitutes a state secret.
Earlier today, Putin also signed a law on the control of the activities of foreign agents, which comes into force on December 1 of this year. The law is about controlling the activities of persons who are under foreign influence.
Such people are prohibited from creative activity financed by the budget. They will no longer be allowed to provide environmental expertise and will not be recognized by employers’ associations and chambers of commerce and industry.
People who have pathological jealousy need psychological treatment
Othello syndrome is known by this name because of the character in Shakespeare’s play, who is characterized by unhealthy jealousy and the constant belief that his partner is unfaithful.
Based on the story created by the famous author, psychological science chose the name.
Although the disorder is named this way, it is actually pathological jealousy or jealousy with serious consequences for people’s mental health and their daily functioning.
In the explanation of Othello syndrome, the focus is on different causes. Among them is the psychological vulnerability of the jealous person.
It manifests itself in emotional dependence, fear of abandonment, personal insecurity, excessive need for support, among other aspects.
Finally, it is very important to investigate the presence of other disorders that may underlie the development of pathological jealousy. For example, generalized anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder or paranoid disorder.
The delusional belief about the alleged infidelity is constantly present, even when there is no evidence. Thus, a person with pathological jealousy will find signs of deception where there are none. He himself will look for reasons to question the fidelity of his partner.
There are three main characteristics of pathological jealousy:
• Lack of real reason
• Strange grounds for suspicion
• Excessive and irrational reaction
Among the typical symptoms of Othello syndrome we find the following:
• Hypervigilance and constant alertness: As this idea of cheating is maintained all the time, there is also a state of alertness to check cheating at all times.
• Obsessive and controlling attitudes: these are manifested by a complete lack of respect for the other person’s space or their belongings. The partner is monitored, spontaneous visits are made either to the workplace or to their social gatherings.
• Physical or verbal abuse: against the person accused of infidelity. There are insults, shouting, accusations and attacks.
• Cognitive bias: confirmation bias leads to interpreting only that information that confirms what is already believed.
• Constant presence of negative emotions: such as anger, guilt, rage, resentment
People who have pathological jealousy need psychological treatment to work on delusional and paranoid thoughts about jealousy and infidelity. As the relationship continues, it is important to have couples therapy at some point.
Sometimes the partner of the jealous person can adjust to his demands, limiting his life. Another common scenario is to resort to certain behaviors to avoid the scenes without realizing that this reinforces them and increases mistrust.
For example, it is common to tell a lie to avoid starting an argument. However, the jealous person interprets this lie as actually concealing a deception.
On the other hand, jealousy has a huge emotional impact on the jealous person’s partner. Consequently, his mental health also starts to be affected at some point.
Photo credit: Official Iran website https://www.president.ir/en/138105
Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for strengthening long-term cooperation with Russia. The call was made today during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held in Tehran, reported France Press.
Iran’s supreme leader told Putin that the US dollar should be removed from world trade by agreeing that payments between them would be in their national currencies. He urged the Russian president to remain vigilant against the “deceitful West”, saying that if Putin had not started the war in Ukraine, NATO would have eventually.
“War is a cruel and difficult matter and the Islamic Republic is in no way pleased that civilians are involved in it, but as far as Ukraine is concerned, if you did not take the initiative, the other side would take the initiative and start the war,” he said. Khamenei, quoted by his press office.
The two leaders also reportedly discussed bilateral relations and the gradual removal of the US dollar from bilateral trade, in addition to Syria, Israel and the South Caucasus.
“The long-term cooperation between Iran and Russia is very beneficial for both countries,” Khamenei said, according to an official statement. “There are contracts and agreements between the two countries in the oil and natural gas sector, which must be continued and fully implemented in practice,” he added.
The Iranian leader’s office released an image of Khamenei shaking hands with the Russian president, a rare occurrence since the COVID-19 pandemic. Khamenei only shook hands with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iran’s other main ally in the region, who made a surprise visit to Tehran in May, Al Jazeera reported.
Putin arrived in Tehran on Tuesday. First, he held a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the topics of the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, the Syrian conflict, the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and bilateral relations. Erdogan is the first NATO head of state to meet the Russian president since the war in Ukraine began in February.
Reuters cited information from the Kremlin that Putin thanked Erdogan that, thanks to his mediation, progress had been made to restore Ukraine’s grain exports by sea.
“Thanks to your mediation, we have made progress. All issues are not settled yet, really, but there is movement and that is a good thing,” added Putin.
On Friday, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that a final document would soon be ready to allow the export of grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea, reports AFP.
The two leaders discussed the Syrian crisis, the problems in Nagorno-Karabakh, and topics on the bilateral agenda, TASS adds.
Then Putin and Erdogan met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to talk about Syria, but also about Ukraine.
“Countries that have made claims to fight terrorism in West Asia have not taken any meaningful steps in this regard, but the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia have shown their honest and serious will through serious cooperation in fighting terrorism,” Raisi said.
Erdogan, in turn, said that his country relies on the support of Russia and Iran in the fight against terrorism in Syria.
“What we expect from Russia and Iran is their support for terrorism,” Erdogan insisted, then mentioned the main Kurdish movements operating in northeastern Syria, on the border with Turkey, where he has threatened to intervene.
“Turkey will soon continue its fight against terrorist organizations in Syria,” he added. “It should be clear to everyone that there is no place in the region for separatist terrorist movements and their allies. We will soon continue our fight against terrorist organizations,” he warned.
At the meeting, Putin expressed concern about the situation in the territories that are not under the control of the Syrian authorities and suggested that his colleagues from Iran and Turkey take additional steps to stabilize the situation in these areas, TASS reported.
He added that real threats such as crime, extremism and separatism emanate from these areas and added that the “destructive line of Western countries, led by the United States, which uses a large arsenal of means” contributes to this to a large extent.
Putin suggested that the next meeting on Syria between the three presidents should take place in Russia. He described trilateral cooperation on the Syrian issue as productive.
The meetings in Tehran come after Putin’s delegation, which arrived late on Monday, earlier on Tuesday signed a $40 billion memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran to develop oil and gas fields. Iran has the world’s second-largest natural gas reserves after Russia, but has lagged behind in expanding its infrastructure due to sanctions that have prevented foreign investment.
This is Putin’s fifth visit to Tehran and his second visit abroad since the war in Ukraine began in February. Putin first visited the Iranian capital in 2007, and then in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
His visit now comes days after United States President Joe Biden wrapped up his tour of the region, which saw him visit Israel, the occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia, where he also met with Arab leaders from the region.
Khamenei to Putin: The dollar must be thrown out
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and said the US dollar should be phased out of world trade.
Khamenei warns of “Western deceptions” and expresses hope for improved bilateral relations between the two countries.
Khamenei also mentioned that war is bad and that his country is not happy that ordinary citizens suffer from it, referring to the war in Ukraine.
The meeting comes after Putin previously held talks with Turkish President Recep Erdogan.
The supreme leader’s office released an image of Khamenei shaking hands with the Russian president, a rare occurrence since the COVID-19 pandemic. Khamenei only shook hands with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iran’s other main ally in the region, who made a surprise visit to Tehran in May, Al Jazeera reported.
“In terms of international security, we will strengthen our cooperation,” Putin said, adding that both countries play a major role in ensuring Syria’s security.
The Iranian president told him that cooperation between Iran and Russia has created stability and security in the region.
“Countries that have made claims to fight terrorism in West Asia have not taken any meaningful steps in this regard, but the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia have shown their honest and serious will through serious cooperation in fighting terrorism,” Raisi said.
This is Putin’s fifth visit to Tehran and his second visit abroad since the war in Ukraine began in February. Putin first visited the Iranian capital in 2007, and then in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
His visit comes days after United States President Joe Biden wrapped up his tour of the region, which included visits to Israel, the occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia, where he also met with Arab leaders from the region.
The meetings come after Putin’s delegation, which arrived late on Monday, earlier on Tuesday signed a $40 billion memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran to develop oil and gas fields.
Iran has the world’s second-largest natural gas reserves after Russia, but has lagged behind in expanding its infrastructure due to sanctions that have prevented foreign investment.
Photo: The Iranian leader’s office released a photo of him shaking hands with the Russian president, a rare occurrence since the COVID-19 pandemic
The console itself came out in 1977. The kit contains 2,532 pieces and will be available for order on August 1 for $239.99.
In addition to the console, the set includes a joystick (also from Lego) and three cartridges with the most popular Atari games: Asteroids, Adventure and Centipede. They can be inserted into the console, but you will not be able to play.
I am usually not a big fan of sweet-voiced folky female songs. But this lady, man! Siv Jakobsen, a Norwegian faery with a melancholic gaze who sings like an angel which came on earth to help, but who encountered some issue with her mission, and fell in pain with humanity.
Her song Most of the Time is one of these songs that you start listening without hoping anything, and then you kind of dream it all along, and get back to the beginning to travel again. Her voice is sweet but does not cloy. Even what could be perceived as a mixing flaw, some recording mouth sounds when she pronounces a “t” or a “d”, becomes part of the charm and you figure out by yourself that she made it on purpose, to let you know that you are in the room with her, whispering in your ear.
Is it dream pop or indie folk, who cares? But I’d say indie dream folk. Can’t say I understood the deep meaning of the lyrics. But again, you wouldn’t care less – of course you might get it better than me – and it’s enough to understand each sentence separately and make it your own, in a romantic dream or a passionate trip to the faery world of love.
Siv is not new in the industry. She already recorded 4 albums and has a fair number of international fans around. So, it’s likely that you already know her. But if you don’t, please remedy your ignorance:
Vienna (Austria), 20 July 2022 — The global production of cocaine has reached record levels, amounting to 1,982 tons as of 2020. Trafficking routes are determined by production and consumption locations, and Brazil sits in the path for cocaine trafficking from South America to Africa and Europe.
COVID-related measures appear to have impacted the internal consolidation, redistribution and management of cocaine stocks within the country.
COVID-19 and its impact on the cocaine supply chain in and around Brazil is the subject of the fourth in the series of ‘Cocaine Insights’, released today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Centre of Excellence for Illicit Drug Supply Reduction in Brazil (CoE).
The publication points out important changes in drug trafficking and organized crime patterns through the new contexts of the pandemic, in relation to the regional and transatlantic chain of production and distribution of cocaine.
It finds that COVID-19 affected law enforcement activities, disrupted the activity of organized crime groups, impacted cocaine and cannabis flows and induced changes in trafficking modalities, amongst other impacts on the cocaine trade in Brazil and the region.
COVID-19 lockdown measures in Brazil allowed law enforcement to dedicate more resources to drug interdiction. Thus, seizures of cocaine and cannabis both increased sharply in number. The report also details how cannabis supply expanded across Brazil while the impact on cocaine varied across federal units, despite an overall decline in the quantities seized. Cocaine seizures data from the country suggests that, following the onset of COVID-19, western provinces saw a rising trend of cocaine while a falling trend can be observed in the eastern provinces, as flows from seaports out of the country declined.
Cocaine Insights 4 shows that COVID-related measures brought about difficulties for organized crime groups to move imported cocaine internally towards exit ports and areas of consumption. The difficulties in cross-border transportation of cocaine likely led to a surge in clandestine flights and thus to a surge in flows into western border states.
A drop in cocaine seizures at Brazilian seaports occurred in parallel with declines in cocaine seized in destination countries, such as those in Western and Central Europe, in consignments known to have departed from Brazil. The disruption in flows from Brazil appears to have been temporary, though.
Cocaine Insights 4 also paints a picture of COVID accelerating already existing trends in cocaine trafficking. COVID forced law enforcement agencies in Brazil to adapt and hampered some police activities, yet conversely prompted lockdown measures that facilitated drug interdiction on roads. Along with this, the report details how cannabis availability expanded across Brazil after the onset of COVID-19, driven by big increases in flows from Paraguay.
Cocaine Insights 4 also highlights how criminal organizations continue to be more specialized and increasingly use new technologies. This complex scenario reinforces the need to continue strengthening international cooperation to address transnational organized crime in an articulate way, focusing on people and comprehensively considering economic and social aspects.
Further information
The series ‘Cocaine Insights,’ developed by UNODC in the framework of the CRIMJUST programme and in cooperation with partners and stakeholders at national, regional, and international levels, delivers in an accessible and informative format the latest knowledge and trends on issues related to cocaine markets: the illicit cocaine trade, its impact, and the outlook for the future. This publication is the result of a collaboration between UNODC and the CoE. The CoE is a partnership between UNODC, the National Secretariat for Drug Policies and Assets Management of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, and the United Nations Development Program in Brazil.
