America Goes Bankrupt Related Articles

To avoid US bankruptcy, Republicans and Democrats would have to agree on a debt ceiling increase, which seems highly unlikely. As a result, analysts expect the US to default on debt payments this summer and go into government bloc. Because of the far-reaching consequences of this, BlackRock Vice President Philipp Hildebrand is clear: “It doesn’t have to happen.”

What also shouldn’t happen if it depends on Russia is Ukraine joining NATO. To the Kremlin’s chagrin, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said this week that Ukraine belongs to NATO. If Ukraine joined the Western alliance, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it would pose a “serious and significant threat to Russia’s security”.

If Ukraine joins NATO in the future, it could be welcomed by Secretary General Mark Rutte. At least, that’s what former senior diplomat Pieter Feith thinks. Jens Stoltenberg’s last term is almost over, according to Feith, Rutte has a “good chance” of succeeding the Norwegian.

Lost a lot of money

In the twelve years that Rutte was prime minister of our country, the exchequer seems to have lost hundreds of millions of euros in inheritance taxes. An amendment to the 2010 law to prevent tax avoidance, also through trusts and foundations, seems to be at the basis of the fact that subsequently 3 billion were not received, but ‘only’ 1.5 billion euros from inheritance tax.

Copper has also been producing less and less lately. This is surprising at a time when the demand for raw materials is only on the rise. After China’s economy reopened, copper prices hit a record high earlier this year. But the most recent data on the Chinese economy are somewhat disappointing, driving down the price of copper. This is bad news, because because copper is needed for anything that runs on electricity, it’s an indicator of the state of the rest of the economy.

New world power

However, the Chinese government is looking far beyond some disappointing economic figures. According to AIVD director general Erik Akerboom, China is experiencing a continuous series of cyber attacks and attempts to steal knowledge from unique companies with high-quality technology, universities and large companies. “With the aim of ourselves becoming the most powerful country in the world,” continues Akerboom. “And sometimes even take sides against the West.”

Aleksy P., the Russian programmer suspected by the FIOD of having laundered one billion euros, is almost free again after more than eight months of detention. He is one of the driving forces behind Tornado Cash, software capable of concealing the origin of Ethereum, one of the most popular cryptocurrencies and the development of nuclear weapons.