#runner up rishi

[changing-my-username]

Unelected fool to cling onto power for as long as possible shocker

#politics #uk politics #rishi sunak #runner up rishi

[top-the-cat]

Just found out that Rish the Prick came to one of my sites the other day for a photo op with some of our apprentices....

Shame the tory cunt didn't fall down a big fucking hole like the one him and his tory scum mates have left in our country!

But its not likely, as my sites are safe as fuck...

#uk politics #tory scum #runner up rishi #rishi sunak #rish the prick

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌙 Ramadan Mubarak - Books ft. Muslims

🦇 Good morning, my beautiful bookish bats. To celebrate this Islamic holy month, here are a FEW books featuring Muslim characters. I hope you consider adding a few to your TBR.

❓What was the last book you read that taught you something new OR what's at the top of your TBR?

🌙 A Woman is No Man - Etaf Rum 🌙 Amal Unbound - Aisha Saeed 🌙 Love From A to Z - S.K. Ali 🌙 Hana Khan Carries On - Uzma Jalaluddin 🌙 Yes No Maybe So - Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed 🌙 Evil Eye - Etaf Rum 🌙 I Am Malala - Malala Yousafzai 🌙 Exit West - Mohsin Hamid 🌙 Written in the Stars - Aisha Saeed 🌙 The Night Diary - Veera Hiranandani 🌙 Much Ado About Nada - Uzma Jalaluddin 🌙 The Eid Gift - S.K. Ali 🌙 More Than Just a Pretty Face - Syed M. Masood 🌙 Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero - Saadia Faruqi 🌙 If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan 🌙 Snow - Orhan Pamuk 🌙 Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged - Ayisha Malik 🌙 The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad 🌙 And I Darken - Kiersten White 🌙 The Last White Man - Mohsin Hamid

🌙 Hijab Butch Blues - Lamya H 🌙 The Bad Muslim Discount - Syed M. Masood 🌙 Ms. Marvel - G. Willow Wilson 🌙 Love from Mecca to Medina - S.K. Ali 🌙 The City of Brass - S.A. Chakraborty 🌙 The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim 🌙 A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar 🌙 A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi 🌙 An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi 🌙 The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan 🌙 The Moor’s Account - Laila Lalami 🌙 Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian 🌙 Salt Houses by Hala Alyan 🌙 When a Brown Girl Flees by Aamna Quershi 🌙 Jasmine Falling by Shereen Malherbe 🌙 Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad 🌙 Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini 🌙 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini 🌙 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 🌙 Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal

🌙 Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie 🌙 All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir 🌙 The Bohemians by Jasmin Darznik 🌙 Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin 🌙 A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif 🌙 Chronicle of a Last Summer by Yasmine El Rashidi 🌙 A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena 🌙 Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga 🌙 The Mismatch by Sara Jafari 🌙 Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah 🌙 You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen 🌙 Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali 🌙 Once Upon an Eid - S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed 🌙 Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan 🌙 Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson 🌙 The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar 🌙 A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan 🌙 Nayra and the Djinn by Michael Berry 🌙 All-American Muslim Girl by Lucinda Dyer 🌙 It All Comes Back to You by Farah Naz Rishi

🌙 The Marvelous Mirza Girls by Sheba Karim 🌙 Salaam, with Love by Sara Sharaf Beg 🌙 Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf 🌙 How It All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi 🌙 Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan 🌙 Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam 🌙 She Wore Red Trainers by Na'ima B. Robert 🌙 Hollow Fires by Lucinda Dyer 🌙 Internment by Samira Ahmed 🌙 Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa 🌙 Love in a Headscarf - Shelina Zahra Janmohamed 🌙 Courting Samira by Amal Awad 🌙 The Other Half of Happiness by Ayisha Malik 🌙 Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy 🌙 Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed 🌙 Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed 🌙 Muslim Girls Rise - Saira Mir and Aaliya Jaleel 🌙 Amira & Hamza - Samira Ahmed 🌙 The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf 🌙 Nura and the Immortal Palace by M.T. Khan

🌙 As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh 🌙 Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan 🌙 Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao 🌙 The Yard - Aliyyah Eniath 🌙 When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar 🌙 The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty 🌙 Maya's Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja 🌙 The Chai Factor by Farah Heron 🌙 The Beauty of Your Face - Sahar Mustafah 🌙 Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

#ramadan #muslim writers #muslim #books #book list #ramadan mubarak #ramadan kareem #batty about books #battyaboutbooks

[vodika-vibes]

Heyoo!

I have a request, it’s a bit of a long gif so if ya don’t get to it or don’t wanna do it, it’s fine lol.

Anyways, my idea / request / prompt / Echo x Fem!Reader goes like this, kinda, feel free to take liberties

Echo, now I feel like he would be a nervous kinda guy when it comes to having a crush. Like, he just doesn’t know what to say and overthinks absolutely everything, and can’t rly take a hint. Before he got blown up, there was a girl, who he has a liiiitle crush on n such, (idk you can make her a mechanic, doctor, bartender, whatever idm)

And they were rly good “friends” n such r something, aaaand some time after he joins TBB he visits the old place where he used to reside with the other guys in the domino squad (I forget where *sob*) And she’s is surprisingly still there. Heartfelt angsty ?kinda? Maybe reunion yadayadaydada and a bit after that and after catching up, probably a day or two later they pick up hints that they like each other and eventually confess n StUfF, aaand ya, then he has to go back with TBB and they be sad, he invites her to join but she is hesitant, and bc the other squad members don’t even know her she ends up saying no- aaaaand ya-

( 💀 omg i don’t even know anymore )

Idk it’s a very weird prompt, I’m making this up as I go, so feel free to pick and choose, take or add, whatever u wanna do

Again if u don’t wanna do it that is perfectly fine, just a thought. Love your work! <33

I Dream Of Forever

Summary: Summary: You’ve been a bartender on Rishi since you were old enough to take orders correctly. Echo was a Clone Trooper turned ARC Trooper stationed on Rishi who was a little more than friends with you. You legitimately believe he’s dead. But when a group of clones land on Rishi, you come face to face with the man you hoped would be your forever.

Pairing: TBB Echo x F!Reader

Word Count: 2201

Warnings: Some suggestive moments, but nothing detailed

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni

A/N: I thing I got the general vibe you want, but if I didn't please let me know and I'll do something else.

You’ve been a bartender at the same bar on Rishi since you were ten years old. Your parents had debts to the bar owner, and they sold you to make up for it. Well, you and your siblings.

You’re the lucky one.

Your…owner? Guardian? Whatever he is, he treats you like a beloved granddaughter. He buys you clothes and food and allows you to go to school…and until you reached the age of majority at 18, you only had to work four hours a night four days a week. 

He even paid for you to go to college, and he pays you well enough that you have your own home here on Rishi.

You’re lucky.

Your older brother, you know, ended up becoming a gladiator in the Outer Rim, and last you heard he’s an enforcer for the Hutt Cartel. Your older sister, however, became a drug runner for a Spice Cartel and last you heard she’s moving from rehab center to rehab center.

You’re lucky.

Maybe if you repeat it often enough, you’ll believe it.

All things considered, Rishi isn’t the worst place to spend your life. The area you live in is warm and bright and right on the water. Not to mention you’ve got several friends here that you would miss if you left…or if the Empire decides to actually deal with the pirate problem.

You’re not worried though.

The Republic’s war with the Separatists barely touched Rishi afterall, aside from having a single watch station that has been abandoned for years now.

And you don’t expect that the Empire will push too much.

Your gaze drifts from the food stall that you’re visiting, lingering on the small, almost overgrown, old Republic comm station. Once upon there had been five men stationed there. Hevy, Droidbait, Cutup, Fives, and Echo.

While you had some concerns as to how the pirates of Rishi would react to obvious soldiers spending time in their bars…people were surprisingly okay with them. More than one of them getting an offer to join different crews.

A small smile lifts your lips at the memory of your boys laughingly turning down offers of pirate crew memberships.

The Dominos had been Rishi’s, more so than the Republics, and people raged when they heard that they died.

First when Droidbait and Cutup died, and then later when they heard that Hevy was killed on Kamino. And then even later when Echo was blown up, and then Fives was killed-

Fives’ death was kind of the final straw for Rishi. 

Even now, the Pirates of Rishi are more than happy to raid imperial vessels, in honor of their Dominos.

You step around a group of Mercs, all of whom have dominoes tattooed on their hands, and start to meander your way back to your home. You miss them. All of them.

But, if you’re going to be honest, you probably miss Echo the most.

He was a lot like his brothers, loud and boisterous, and always ready with a joke or a quip, or to finish a joke that his twin set up. He was always the first to greet you with a grin, and the last to say goodbye at the end of the night.

But, unlike his brothers, he flirted with you a little shyly, as though he wasn’t sure what he was doing.

It was charming and sweet, and you found yourself smitten with him. 

He didn’t, quite, get over his shyness with you even after the first time you invited him into your home with tempting kisses. He was still a little shy even after the tenth time you invited him into your home, and your bed, with teasing touches and adoring kisses.

You wanted forever with him, and you thought, hoped, that he wanted the same.

And then he left, and you never heard from him again.

You suppose, in a way, it makes sense. Why would a soldier want to slum it with a bartender who’s technically a slave.

Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.

After all, you still dream of forever with Echo. Only now, your dreams are definitely castles in the air.

After all, dead men don’t get happily ever afters.

“We need to land somewhere,” Tech says to his brothers, a frown on his face, “The damage to the ship is…far too severe for me to repair without landing.”

“Where can we land, though?” Wrecker asks, “It’s not like there are a large number of places that will accept us.”

Echo eyes the star map speculatively, “I…may have an idea.” He offers, as his gaze lands on a specific planet. A bright smile dances across your memory, and a loving laugh echoes in his ears.

He’s a kriffing fool.

Hopefully she won’t turn him away.

“Well?” Hunter prompts when Echo doesn’t continue right away.

“I think we should go to Rishi.” Echo says slowly.

“Rishi!” Tech sputters.

“That’s a pirate planet, Echo.” Hunter says, “They won’t react well-”

“Do you have a better idea?” Echo asks.

The room falls silent for a moment, and then Tech sighs, “It is up to you, Hunter. Rishi is the closest planet we can land on.”

Hunter pushes his hand through his hair, “Fine. Do it.”

An hour later, the Marauder lands on an open pad, and no one comes to the ship to speak to them. “Is this…normal?” Tech asks.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Echo replies with a shrug, “We should probably not wear our armor here,” He adds. He’s already changed into civilian attire, and he’s somewhat anxiously rubbing his arm just over where his scomp is attached. 

“Why?”

“Because our armor screams ‘clones’ and I’m not sure how the pirates will react to seeing clones now.” Echo replies dryly, “I’ve heard rumors of Rishi based Pirates raiding Republic and Imperial transports lately.”

Hunter agrees that it’s a reasonable precaution, and they all hurriedly change into civilian attire, before they get off the ship, with Omega clinging to Wrecker’s hand. And then, almost as one, they turn to Echo.

Echo sighs and rubs the back of his head, and then he turns and heads deeper into the city.

Some things have changed, new people, new stalls, but most everything else is the same. He pauses in front of a specific bar, and peers in, his dark eyes scanning the faces of the bartenders for a moment, before he motions for his brothers to follow him some more.

“Are you lookin’ for someone?” Wrecker asks.

“Yeah. Someone who, hopefully, won’t be too angry at me and will be willing to help.” Echo says.

“A friend?” Omega asks.

“Yeah, something like that.”

Echo leads them away from the shops and docks, and over to a row of apartments. He scans the buildings for a moment, before he turns and heads to one of the smaller buildings, and he stops in front of a plain door, with flower boxes in the windows.

His lips curl up in a small smile, Fives made those flower boxes early one morning when he was hyped up on Caf. They were crooked and lopsided, but it looks like she kept them. Though it looks like she painted them. “Wait here.” Echo says to his siblings, before he walks over to the door, and he knocks twice.

“Just a moment!” Her voice comes from the other side of the door, and Echo doesn’t fight his smile.

She sounds exactly the same. 

Stars, please don’t let her be too mad.

The door slides open, “Yes? Can I help yo-” She stops mid-sentence when she sees who’s standing there, “...Echo?”

“You grew your hair out,” Echo replies, a small smile lifting his lips, “It looks good. You look amazing. I’m sure you have a question or twenty, cyar’ika-”

Echo’s not able to finish his sentence as she flings her arms around him and crashes her lips against his. His arms fold tightly around her and he immediately kisses her back, and it’s almost as if no time has passed at all. 

If he focuses, he can almost hear Fives wolf-whistling and hear Cutup making lewd comments.

And then reality snaps back into place when he hears Tech’s dry voice, “Ah. That kind of friend.”

Echo carefully pulls back, and reaches up to gently cup her cheek, using his thumb to brush a tear away, “I’m sorry for not comming you, cyar’ika.”

She shakes her head, “We were told that you died.” She whispers, “Fives said…” She trailed off, “And then Fives died, and, kriff, the death of the last Domino started a war between the pirates of Rishi and the Republic/Empire, why would you bring them here?”

“Our ship is damaged-” Echo started.

“Get in. In. All of you!” She drags Echo into her home, and she doesn’t shut the door until Hunter is in the apartment as well. “Honestly Echo,” She rounds on him, “If you commed I would have told you to go literally anywhere else.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d answer.” Echo replies.

There are pictures of her with Echo, and with the rest of the dominoes on the walls. There are also pictures of her with a large, scarred man. And of her with a too slender woman.

“What do you need? I can probably get most of the materials sent to your ship.” She says.

“I have a list.” Tech offers as he hands her his datapad.

She copies it and sends the list to several of her friends, “Alright, you should have most, if not all, of what you need by the morning.”

“Are we in danger here?”

“On Rishi specifically? No. Not so long as you don’t draw attention to yourself.” She replies, “I’d offer to let you spend the night, but I don’t have much room.”

“We can stay on the ship,” Tech replies.

“Echo, are you going to stay here?” Omega asks.

Echo doesn’t take his gaze off of his cyar’ika, “If I’m allowed?”

“I’ve never turned you away before.” She counters.

Echo smiles at her, “Do you remember the way back to the docks?”

“I remember.” Tech says, “Come on.”

The door opens, and then closes again, leaving Echo alone with his cyar’ika.

She smiles at him, soft and warm and slow, “You used to be shyer about public displays of affection.”

“I used to have legs and two hands too,” Echo replies, it's a weak joke, but a joke all the same. “I’m so sorry I never commed you.” He says after a moment, “I thought…it felt cruel, reaching out to you when I couldn’t actually touch you.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.”

“Echo. I forgive you.” She walks over to him and she kisses him as if no time has passed at all, all loving and soft and sweet.

She’s always been unfairly tempting. Her lips and her touch encourage him to stay and enjoy what she’s offering. And Echo has always been helpless to deny her. 

He’s not surprised when he falls into her bed, her lips needy against his.

Later, much later, they’re lounging in her bed, and Echo is trailing his lips across her bare shoulder.

“Cyar’ika,” He murmurs against her shoulder, “Come with me.”

“Come with you where?” She asks, her voice light and dreamy.

“On the Marauder. Away from Rishi. I’ll protect you-”

She turns and looks at him, her smile so sad, “You know I can’t.”

“You deserve so much better than being a slave for your parents' debts,” Echo whispers.

She rolls so that she’s facing him properly, “Echo, your brothers don’t know me. And if I had to guess, your ship is pretty small. Me going with you isn’t fair to them.”

“You deserve more.” Echo repeats.

“I don’t like life is about what we deserve,” She replies, as she reaches up to cup his face, “So, in the morning, you’re going to return to your ship, to your brothers…and you’re going to leave Rishi. And you’re going to go back to not comming me, and it’s just how it’s going to be.”

“No.”

“Echo.” She sighs his name, and he shifts so he’s looking right in her eyes.

“No.” He repeats, “I’ve given up so much. My body, my batchmates, my twin. I’m not giving you up. Let me be greedy. Just about this one thing.”

She sighs again, but she looks touched. “How about…a deal?”

“What kind of deal?”

“My contract with my…owner is coming to an end. At the end of the year, I’ll have made enough to pay off my parents' tab with him.” She says softly, “On that day, I will comm you and come to where you are. No matter where you might be.”

“Do you promise?”

She laughs softly, “Echo, I’ve been dreaming of forever with you since the first day we met. Now that I have the chance to have it, it would take an act of god to stop me.”

Echo crashes his lips against hers, “I want forever too,” He breathes against her lips, “So we have a deal.”

She smiles at him, “I love you, Echo.”

He blinks at her, momentarily surprised, and then he laughs and kisses her deeply, “I love you too.”

#star wars #tbb #tbb echo x reader #echo x reader #f!reader fic #star wars fanfiction #x reader fanfiction #answered asks

[bottlesandbarricades]

Next up to bat, Rishi the runner up. The guy, who literally lost the other month to the most incompetent person we have ever had a prime minister lmao

#british politics #uk government #uk politics #rishi sunak #fuck the tories #Liz truss #the conservative party #the tories #tory britain #if you listen closely you can hear the horrible sound of them scraping the bottom of the barrel

[azems-familiar]

Iaris Kuro

a Mirial native, Iaris was a pilot in the mirialan planetary defense force who fought against the repeated invasions of his world by the Empire. he met his wife, Eloth, during this, and they had a daughter, Yatali. when Yatali was just a child, the two of them deserted and fled their homeworld, hoping for a better life elsewhere, away from the constant war. they settled as refugees on Nar Shaddaa, and to afford lodging and supplies, Iaris got a loan from the Cartel and contracted himself out to the Hutts as a smuggler and cargo runner, eventually progressing to running spice for them. he didn't tell his wife just how deeply in debt the family was, not wanting to worry her, and when Yatali was twelve years old he came up with a plan to pay off the debt in full: he arranged to sell one of the spice shipments he was running to a third party and collect the payment himself, which he planned to then present to the Cartel for his debt. the risk didn't pay off, and the Cartel took his daughter as payment for the debt and the lost spice instead. Iaris attempted to reach out to his wife to explain what happened and beg forgiveness, hoping the two of them could find Yatali together, but he never received a response, and believing her scorning him for his mistakes, he fell into a deep depression.

he spent the next four years making a living off smuggling frequently-dubious cargo across both the Republic and Empire, searching for his daughter in his off time. he never found any trace of her, and he eventually gave up around the time he picked up a job to deliver a shipment of blasters to Ord Mantell. an interaction with some sick refugee children outside a Republic fort reminded him of his morality and the important things in life, and he took Corso along with him when he left Ord Mantell to track down Skavak and his ship. he went through with Risha's plan to acquire Nok Drayen's fortune not out of a desire to be rich himself, but out of the hope that money like that could prevent another tragedy like the one his family had been through from happening again, and though he didn't particularly care for either the Republic or the Empire, he worked as a privateer at the Republic's request. during this time, he fell into a relationship with Darmas, and after everything, he took those of his crew who would go with him and followed Darmas to the Empire.

Iaris enjoyed a couple years of relative peace working within the Empire's bounds, though it was during this period that he discovered his daughter had survived her time in slavery and ascended to the Dark Council, but everything came crashing down when his ex-wife - now the Emperor's Wrath - found him. furious at Iaris for what she perceived as abandoning her and their daughter to start a new life free of care, Eloth killed Darmas in front of him, despite him begging her to just kill him for her revenge instead and get it over with. broken by the loss, feeling as though he would never have the power to protect anyone he cared about, Iaris took his ship and retreated to Rishi, where he remained through the five-year gap and subsequent war with Zakuul.

though he put together a pirate crew from those ostracized by their fellows for having morals, he rarely left Rishi himself, isolating himself from any kind of meaningful connection. this lasted until the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Orgus Din, returned to his homeworld of Rishi with his husband and their child, seeking a reprieve from a role he was no longer emotionally capable of fulfilling. Orgus met Iaris and recognized a good man in him, and gradually drew him out of his shell, before offering him and his crew a job quietly moving supplies between the Core Worlds, Tython, and Ossus. Iaris took the job, eventually, finally allying himself with the Republic properly, and slowly developed a relationship with the two men who had reached out to him.

he reaches some kind of vague reconciliation and peace with Eloth during a confrontation on Ossus, and splits his time between his family on Tython and his work as an independent contractor for the Jedi Order.

#swtor #swtor smuggler #character bio #oc: iaris kuro #canon: the righteous hand of god #yes he looks scruffy and like he hasn't slept or bathed in a week #that's because he probably hasn't he's kinda full of depression #he's a sad pathetic wet cat of a man and i love him #he's also like. the one person in this entire cast who has a moral #well ok. the trooper has a moral too i think but they gave it to the alliance. #behold. the single character in this canon whose final allegiance is the republic.

[deadlinecom]

[chirecinternationalschool]

Venkat Rishi Batlanki, a student of Grade 11 CBSE, participated in the International Tennis Federation Juniors Boys competition held in Kathmandu, Nepal. He achieved the position of runner-up in Singles and advanced to the quarterfinals.

#chirecpride

[mariacallous]

Oxford University Press’s word of 2023 was “rizz,” which the publisher defines as “someone’s ability to attract another person through style, charm, or attractiveness”—a shortened version of charisma.

But geopolitics entered the world of buzzwords, too, and delivered a string of expressions that found enthusiastic use in the corridors of power and think tanks, not to mention the real world. There was the ubiquitous “de-risking,” but also “AIS gaps,” “subsea infrastructure,” and “maritime terrorism,” which similarly became words that the well-informed citizen should know.

The runner-up to rizz in Oxford University Press’s selection was reportedly “Swiftie,” and such is Taylor Swift’s global power that Swifties include British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. But not even the American megastar has managed to divert the world’s attention away from the dark geopolitical clouds in the Black Sea and the Taiwan Strait, or at the Finnish border.

Indeed, in 2023, geopolitics came to dominate the news agenda. The year began with the swearing-in of Brazil’s returning president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the subsequent storming of government buildings by supporters of the outgoing—and defeated—Jair Bolsonaro. Lula’s return to power and his swift outreach to Russia failed to deliver a new geopolitical term, though the anti-Western fraternity involving leaders eager to distance themselves from West indisputably deserves one—BRICSit, perhaps?

Another geopolitical development already underway did, however, deliver a new term: AIS gaps. As Foreign Policy readers will know from my columns throughout the year, gaps in merchant vessels’ automatic identification systems (AIS) occur regularly as a result of bad weather or mechanical errors, but during 2023, AIS gaps have become part of daily life in the world of shipping.

Ships carrying goods to and from Russia regularly turn off their AIS so as not to be spotted, which violates international shipping regulations and puts other ships at risk, but what can anyone do? The world doesn’t have maritime police. AIS gaps will be there as long as countries are at loggerheads.

2023 also brought de-risking into the mainstream. The term was picked up by countless academics but used rather less among the people executing this strategy of reducing exposure to various countries—especially China. The reason that de-risking established itself with such force during 2023 was, of course, that people realized that decoupling from China is not possible or even desirable.

During 2023, lots of Western companies announced plans to reduce operations in China, but even such a partial departure is complicated. Moving parts of the manufacturing process to a different country is like selling one’s house and buying a new one—times 1,000.

Then there was BRICS+, the constellation that emerged after the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) decided to invite another six countries, including Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, to their group. BRICS+, in fact, symbolizes a new kind of geopolitics. The group’s members don’t have a great deal in common, and they certainly don’t share the same deep values that form the basis of Western groupings. But they’re pragmatic and team up with allies for mutual benefit. Iran and South Africa can trade with each other and engage in other cooperation—and like the other BRICS+ countries, they’re in the group not because it represents anything unique, but because it’s a counterbalance to the West.

Subsea infrastructure was another geopolitical phrase that countless people discovered this year. Subsea infrastructure is an unsung hero of modern societies, operating day in, day out, without ordinary citizens worrying about it or even realizing it exists. But in 2023, many ordinary citizens heard of subsea infrastructure because it experienced mysterious malfunctions in different places.

First, the two undersea telecommunications cables connecting Taiwan’s Matsu Islands to the main island were severed by Chinese commercial vessels, leaving the islands isolated from the rest of the world. Then two undersea cables connecting Sweden, Finland, and Estonia were damaged, most likely by a well-connected Chinese container ship called NewNew Polar Bear, and the nearby Balticconnector pipeline was damaged around the same time. Last year, the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were crippled by a mysterious blast—that some now attribute to Ukrainian operatives. Now subsea infrastructure everywhere has become the subject of activities that appear geopolitically motivated.

Then, starting at the end of November, Yemen’s Houthis provided the year’s final geopolitical word of the year: maritime terrorism. Though the term is not entirely new—remember the USS Cole and Somali pirates?—the Yemeni militia demonstrated that a nonstate actor can attack global shipping using statelike skills and equipment by carrying a string of attacks on merchant vessels it deemed were linked to Israel in the Red Sea. Such maritime terrorists are not like the privateers of previous centuries, because while they’re linked to a sponsor government, they operate on their own and are ideologically motivated. Money is not their objective.

That makes maritime terrorism a decidedly frightening scenario for global shipping, because other groups, whether supported by protector governments or not, are likely to want to imitate the Houthis. And because shipping is fundamentally global, with all manner of countries linked to a vessel through its flag, crew, owner, or manager, a militia can target a ship on the basis of any of those links.

These groups don’t even have to be very conscientious in establishing the details: By declaring a random vessel to be linked to the country it wants to target, a nonstate group will strike fear in vessels representing other nationalities, too. Just consider the prospect of a water-based Wagner Group.

Happy New Year!

[yuvabharathicbse]

[nikologyindia]

[changing-my-username]

#politics #uk politics #rishi sunak #runner up rishi

[forcenewz]

Rishi Singh Winner of Indian Idol Season 13

Who is the winner and runner-up of Indian idol season 13? Rishi Singh from Ayodhya received a cash prize of Rs. 25 lacks and a new car with an Indian idol season 13 trophy and Debosmita Roy is a runner-up contestant. Here we share the finalist list with the total participated contestant's detail. Check the Indian idol season 13 judges' names!

#indian idol season 13 start date #indian idol season 13 end date #indian idol season 13 finalist #indian idol season 13 judges #indian idol season 13 runner up #indian idol season 13 winner #indian idol season 13 #indian idol season 13 contestants

[squarwell-breakingnews]

Runner-Up To Frontrunner In 45 Days: Rishi Sunak May Become UK PM Today

Runner-Up To Frontrunner In 45 Days: Rishi Sunak May Become UK PM Today

Rishi Sunak looks set to become UK’s next prime minister after Boris Johnson ended his bid in a surprise decision. His next challenger, Penny Mordaunt, is way off securing the crucial number required to contest to replace outgoing PM Liz Truss. Here are the top 10 updates on this story: Mr Sunak has the support of 142 members of the parliament – far above the 100-mark required to bag the top…

View On WordPress

[w2qw]

Rishi Sunak: Former chancellor who lost out last time..

Rishi Sunak: Former chancellor who lost out last time.. A former finance analyst, Rishi Sunak was runner-up in the previous leadership contest... . . . . . . . .

[irvinenewshq]

Boris Johnson has gained sufficient assist to enter the U.Okay.s prime minister raceonce more

Boris Johnson, who was ousted as UK prime minister in July, may enter the management contest to exchange successor Liz Truss after his camp stated he’s met the brink of assist from Conservative Members of Parliament. Johnson has greater than the 100 backers required to make a bid for prime minister, in line with an individual acquainted with the discussions in his camp. No less than 45 MPs have come out publicly in favor of the previous PM, in comparison with greater than 100 for Rishi Sunak. Neither has formally declared himself a candidate, however such a transfer would mark a dramatic twist even within the interval of unprecedented chaos in British politics that’s adopted the 2016 Brexit referendum.  Truss herself will grow to be the shortest-ruling prime minister in British historical past when she formally steps down subsequent week, after seeing her premiership unravel attributable to a lack of political intuition and consciousness of financial actuality. Johnson was pressured out in shame after an exodus of ministers from his scandal-ridden authorities. He left workplace lower than seven weeks in the past, after saying his resignation on July 7. However he stays widespread with Tory members, so he may but safe a surprising comeback given they might have the ultimate say. Nonetheless, there’s doubt over whether or not Johnson would be capable to unify his deeply divided occasion. Many MPs are nonetheless indignant that his shortcomings — together with breaking the legislation throughout pandemic lockdowns — value the occasion assist within the polls. Truss has since pushed that hunch to a file low. As not too long ago as June, 148 Tory MPs voted that they’d no confidence in him, and whereas he did survive the poll, he was gone weeks later. Johnson additionally has a significant cloud hanging over him within the type of a parliamentary probe into whether or not he lied to lawmakers over the rule-breaking events held in Downing Avenue as Covid-19 unfold throughout the nation. He’s prone to face fierce competitors from Sunak, his former chancellor of the exchequer who was runner-up to Truss on this summer season’s management contest. Sunak has received plaudits for predicting — repeatedly — the financial turmoil her insurance policies finally induced. Penny Mordaunt grew to become the primary Conservative to declare she’s working on Friday, although is up to now struggling to garner sufficient assist amongst MPs to get the required 100. Different contenders who may emerge embrace Commerce Secretary Kemi Badenoch and former House Secretary Suella Braverman, who was fired on Wednesday. If both of them run, it’s prone to break up assist on the appropriate of the occasion, probably pulling assist away from Johnson. —With help by Kitty Donaldson Join the Fortune Options e-mail record so that you don’t miss our greatest options, unique interviews, and investigations. Originally published at Irvine News HQ

#Irvine News HQ