1. Just an odd story I noted out of the UK Guardian from Saturday. The EU ends up spending more on Russian oil and gas.....THAN financial aid to Ukraine.
Europe is estimated to have bought €22-billion of oil/natural gas from Russia in 2024.
Ukraine total support from within the EU? Same period....€19-billion.
2. Chatter from Sunday.....Focus story....Nord Stream II will be repaired. If true? Germany will be buying Russian natural gas.
3. Hamburg state election results?
33.5 SPD Party
17.5 Greens
19.5 CDU (almost 10 points above previous election in the state)
11.5 Linke Party
8.5 AfD Party
4. I went to the Wiesbaden Carnaval yesterday.....can't help but notice the police presence.
5. Women will only make up one-third of the Bundestag for the next four years.
6. Just an odd construction story.....new sports hall...Märkisches Gymnasium in Wattenscheid.
Total cost at end for the entire structure....near 20 million euros.
So they have decided that the 'slatted' look/design of the interior walls....causes some type of 'irratation' during work-outs.
So the district is fronting a 40k remodel job on the brand new gym.
From the description....I get the impression the design had not been done before for a sports hall.
7. German hotel industry is seeing a record number of guests....however, 20-percent of the hotels are openly discussing a cutback in employees. (N-TV item)
8. For 2024....considering all of the EU....a quarter of all asylum applications came from Germany. However, there is a noted decline since border measures have been started up in Germany. (N-TV)
2 comments:
1. Taking a small slice of data straight after winter allows you to create an illusion that this is true. But the overall numbers aren't correct. They've contributed 240 billion in aid since 2022, and purchase 205 billion in gas as they wean themselves off.
From the data I saw....it's a 2024 'illusion' at best. However, getting an alternate natural gas situation....means mostly LNG delivery (via the Middle East or US, at a higher cost). Also, I'm not that sure about how they added up 'aid'. The Germans gave up a number of used ambulances/fire trucks....so I'm wondering if they added the value of the vehicles into the 240 billion. Same with the used tanks, helicopters, etc.
On the weaning business...if Nord Stream II gets fixed (lot of chatter going on)....and if Merz puts up 50 new natural gas power plants (BS started late last week)....there has to be some idea of Russian natural gas sales increasing.
Post a Comment