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Novembre 2017 - page 17

Newly Released Bin Laden Document Describes Iran, Al Qaeda Link

in AMERICAS/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

A document published on the night of the Bin Laden killing suggests that Al Qaeda and Iran had a more complicated and intimate relationship with the former – one that included threats and abductions, but also occasional co-operation. The document was resumed among a lot of material released Wednesday by the CIA following a request from the Long War Journal, a website that has introduced the history of the US War on Terrorism. The site received a copy of the materials on Tuesday. The US government released hundreds of thousands of files after the raid on May 1, 2011 in the territory of Bin Laden Pakistan and issued other tranches in 2015 and 2016. The Wednesday edition included nearly 470,000 more files recovered in the raid. Most of the material just described is in Arabic, not translated and calibrated. Includes Bin Laden private magazine 228 pages and other documents officials say support US estimation of US intelligence produced shortly after the attack that bin Laden continued to act as Al Qaeda’s operational commander even in the months prior to his death.

 

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Russia says working with Saudi on energy investment, NEOM

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Russia is working closely with Saudi Arabia to facilitate bilateral investment in the energy sector and Russian companies are interested in the kingdom’s planned new NEOM business zone, energy minister Alexander Novak said. Novak, who was at an investment event in Riyadh held by the two oil producers, said Russian companies were looking at various Saudi sectors such as solar, healthcare, education, artificial intelligence and port infrastructure, according to the Russian energy ministry’s Twitter account. He said that Moscow was working with the Saudi energy ministry to encourage Russian investment in the kingdom’s energy sector and vice versa, without giving details. The RDIF and Saudi Arabia’s main sovereign wealth fund PIF have already invested $1 billion in nine joint projects, according to Russia’s energy ministry. “Cooperation on the ‘peaceful atom’ could be key”, Novak is quoted as saying, referring to nuclear energy. Saudi Arabia plans to award a construction contract for its first two nuclear reactors in 2018.

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Saudi Arabia sets up new commission to boost cybersecurity

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

King Salman has set up a new cyber authority to protect information technology networks, systems and data, and improve online security for companies and individuals. The National Cyber Security Commission will be linked to the office of the king and will boost the cybersecurity of the state and protect its vital interests, national security and sensitive infrastructure. Al-Aiban said the commission would be the competent authority for cybersecurity, and aimed to maintain the privacy of all vital data of the state, individuals and companies in the private and public sectors. He said it would protect networks, IT systems, operating systems, hardware and software components, services and data, taking into account the increasingly vital importance of cybersecurity in the life of individuals and the community. The new commission will provide a platform for young Saudis, both men and women, to take part in the national effort to strengthen cybersecurity, DNJ Technologies Chief Executive Othman Al-Robaish told Arab News.

 

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North Korea accused of hacking South’s warship documents

in ASIA/FAR EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

North Korean cyber groups are facing allegations of hacking into rival South Korea’s warship documents and stealing some classified information. A South Korean opposition lawmaker has alleged that North Korean cyber groups hacked into South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering and stole 40,000 documents, out of which, 60 contained classified information. Kyung Dae-soo of the Liberty Korea Party said, “We are almost 100 percent certain that North Korean hackers were behind the hacking and stole the company’s sensitive documents”. Dae-soo, who received a briefing on the investigation also revealed that the hacking was discovered by a division under South Korea’s Defense Ministry in charge of investigating cases of cybercrime. A report in Japan Times quoted a spokeswoman for Daewoo Shipbuilding as saying that she was unaware of the issue and added that the company was in the process of confirming Dae-soo’s remarks. Dae-soo said that the investigative team came to the conclusion that North Korea had hacked Daewoo Shipbuilding because the hacking method was very similar to other attacks that North Korea was thought to be behind. However, an official linked to a North Korean association has denied that his country was involved in recent incidents of cybercrime in South Korea, Taiwan and the U.K. The official Korean Central News Agency quoted a spokesperson from the Korea-Europe Association as saying, “We made it very clear that the DPRK had no connection at all with acts of cybercrime”.

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Saudi Arabian Military Industries announces new CEO and board

in PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

The Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) has announced the formation of the company’s board of directors, chaired by Ahmed Al-Khatib, as well as appointing Andreas Schwer as chief executive for his solid experience in establishing and managing global defense companies. The company’s board of directors includes Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih and Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, a senior adviser to the Saudi ambassador to the US, in addition to three international experts who will join the board of directors at a later date. SAMI’s appointment of government officials to its board as well as experts from diverse backgrounds highlights its commitment to localizing 50 percent of the country’s military expenditure by 2030, thus creating more job opportunities for Saudi citizens. SAMI aims to create 40,000 jobs and contribute SR14 billion ($3.7 billion) to the Saudi economy by 2030. also signed an MoU with Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport to buy S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and other weapons during a recent visit to Moscow by Saudi King Salman.

 

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Syria opposition rejects Russian dialogue initiative

in POLITICS/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

The Syrian opposition taking part in the last round of peace talks in Astana has rejected the request for a congress for Russia in the city of Sochi in the Black Sea. The Syrian Congress on National Dialogue proposed by Moscow during the talks of two days in the Kazakh capital should discuss reconciliation between all parties in war, political reform and discussing the new Syrian constitution proposal. “It is a Russian deception,” said Fateh Hassoun, who led the Syrian opposition military delegation to the 7th round of Astana to end the six-year Syria war. “We do not trust Russians because they are part of the war and are fighting for the regime on the ground,” he added. The Russian delegation said the conference will be held on the 18th of this month and can be held both on the Russian military base of Hmeimim in Latakia and in Sochi. But Syrian opposition accused Moscow of trying to deflect and control the peace process in Syria moving seats from Geneva and Astana to a trial controlled by Hmeimim-Sochi. Syrian opposition leader Mohamad Alloush said the proposed conference would be similar to a dialogue between the regime and himself.

 

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Al-Maalami: The coalition has taken specific measures to avoid injuring civilians

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Saudi Arabia’s UN envoy, Abdullah al-Maalami, said that the Arab coalition forces had taken specific measures to avoid injuring civilians in Yemen. He added that the UN report proved that the Houthi militias along with the fighters of the ousted Ali Saleh have been recruiting children and using them as shields. He explained that Saudi Arabia has worked to rehabilitate the children who have been recruited by the militias of Yemen. In addition, al-Maalami said that the Yemeni militias fired about 30 ballistic missiles towards the Saudi borders. He confirmed that the coalition investigated 37 cases after allegations of targeting civilians in Yemen, noting that he seriously inspected all allegations of injuries among civilians. Al-Maalami said that the coalition works on the presumption that all areas of Yemen are civilian occupied until “the contrary is proven.” In another context, Al-Maalami said that the Kingdom condemns the violations of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinians.

 

 

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North Korea attacks Donald Trump as ‘incurably mentally deranged’

in PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

North Korea slammed US President Donald Trump as “incurably mentally deranged” in a personal attack ahead of his first visit to Asia, as the South’s leader insisted Washington could not take military action on the peninsula without his agreement. The US has 28,500 troops stationed in the South to defend it from the North, Trump dubbed Kim “Rocket Man” in the same speech – Pyongyang has tested missiles apparently capable of reaching much of the US mainland – and days later Kim responded with a personal statement calling him a “dotard”, an obscure term for a weak or senile old man. Washington has deployed key military assets including jet fighters and aircraft carriers near the peninsula following the North’s sixth nuclear test in September, which also saw the United Nations impose an eighth set of sanctions on the isolated country. South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday said his country would not develop or possess nuclear weapons, unlike its neighbour. In his address to the National Assembly Moon, who has advocated engagement to bring the North to the negotiating table, insisted: “There should be no military action on the peninsula without our prior consent.” Pyongyang hails its nuclear arsenal as a “treasured sword” to protect itself from potential invasion by its “imperialist enemy” the US, but has threatened to bracket the US Pacific island of Guam with missiles.

Trump’s itinerary includes Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, with all eyes on his message to the North and Kim. In the South Trump is due to address parliament, visit a US military base, and hold a summit with Moon, although he will not go to the Demilitarised Zone that divides the two Koreas.

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President Ivanov says that Despite Brexit UK keeps on supporting Macedonia

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Despite Brexit, the United Kingdom will continue to support Macedonia, it was conveyed to Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov in his meetings in London with the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, and the Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord Fowler.President Ivanov said the meetings mainly focused on Brexit, a burning issue in the UK, his cabinet said in a press release Wednesday. Overall bilateral relations between the countries dominated the meetings. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Republic of Macedonia and the United Kingdom.Meeting with the speakers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the Macedonian President shared views about current developments in the region, including the migrant crisis and Macedonia’s role in addressing it.Later in the day, Ivanov will deliver an address on topic “Macedonia, Migration and Security: Lessons Learned” in the Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

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Saudi Arabia plans to extract uranium for ‘self-sufficient’ nuclear program

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Saudi Arabia plans to extract uranium domestically as part of its nuclear power program and sees this as a step toward “self-sufficiency” in producing atomic fuel. Extracting its own uranium also makes sense from an economic point of view, said Hashim bin Abdullah Yamani, head of the Saudi government agency tasked with the nuclear plans, the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE). The Kingdom says it wants to tap atomic power for peaceful purposes only in order to diversify its energy supply, and will award a construction contract for its first two nuclear reactors by the end of 2018. Atomic reactors need uranium enriched to around 5 percent purity, but the same technology in this process can also be used to enrich the heavy metal to higher, weapons-grade levels. Saudi Arabia would be the second country in the Arab Gulf region to tap nuclear after the UAE, which is set to start up its first, South Korean-built reactor in 2018. The UAE has committed not to enrich uranium itself and not to reprocess spent fuel. Industry sources have told Reuters Saudi Arabia is reaching out to potential vendors from South Korea, China, France, Russia, Japan and the US for its first two reactors. The plans have received extra momentum as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, an ambitious economic reform program launched last year by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Yamani said Saudi Arabia will soon pass laws for its nuclear program, and will have set up all of the regulations for its nuclear regulator by the third quarter of 2018. Saudi Arabia is considering building some 17.6 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2032, the equivalent of about 17 reactors, making it one of the strongest prospects for an industry struggling after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan. Preliminary studies have estimated Saudi Arabia has around 60,000 tons of uranium ore, Maher Al-Odan, the chief atomic energy officer of KACARE, said at an electricity forum in Riyadh on Oct 11.

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