Geopolitical News from the modern world

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Febbraio 2018 - page 4

Accession Program for the EU met by 75%

in EUROPE/POLITICS by

The government has adopted a report on the implementation of the Accession Program for the European Union (EU) for the past year, in which 75% of commitments were met. This result points to the high institutional and administrative efficiency of the state for the fulfillment of European goals. Of the total 413 obligations, as planned in the previous year, 308 and 75% respectively were fulfilled, which is an improvement compared to 2016, when the realization rate was 72%. Prime Minister Duško Markovic assessed that these changes are important because the government for the first time in this area is particularly valorizing projects related to the northern region and the less developed areas, showing a fundamental political determination.

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Mahmoud Warfali was released

in AFRICA by

The media office of the Al-Saiqa Force announced that Mahmoud al-Werfalli was released after one day of investigations on the crimes committed by him. January 24 he conducted a summary execution of ten prisoners in front of the Al-Ridwan mosque in Benghazi, the same place where the day before two car bombings killed 40 people.  The media said that al Werfalli is free and he is working. Last night Benghazi was blocked by protesters loyal to him.

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Aoun signed the 1994 Officers’ Decree

in MIDLE EAST/POLITICS by

President Michel Aoun signed the decree promoting the officers of the army, security forces, general security, state security and customs in 1994, resolving the crisis that had lasted for weeks among the highest offices of the government. As part of the solution, officials agreed in a tripartite meeting at the Baabda Palace that the decrees will carry the signatures of Aoun, Hariri, of Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil of Defense Minister Yaacoub Sarraf. The Council of Ministers will meet on Thursday to resolve outstanding issues, including the reform proposals included in the new electoral law. In this context, Interior Minister Nohad al-Mashnouk said that the session dealt with the suspension of work in the magnetic voting card, modifying article 84 of the new electoral law. The introduction of the magnetic card, which will also be used as a personal ID, is one of the most obvious steps to automate the electoral process in an attempt to free itself from corruption and election manipulation, preserving the voter’s personal data and electronically reading it in various departments, project that should cost about $ 130 million.

China’s import roars back to life in January; exports also beat forecasts

in ASIA/ECONOMY by

China’s trade machine kicked up a gear in January after stumbling the previous month, with exports and imports both growing much more than expected. Exports in January rose 11.1 percent from a year earlier, picking up from a 10.9 percent gain in December, official data showed. Analysts had expected growth to cool for a second straight month to 9.6 percent. Imports surged 36.9 percent, the General Administration of Customs said, the fastest pace since last February and smashing analysts’ forecast of 9.8 percent growth. However, data from China in the first two months of the year must always be treated with caution due to business distortions caused by the timing of the long Lunar New Year holidays. Some of the jump in imports may have been due to inventory building ahead of the holidays rather than a pick-up in consumption, though economists said the data was still positive. China benefited from a global trade boom in 2017. However, while global demand is tipped for another strong year, expectations of growing trade disputes with the United States could weigh on China’s shipments in 2018. President Donald Trump slapped steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels last month. China is the world’s biggest solar panel producer. Trump also is considering recommendations on import restrictions for steel and aluminum or other trade sanctions against China over its intellectual property practices. “The uncertainty surrounding Sino-U.S. trade ties remains a key potential downside risk in the near term”, said Betty Wang, senior China economist at ANZ in Hong Kong. Sharp gains in the yuan are also threatening China’s competitiveness, with an official business survey last week suggesting the currency’s appreciation led to a decline in big exporters’ activity last month.

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Start of the German shipyard for the new Israeli warships

in BUILDINGS/MIDLE EAST by

The German shipyard has begun to build the four new Israeli warships that will be used to defend the natural gas deposits and territorial waters of the country. According to the Israeli navy commander, the Sa’ar-6 ships are one of the main pillars in the IDF’s naval defensive wall. In recent years the importance of maritime supremacy has been strengthened with the awareness that it constitutes a pillar of the security of the State of Israel. Over 90% of Israeli imports arrive by sea and the Israeli navy is much lower than other IDF armed forces, although they have to protect about 44,000 sq km. of sea, almost twice the size of Israel. The new ships will be used to defend Israel’s natural gas drilling rigs, which supply about 60% (and soon 75%) of the nation’s electricity. According to the naval officer, in peacetime a missile ship will patrol the territorial waters of Israel as a whole, but during the war period, the navy will place a ship near each platform, which are clear targets for Hezbollah. It is believed that the Lebanese group has the ability to hit any point of the Israeli territorial sea, in fact, despite not having any naval capacity, it is believed that it has long-range missiles, including precision ballistic missiles received from Iran, which can hit the facilities and ships within the exclusive Israeli economic zone. Israel hopes to resolve the dispute diplomatically, but is ready to defend its territorial waters. In the words of the ministers, this means that if Hezbollah were to attack, the response would be faster and more devastating than in the past.

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Lebanese officials and IDF discuss the construction of the border wall

in BUILDINGS/MIDLE EAST/POLITICS by

Lebanese military officials told their Israeli counterparts during a regular tripartite meeting chaired by UN peacekeepers at their UN positions in Ras al-Naqoura, which the wall that the IDF is building along the border between the two countries violate the sovereign territory of Lebanon. There are increasing tensions between the two countries concerning border works, rights challenged to the exploration of natural gas and Israeli warnings that Iran – through its delegate in Lebanon, Hezbollah – is transforming the country into an advanced base for manufacturing missiles and attacking the Jewish state. The construction of the wall has strained tensions, with Hezbollah, which threatens to open fire on Israeli soldiers who build the barrier. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which hosted the meeting, said in a statement that the talks have attracted attention “due to engineering work south of the Blue Line previously announced by the Israeli side”, referring to the line that marked the Israeli withdrawal recognized by the UN from Lebanon in 2000. Neither side wants to return to a period of growing tensions and a violation of the cessation of hostilities; however, both seem intent on maintaining the line taken.

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Military deliveries to Lebanese Army

in DEFENCE/MIDLE EAST by

In the last week, the United States delivered ammunition, grenade launchers and combat vehicles worth over $ 11.7 million to the Lebanese Armed Forces, the US embassy in Beirut said. On February 1, LAF received two hundred MK-19 automatic missile launchers; on February 3, eight new Bradley combat vehicles were delivered, part of a package worth over $ 100 million; today 827 Copperhead ammunitions. The goal is to replenish the LAF stocks used to defeat ISIS in the Fajr al Jouroud operation. “With weapons, equipment and training provided by the United States, the LAF will continue to maintain good fighting capabilities, ensuring that it remains a unifying force at the national level, a bulwark against extremism and terrorism, as well as the sole legitimate defender of the Lebanon”. A phrase with which, indirectly, the Embassy refers to the growing presence of the armed group of Hezbollah.

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PM Abadi wants to reduce U.S.-led Coalition forces in Iraq

in MIDLE EAST/POLITICS by

During a weekly press briefing held in Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has unveiled a governmental plan to gradually reduce the number of forces of the international coalition working under the U.S.-led Coalition in Iraq. Although Iraq still needs the air force of the coalition, Saeed al-Jayyashi, security adviser to the Iraqi government, said that a security commission will be developed to rearrange the international coalition’s mission in Iraq from combat duties to the training and improvement of Iraqi security services. After the Iraqi announcement, Eric Pahon spokesman of the Pentagon said that U.S. troops were only shifting mission from combat to training, without plans for a sharp drawdown of troops. In related news, two Iranian-backed Shiite groups in Iraq have urged total withdrawal of U.S. forces in the country, while Badr organization, one of the biggest armed factions that is close to the government, stressed how the presence of U.S. troops in the country will be a source of instability. The Pentagon had said in December it was keeping nearly 5000 troops in Iraq.

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El-Sisi met the UAE leaders in Abu Dhabi

in AFRICA/POLITICS by

An official statement of the Egyptian presidency said that El-Sisi had a meeting with the Prime Minister, the Vice President, the Crown Prince  of Abu Dabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander  of the UAE in Abu Dhabi. The discussion concerned bilateral relations and ways to boost cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore they discussed about cooperation in counterterrorism between Arab countries. The state news agency of the UAE said that the relations between the two countries are based on strong foundations of consensus. The Egyptian President visited the UAE after his first meeting in Oman  with Sultan Qaboos Bin Said.

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China’s military fires up world first in revolutionary rail gun technology

in ASIA/TECHNOLOGY by

China is believed to be testing the world’s first ship-mounted rail gun, a technology that military experts say has the potential to fire shells with enough force to destroy a warship and precision to shoot down a satellite.
Photographs of a rail gun mounted on a warship docked in Wuhan, Hubei province, have surfaced on Chinese military websites in the last week, indicating the People’s Liberation Army Navy is testing the electromagnetic weapon and has been able to make it more compact. The controversial development comes as China seeks to transform its navy into a blue-water force capable of rivalling the United States and projecting power far from home shores.

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