Síntesis informativa - 22 de noviembre 2018
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Head of Russia’s Military Spy Agency Dies After Illness
MOSCOW — The head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, who oversaw the hacking of the Democratic Party’s computers during the United States’ 2016 presidential election, died on Wednesday after a long illness, Russian state news agencies reported.
Col. Gen. Igor V. Korobov, 63, had not been seen in public for months and was notably absent from a ceremony on Nov. 2 marking the 100th anniversary of the military intelligence agency, known as the G.R.U.
Historically a secretive, little-understood agency, the G.R.U. under General Korobov emerged as Russia’s primary tool of global disruption. Mr. Korobov was sanctioned by the Treasury Department for the release of emails stolen from the Democratic Party in support of Donald Trump’s campaign in 2016.
Erdogan Didn’t Get All He Hoped For in Khashoggi Case, but His Stature Rises
ISTANBUL — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn’t get everything he wanted.
For weeks, the leader of Turkey has been trying to undermine his regional rival, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, with a skillful drip of intelligence leaks linking the prince to a gruesome crime: the killing of a dissident, Jamal Khashoggi.
President Trump’s statement on Tuesday made clear that the United States would stick with its Saudi ally, leaving Mr. Erdogan’s biggest ambition — sidelining his rival and realigning American policy in the Middle East — unfulfilled.
“This is not credible,” Numan Kurtulmus, the deputy chairman of Mr. Erdogan’s political party, told reporters on Tuesday, dismissing Mr. Trump’s explanation — that no one really knew who was responsible for ordering Mr. Khashoggi’s death — as “comic.”
But that does not necessarily mean Mr. Erdogan lost the geopolitical battle over the consequences of the killing.
Trump Administration Quietly Backs Off on Deporting Vietnamese Immigrants
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — The Trump administration has quietly backed away from its determination to deport certain Vietnamese immigrants who have been in the United States for years, a policy that had put the United States at odds with Vietnam and led to the resignation of the American ambassador there last year.
The shift, detailed in a California district court ruling on Oct. 18 and confirmed by an official in the Department of Homeland Security, comes as the White House has put harsh limits on immigration and asylum at the center of its public policy.
Last year, the administration began rounding up long-term immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia and other countries and preparing to deport them. Some of the targeted immigrants had green cards but had not been naturalized as citizens, and the vast majority of them had at some point committed crimes — roughly 7,700 of the 8,000 or so of the Vietnamese immigrants who were classified as deportable, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In Race for Global Power, U.S. and China Push Nations to Pick a Side
WASHINGTON — The escalating brinkmanship between the United States and China as they race to quash each other’s global influence is forcing other nations to pick sides between the two superpowers, putting at risk future cooperation on geopolitical threats and a resolution to the economic standoff.
The rivalry, which has reached a new pitch and scope, is now centered on the trade war that President Trump started this year. But tensions have also sharpened over a broad range of diplomatic and military issues, like Taiwan, the South China Sea and economic sanctions on North Korea and Iran.
Across the globe, the United States and China are jockeying to build alliances or partnerships and shut out the other power. The hard-nosed competition surfaced over the weekend at an Asian economic forum that pitted Vice President Mike Pence against President Xi Jinping of China. The dispute threatens to disrupt the Group of 20 summit meeting that starts Nov. 30 in Argentina.
The United States again vented its frustration on Tuesday, accusing China of continuing to engage in unfair trade practices despite Mr. Trump’s tariffs. “China fundamentally has not altered its acts, policies and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation, and indeed appears to have taken further unreasonable actions in recent months,” the Office of the United States Trade Representative said in a report.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/us/politics/usa-china-trade-war.html
American Troops at Border Won’t Have Guns, Mattis Says
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that American troops stationed at the southwest border would not be armed with guns to confront incoming migrants, despite a White House directive that aims to protect border security officials by pairing them with military forces.
The White House memo seeks to expand the mission of the troops at the border to also include duties such as crowd control and temporary detention. But Mr. Mattis said it left the final decision on what American soldiers and Marines could do — and could not — to the defense secretary.
Mr. Mattis mentioned one possible instance in which troops might act: defending a border agent who was hit by a rock, and detaining the migrant who threw it. But asked whether such a situation might call for the American soldier to be armed, the defense secretary unequivocally said it would not.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/us/politics/troops-migrants-border-force.html
THE GUARDIAN
Climate-heating greenhouse gases at record levels, says UN
“The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3-5m years ago, when the temperature was 2-3C warmer and sea level was 10-20 metres higher than now,” said the WMO secretary general, Petteri Taalas.
What is the current state of the migration crisis in Europe?
Numbers are sharply down from their 2015-16 peak because of a 2016 EU deal with Turkey, new border fences in the Balkans, and a 2017 bilateral arrangement between Italy and Libya, but have begun creeping up again.
The underlying factors that have led to more than 1.8 million migrants coming to Europe since 2014 have not gone away; most observers believe it is only a matter of time before the number of arrivals picks up significantly once more.
Brexit political declaration fails to offer frictionless trade
A leaked 26-page political declaration, to be approved by EU leaders at a Brexit summit on Sunday, paints a picture of the future relationship that differs substantially from the proposals made by the prime minister at Chequers in the summer.
The document does reassert the plan for both sides to “build and improve on the single customs territory” already negotiated in the withdrawal agreement.
First ever plane with no moving parts takes flight
The first ever “solid state” plane, with no moving parts in its propulsion system, has successfully flown for a distance of 60 metres, proving that heavier-than-air flight is possible without jets or propellers.
The flight represents a breakthrough in “ionic wind” technology, which uses a powerful electric field to generate charged nitrogen ions, which are then expelled from the back of the aircraft, generating thrust.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/nov/21/first-ever-plane-with-no-moving-parts-takes-flight
DEUTSCHE WELLE
The Khashoggi case: Arab media omit uncomfortable facts
The murder of Jamal Khashoggi is a topic of hot dispute in Arab media. Two irreconcilable camps stand opposite each other. What separates them is less a question of their ideology than of their financiers.
On Wednesday morning, the Saudi newspaper Al Watan was able to announce to its readership some good news: US President Donald Trump would continue to stand steadfastly by Saudi Arabia.
https://www.dw.com/en/the-khashoggi-case-arab-media-omit-uncomfortable-facts/a-46400506
Russia: GRU military spy chief dies after illness
Russia's military spy chief has died just two years after the death of his predecessor. Igor Korobov faced US sanctions over alleged electoral hacking. Britain saw his GRU agency as the instigator of the Skripal affair.
The Russian Defense Ministry and state news agency TASS announced Thursday that Korobov, 62, had died of a "lengthy and grave illness," a common Russian euphemism for cancer.
https://www.dw.com/en/russia-gru-military-spy-chief-dies-after-illness/a-46403424
Dinamarca suspende venta de armas a Arabia Saudí por Yemen y caso Khashoggi
El Gobierno danés anunció hoy la suspensión de las exportaciones de armas a Arabia Saudí por el asesinato del periodista disidente saudí Jamal Khashoggi y la participación de ese país en la guerra de Yemen.El ministro
de Asuntos Exteriores danés, Anders Samuelsen, aludió este jueves (22.11.2018) en un comunicado a la "nueva situación" creada por esos hechos y resaltó que la medida había sido tomada después de las discusiones mantenidas el pasado lunes en la reunión con sus homólogos de la Unión Europea (UE).
XINHUA
Fuerzas de seguridad egipcias matan a 12 milicianos en Sinaí del Norte
EL CAIRO, 22 nov (Xinhua) -- Las fuerzas armadas y policía de Egipto mataron a 12 milicianos en Sinaí del Norte durante operaciones contra el terrorismo, informó un medio estatal hoy.
"Las fuerzas de seguridad nacional han matado a siete milicianos sumamente peligrosos en la ciudad de Arish de Sinaí del Norte en un tiroteo", dijo el Servicio Estatal de Información en un comunicado.
Otros cinco milicianos murieron en un tiroteo en la carretera de circunvalación cerca de la ciudad de Arish.
http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2018-11/22/c_137624905.htm
Rusia y Bielorrusia expresan preocupación por crecientes tensiones en Eurasia
MINSK, 21 nov (Xinhua) -- Los ministros de Relaciones Exteriores de Bielorrusia y de Rusia expresaron hoy preocupación por las crecientes tensiones en el continente euroasiático.
La intención de Estados Unidos de retirarse del Tratado de Fuerzas Nucleares de Alcance Intermedio y el fortalecimiento de la actividad militar de la Organización del Tratado del Atlántico Norte (OTAN) cerca de las fronteras de Bielorrusia y Rusia, representan desafíos para la seguridad de los dos países, señaló aquí el ministro ruso de Relaciones Exteriores, Sergei Lavrov, en una conferencia de prensa luego de una reunión entre los ministerios de Relaciones Exteriores de los dos países.
http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2018-11/22/c_137622860.htm
Argelia y China construirán proyecto de fosfato
ARGEL, 21 nov (Xinhua) -- Argelia y China emprenderán un megaproyecto de construcción el domingo para la explotación de fosfato, dijo hoy miércoles a Xinhua un experto de la industria.
El primer ministro de Argelia, Ahmed Ouyahia, presentará el megaproyecto, ubicado en la región oriental de Argelia, en la frontera con Túnez.
El proyecto se realizará en asociación entre dos grupos argelinos y dos grupos chinos, dijo el experto.
La participación de China en el megaproyecto está calculada en 49 por ciento, mientras que Argelia tendrá la participación mayoría de 51 por ciento, de acuerdo con la ley de inversiones del país del norte de Africa.
http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2018-11/22/c_137622779.htm
OMC debe recuperar capacidad de resolver disputas: Funcionario chino
GINEBRA, 20 nov (Xinhua) -- Un importante funcionario comercial de China enfatizó hoy que la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) debe recuperar su capacidad de resolver disputas.
Zhang Xiangchen, embajador de China en la OMC, dijo que China estableció un grupo de trabajo de alto nivel para la reforma de la OMC con la Unión Europea (UE).
De acuerdo con el embajador chino, la prioridad ahora es que el órgano recupere su papel de resolución de disputas.
http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2018-11/21/c_137620483.htm
AL JAZEERA
Attack on French firm Foraco's site kills seven people in Niger
Armed men storm Foraco's water well site in Toumour village of Diffa region, killing six staff and one civil servant.
The security source said Thursday's attackers were believed to belong to Nigerian armed group Boko Haram, which is active in the Diffa region near the border with Nigeria.
Marseille-based Foraco is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and says it is the third largest global mineral driller with mining and water projects across 22 countries.
US air strikes target al-Shabab fighters in Somalia
Two new US raids killed six fighters and destroyed a weapons cache near Harardere, the US military says.
The US has now carried out 35 air attacks this year against al-Shabab, Africa's deadliest armed group.
More asylum seekers arrive at border as US expands military power
Migrants and refugees continue long wait in Tijuana as US defence chief given extra authority to use military at border.
Sandra Cuffe. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump declared that asylum claims would only be processed if those making them crossed into the US at official ports of entry.
Separately on Tuesday, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly reportedly signed a memo authorizing military personnel to perform activities deemed "reasonably necessary" to protect US border agents, including "a show or use of force (including lethal force, where necessary), crowd control, temporary detention, and cursory search".
More than 5,000 active duty troops are deployed in border areas. Military officials declared they will be home in time for the December holidays, but Mattis is not ruling out an extension or new missions, he said.
RT
Killers, drinkers & traumatized for life: What it means to be a US drone operator in ‘war on terror’
They sit in rooms resembling hi-tech shipping containers. Joysticks in hand, they spend hours watching grainy screens, displaying people in faraway lands going about their daily lives — and they hold life and death in their hands.They are the men and women who operate the United States’ controversial drone warfare program — and they frequently get it disastrously wrong.
A newly-released report by the Associated Press claims that one third of people killed by US drones in Yemen this year were civilians with no association to terror groups like Al-Qaeda, the intended targets.
https://www.rt.com/usa/444600-us-drone-operators-whistleblowers/
Russian military intelligence GRU chief dies after ‘serious illness’ – MoD
Colonel General Igor Korobov, who led the Russian Military Intelligence Directorate (GRU), died due to health problems, the MoD confirmed. He is the second GRU chief to pass away in two years.
Korobov, 62, died “after a long and serious illness,” the Defense Ministry said on Thursday. He joined the army in the late 1970s and served in the air force before moving to military intelligence. Last year, he was awarded the title ‘Hero of Russia’, the nation’s highest honor.
Washington and some EU politicians accused the GRU of meddling in various elections, carrying out cyberattacks across the globe, as well as poisoning former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, UK – actions Moscow has repeatedly denied doing.
https://www.rt.com/news/444590-russia-gru-head-dead/
Spy plane up close: WATCH Russian surveillance jets perform flawless maneuvers in new video
The video, released by the Ilyushin Aviation Complex on Tuesday, was filmed at an airfield near Ivanovo in central Russia. Heavy transport Il-76 planes, belonging to the nation’s air force, are conducting takeoff and landing maneuvers on the airstrip, while several aircraft can be spotted awaiting their turn in the background.
Able to carry up to 60 tons, Il-76s are extensively used by the military to airlift troops and cargo. They are also deployed in airdrops during various drills.The A-50s are used for spotting enemy targets and coordinating bombers and fighter jets during airstrike missions.
https://www.rt.com/russia/444610-russian-spy-planes-video/
Senators propose change of doctrine so Russia could respond with nukes to any ‘strategic strike’
Russia should be allowed to use its nuclear arsenal in response to a non-nuclear strike with a strategic weapon, Russian senators believe. Their recommendation is to amend Russia’s nuclear posture accordingly. Russian nuclear doctrine was last reviewed in 2014, when the current escalation of tensions with the West was just unfolding.
A suggestion to make the Russian nuclear doctrine more flexible was one of the recommendations backed by the upper chamber of the Russian parliament late on Wednesday.
The senators said the Russian National Security Council should prepare and propose an amendment on the nuclear doctrine, which would allow “taking a decision to retaliate in case of enemy use of hypersonic and other strategic conventional weapons” against Russia, reported RIA Novosti.
https://www.rt.com/russia/444573-russian-nuclear-doctrine-amendment/
AL MAYADEEN
Brasil amenaza con retirarse del Mercosur
21 de noviembre. “O Brasil trata de fortalecer Mercosur (Mercado Común del Sur) y decir lo que quiere o, en un caso extremo, se retira. Pero no debe continuar como está. Es desventajoso para nosotros”, aseguró la designada para ministra de Agricultura de Brasil, Tereza Cristinal, al diario local O Globo.
http://espanol.almayadeen.net/news/Mercosur/278905/brasil-amenaza-con-retirarse-del-mercosur/
Irán y Europa diseñan iniciativas para enfrentar sanciones de EE.UU.
21 de noviembre. El canal de pagos es una iniciativa europea para establecer un vehículo especial para facilitar los pagos vinculados con las exportaciones iraníes, incluido el petróleo, y sus importaciones. De entrar en vigor, el mecanismo puede ayudar a las empresas europeas a comerciar con Irán sin enfrentar las sanciones de EE.UU.
