Sintesis informativa - 17 de enero de 2019
THE NEW YORK TIMES
ISIS Attack in Syria Kills 4 Americans, Raising New Worries About Troop Withdrawal
WASHINGTON — Four Americans were among 19 people killed in Syria on Wednesday in a suicide bombing that was claimed by the Islamic State, just weeks after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of United States forces and declared that the extremist group had been defeated.
The attack targeted an American military convoy in the northern city of Manbij while troops were inside the Palace of the Princes, a restaurant where they often stopped to eat during patrols, residents said. While the Americans were inside, a nearby suicide attacker wearing an explosive vest blew himself up.
The bombing raised new questions about Mr. Trump’s surprise decision last month to end the American ground war in Syria. Critics of the president’s plans, including members of his own party, said Mr. Trump’s claim of victory over the Islamic State may have emboldened its fighters and encouraged Wednesday’s strike.
Pence Says U.S. Still Waiting on North Korea for ‘Concrete Steps’ to Denuclearize
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence told American ambassadors on Wednesday that North Korea has failed to take any substantive steps to give up its nuclear weapons, even as President Trump is moving toward a second meeting with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader.
“While the president has started a promising dialogue with Chairman Kim,” Mr. Pence told the gathering at the State Department, “we still await concrete steps by North Korea to dismantle the nuclear weapons that threaten our people and our allies in the region.”
With the unequivocal statement, Mr. Pence seemed to directly contradict the president’s claim on Twitter, after his first summit meeting in June, that “there is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea.” At the time, many of Mr. Trump’s top aides cringed at the declaration, fearing it would take the economic pressure off the North to disarm.
The fear seems well founded: China and Russia have resumed many economic enterprises with North Korea.
Amid the Brexit Chaos, E.U. Sees a ‘Catastrophic Success’
BRUSSELS — Confronted with the ever more chaotic and confusing debate in Britain over Brexit, frustrated European Union officials have decided to sit tight until British democracy can provide some kind of answer to what the country really wants.
It could be a long wait. While leaders of the various Brexit factions in Parliament have agreed to talk, they have given no indication that they are willing to budge from entrenched positions.
And as the debate drags on in Britain — possibly toward an ugly ending — doubts are beginning to creep in about the bloc’s negotiating stance.
A $100 Million Bribe to the President? Mexicans Shrug
MEXICO CITY — The allegation landed like a bombshell in the United States: One of the world’s biggest drug kingpins had paid a $100 million bribe to the former president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto.
Yet in Mexico, the claim — made on Tuesday in a Brooklyn courtroom by a former ally of the drug lord, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, known as El Chapo — was met with barely a shrug.
The news did not lead any of Mexico’s major daily newspapers on Wednesday. Nobody raised the issue at the morning news conference of the current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, usually a daily billboard of the nation’s most pressing political issues.
Mexicans were far more concerned with quotidian matters, such as whether they would be able to refuel their cars — a gas crisis has crippled supplies around the country — and whether the new government would get the votes it needs to create a new national security apparatus, part of its plan to curb violence.
Facebook Identifies Russia-Linked Misinformation Campaign
LONDON — Facebook said on Thursday that it had identified two disinformation campaigns originating from Russia — including one tied to an agency controlled by the Kremlin — that were targeted at users in Europe and Central Asia. The company said it deleted nearly 500 pages and accounts that had posted the misleading messages.
Facebook said one of the efforts misrepresented itself using independent news pages on topics like weather, travel and sports. The pages were discovered to be linked to employees at Sputnik, an agency controlled by the Russian government that was established to spread news and information sympathetic to Russia.
Philippines Should Take Over Shipyard to Keep It From Chinese, Officials Say
MANILA — The Philippine government should take control of the country’s largest shipyard, the defense secretary said on Thursday, after officials raised concerns that Chinese companies seeking to take it over would act as agents of Beijing, projecting China’s power deeper into the region.
Among the foreign companies expressing interest in the sprawling shipyard on Subic Bay are two Chinese firms, one of which is state-owned, according to Philippine officials. They have voiced fears that a Chinese takeover of the yard would give a strategic foothold to China, which is expanding its economic and military presence in the region and has seized islands in the South China Sea that are claimed by the Philippines, among others.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he had raised the issue of the shipyard in a meeting on Wednesday with President Rodrigo Duterte, who has tried to improve relations with Beijing, worrying American policymakers who have long seen the Philippines as a strategic check on China. Also in the meeting were Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and the country’s economic managers.
THE GUARDIAN
US to begin nuclear treaty pullout next month after Russia missile talks fail
The US has rejected Moscow’s offer to inspect a new Russian missile suspected of violating a key cold-war era nuclear-weapons treaty, and warned that it would suspend observance of the agreement on 2 February, giving six-month notice of a complete withdrawal.
Donald Trump took US allies by surprise when he announced his intention to leave the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty in October. The agreement led to the destruction of thousands of US and Soviet weapons, and has kept nuclear missiles out of Europe for three decades.
The under-secretary of state for arms control and international security, Andrea Thompson said that if Russia did not show willingness to comply with the treaty by the deadline, the US would suspend its own obligations, meaning that the US defense department could start research and development on missiles with ranges currently banned by the INF, from 500 to 5,500km.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/16/us-russia-inf-treaty-nuclear-missile
China accuses US of suppressing its high-tech companies
China has accused the US of trying to suppress its tech companies, as US prosecutors reportedly investigate allegations that Huawei stole trade secrets from US businesses.
Adding to pressure on the Chinese telecoms firm, US lawmakers have proposed a ban on selling US chips or components to the company. Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the foreign affairs ministry of China wrote on twitter: “By escalating its crackdown on Huawei, the US sets a bad precedent of applying McCarthyism in high-tech fields. It deprives a high-tech company of the rights to stay away from politics, focus on technology and market. It is imposing a political label on a Chinese company,”.
Latest migrant caravan marches on as Trump again demands border wall
Hundreds of Central American migrants have continued their march towards the United States, crossing from Honduras into Guatemala, as Donald Trump again demanded the construction of a border wall he claims would keep such groups out.
The latest “migrant caravan” set off from the notoriously violent Honduran city of San Pedro Sula at the start of this week and is expected enter southern Mexico this weekend before heading north to the United States.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/16/migrant-caravan-honduras-march-trump-wall
Brazil environment chief accused of 'war on NGOs' as partnerships paused
Brazil’s new environment minister, Ricardo Salles, has suspended all partnerships and agreements with non-governmental organizations for 90 days, in a move that was described as “a war against NGOs”.
Salles, appointed by the far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, and hand-picked by the agro-business caucus, has previously described global warming as a “secondary issue” and dismissed fines for environmental crimes as “ideological”.
Apple chief calls for laws to tackle 'shadow economy' of data firms
Apple’s chief executive has called for regulation to tackle the “shadow economy” of data brokers – intermediaries who trade in the personal information of largely unsuspecting consumers – as the company continues its push to be seen as supportive of privacy.
Tim Cook has called for “comprehensive federal privacy legislation” in the US to establish a registry of data brokers, which would enable consumers to check what data of theirs was being sold, and to then easily remove from that market anything they wanted, “on demand, freely, easily and online, once and for all”.
The largest data brokers, companies such as Acxiom, Experian, Oracle and Criteo, have already come under scrutiny in Europe, after the campaign group Privacy International filed a series of complaints in November asking regulators to investigate whether the basis of their businesses fell foul of GDPR, the European privacy regulation.
DEUTSCHE WELLE
Al menos 8 muertos por carro bomba en Escuela de la Policía en Bogotá
Las autoridades colombianas aún desconocen los responsables del atentado.
Al menos ocho personas murieron hoy (17.01.2019) y diez más resultaron heridas por la detonación de un carro bomba en un estacionamiento de la Escuela General Santander en Bogotá, capital de Colombia.
El alcalde de Bogotá, Enrique Peñalosa, había confirmado a periodistas que al menos cinco personas murieron por la explosión "de un carro bomba", que dejó además una decena de heridos, en el sur de la capital. Posteriormente, el ministro de Defensa de Colombia aseguró que ocho murieron por la explosión.
Responsable de Inteligencia norcoreano llega a Pekín de camino a Washington
El responsable de la inteligencia norcoreana, Kim Yong-chol, llegó hoy al aeropuerto de Pekín Capital para seguir hacia Washington, donde espera concretar segunda cumbre entre los mandatarios de Corea del Norte y EE. UU.
Eso informa este jueves (17.01.2019) la agencia surcoreana de noticias Yonhap desde la capital china. Aunque ni Pionyang ni Washington lo han confirmado, medios surcoreanos y estadounidenses han adelantado que Kim teiene previsto reunirse con el secretario de Estado, Mike Pompeo, y el propio presidente de EE. UU., Donald Trump, para tratar de fijar una nueva cumbre con el líder norcoreano, Kim Jong-un.
En Pekín, Kim adquirió un billete para el vuelo 808 de United Airlines que despega a las 18.25 hora local (10.15 GMT) y viajará junto a otros dos oficiales.
Un grupo de militares venezolanos exiliados en Perú se pone a las órdenes de Guaidó
Leyeron un comunicado por televisión en el que animaron a otros uniformados a seguir su ejemplo y renegar del Gobierno de Nicolás Maduro.
El grupo, del que actuó como portavoz el primer teniente José Hidalgo Azuaje, conocido por haberse fugado de la cárcel militar de Ramo Verde, se puso a las órdenes del presidente de la Asamblea Juan Guaidó y animó al resto de los militares del país a seguir su ejemplo. Al grito de "¡muera la tiranía, viva la libertad!", el comunicado acababa apelando a Guaidó: "ordene, mi comandante en jefe".
XINHUA
Putin discutirá sobre Siria con Erdogan y participará en cumbre Rusia-Turquía-Irán: Kremlin
MOSCU, 16 ene (Xinhua) -- El presidente de Rusia, Vladimir Putin, discutirá este mes la situación en Siria con su homólogo turco, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, y posteriormente participará en una cumbre trilateral con Erdogan y el presidente iraní, Hassan Rouhani, informó hoy el Kremlin.
Putin sostendrá conversaciones con Erdogan sobre Siria en Moscú el 23 de enero mientras Estados Unidos podría retirar a sus tropas del país devastado por la guerra, señaló a los reporteros el asesor presidencial ruso, Yuri Ushakov.
Putin y Erdogan también discutirán el establecimiento del comité constitucional sirio conformado por representantes del Gobierno y de la oposición, dijo Ushakov.
http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2019-01/17/c_137749676.htm
China y Egipto acuerdan promover cooperación pragmática en todos los campos
EL CAIRO, 16 ene (Xinhua) -- El representante especial del presidente chino Xi Jinping, Yang Jiechi, y el presidente egipcio, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, acordaron el miércoles promover la cooperación pragmática entre los dos países en todos los campos.
China y Egipto han hecho enormes avances en el desarrollo de su asociación estratégica integral durante los años bajo el liderazgo de los presidentes de los dos países, dijo Yang.
Yang, también miembro del Buró Político del Comité Central del Partido Comunista de China (PCCh) y director de la Oficina de la Comisión de Asuntos Exteriores del Comité Central del PCCh, dijo que su visita a Egipto pretende implementar los importantes consensos alcanzados por los presidentes de ambos países.
Expresó la esperanza de que las dos partes mantengan el buen momento de los intercambios de alto nivel, continúen fortaleciendo la confianza política mutua y se apoyen mutuamente en temas relacionados con sus intereses centrales y de preocupación mutua.
En el marco de la Iniciativa de la Franja y la Ruta, las dos partes deben aprovechar plataformas tan importantes como el mecanismo de cooperación de capacidad de producción entre China y Egipto para promover la cooperación pragmática en todos los campos en beneficio de los dos pueblos, agregó.
http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2019-01/17/c_137751290.htm
Rusia y China disfrutan de desarrollo progresivo de relaciones en todas las áreas, dice Lavrov
MOSCU, 16 ene (Xinhua) -- Rusia y China disfrutan de un "desarrollo progresivo muy confiable de las relaciones en todas las áreas", dijo hoy miércoles el ministro ruso de Relaciones Exteriores, Sergei Lavrov.
Los dos países alcanzaron un volumen de comercio récord en 2018 pero no es un límite porque Rusia y China tienen planes ambiciosos discutidos por el presidente Vladimir Putin y por el presidente Xi Jinping en diversas reuniones, declaró Lavrov en su conferencia de prensa anual.
De acuerdo con la autoridad aduanera de China, el volumen de comercio entre China y Rusia se incrementó en 27,1 por ciento a una altura récord de 107.060 millones de dólares el año pasado.
Los dos gobiernos han identificado cerca de 70 proyectos por un valor de más de 100.000 millones de dólares en diversas áreas, incluyendo energía nuclear, agricultura, transporte y cooperación espacial, dijo Lavrov.
http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2019-01/16/c_137749513.htm
AL JAZEERA
May searching for Brexit 'plan B' by reaching out to opposition
Brexit date is hurtling closer while Labour and Conservative politicians play out a domestic political drama.
European Union countries are also debating on how to move forward now that the UK Parliament has rejected May's Brexit deal with the bloc and with the March 29 exit date looming.
May invited opposition leaders for talks about how best to avoid leaving the EU without an agreement. But Corbyn has so far declined to meet with May unless she takes the "no-deal" possibility off the table.
If May fails to forge consensus, the world's fifth largest economy will drop out of the EU on March 29 without a deal or will be forced to halt Brexit, possibly holding a national election or even another referendum.
Car bomb at Colombia police academy kills five: official
Bogota mayor says 10 others injured after a car bomb exploded at a police academy in the country's capital.
Mexico's crime-fighting national guard wins lower house approval
President Lopez Obrador's plan to create a 60,000-member force to fight violent crimes approved by legislators.
Critics of the new guard fear it could further militarise crime fighting and lead to human rights abuses. Even some reluctant backers of the bill called for changes that would place limits on the force and eliminate protections against prosecutions if members commit crimes against civilians.
Flore-Marci's research insists that the military is ill-suited for police task since it relies on weapons and tactics that destroy the targeted enemy rather than de-escalate threats to citizen's security.
Qatar-Turkey trade surges to $2bn amid Gulf tensions
Ankara has emerged as one of Doha's most important trade partners since Saudi-led blockade was imposed in June 2017.
The blockading quartet - including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain - accused Doha of supporting terrorism and siding with Iran, accusations Qatar has categorically denied.
US rejects Russia's offer to save key missile treaty
Washington is set to withdraw from the 1987 accord that keeps nuclear missiles out of Europe in February as talks fail.
The US and its NATO allies want Russia to destroy its 9M729 nuclear-capable cruise missile system, which Washington says could allow Russia to strike Europe at short notice, and comply with the INF.
Meanwhile, Trump is due to visit the Pentagon on Thursday to unveil a comprehensive review of the country's anti-missile systems, officials said.
In an executive summary of the review provided to Pentagon reporters, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) highlighted areas of concern. Top among these is the push by China and Russia to develop hypersonic missiles.
RT
United States considers hitting Venezuela with oil embargo
The White House National Security Council has told some US refiners that sanctions on Venezuelan crude exports are under consideration, S&P Global Platts reported, citing sources familiar with the issue.
Two years ago, the US imposed sanctions prohibiting trading new debt and equity issued by the Venezuelan government and state oil company, PDVSA. The Department of Treasury has also introduced several rounds of restrictions against Venezuelan top government officials. Maduro was among those blacklisted and called it “an honor.”
https://www.rt.com/business/449011-venezuela-oil-exports-sanctions/
‘Radicalized’ man planned to storm White House with BAZOOKA, FBI says
FBI agents captured a young man who allegedly became radicalized and planned to wage jihad by blasting a hole in the White House with a portable anti-tank weapon and massacring everyone inside.
Hasher Jallal Taheb, 21, from the Atlanta suburb of Cumming, Georgia, was arrested during an FBI sting on Wednesday. The man was charged with intent to attack the White House and a number of iconic landmarks in Washington, DC, US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Byung Jin Pak told reporters. The suspect caught the FBI’s attention in March after the agency was tipped off that he became “radicalized.” In August, Taheb put his vehicle up for sale, and an agent came into contact with him acting as a prospective buyer.
https://www.rt.com/usa/448991-white-house-explosives-sting/
Russian MiG-31 jets ‘fight’ in stratosphere at supersonic speeds (VIDEO)
A pair of Russian MiG-31 fighter jets engaged in a very high-speed chase – supersonic, actually – to intercept an “intruder” violating airspace, a newly released video of stratosphere drills shows.The exercise took place in the central Russian region of Perm, the Central Military District’s press service said Thursday. The fighter unit is equipped with MiG-31BMs – the latest variant of the iconic long-range fighter jets.
The MiG-31 has been in service since the 1980s, and it has received several upgrades over the years. The MiG-31BM variant has an upgraded radar and fire control systems, which significantly boosts the plane’s capability to detect and track hostile aircraft.The plane can carry a large variety of weapons ranging from anti-air missiles to guided bombs. Last year, the MiG-31 got the latest addition to its arsenal, becoming a carrier of the cutting-edge hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.
https://www.rt.com/russia/449012-russian-mig-31-fight/
AL MAYADEN
Cuba denuncia nuevos pasos de EE.UU. para recrudecer el bloqueo
Cuba denunció nuevas amenazas de Estados Unidos de recrudecer su bloqueo económico, comercial y financiero, tras la decisión de suspender por sólo 45 días la aplicación del título III de la Ley Helms-Burton, reportó Prensa Latina.
La víspera, el Departamento de Estado anunció la suspensión por 45 días del citado título de la ley que entró en vigor en 1996, el cual establece la autorización a nacionales estadounidenses a presentar ante tribunales del país norteño demandas contra todo extranjero que 'trafique' con propiedades estadounidenses que fueron nacionalizadas en Cuba en la década de 1960.
Defensa iraquí: No existen bases estadounidenses en Irak
Las Fuerzas de Movilización Popular (FMP) anunciaron levantar el estado de alerta y preparación en la frontera entre Irak y Siria después de un ataque perpetrado por Daesh contra las localidades de Hajin y Sousa, en el este de la nación levantina.
Canciller de Venezuela acusa a Mike Pompeo de promover abiertamente un golpe de Estado contra su país
De acuerdo con el jefe de la Diplomacia venezolana, Pompeo citó los artículos 233, 333 y 350 de la Carta Magna venezolana, que fueron utilizados por los parlamentarios opositores para justificar la autoproclamación del jefe de la AN, Juan Guaidó, como "presidente encargado", acción que tampoco está contemplada en el marco legal del país latinoamericano.
