Síntesis informativa - 29 de mayo 2019
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Bolton Says Iran Is Likely Responsible for Oil Tanker Attacks
John R. Bolton, President Trump’s national security adviser, on Wednesday accused Iran of playing a key role in recent attacks on ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, the latest instance in which he has articulated a more hawkish view than his boss toward Iran.
Ratcheting up his criticism of Tehran, Mr. Bolton tied the attacks this month on four oil vessels at the mouth of the Persian Gulf to “naval mines almost certainly from Iran.”
President Trump withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear accord that world powers struck with Iran and then reimposed broad sanctions, but in his comments to journalists during a visit to the emirates, reported by Reuters and The Associated Press, Mr. Bolton said there was “no reason” for Iran to breach the nuclear deal unless it were actually seeking atomic weapons.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/world/middleeast/iran-bolton-attacks.html
Mexico Charges Former Oil Official With Bribery in Anticorruption Drive
MEXICO CITY — The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico has launched its first major anticorruption prosecution, delivering on a central campaign promise by taking aim at corruption inside the ailing state-owned oil company.
Bribery and tax fraud charges have been filed against Emilio Lozoya Austin, the former head of the state-run oil company, Petróleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, who was a top ally of the former president, Enrique Peña Nieto, officials said Tuesday.
Mr. Lozoya is accused of receiving bribes in connection with the oil company’s purchase of a fertilizer plant, the officials said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/world/americas/mexico-corruption-prosecution-oil-company.html
Huawei Revs Up Its U.S. Lawsuit, With the Media in Mind
SHANGHAI — Huawei is ramping up its legal challenge to American limits on purchases of its equipment, in a sign that it is doubling down on its strategy of fighting the Trump administration through the courts and public opinion rather than through quiet negotiations.
The Chinese telecommunications giant filed a motion on Tuesday in the United States to accelerate its lawsuit against the White House, which it filed in March in a federal court in Texas. The request for summary judgment could expedite an outcome without the costs and time of a full trial, including avoiding handing over sensitive corporate information during the discovery process. It also could give the company a chance to present its arguments publicly in front of a judge in just a few months rather than wait for a trial to unfold.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/business/huawei-us-lawsuit.htm
THE GUARDIAN
Netanyahu's decade-long rule in doubt as coalition talks falter
Benjamin Netanyahu has until midnight to form a new ruling coalition or face the possible end of his decade of leadership of Israel.
As the hours ticked by, there was no sign of a breakthrough in talks with the far-right former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman. Missing the deadline could end the prime minister’s bid to lead the next government, a scenario he intends to avoid by preemptively triggering another election.
Chaos, hope, change: stories from 70 years of the People's Republic of China
This year marks 70 years since Mao Zedong stood in Tiananmen Square in Beijing and declared the beginning of the People’s Republic of China. To the outside world, China’s transformation from a poor agrarian society into one of the world’s most powerful economies is nothing short of miraculous.
Australian navy pilots hit with lasers during South China Sea military exercise
Australian navy helicopter pilots have been hit with laser beams from fishing boats suspected of being part of China’s maritime militia during a recent military exercise in the South China Sea.
La Trobe University’s Euan Graham was among academics invited to observe the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 exercise onboard landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra during its Vietnam to Singapore leg.
Last year there were reports US military pilotswere hit with lasers in the East China Sea more than 20 times.
AL JAZEERA
Bolton says Iranian mines likely used in UAE oil-tanker attacks
US national security adviser also accuses Iran of being behind alleged attack on Saudi oil port of Yanbu on Red Sea.
US National Security Adviser John Bolton said that attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this month were the work of "naval mines almost certainly from Iran", without offering evidence.
Iran has denied involvement in the oil-tanker attacks and has accused the US of fabricating crises in the Gulf.
Trump's national security adviser, a longtime hawk on Iran, is visiting the UAE amid heightened tensions across the Gulf.
New Israeli government or polls: Midnight deadline for Netanyahu
Netanyahu's coalition has to secure support of nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu faction by midnight, or face another vote.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition has to secure the support of Avigdor Lieberman's nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu faction on Wednesday or face an unprecedented second election of the year.
The crisis hinges on Lieberman's demand that current legislation mandating young ultra-Orthodox men be drafted into the military, like most other Jewish males, run its course.
The issue is highly sensitive in Israel and the legislation is opposed by ultra-Orthodox parties, who control 16 seats in parliament and are set to become a key member of Netanyahu's coalition.
'No gun, no smoke': Huawei steps up legal fight against US ban
The Chinese tech giant says a US law banning purchases of its equipment by government agencies is unconstitutional
David Ho.- US President Donald Trump's administration has accused Huawei of stealing trade secrets, fraud and violating US sanctions against Iran. It has banned government agencies from buying Huawei equipment. In a separate move, it has also barred US companies from selling components to Huawei, although that decision has been put on hold until August 19 to give American companies time to adjust.
O'Brien says the US government's motivations are more linked to "trade and geopolitical competitiveness than actual security."
"The fact that this has been brought up as a security issue gives the [US] government lots of leeway. I don't see the judgment coming in Huawei's favour," said O'Brien.
https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/huawei-steps-legal-action-ban-190529034931345.html
Corporate havens spur breakdown of global tax system, says report
Report by Tax Justice Network cites list of OECD countries as responsible for global inability to tax multinationals.
The three jurisdictions that have most contributed to the dissolution of the international taxation regime are the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, all of which are British territories.
In just the top-10 countries, $18 trillion in value - some 40 percent of cross-border direct investment logged by the International Monetary Fund - is being stowed away with corporate tax rates of 3 percent or less.
Tax havens often seek to attract capital by introducing a new loophole or secrecy facility, which can pressure competing jurisdictions in turn to implement their own tax cuts. In general, the biggest beneficiaries of tax incentives across the world are the finance and banking sectors.
The study singles out the UK for being responsible for more than a third of the world's corporate tax avoidance risk, in places where the lowest available tax rates averaged 1.73 percent.
RUSSIA TODAY
Obeying Washington? ‘New’ NATO strategy parrots hawkish US posture
While details of NATO’s new military strategy are still unknown, odds are the alliance is simply falling in line with recent updates to US doctrine and seeking to outgun all potential adversaries, a military expert tells RT.
Citing a “new security situation” as well as “challenges in the east and the south” and a “nuclear threat” from Moscow, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced last week that the alliance has adopted a new military strategy. Details of the document are not yet public.
https://www.rt.com/news/460503-nato-strategy-russia-threat/
US may suspend Turkish pilots from F-35 training program over S-400 deal
Turkish pilots might be excluded from participating in the F-35 training program, in yet another attempt by Washington to force its NATO ally out of the S-400 air defense system deal with Russia, according to a new report.
The US is “seriously considering suspending training for Turkish pilots on advanced F-35 fighter jets,” two anonymous sources told Reuters on Tuesday, without elaborating if the decision was already made.
Currently, four Turkish pilots and 47 military personnel are stationed in Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where they are being taught how to handle the fifth-generation stealth jets. However, Ankara also has its servicemen training in Russia for the use of the S-400 air defense systems, first units of which are scheduled to be delivered to Turkey in the summer.
https://www.rt.com/news/460505-f-35-turkey-pilots-training/
More satellites than stars? SpaceX could ruin night sky as we know it, astronomers worry
A SpaceX launch of 60 highly-reflective satellites has focused astronomers’ concerns on the overpopulation of Earth’s orbit, with thousands of broadband-beaming devices due to launch in coming years, threatening celestial views.
While SpaceX didn’t cause the problem – there are already 2,100 active satellites in Earth’s orbit, according to the Satellite Industry Association – the launch this weekend did crystallize it. Footage shot by a Netherlands astronomer showed the 60 satellites far outshining the stars around them as they climbed toward their eventual position at 550km altitude. SpaceX hopes to one day have 12,000 satellites orbiting the planet, beaming all the high-speed internet humanity could ever want – and it is only one of several companies eyeing the satellite internet sector.
https://www.rt.com/news/460511-satellites-stars-spacex-astronomers/
Iran lashes out at ‘warmonger’ Bolton over ‘ridiculous’ claims about UAE oil tanker attacks
Iran strongly rejected National Security Advisor John Bolton’s claims that it was “almost certainly” behind the May 12 attacks on four oil tankers in UAE waters, calling the unevidenced accusation “ridiculous.”
While Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi mocked the allegations against his country, he noted that it was unsurprising that Bolton would make them at a press conference in the United Arab Emirates, a country who has developed a rivalry with Iran.
https://www.rt.com/news/460541-iran-lashes-out-at-bolton-uae/
Iran shattered US ‘psyops’ and dried up its ‘capacity for war,’ says head of Iran’s Rev Guards
Washington has unsuccessfully exhausted all of its avenues in trying to provoke conflict with Iran and its capacity to wage a successful war has dried up, the leader of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards has said.
“Today, we are a great and invincible power because we have experienced and defeated all of the enemy’s scenarios,”Major General Hossein Salami said, according to Iranian broadcaster Press TV. He added that Tehran had resisted US efforts to destabilize Iran with political and economic measures and this had effectively eliminated Washington’s pretext for military conflict.
https://www.rt.com/news/460531-us-no-capacity-for-war/
Allies granted the blind eye? US silent on Colombian general’s alleged links to civilian killings
While US and Columbia rail against Nicolas Maduro’s “dictatorship” in Venezuela, Washington appears to be unconcerned by new evidence linking Colombia’s top general to scores of civilian killings.
Leaked documents recently obtained by the Associated Press suggest that General Nicacio Martinez Espinel, the head of Colombia’s army, participated in a cover-up of extrajudicial and civilian killings more than a decade ago.
Washington, which has cited alleged human rights abuses as part of its campaign to topple the socialist government of Venezuela, has remained curiously silent about the scandal unfolding in Colombia. Coincidentally, Bogota is a key partner in Washington’s efforts to bring about regime change in Caracas.
https://www.rt.com/news/460534-colombia-us-ally-general-killings/
Russia to show its new heavy drone ‘Hunter’ at major defense expo – MoD
Russia’s cutting edge heavyweight drone ‘Hunter’ (Okhotnik), designed to take down enemy air defenses, will be shown at a major military expo just outside Moscow in June, the military has announced.
The state-of-the-art S-350 Vityaz missile system as well as an array of other mighty war machines will also be on display at the Army-2019 exhibition.
The drone which was under development by the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer since 2011 is expected to become operational this year and is regarded by the Russian military as a top priority.
While the UAV’s technical specifications are a secret, media allege it will have a takeoff weight of some 20-25 tons and operate at a supersonic speed of 1,400 km/h (870mph). Also, the aircraft is likely to possess stealth capabilities and be able to carry surveillance and observation equipment.
https://www.rt.com/russia/460459-russian-hunter-drone-showcase/
Russian space workhorse Proton to retire in 2025 giving way to eco-friendly Angara rockets
It’s an end of an era in space exploration as Russia says its iconic Proton heavy launch vehicles, successfully employed since 1960s, will be totally replaced by modern and eco-friendly Angara-A5 rockets by 2025.
The announcement was made by the head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin. He earlier said that the production of the currently used Proton-M boosters will be ceased in 2020 or 2021, with 20 new rockets to be built until then. The family of Angara launch vehicles had been developed in Russia as a replacement for the Proton and Rokot boosters. Its light and heavy variations – Angara-1.2pp and Angara-A5, respectively, were successfully tested in 2014.
https://www.rt.com/news/460493-proton-angara-space-rogozin/
AL MAYADEEN
Irán dispuesto a firmar Tratado de no Agresión con estados del Golfo
El embajador de Irán en Francia, Bahram Ghasemi, afirmó que su país está listo para firmar un Tratado de no Agresión con los estados del Golfo para generar confianza y eliminar los temores provocados por otras partes.
Por su parte, el primer vicepresidente de la República Islámica de Irán, Ishaq Jahangiri, apuntó que Estados Unidos lamentará inevitablemente si se enfrenta a la nación persa.
Jahangiri pidió a los estadounidenses que regresen al lenguaje de la razón y se mantengan alejados de la presión y salgan a la zona segura.
Primer ministro iraquí emprendería viaje a EE.UU. e Irán
Aunque las fechas de las visitas no están precisas, Abdul-Mahdi dijo que en unos días emprenderá ese periplo con el proyecto de reunirse con las principales figuras políticas de los dos Estados.
El gobierno de Trump reimpuso sanciones a Irán en los sectores bancarios y energéticos, con el objetivo de ahogar la economía de esa nación.
La escalada tomo su puntó máximo, cuando EE.UU. envío a Medio Oriente un grupo de ataque encabezado por el portaaviones USS Abraham Lincoln, varios bombarderos B-52H y el despliegue de un sistema de cohetes Patriot.
Venezuela asume presidencia de la Conferencia de Desarme en la ONU
El diplomático también denunció ante la ONU las consecuencias del bloqueo de Estados Unidos y el sabotaje a la distribución de alimentos en Venezuela mediante el ataque a los Comités Locales de Abastecimiento y Producción (CLAP), que son comités de distribución de alimentos promovidos por el gobierno de Venezuela.
En la reunión Estados Unidos dio la nota discordante al abandonar el foro de desarme en actitud de protesta y aseveró que no participaría en una conferencia encabezada por un "estado deshonesto".
El embajador de Washington, Robert Wood, en línea embajador estadounidense ante la Conferencia de Desarme, "lo que se discute allí, lo que se decida, no tiene absolutamente ninguna legitimidad porque es un régimen ilegítimo que preside ese cuerpo".
