Síntesis informativa - 28 de agosto 2019
THE GUARDIAN
Russia pushing 'unsuitable' nuclear power in Africa, critics claim
Russia is attempting to gain influence in Africa and earn billions of pounds by selling developing nations nuclear technology that critics say is unsuitable and unlikely to benefit the continent’s poorest people.
Representatives of Rosatom, the Russian state corporation responsible for both the military and civil use of nuclear energy, have approached the leaders of dozens of African countries in the past two years.
The company, which is building a $29bn reactor for Egypt, has concluded agreements with Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa and others.
Jair Bolsonaro demands Macron withdraw 'insults' over Amazon fires
Brazil’s far-right president and his backers have escalated their row over the Amazon with Emmanuel Macron, attacking the French president’s “lamentable colonialist stance” as fires continued to rage in the world’s biggest rainforest.
As Brazil said it would reject a $20m (£16m) G7 contribution to fight the fires, Jair Bolsonaro spurned Macron’s criticism of his environmental record and flaunted Donald Trump’s support for his far-right administration.
North Korea's new warheads could penetrate missile shield, says Japan
Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Tuesday Japan believed the rockets were a new short-range ballistic missile, pointing to their irregular trajectories, which theoretically could outsmart existing defence systems.
Recent short-range missile tests by Pyongyang have stoked alarm in neighbouring Japan even as US president Donald Trump has dismissed the launches as unimportant.
The United Nations security council discussed North Korea’s actions in a private session on Tuesday at the request of Germany, France and Britain. The three countries condemned Pyongyang’s “repeated provocative launches” as violations of security council resolutions.
Mattis details differences with Trump over Nato allies and torture in new book
The book, Call Sign Chaos, will be published next week. The Guardian obtained a copy. In it, Mattis avoids direct criticism of his former boss but offers some pointed comments that will probably be seized on by opponents of the president.
“I figured that my strong support of Nato and my dismissal of the use of torture on prisoners would have the president-elect looking for another candidate.”
Trump had voiced support for torture during the 2016 campaign, suggesting he might order the military to break the law on interrogation tactics, including using waterboarding.
He said: “Don’t tell me it doesn’t work – torture works.”
The pair also disagreed over Nato, which Trump described as “obsolete”, the Iran nuclear deal, negotiations with North Korea and the creation of a space force. Mattis’ sudden resignation last December came after Trump moved to withdraw all US troops from Syria.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/28/james-mattis-call-sign-chaos-trump-memoir-book
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AL JAZEERA
Johnson plan to suspend UK parliament sparks anger
The queen will have to back the prime minister’s plan to shut down the timetable for blocking a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
On Tuesday, six opposition parties came together to pledge unified legislative action to block a no-deal Brexit, likely by forcing through a new law to delay the Brexit date. Many economists, politicians and experts agree this would be disastrous for the UK economy.
Parliament is normally suspended for a brief period in the autumn, during which political parties hold their main conferences. When they return, a new session is formally opened amid great pomp and ceremony with “the Queen’s speech” announcing the government’s new legislative agenda for the coming year.
But the plan suggested on Wednesday would involve delaying MPs’ return after conference season until October 14, ensuring no parliamentary time could be dedicated to avoiding Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal. There is a European Council meeting, dedicated to Brexit, on October 17 and 18.
Brazil blazes: Foreign aid welcome – but with conditions
Brazil will now accept international assistance but only if it determines how it is spent, government spokesman says.
Brazil said it will now accept millions of dollars in international aid to help fight fires blazing through the Amazon rainforest – but only if it can determine how it’s spent.
The comments by presidential spokesman Rego Barros on Tuesday came after governors of states in the Brazilian Amazon told President Jair Bolsonaro they needed assistance to help fight the record wildfires scorching the world’s largest tropical rainforest.
Brazil’s president is finding himself increasingly isolated on the global stage over his response to the Amazonian blazes, which threaten what many view as a key bulwark against the climate emergency.
His far-right government’s response could threaten Brazil’s trade deals and powerful agribusiness sector, which is a crucial driver of its recession-plagued economy.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/brazil-blazes-foreign-aid-conditions-190828063015181.html
China denies Qingdao port visit for US warship amid tensions
Beijing’s decision marks at least the second time it has denied a request by the United States this month.
This marks at least the second time China has denied a request by the United States this month, having earlier rejected a request for two US Navy ships to visit Hong Kong, as the political crisis in the former British colony deepened.
Earlier this month, China denied a request by the US Navy transport dock ship Green Bay and guided-missile cruiser Lake Erie to visit Hong Kong.
The proposed visit would have taken place at a time when anti-government protests in Hong Kong are posing the biggest challenge China’s Communist Party rulers since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.
China’s 2019 defence spending will rise 7.5 percent from 2018, according to a budget report issued earlier this year, and its military build-up has raised concerns among neighbours and Western allies, particularly as Beijing has become more assertive in territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas and over Taiwan, a self-ruled territory Beijing claims as its own.
Putin, Erdogan hail close defence ties as Idlib divisions remain
Turkish president condemns Syrian army offensive as Russian leader urges ‘terrorist attacks’ in rebel-held Idlib to end.
The leaders of Russia and Turkey have held discussions about a possible expansion of defence industry cooperation, even as differences appeared to remain over the situation in northwestern Syria, where a Moscow-backed government offensive has been going on since late April.
In another move that could further strain ties with NATO ally the United States, Turkey took delivery on Tuesday of a second batch of Russian S-400 air defence equipment.
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AL MAYADEEN
El Líbano confirma su legítimo derecho a la defensa
El Gobierno de El Líbano denunció los recientes ataques aéreos israelíes contra objetivos en su territorio libanés y sostiene su legítimo derecho a la defensa.
Al-Asmar, en un comunicado, se hizo eco de las decisiones adoptadas durante una sesión urgente convocada y dirigida por presidente Michel Aoun, en la que también participó el primer ministro, Saad Hariri, y los jefes de las agencias de seguridad.
La reunión se celebró un día después de que varios aviones no tripulados israelíes (drones) violaran el espacio aéreo del país árabe para bombardear varios blancos en la ciudad de Zahlé, capital de la provincia de Al-Baqaa, fronteriza con Siria.
El mismo martes, el premier libanés se reunió con diplomáticos de EE.UU., el Reino Unido, Francia, China y Francia, a quienes adelantó que Beirut presentará una queja ante la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas (AGNU) y llamó a los integrantes del Consejo de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas (CSNU) al consenso para preservar la seguridad y estabilidad en El Líbano y en la región.
EE.UU. impulsa a Riad a sostener conversaciones directas con el movimiento yemenita Ansar Allah
El gobierno de Estados Unidos está incitando a Arabia Saudita a participar en conversaciones secretas en Omán con líderes del movimiento Ansar Allah para negociar un alto el fuego en Yemen, informó The Wall Street Journal, citando a personas familiarizadas con los planes.
Hizbullah responderá de manera sorpresiva a cualquier agresión israelí
El responsable de Hizbullah también alabó la posición adoptada por el Gobierno libanés respecto a los ataques israelíes, e hizo hincapié en que el país no esperaría una reacción del Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas (CSNU) para defender su soberanía.
