Die Erde rumpelt und bebt seit ihrer Entstehung ohne Unterlass.
Daily Archives: 6. Januar 2016
Saudi-Iranian spat: Another skirmish in the oil war
Saudi Arabia is a beheading paradise. But this PR nightmare is the least of all problems in an oil crisis. Once again, the heart of the matter is – what else – black gold. So far, the House of Saud’s whole energy strategy has boiled down to shaving off its oil production no matter what it takes, even issuing bonds to cover its massive deficits.
Now the strategy has been moved one step ahead via a flagrant provocation: the execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
The House of Saud believes that by stoking the flames of a Riyadh-Tehran confrontation it may raise the fear factor in the oil supply sphere, leading to higher oil prices (which it needs), while maintaining the Holy Wahhabi Grail of keeping imminent Iranian oil off the market.
50+ companies being investigated or punished for Indonesia’s haze crisis
The Indonesian government only released the initials of the companies, but The Straits Times noted three Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) suppliers — Mega Alam Sentosa, Bumi Mekar Hijau (BMH) and Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industry (SWI) — as being on the list. BMH and SWI operate in South Sumatra, where the worst of the burning occurred. APP said it suspended contracts with the two South Sumatra companies last month.
The Indonesian government earlier revoked the licenses of PT Tempirai Palm Resources, PT Waringin Agro Jaya and PT Langgam Inti Hibrindo for fires.
Korea: U.S.-Oberkommando bis Mitte der 2020er
Dez. 2014 Im Falle eines Kriegsausbruchs übernimmt ein U.S.-General den Befehl und das operative Kommando (OPCON) über beide Armeen. Das Hauptquartier dieses Combined Forces Command (CFC) befindet sich in der Yongsan-Garnison in Seoul. Zusätzliche Armee-Einheiten des U.S. Pacific Command können hinzugezogen werden.
Pentagon chief, South Korean counterpart huddle over nuclear test
The U.S. has almost 30,000 troops in South Korea enforcing the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea established following a ceasefire between the two sides after the Korean War.
Obama Wants to Hire Hundreds More FBI, ATF Staff
The White House said the new hiring “will begin immediately and increase the existing workforce by 50 percent,”
Ivory Coast government resigns: official statement
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Expert: US invited Azerbaijan to nuke summit as region’s leading country
The invitation for President Ilham Aliyev to attend the 4th Nuclear Security Summit in Washington is a manifestation of the US attitude to Azerbaijan as a leading country in the Caucasus, which pursues its own independent policy, Elkhan Alasgarov, PhD, head of the Baku Network
Iran, Germany’s Siemens sign co-op document
Despite growing tensions over the nation‘s diplomatic relations with Iran, oil-rich Saudi …
German Companies, Desert Dreams
The Saudis are ideal partners for Lanxess. Saudi Aramco is the world’s biggest oil producer and can provide its German partner with cheap access to petroleum, from which rubber is made, to produce car tires, for example.
The German company and the Saudis will remain equal partners in the rubber joint venture for five years – a business generating €3.1 billion. After that, all options are open.
North Korea nuclear H-bomb claims met by scepticism
But nuclear experts have questioned whether the size of the blast was large enough to have been from an H-bomb.
Iranians Laugh At Djibouti After Reports Of Severed Tehran Ties
As a growing list of countries cut and downgrade relations with Tehran, Iranians turn to humor to deal with it
‚To cut diplomatic ties, press 9‘ – and other Iranian jokes about tension with Saudi
When Djibouti cut ties with Iran, many Iranians joked that they didn‘t know much about the country.
„One good thing that the snapping of ties with Saudi Arabia taught me is geography. At least now I know where Djibouti is“, a joke on Telegram reads.
Djibouti cuts ties with Iran: government
Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf has “severed diplomatic ties with Iran,” a government statement read.
Blutiges Bündnis (II)
Für die Bundesrepublik markieren die beiden Besuche von Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder im Oktober 2003 und im Februar 2005 in Riad die entsprechende Neuorientierung der Mittelostpolitik. „Auch Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel und ihre jeweiligen Außenminister besuchten die Golfstaaten sehr viel häufiger als ihre Vorgänger in den 1980er und 1990er Jahren“, bilanziert der Mittelost-Experte Guido Steinberg von der Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP).[2] Zu den Hintergründen haben sich Berliner Politiker und Regierungsberater immer wieder geäußert. „Riad wie Berlin wollen verhindern, dass Teheran die Fähigkeit erlangt, Nuklearwaffen zu bauen, und seinen Einfluss im Irak, im Libanon und in den palästinensischen Gebieten weiter ausbaut“, schrieb Steinberg Ende 2008; Saudi-Arabien „gilt der westlichen Politik und Öffentlichkeit nun als unverzichtbarer Verbündeter und als Führungsmacht in einer anti-iranischen Allianz“.[3] „Das Land ist ein Gegenspieler Irans und entscheidend dafür, den Dominanzanspruch Irans auszubalancieren“ [4], ließ sich 2012 der damals für Außenpolitik zuständige stellvertretende Vorsitzende der CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion, Andreas Schockenhoff, zitieren. Noch zu Beginn dieser Woche erklärte SWP-Experte Steinberg erneut, die USA, aber auch Deutschland benötigten „die Hilfe der Saudis“ zur „Eindämmung Irans“.[5]
Report: Kim Jong Un may visit China
(4.1.2016) Kim Jong Un could soon be making his first official visit abroad — to China — if negotiations between Beijing and Pyongyang in January produce a favorable outcome.
China‘s Song Tao, who heads the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party, could be setting out to North Korea soon, the Tokyo Shimbun reported Monday.
China says ‚no information‘ on media report that key official may visit N. Korea
(4.1.2016) North Korea and China have been in consultations over a possible visit by Song Tao, head of the Chinese Communist Party‘s international department, to Pyongyang, according to the report by the Tokyo Shimbun.
When asked about the media report, China‘s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying replied, „I have no information to offer.“ Hua didn‘t elaborate further.
(URGENT) Park: S. Korea must make N. Korea pay a price for H-bomb test
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Nordkorea meldet erfolgreichen Test einer Wasserstoffbombe
Nordkorea gibt den erfolgreichen Test einer Wasserstoffbombe bekannt. Nach einem Erdbeben in Nordkorea wurde spekuliert, ob das Land einen weiteren, vierten, Test durchgeführt hat. Der japanische Premierminister verurteilte den Test scharf.
(URGENT) N. Korea announces that it has conducted H-bomb test
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(URGENT) 4.9-magnitude quake hits N. Korea: report
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N. Korea may be readying for thermonuclear weapon tests: S. Korean military
(3.1.2015) In its report, the South‘s Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) Defense Command said the North has already laid the groundwork to develop thermonuclear weapons and may already be producing tritium, a radioactive isotope necessary to build more sophisticated nuclear weapons.
„We can‘t discount the possibility that the North‘s excavation of a new tunnel at its Punggye-ri test site could be designed for thermonuclear weapons tests,“ said the command, under the direct control of the Defense Ministry. „Considering its research of nuclear technology, its history of underground and projectile tests, and elapsed time since its nuclear development, North Korea has the foundation for thermonuclear weapons.“
Ruling, opposition welcome N. Korea‘s New Year‘s message
(1.1.2016) South and North Korea have sought to mend their strained ties this year following an inter-Korean deal on Aug. 25 to defuse military tension.
The spokesman added although the two Koreas held reunion events of the separated families in October, there was no significant progress in the inter-Korean dialogues, adding Pyongyang should be more active in building trust between the two countries.
Strategic Access
U.S. European Command’s mission is to maintain Ready Forces to conduct a full range of operations. Forces are assigned to, trained and equipped by service-specific headquarters or joint and multinational trainers when participating in joint operations or joint exercises.
U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR), U.S. Marine Forces Europe (MARFOREUR), U.S. Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR), U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), and Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) provide the forces for all military-to-military engagements with partner nations, provide a deterrence function in the region, and serve as deployable units for contingency operations.
Rechtsextreme Tendenzen: SPD will AfD vom Verfassungsschutz beobachten lassen
Die SPD-Bundestagsfraktion spricht sich für die Beobachtung von Teilen der AfD und Pegida aus. Es müssten „künftig auch die gefährlichen rechtsextremen Tendenzen in der Partei AfD und Gruppen wie Pegida vom Verfassungsschutz beobachtet werden“, heißt es in einem Positionspapier der Fraktion, das SPIEGEL ONLINE vorliegt.
Dunford Arrives in Germany to Meet With U.S. Commanders
STUTTGART, Germany, January 4, 2016 — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff arrived here yesterday for meetings with U.S. commanders.
Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. has scheduled meetings today with Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez, the commander of U.S. Africa Command, and Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, the commander of U.S. European Command. Both commands are headquartered here.
Dunford Meets with AFRICOM and EUCOM Commanders
U.S. Africa Command, according to its website, works in concert with interagency and international partners to build defense capabilities, respond to crisis, and deter and defeat transnational threats in order to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity. The command is headquartered at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart-Moehringen, Germany.
Washington cautiously optimistic about Turkish-Israeli negotiations
U.S. State Department spokesperson John Kirby, last month, welcomed the negotiations between „two key American allies in the region.“ But both the White House and the State Department refused to comment further on the details.
Top US, Turkish Military Chiefs to Hold Talks Tuesday
(4.1.2016) Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford will arrive to Turkey on December 5, to meet Chief of the Turkish General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, local media reported Monday.
Turkey, France discuss foreign interventions in Syria, Libya conflicts
Earlier on Tuesday, the French Defense Minister had met with Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces Akar Hulusi.
French defense minister meets with Turkish officials
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has met with his Turkish counterpart, İsmet Yılmaz, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar in Ankara to discuss the fight against terrorism in the Middle East.
Le Drian spoke with Yılmaz and Akar separately in meetings closed to the press. The French minister also met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after Today‘s Zaman went to press.
Dutch government backs strong encryption, condemns backdoors
The Dutch executive cabinet endorsed “the importance of strong encryption for Internet security to support the protection of privacy for citizens, companies, the government, and the entire Dutch economy,” Ard van der Steur, the Dutch minister of security and justice, wrote in the statement. “Therefore, the government believes that it is currently not desirable to take legal measures against the development, availability and use of encryption within the Netherlands.”
Just 10% of Greece’s 1million Jobless receives “unemployment allowance”
Only ten percent of Greece’s unemployed receives the unemployment allowance of 360 euro per month. According to Greek Employment Agency (OAED) governor Maria Karamesini, there are currently 1,050,000 registered as ‘unemployed’ and only 10% of them – that is 100,000 people – receive the small aid.
Unemployment allowance is given for the maximum period of one year once in working lifetime and independently of whether people have worked 10 or 30 years.