Global Developments and Analysis: Weekly Monitor, 06 December - 12 December 2021

Economic

G7 fires warning shots over China’s ‘coercive economic policies’ and Russia’s military build-up

The Group of Seven (G7) voiced concern on Dec 12 about what it called China’s “coercive economic policies” and the challenges posed by Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as two days of meetings between G7 foreign ministers drew to an end in Liverpool. As well as efforts to align their approach to Beijing, the gathering of G7 delegates also focused on Russia’s increased military build-up on the border with Ukraine, discussions that resulted in a warning of “massive consequences” if Moscow attacked Kyiv. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the discussions on China covered a “range of issues and challenges”, including Hong Kong and Xinjiang, where Beijing is respectively accused of trampling democratic freedoms and launching a far-reaching crackdown on ethnic minority groups. The ministers also discussed Beijing’s actions in the East and South China seas and the “importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and expressed their “concern about [China’s] coercive economic policies”, Truss, who chaired the meetings, said in a statement. Beijing hit back Dec 13 by calling the G7 discussion of China “interference in its domestic affairs” and “vilification of China’s image”. Click here to read... [2]

Caution on carbon as ‘China realises key role of coal’ in energy mix

Addressing a forum in Beijing on Dec 11, former finance minister Lou Jiwei said that while China had said it would “strive to” reach peak carbon emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060, there was a difference between this and “ensuring [those targets would be achieved]”. “We are a developing country. We should bear common but differentiated responsibilities that are different from developed countries,” Lou told the gathering organised by the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges. Top economic policymakers led by President Xi Jinping and the Politburo, met during the week for the central economic work conference to review Beijing’s economic work over the last year and to set the tone for the country’s path in the year ahead. In a statement released on Dec 10, the officials said: “Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals require unwavering efforts but it can’t be achieved in just one battle.” According to the statement, fossil fuels should be phased out “based on” safe and reliable alternative sources of energy. China should also make clean and efficient use of coal, given the fuel’s dominant role in the country’s power generation and consumption, it said. Click here to read... [3]

China goes after monopolies, promotes budget housing

China on Dec 10 vowed to beef up anti-monopoly regulations and expedite construction of affordable homes among a slew of economic measures designed to prop up economic stability in the coming year.In a statement released by Xinhua, the state news organization, the government warned of a "more complex, grim and uncertain" external economic environment amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "While recognizing our achievements, we should be aware of the triple pressures in the form of weaker demand, supply-chain interruptions and faltering outlook," said the report summarizing a three-day Central Economic Work Conference that ended on Dec 10. Led by President Xi Jinping, the annual conference outlined policy directions for economic development in the coming year. Dec 10's statement underscores government efforts to cushion an economic slowdown. China's growth is expected to slow to 5.3% in 2022, from 8% this year, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, an official think tank, said on Dec 13. Click here to read... [4]

Ties that bind Kazakhstan to China are starting to unravel

When President Xi Jinping launched China's flagship Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, he chose to do it in the Kazakhstan capital of Astana, where the concept of connectivity with China has been playing out for years. Since then, Astana has changed its name to Nursultan, and Kazakhstan's view on its connections to China is not as rosy as they were when the Silk Road Economic Belt was launched. Nearly a decade later, Kazakhstan is finding binding itself tightly to Beijing comes with as many problems as benefits.In mid-November, Kazakh authorities reported that the water level in Lake Balkhash will fall to a critical point by 2040 unless something urgent is done, in particular at the consumer end of the river Ile in China. Kazakh authorities are developing plans, but most of them involve requiring China to curb its water consumption. Shrinking aquifers are not a new problem, but it has a growing urgency. This is not the only waterway that Kazakhstan has problems with. Its shared rivers with Russia and Uzbekistan also suffer from similar problems, but the Chinese water consumption is causing the drying up of a critical lake. But while too much Kazakh water is flowing into China, not enough Kazakh goods are. According to Kazakh data, between January and September 2021, food exports to China dropped 78%.Click here to read... [5]

Israel heads ‘hack simulation’ on global financial markets

Israel has taken point on a 10-country exercise which simulated a crippling cyber-attack on financial markets around the world, attempting to create a realistic scenario of the panic and chaos that would ensue, Reuters reported. Dubbed ‘Collective Strength’ and carried out on Dec 09, the international cyber drill was conducted alongside the United States, Britain, Germany, Italy, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, as well as major financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, according to the outlet. Treasury officials from the participating nations were shown a film to outline the simulated events, in which a narrator states that sensitive data was stolen and shared on the Dark Web, “creating havoc in the financial markets” over a period of 10 days. The exercise – reportedly dubbed a “war game” by the Israeli Finance Ministry – ran through a number of different kinds of attacks, including breaches that affected foreign exchange and bond markets, liquidity and the security of data shared between exporters and importers around the world. It also examined the impact of misleading news reports on the would-be crisis, as well as what steps governments would be expected to take. Click here to read... [6]

US Space Force holds war game to test satellite network under attack

The United States is testing satellite resiliency to threats from China and Russia miles above the earth's surface, just weeks after Russia shot down an aging communications satellite.The computer-aided simulations included potential shooting down of U.S. missile-tracking satellites, satellite jamming, and other electronic warfare "effects" that are possible tactics in space warfare. Actual satellites are not used. During a visit to Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks saw the 'Space Flag' simulated space training exercise hosted by U.S. forces. It was the thirteenth such exercise, and the third to involve partners such as Britain, Canada and Australia. Pentagon leaders are touring U.S. bases this week while the Biden administration's draft 2023 budget takes shape. The Department of Defense hopes to move budget dollars toward a military that can deter China and Russia. The 10-day-long space war game attempts to simulate the cutting edge of the U.S. capability in space. The training exercise involved an adversarial group working to simulate an aggressor nation with space capabilities like Russia or China. Satellites are vital to military communications, global positioning navigation, and timing systems that are needed in the event of war. Click here to read... [7]

China plays down Lithuania rift as Belt and Road Initiative investments rise in Central, Eastern Europe

China has shrugged off the trade implications of souring diplomatic ties with Lithuania and pressure from the United States, as a senior economic official pointed to strong engagement with Central and Eastern Europe. “Although Lithuania has jumped out and sent a token of loyalty to the US, countries such as Croatia, Serbia and Hungary … they continue to proactively get closer with us without caring about [pressure from] the US,” said Ning Jizhe, deputy head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top economic planning agency.China’s relations with Lithuania have dramatically cooled down this year after the Baltic state pulled out of the China-led 17+1 mechanism with Central and Eastern European (CEE) nations earlier this year. And last month, Beijing formally downgraded its diplomatic relations with Vilnius after it allowed Taipei to open a de facto embassy. Subsequently, Lithuanian exporters reported earlier this month that they were unable to send shipments to China, citing technical problems. Four days later, they had again been granted access to the Chinese market, but Lithuania’s largest trade body warned that cargos to and from the European Union member country still faced extended procedures and delays. Click here to read... [8]

South Korea joins China, Taiwan in bid for CPTPP entry, but concerns remain over Japan’s stance

South Korea is seeking to join the 11-member CPTPP trade pact citing “fast changes to the economic order in the Asia-Pacific region”, raising questions about whether its tense relations with Japan, the largest economic power in the bloc, will get in the way. “South Korea will initiate the relevant procedures based on discussions with various interested parties to push the membership of the CPTPP,” Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said on Dec 13 at a policy meeting in Seoul. Originally meant to be for Asia-Pacific nations, the CPTPP has been gaining significance as a global agreement, recently attracting interest from Britain as well as mainland China and Taiwan. The pact links Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Singapore. China and Taiwan’s applications to join the trade bloc came after the US, Australia and Britain struck a security alliance which includes an agreement to help Canberra secure a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. In 2019, the 11 economies imported a combined US$126 billion of South Korean goods, which corresponded to 23.2 per cent of the country’s total exports that year. They also sold US$124.9 billion of goods and services to South Korea, accounting for 24.8 per cent of its imports in 2019. Click here to read... [9]

South Korea, Australia sign $930m deal to build howitzer plant

South Korea and Australia on Dec 13 signed a $930 million deal to build a howitzer factory in Geelong, Victoria, that will supply 30 self-propelled howitzers to Canberra, paving the way for defense cooperation between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific region as China continues to expand its military presence. Hanwha Defence's Australian unit agreed with the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group to build a production base in Geelong by 2040 to supply K-9 Thunder howitzers and 15 ammunition carriers. To date, Hanwha has supplied about 600 K-9 howitzers to six countries. The signing ceremony was part of a summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Moon is the first foreign leader to visit Australia since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Morrison also welcomed the deal, saying it will help develop Australia's defense industry and create 300 jobs in the region, and praised South Korea's willingness to transfer defense technology to the country. The announcement comes as an arms race heats up in Asia. Click here to read... [10]

Arms Sales Unaffected by Pandemic

The pandemic doesn’t seem to have affected the global demand for weapons, according to a new report, which reveals the defense industry’s top 100 companies made $531 billion in 2020 – 1.3% more than in the previous year. Arms sales have been steadily growing for six consecutive years, and the economic hurdles caused by Covid-19 couldn’t reverse this trend, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) pointed out on Dec 06. “The industry giants were largely shielded by sustained government demand for military goods and services,” with some countries even accelerating payments to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, Alexandra Marksteiner from SIPRI’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Program said. The US maintained its lead in the sector in 2020. The total earnings of US arms manufacturers last year reached $285 billion, growing by 1.9% compared to 2019. Chinese firms took second place, with total earnings of $66.8 billion, or 13% of the global arms sales in 2020. SIPRI attributed this success to Beijing’s military modernization program, which turned the local defense companies into “some of the most advanced military technology producers in the world.” The downward trend that began in 2018 continued for Russian arms manufacturers last year, the report claimed. Click here to read... [11]

U.S. consumer prices post biggest annual gain since 1982

U.S. consumer prices rose solidly in November as Americans paid more for food and a range goods, leading to the largest annual gain since 1982, posing a political nightmare for President Joe Biden's administration and cementing expectations for the Federal Reserve to start raising interest rates next year. The report from the Labour Department on Dec 10, which followed on the heels of a slew of data this month showing a rapidly tightening labour market, makes it likely the U.S. central bank will announce that it is speeding up the wind-down of its massive bond purchases at its policy meeting next week. With supply bottlenecks showing little sign of easing and companies raising wages as they compete for scarce workers, high inflation could persist well into 2022. The increased cost of living, the result of shortages caused by the relentless COVID-19 pandemic, is hurting Biden's approval rating. The White House and the Fed have characterized high inflation this year as transitory. Rising inflation is eroding wage gains. Inflation-adjusted average weekly earnings fell 1.9% on a year-on-year basis in November. Biden acknowledged the increased burden on household budgets from the high inflation, while trying to reassure Americans that the country was pushing ahead with efforts to ease supply bottlenecks. Click here to read... [12]

As Turkey’s Currency Collapses, Erdogan’s Support Sinks Even in His Hometown

Tea farmers of the Black Sea coast town of Rize have been hit hard by the falling lira and soaring inflation. ‘We are at the bottom of the well.’ Turkey’s economic troubles are largely the result of Mr. Erdogan’s own policies, economists say. After firing a series of top officials who disagreed with him, the president has pressured the central bank into cutting interest rates despite high inflation; part of an unorthodox strategy he says is designed to encourage exports and economic growth. The situation worsened Dec 13 when the lira plunged to a record low during an investor selloff triggered by comments from Turkey’s finance minister that raised concerns that the central bank could cut interest rates again when it meets on Dec. 16. The central bank then intervened to arrest the lira’s slide, selling foreign currency for the fourth time in recent weeks.Central banks normally raise interest rates to control inflation. In Turkey, inflation stood at more than 21% in November according to official figures. Mr. Erdogan’s strategy has also sparked a dizzying slide in the lira, which lost some 30% of its value in November alone. Click here to read... [13]

Strategic

Biden rules out U.S. troops in Ukraine as Putin masses forces

U.S. President Joe Biden said Dec 08 that sending American troops to defend Ukraine if Russia invades is "not on the table," underscoring Washington's limited deterrence options against Moscow. This followed Dec 07's virtual summit between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which Biden said he told Putin there would be "economic consequences like none he's ever seen or ever have been seen" in response to an invasion. The two-hour meeting came as Russia masses tens of thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine, in what the U.S. and Europe fear could herald another invasion like that which preceded the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Moscow looks to leverage this position to force Washington, Ukraine's most prominent backer, to accept its conditions -- binding pledges that NATO will not expand further eastward and that no offensive weapons systems will be deployed in countries neighbouring Russia. These demands are unacceptable to the U.S. and Europe. The Biden administration has previously warned of severe economic consequences if Russia invades Ukraine, and U.S. media reports indicate that blocking Russia from the SWIFT financial payments system used by banks worldwide is on the table. Click here to read... [14]

Russia says it may be forced to deploy mid-range nuclear missiles in Europe

Russia said on Dec 13 it may be forced to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe in response to what it sees as NATO's plans to do the same. The warning from Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov raised the risk of a new arms build-up on the continent, with East-West tensions at their worst since the Cold War ended three decades ago. Ryabkov said Russia would be forced to act if the West declined to join it in a moratorium on intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) in Europe - part of a package of security guarantees it is seeking as the price for defusing the crisis over Ukraine. Lack of progress towards a political and diplomatic solution would lead Russia to respond in a military way, with military technology, Ryabkov told Russia's RIA news agency. "That is, it will be a confrontation, this will be the next round," he said, referring to the potential deployment of the missiles by Russia. Intermediate-range nuclear weapons - those with a range of 500 to 5,500 km (310 to 3,400 miles) - were banned in Europe under a 1987 treaty between then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. Washington withdrew from the pact in 2019. Click here to read... [15]

Macron lays out agenda for 'powerful, sovereign' EU

President Emmanuel Macron vowed on Dec 9 France would work towards a strong and "sovereign" European Union when it takes over the bloc's rotating presidency that coincides with France's presidential election. Macron, a centrist who portrays himself as a champion of democracy against populism, may aim to use the six-month EU mandate to fill the gap in European leadership left by the departure of German chancellor Angela Merkel, analysts say. But the president, who was elected in 2017 demanding reform in both France and Europe, will also face a battle to be re-elected in April although he remains the clear favourite for now. France's aim is "to move towards a Europe that is powerful in the world, fully sovereign, free in its choices and in charge of its own destiny", Macron said at a rare sit-down meeting with media in Paris that lasted more than three hours. "Faced with all these crises that are hitting Europe, many people would like to rely only on the nation state. These nations are our strength, our pride, but European unity is their indispensable complement," he said. He called for new mechanisms to protect the EU's borders, with thousands of migrants gathering on the border between Belarus and Poland in recent months. Click here to read... [16]

At democracy summit, Biden says world faces battle against autocracy

Democracies need champions, said U.S. President Joe Biden as he opened up the first ever Summit for Democracy on Dec 09, bringing together political leaders and civil society actors from over 100 countries. The gathering is "not to assert that any one of our democracies is perfect or has all the answers, but to lock arms and reaffirm our shared commitment to make our democracies better," and to push back on authoritarianism, Biden said. The framing fits with the president's overall foreign policy, of uniting like-minded nations to create a position of strength to stand up to rivals such as China and Russia. But Biden was quick to acknowledge that the U.S. itself faces mounting challenges to its democracy. The summit has been criticized for its list of invitees, many of whom are not classified as democracies according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. Some invitees, like Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are even considered authoritarian regimes by the metric. Pakistan, perhaps the most criticized recipient of an invite, declined to attend the conference. It is widely believed that Pakistan was uncomfortable that China, with which it has close ties, was not invited, while Taiwan was. Click here to read... [17]

Taiwanese minister’s map disappears during US democracy summit

A slide show by a Taiwanese minister caused consternation among US officials during President Joe Biden’s democracy summit on Dec 10, when it included a map showing the self-ruled island in a different colour to the Chinese mainland. Taiwanese Digital Minister Audrey Tang’s video feed was cut during a panel discussion on “countering digital authoritarianism” and replaced with audio only, at the behest of the White House, according to sources familiar with the matter. The White House offered no formal comment, but the State Department said “confusion” over screen-sharing resulted in Tang’s video feed being dropped, calling it an “honest mistake”. The sources, who asked not to be identified because of the issue’s sensitivity, said the White House was concerned that differentiating between Taiwan and China on a map during a US-hosted conference could be seen to be at odds with Washington’s one-China policy. Tang’s presentation included a colour-coded map from South African NGO Civicus, ranking the world by openness on civil rights. Most of Asia was shown, with Taiwan coloured green, making it the only regional entity portrayed as “open,” while all the others – including several US allies and partners – were labelled as “closed,” “repressed,” “obstructed” or “narrowed”. Click here to read... [18]

Taiwan loses diplomatic ally Nicaragua to China

Taiwan lost Nicaragua as a diplomatic ally after the Central American country said it would officially recognize only China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory. “There is only one China,” the Nicaraguan government said in a statement Dec 09 announcing the change. “The People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents all China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.” “As of today, Nicaragua breaks its diplomatic relations with Taiwan and ceases to have any official contact or relationship,” it added. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “sadness and regret” and said it would immediately recall its diplomatic staff. The move leaves Taiwan with 14 countries globally that officially recognize it. China has been poaching Taiwan’s diplomatic allies over the past few years, cutting down the number of countries that recognize the democratic, self-governed island as a sovereign nation. China is against Taiwan representing itself in global forums or in diplomacy.The Nicaraguan government signed an official communique to re-establish diplomatic ties with China in Tianjin on Dec 10, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Under the agreement, Nicaragua promises not to have any official contact with Taiwan going forward.

White House confirms Biden’s China boycott

The White House has confirmed President Joe Biden’s “diplomatic boycott” of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. China had warned the move would be seen as a “provocation.” The Biden administration “will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced on Dec 06, citing Beijing’s alleged human rights violations, including what she called “genocide and crimes against humanity.” While vowing to cheer on the competing American athletes, Psaki lamented that sending a delegation would treat the Olympics as “business as usual,” the US “simply can’t do that.” The ‘boycott’ would still allow American athletes to compete and ultimately would not affect the games’ proceedings. No American president has actually boycotted the Olympics since Jimmy Carter’s failure to go to Moscow in 1980. Beijing threatened “firm countermeasures” earlier on Dec 06 should the Biden administration announce a so-called diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics, dismissing Washington’s move as “purely wishful thinking and grandstanding.” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian also said Beijing would consider the move an “outright political provocation” during a briefing on Dec 06. He declined to offer details on how China might respond to the slight. Click here to read... [19]

US seeks closer ties with ‘key player’ Indonesia as Blinken set to make Indo-Pacific speech

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Dec 13 arrived in Indonesia as part of his first Southeast Asia tour, meeting President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, where he pledged to increase economic ties with Indonesia, particularly in investments and infrastructure development. Blinken will deliver a speech about Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy on Dec 14, including its plans for deeper engagement with the 10-member Asean bloc. After meeting key Indonesian officials, he will head to Malaysia and Thailand later in the week. The Biden administration has yet to elaborate on its vision for stronger economic engagement with the region, although the top US diplomat for Asia, Daniel Kritenbrink, said recently there would be a focus on trade facilitation, the digital economy, supply chain resilience, infrastructure, and clean energy and worker standards. Blinken is the latest in a string of senior US officials who have travelled to Southeast Asia in recent months, as the region shapes up to be a battleground in the US and China’s ongoing competition for influence. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondosaid that her trip to Asia last month was designed to “assess appetite” for economic dialogueClick here to read... [20]

Australia drops European helicopters for U.S. Black Hawks

Australia's military said Dec 10 it plans to ditch its fleet of European-designed Taipan helicopters and instead buy U.S. Black Hawks and Seahawks because the American machines are more reliable.The move comes less than three months after Australia cancelled a deal to buy French submarines in favour of building nuclear-powered submarines that use U.S. and British technology in a switch that deeply angered France. Australia has 47 Taipan helicopters that were designed by Airbus and were supposed to last until 2037 but have been plagued with groundings. Australia will stop using them and buy 40 Lockheed Martin-designed helicopters in a switch that will cost 7 billion Australian dollars ($4.8 billion). Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia was improving its defense capabilities and had built good partnerships, particularly with the U.S.Defense Minister Peter Dutton said the Black Hawks are much cheaper to fly and that officials have had concerns about the Taipan program for the past decade. He said the new helicopters would bring Australia's fleet more in line with that of the U.S., an important consideration given the instability in the region. Click here to read... [21]

Germany's new government is set to take a tougher line on China

One of the most pressing questions for Olaf Scholz, Germany's newly elected chancellor, is the extent to which he shifts Europe's largest economy away from China. With Scholz's center-left Social Democratic Party entering a coalition with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democratic Party, the new government is likely to be less cozy with Beijing than its predecessor under Angela Merkel.During her 16-year chancellorship, Merkel shied away from outright confrontation with Beijing. This was partly due to business ties -- one out of three German cars are sold in China, and Germany is China's most important partner in the European Union, with an annual mutual trading value of 212.9 billion euros (about $250 billion). Chinese leader Xi Jinping was the first foreign leader to congratulate Scholz, according to Germany's public-broadcasting radio station Deutschlandfunk, but the coalition agreement points to several potential points of friction between Berlin and Beijing. The coalition agreement names China a dozen times, using terms such as "system rivalry," "human rights," and "fair rules of the game." The document also calls for the international participation of "democratic Taiwan," points to human rights violations in Xinjiang, and demands a restoration of the "one country, two systems" policy in Hong Kong. Click here to read... [22]

New satellite images, expert suggest Iran space launch coming

Iran appears to be preparing for a space launch as negotiations continue in Vienna over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers, according to an expert and satellite images.The likely blast-off at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport comes as Iranian state media has offered a list of upcoming planned satellite launches in the works for the Islamic Republic’s civilian space programme, which has been beset by a series of failed launches. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard runs its own parallel programme that successfully put a satellite into orbit last year. Conducting a launch amid the Vienna talks fits the hard-line posture struck by Tehran’s negotiators, who already described six previous rounds of diplomacy as a “draft”, exasperating Western nations. Germany’s new foreign minister has gone as far as to warn that “time is running out for us at this point”. But all this fits into a renewed focus on space by Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, said Jeffrey Lewis, an expert at the James Martin Center for Non-proliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies who studies Tehran’s programme. Satellite images taken Dec 11 by Planet Labs obtained by Associated Press show activity at the spaceport in the desert plains of Iran’s rural Semnan province some 240km (150 miles) southeast of Tehran. Click here to read... [23]

Israel preparing military option against Iran – media

Israel’s military is preparing a possible strike against Iran, the country’s media has reported, citing defense and diplomatic sources. Tel Aviv has already notified the US of its plans, facing “no veto” on such preparations. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about preparations for a potential military strike against the country’s arch-nemesis Iran during his visit to the US, multiple Israeli outlets reported on Dec 11. Gantz met top US officials, including Lloyd and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Thursday. “The defence minister told Americans that he had instructed the military to prepare for military option,” a senior security source said, as quoted by Israel’s Army Radio. The same source claimed that while Tehran was “close to producing enough fissile material for a single nuclear bomb,” it would not push through the “threshold” because it understands the gravity of such a step. While Israel has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to obtain nuclear weaponry, Tehran has consistently rejected such allegations, maintaining that its nuclear program served solely civilian purposes. A separate diplomatic source told Israeli media that the announcement did not meet any objections from the American officials. Click here to read... [24]

New friends - UAE de facto ruler, Israel's Bennett in "historic" meeting

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan hosted Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Dec 13 in the first-ever public meeting between the United Arab Emirates' de facto ruler and an Israeli leader. Israel's ambassador to Abu Dhabi, speaking ahead of the meeting, said the issue of Iran would "certainly come up". The meeting follows the formalisation of Israel-UAE relations last year under a U.S.-led regional initiative. While shared concern about Iranian activity was among reasons for the diplomatic moves, the UAE has also been trying to improve relations with Tehran. Releasing photographs of Bennett and Sheikh Mohammed smiling and shaking hands, the Israeli leader's office described the meeting as "historic". Before he flew home later in the day, Bennett's office said in a statement that Sheikh Mohammed had accepted an invitation to visit Israel. There was no immediate confirmation from UAE officials. A statement on state news agency WAM said Sheikh Mohammed voiced hope for "stability in the Middle East" and that Bennett's visit would "advance the relationship of cooperation towards more positive steps in the interests of the people of the two nations and of the region".Click here to read... [25]

Russian, Iranian FMs support original version of Iran nuclear deal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian held a phone conversation on Dec 13 to discuss the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The top diplomats reaffirmed their common position to restore the nuclear deal in its original balanced text, approved by the United Nations Security Council, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. They stressed that this is the only correct way to ensure the rights and interests of all participants in the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Multilateral negotiations to save the Iran nuclear deal resumed on Nov. 29 in Vienna of Austria. Click here to read... [26]

Bangladesh protests US sanctions of its security chiefs

Bangladesh on Dec 11 called in the US ambassador to protest sanctions by Washington against its top security officers after seven people including the country's national police chief were accused by the Joe Biden administration of human rights abuses. Washington imposed sanctions against the Rapid Action Battalion, which is accused of involvement in hundreds of disappearances and nearly 600 extrajudicial killings since 2018. Seven current or former officials of the Rapid Action Battalion were also sanctioned. They include Benazir Ahmed, previously the RAB chief and currently the national head of the South Asian country's more than 200,000-strong police force. "We are determined to put human rights at the centre of our foreign policy, and we reaffirm this commitment by using appropriate tools and authorities to draw attention to and promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Bangladesh officials were quick to denounce the move, with foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen summoning the US ambassador "to convey Dhaka's discontent" over the decision, his ministry said. Click here to read... [27]

Medical

China further lowers nucleic acid test prices amid new COVID-19 cases

A number of Chinese cities have lowered the prices of COVID-19 nucleic acid tests at public hospitals, while some plan to do so soon, as part of Chinese authorities' efforts to guide prices to a more affordable range amid a new wave of cases in some places. Starting from Dec 10, the cities of Luoyang and Jiyuan in Central China's Henan Province will cut the price to 30 yuan ($4.73) a person for a single test and the price for a group will be lowered to 10 yuan per person, from 15 yuan. Cities in South China's Hainan Province, Southwest China's Sichuan Province and North China's Tianjin Municipality have also reduced prices. This is not the first time that local health authorities have cut testing prices, to help reduce costs for residents. In mid-November, China's National Healthcare Security Administration launched a third round of national price adjustments, requiring local authorities to reduce prices in public hospitals by December 15. After the adjustment, the price shall not exceed 40 yuan per person for a single test or 10 yuan a person for group tests. Massive nucleic acid testing is a key tool to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Click here to read... [28]

South Korea to test AI-powered facial recognition to track COVID-19 cases

South Korea will soon roll out a pilot project to use artificial intelligence, facial recognition and thousands of CCTV cameras to track the movement of people infected with the coronavirus, despite concerns about the invasion of privacy. The nationally funded project in Bucheon, one of the country's most densely populated cities on the outskirts of Seoul, is due to become operational in January, a city official told Reuters. The system uses a AI algorithms and facial recognition technology to analyse footage gathered by more than 10,820 CCTV cameras and track an infected person’s movements, anyone they had close contact with, and whether they were wearing a mask, according to a 110-page business plan from the city submitted to the Ministry of Science and ICT (Information and Communications Technology), and provided to Reuters by a parliamentary lawmaker critical of the project.Governments around the world have turned to new technologies and expanded legal powers to try to stem the tide of COVID-19 infections. South Korea already has an aggressive, high-tech contact tracing system that harvests credit card records, cellphone location data and CCTV footage, among other personal information. Click here to read... [29]

US COVID-19 deaths approach 800,000 as Delta ravaged in 2021

The United States on Dec 12 reached 800,000 coronavirus-related deaths, according to a Reuters tally, as the nation braces for a potential surge in infections due to more time spent indoors with colder weather and the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus. The milestone means the US death toll from this one virus now exceeds the entire population of North Dakota.Even with vaccines widely and freely available, the country has lost more lives to the virus this year than in 2020 due to the more contagious Delta variant and people refusing to get inoculated against COVID-19. Since the start of the year, over 450,000 people in the United States have died after contracting COVID-19, or 57 per cent of all US deaths from the illness since the pandemic started.The deaths this year were mostly in unvaccinated patients, health experts say. Deaths have increased despite advances in caring for COVID-19 patients and new treatment options such as monoclonal antibodies. It took 111 days for US deaths to jump from 600,000 to 700,000, according to Reuters analysis. The next 100,000 deaths took just 73 days. Click here to read... [30]

India’s Serum Institute let Africa down on vaccines: Africa CDC

The Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest vaccine maker, let Africa down by pulling out of talks to supply COVID-19 vaccines, creating distrust that has affected demand, according to the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control. John Nkengasong on Dec 09 denounced recent comments from Serum that uptake of its COVID-19 shots had slowed because of low demand from Africa and vaccine hesitancy, saying the real problem was that Serum had acted unprofessionally. Nkengasong said Serum had engaged in discussions last year with the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT), and that at one point he had believed a deal was very close, but then Serum abruptly ended the talks. “Serum just decided to act in a very unprofessional manner and stop communicating with AVATT team, so that created a situation where we found ourselves extremely unhappy … and then engaged with Johnson & Johnson,” he said. African countries had agreed to buy 400 million doses of COVID vaccines from J&J, abandoning efforts with Serum, he saidClick here to read... [31]