The Morning Brief - Lignet
Algeria/Mali: Insiders Likely Aided Hostage Takers
The death toll among the hostages taken during an attack on a natural
gas compound in Algeria last week has grown to at least 36 foreign
workers with a handful still missing and others yet to be identified.
Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said yesterday that he
believed the militants were assisted by insiders who enabled access into
the compound despite a sophisticated security system. Two Canadian
Islamists, one of whom the prime minister claims was the main
orchestrator of the attack, were found among the dead militants at the
gas plant.
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As Taiwan Changes, Support for President Falls Off
Facing approval ratings in the mid-teens and protesters in the streets,
Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou is struggling with his legacy in his
second term. The biggest challenge for Ma, however, is a major shift in
how the Taiwanese people view themselves and their relationship with
China, as LIGNET explains.
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China Moving Aggressively in the Arctic
China’s ambitions in the Arctic reflect its growing global efforts to
pursue energy and mineral reserves. Holding over 20 percent of the
world’s undiscovered oil and natural gas, the region could one day help
power China’s economy. It also might enable China to open new trade
routes if the region’s ice continues to melt away. With no territory in
the Arctic, China has been dealt a weak hand in the region, but its
efforts to win a seat at the table of Arctic states should not be
underestimated, as LIGNET explains.
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Iran Postpones Talks As It Approaches Nuclear Threshold
Iran’s failure to accept the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA)
new plan for inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities and its
postponing of nuclear talks with the West suggest the regime is in no
rush to reach a deal on its nuclear program. Despite deepening
sanctions, Tehran appears to be prepared to bear significant economic
hardship as it approaches key milestones in the development of a
potential nuclear weapon. There also are indications that the Iranian
regime may be buoyed by President Obama’s recent nominations for key
national security positions, as LIGNET explains.
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Turkey: Peace Talks With Kurdish Rebels Derailed by Murders
The peace plan that might have ended the 28-year war between Turkey and
its Kurdish rebels was dealt a serious blow by the recent murders in
France of three long-time rebel leaders. It wouldn’t matter so much to
the rest of the world if the Kurds didn’t play such an important part in
the stability of one of the most troubled regions of the world – a
region that includes Iran, Iraq and Syria, in addition to Turkey.
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U.S. Outflanked by China’s Grand Strategy for a ‘New Silk Road’
Growing competition between the United States and China includes
opposing efforts to establish trade and transportation links between the
Far East and Europe. Afghanistan is central to U.S. planning but absent
from China’s. On the other hand, the U.S. plan tries to isolate Iran
while China's does not. At stake is the scale and enormous economic
potential of a Eurasian Land Bridge, often referred to as the New Silk
Road.
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Havana Eases Travel In Bid to Boost Flagging Economy
After five decades of iron-fisted control over foreign travel by its
citizens, Havana on January 14 agreed to allow Cubans to go abroad for
longer periods without permission, likely in an attempt to attract
greater remittances and new investment from Cubans living abroad. Travel
agencies and foreign embassies now face a backlog of work as long lines
of Cubans looking to leave the country swarm their offices in this new
exodus.
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Poland: Bruised by Eurozone Weakness But Still Resilient
Poland’s impressive growth record since the beginning of the global
financial crisis appears to be waning. In every year since 2007 the
country’s growth rate has outpaced that of Hungary, the Czech Republic
and the average of the eurozone. In this special analysis, Dr. Peter
Warburton, director of London-based Economic Perspectives Ltd., looks at
how Poland's economy fared last year and discusses prospects for 2013.
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