The Morning Brief - Lignet
Syria: Peace Conference Collapsing; Assad Gets Russian Missiles
With the Assad regime receiving air defense missiles from Russia and the
Syrian opposition coalition backing out of a scheduled peace conference,
hopes for a diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis have been dashed.
Instead, the crisis appears likely to worsen with an influx of arms from
Moscow and pro-Assad foreign fighters joining the battle.
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Mali Jihadists Resurface in Niger
Niger is fast becoming the next battleground in the fight against
Islamist militants after a dual terrorist attack on an army barracks and
uranium mine last week left at least 25 people dead and 30 injured. The
deadly suicide bombings carried out by allies of the regional al-Qaeda
affiliate on May 23 could threaten Niger’s position as a leader in
regional counterterrorism operations.
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New EU Intelligence Agencies Pose a Threat to Europe's Security
Hidden behind a shield of secrecy, newly created European intelligence
agencies pose a threat to European democracy and international security.
At least four subsidiary organizations under the umbrella of the EU
External Action Service are growing in size and capability behind closed
doors, maintained with secret budgets that have so far kept the
organizations from any oversight by EU legislators and voters.
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China Suspected of Huge Cyber Theft of US Military Secrets
A Pentagon study on global cyber threats did not make much of a stir
when first published earlier this year, but now that one of its most
sensitive sections has been publicized, it is sending chills down the
spine of the U.S. military and intelligence establishment. Not only are
some of America’s best and most advanced weapons systems vulnerable to
cyberattack, many have already been compromised by alleged Chinese cyber
hackers.
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Sweden: Riots Reveal Deep Flaws in Immigration Policy
Sweden’s reputation as the ideal welfare state suffered a hard setback
last week when violent riots, started by a group of young immigrants in
the Stockholm suburb of Husby, spread rapidly to other suburbs in
Sweden. Cars were torched and public schools were vandalized, leaving
many to question whether an expensive welfare structure and an overly
welcoming immigration policy is really the model for other countries to
follow.
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Taiwan: Tensions High After Fisherman Killed by Philippines
Tensions in the South China Sea do not always involve China, as a tragic
early May encounter between Taiwan and the Philippines demonstrated when
a Filipino Coast Guard boat interdicted a Taiwanese civilian fishing
boat with a burst of gunfire. The resulting death of an elderly
fisherman sent Taiwan into a frenzy.
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Despite Headlines, Global Tax Reform a Tough Hurdle
Major corporations long have benefited from loopholes in the global tax
web that naturally result when countries compete to attract the business
of multinationals such as Starbucks, Apple and Yahoo. While European
leaders such as the UK’s David Cameron and France’s Francois Hollande
have been quick to denounce the minor tax payments of these and other
multinationals, alleged tax “avoidance” by big global firms will be
difficult to police.
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