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USA
U.S. Naval Update Map: June 20, 2013
June 20, Washington Post – (International) Bank of Tokyo to pay $250 million to N.Y. state in money-laundering case. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ agreed to a $250 million settlement over charges filed by the State of New York that it processed $100 billion in illicit transactions between 2002 and 2007 to countries under U.S. sanctions.
EUROPE
Greece, Bulgaria: Political Protests Erupt
Hollande Faces a Dilemma
Problems Surround the EU-U.S. Free Trade Negotiations
ASIA
The Japanese Military's Focus on Anti-Submarine Abilities
Hong Kong's Declining Economic Fortunes
AFRICA
Piracy Slowly Rises in Western Africa
Increased Pirate Activity in the Gulf of Guinea
Railway Development in Ethiopia
RUSSIA
Russia After Putin: Inherent Leadership Struggles
Syria: Russia Will Not Permit No-fly Zone, Spokesman Says June 17, 2013
Russia will not allow a no-fly zone to be implemented in Syria, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said June 17, NOW reported. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that the United States was drawing up plans for a no-fly zone, which would be deployed from Jordan over western Syria. Russia's core interest is to sustain the Syrian regime and prolong the conflict.
Putin Puts Pensions at Risk in $43 Billion Bid to Jolt Economy
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Faced with meager growth worldwide and a worrisome ebbing of Russia’s own oil and gas revenues, President Vladimir V. Putin announced an ambitious and risky economic stimulus program on Friday along with a novel amnesty plan for imprisoned white-collar criminals that was intended to improve investor confidence.
Mr. Putin’s proposal to dip into the country’s pension reserves for loans of up to $43.5 billion for three big infrastructure projects and other investments provoked an immediate debate among some of Russia’s top financial minds. It also brought warnings from financial experts who said that it might produce a burst of inflation, and that what the Russian economy needed most was deep structural change, to diversify from oil and gas and to build investor confidence....
CHINA
China's Food Supply
In China, Reform and the Risks of Urbanization
China's Brinksmanship with its Banks
IRAN
Iran’s Man in the Middle
...While he is considered a moderate, Rouhani comes to office as an insider. For sixteen years he was head of Iran’s National Security Council (NSC) and for two years Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator. Even today, he sits on the NSC as the personal representative of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. He served five terms in the Majlis, or parliament. He sits on two major state councils, one of which, the Assembly of Experts, will elect Khamenei’s successor whenever he passes away. In holding high office, Rouhani was more a team player than a maverick and continues to support many existing Iranian policies. On Syria, since his election he has offered only the formulaic non-answer that the Syrian people should decide their own future through elections....
IRAQ
Iraq: Northern Oil Exports Have On Hold Since June 21, Shippers Say June 24, 2013
Crude oil exports from Iraq's northern Kirkuk oil fields have been on hold since June 21 after an explosion at a key pipeline, Middle East shipping agents said June 24, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Baghdad-controlled Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline has been operating at roughly one-fifth of its official capacity of 1.6 million barrels per day due to frequent bombings, poor maintenance and lower output overall.
ISRAEL
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israeli-aircraft-strike-targets-in-gaza-strip-after-rockets-launched/2013/06/24/dae8be4c-dc8e-11e2-a484-7b7f79cd66a1_print.html
Israeli aircraft strike targets in Gaza Strip after rockets launched
JERUSALEM — Israeli aircraft pounded targets in the Gaza Strip early Monday after rockets were fired at Israel from the territory, the military said, unsettling a tenuous cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
The military said its aircraft struck two weapons storage facilities and a rocket launch site. No injuries were reported.
Rocket fire from Gaza has declined since Israel carried out an eight-day military campaign last November in response to frequent attacks. An Egyptian-brokered cease-fire has largely held, but sporadic fire still persists.
AFGHANISTAN
The Challenge of Afghan Power-Sharing
Afghanistan: NATO Forces Stepping Back From Combat Operations June 19, 2013
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said June 19 that NATO forces will no longer plan, execute or lead combat operations in Afghanistan, Xinhua reported. The remarks followed an announcement by Afghan President Hamid Karzai that Afghan security forces are taking the lead in the country.
MIDDLE EAST
Qatar: Emir To Transfer Power To His Son June 24, 2013
Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani announced June 24 that he plans to step down and transfer power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Al Jazeera reported. It was also announced that June 25 will be considered an official state holiday.
A Revolt Within the al Qaeda Movement
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Evaluating the National Effect of Brazilian Protests
Mexico Readies for Energy Sector Reform
Oil and Natural Gas Production in Mexico
MISC
Geopolitical Calendar: Week of June 24, 2013
June 20, V3.co.uk – (International) Anonymous OpPetrol hacking campaign targets oil and gas sectors. Symantec urged oil and gas firms in the U.S. and worldwide to be vigilant for cyberattacks after a hacker group announced their plans for attacks on energy companies beginning June 20. The group promised to use distributed denial-of- service (DDoS) attacks, deface social media accounts and Web sites, steal sensitive information from systems and post it online, as well as infect networks with disk- wiping malware.
Except where noted courtesy STRATFOR.COM
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