Jordânia: Abdullah II visitou o Cairo

Jordan’s King Abdullah II visited Cairo briefly on Saturday in the first visit by a head of state to Egypt since its July 3 coup, state media reported. The monarch had been among the first leaders to congratulate Egyptians after the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Mursi following mass protests calling for him to resign. Abdullah, who faces challenges at home from Islamists, was met at the airport by military-backed interim prime minister Hazem al-Beblawi, the official MENA news agency reported. He left several hours later, an airport official said. Both Jordan and Egypt have been key mediators between Israel and the Palestinians, whom the United States says have agreed to lay the groundwork to resume peace negotiations. Abdullah was likely to have discussed the renewed Middle East peace talks process with Egypt. But his visit may also have been aimed at conferring legitimacy on the new military-installed administration, which is fighting a public relations war abroad to burnish its credentials as a legitimate government. Jordânia

Síria: Risco de radicalização islamista

ASPEN, Colo., July 20 (Reuters) - - Radical Islamist rebels will gain sway over the many disparate factions opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad unless they are checked, and the country's civil war could last years, a top Pentagon intelligence official said on Saturday. David Shedd, the deputy director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, did not advocate any form of intervention by the United States or its allies, saying that was up to policymakers. But his bleak assessment of the dangers posed by the Islamist al-Nusra Front and al Qaeda's Iraq-based wing, as well as the prospects for a prolonged conflict, could bolster advocates of greater involvement by the United States and its allies. Addressing the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Shedd said he counted at least 1,200 groups in the opposition. He said many of the groups were preoccupied with strictly local grievances, like a lack of potable water in their villages. "Left unchecked, I'm very concerned that the most radical elements will take over larger segments" of the opposition groups, Shedd said, strongly hinting at the need for some kind of outside intervention. He said the conflict could drag on anywhere "from many, many months to multiple years," and that a prolonged stalemate could leave open parts of Syria to potential control by radical fighters. "They will not go home when it's over," Shedd said, envisioning one scenario where Assad retreats to an enclave and other parts of the country are up for grabs. "They will fight for that space, and they're there for the long haul." Shedd added he and the DIA never thought Assad's regime would fall quickly - comments that appeared to stand in contrast to predictions by U.S. officials a year ago that Assad's days were numbered. "DIA's position was that (Assad's fall) was no earlier than the start of this year. And it's obviously not happened," he said. ARMING THE REBELS U.S. plans to ship weapons to some rebels have been caught in a Washington impasse, after some members of Congress feared they would end up in the hands of Islamist militants. Asked whether he thought more secular opposition fighters should be strengthened, or whether more radical rebel groups need somehow to be confronted, Shedd said: "I think it's too simple to say it's one or the other." "Because it's the reality that left unchecked they will become bigger," he said, cautioning that the al-Nusra Front was gaining in strength and was "a case of serious concern." Rivalries have been growing between the Free Syrian Army(FSA) and Islamists, whose smaller but more effective forces control most of the rebel-held parts of northern Syria more than two years after pro-democracy protests became an uprising. The conflict has killed more than 100,000 people. The two sides previously fought together from time to time, but the Western and Arab-backed FSA, desperate for greater firepower, has tried to distance itself from the Islamists to allay U.S. fears any arms it might supply could reach al Qaeda. Shedd's comments came as FSA rebels vent frustration at what they see as the slow pace of Western support. Britain, for example, has abandoned plans to arm rebels. Shedd acknowledged identifying "good" versus "bad" rebels was very difficult. "But I think (it is) a challenge that is well worth pursuing," he said. Asked how the United States could avoid getting sucked into the conflict, Shedd said: "I believe relying on allies in the region is our best solution." "We know that a number of the Gulf states have great concerns with the Bashar al-Assad regime. And I think that there are a number, and a sizeable number, of allies that would be prepared to work even more closely with us," he said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Eric Beech)

Ministro grego atacado num hospital

El nuevo ministro heleno de Salud Antonis Yeoryiadis continúa 'haciendo amigos0 allá donde va. Sus ya habituales roces con los funcionarios del sector que lidera han vuelto a materializarse este viernes: el polémico político ha sido atacado por los trabajadores del Hospital Atiko de la capital helena, un centro a ser cerrado en los próximos meses si el gobierno decide aplicar su programa de ahorro a rajatabla. Yeoryiadis decidió realizar una de sus ya habituales 'visitar rutinarias' a los centros de salud del país y eligió precisamente ese señalado hospital. Esta vez los trabajadores le estaban esperando. Decenas de médicos, enfermeras y técnicos sanitarios se han congregado en la puerta del lugar. "Fascista" ha sido la palabra más repetida, en recuerdo del pasado del ministro como miembro del partido ultraderechista LAOS, hasta el pasado 2012 presente en el parlamento heleno. Poco antes los funcionarios le habían declarado persona 'non grata', toda una revelación de intenciones. Según la prensa helena varias personas se han abalanzado contra el político conservador, causándole golpes en la cara y heridas en el cuello, ninguna de ellas de gravedad. De hecho ha podido continuar la marcha y realizar la visita: "Es inconcebible que se intente prohibir a un ministro visitar un hospital que está bajo su supervisión y ejercer la violencia contra él", ha criticado el controvertido político tras marcharse del lugar. "Una minoría fascista no me va a impedir que cumpla con mi deber", ha añadido, subrayando no haber sido atemorizado por sus asaltantes. También el portavoz del gobierno Simos Kedikoglou ha criticado el incidente: "Condenamos el asalto y le pedimos a los otros partidos políticos que quieran formar parte del espectro democrático que hagan lo mismo”, ha exhortado. Polémica figura La controversia no ha abandonado a Yeoryiadis en sus primeras semanas de trabajo. Su elección como ministro de Salud a finales de junio ya fue controvertida. Muchos no olvidan su pasado en la ultraderecha. El ahora líder de la sanidad del país abandonó LAOS antes de las elecciones de 2012 para pasarse las filas del partido conservador Nueva Democracia (ND) de Antonis Samaras, ahora su primer ministro y jefe de filas. Tan sólo un día después de su elección como ministro ya había creado controversia: decidió reinstaurar un reglamento que permite a la policía detener forzosamente a cualquier ciudadano con el propósito de someterlos a la prueba del VIH u otras enfermedades infecciosas. Esa decisión dio la vuelta al mundo y enfureció a las ONG del país. Poco después inició un programa de visitas sorpresa a los hospitales helenos con el objetivo de evaluar cómo funcionan y cuáles son sus presupuestos para decidir cuáles deben ser cerrados. Esa decisión provocó las iras de los profesionales del sector, demostrada en los incidentes de este viernes: "Si tengo que cerrar hospitales, lo haré", explicó entonces. Dicho y hecho: este jueves el ministro anunciaba que hasta seis hospitales de Atenas van a ser transformados en centros de salud como parte de los planes gubernamentales para reestructurar el sector. Ese programa incluye traspasar a otro lugar a cualquier funcionario cuyo trabajo no sea necesario en los nuevos organigramas. Menos personas trabajarían, en un principio, en los centros de salud. Yeoryiadis espera buscar acomodo a todos ellos. Así lo expresó antes de la votación parlamentaria del jueves que aprobó el despido de 15.000 funcionarios en el próximo año y medio. Esas reformas se producen en un momento crítico para la el sistema de salud pública del país. Numerosos hospitales aseguran haberse quedado sin fondos. El mayor seguro público de salud, EOPYY, tampoco puede pagar sus servicios al tener una deuda superior a los 1.000 millones de euros. Hasta 610 camas han desaparecido en los hospitales helenos en los tres primeros meses de 2013, según datos del propio ministerio. Hospitales como el de Samos han llegado a denunciar la falta de botellas de oxígeno. Esos problemas se han notado especialmente en los recursos disponibles para prevenir enfermedades. El Estado ha debido destinar hasta 500.000 euros para vacunar a hijos de familias sin recursos. Los análisis gratuitos de VIH han desaparecido en la mayoría de ciudades por los recortes y muchos helenos incluso han sentido un aumento de las picaduras de mosquito este verano: el gobierno no ha podido fumigar las calles para evitar la proliferación de esos insectos. El Mundo

Pirataria no Golfo da Guiné

The Gulf of Guinea, which extends from Cape Lopez, Gabon, to Cape Palmas in Liberia, has become one of the pre-eminent piracy hotspots in the world. In 2012, the region accounted for the highest number of maritime attacks globally, surpassing East Africa's coastal waters, which were long regarded as the most dangerous for both private and commercial seafarers. Initially confined to the waterways and estuaries of Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region, which had been the focal point of a near decade-long insurgency against the Nigerian federal government, maritime attacks by Niger Delta-based pirates are now increasing in both frequency and scope across the Gulf of Guinea. Of particular concern is the way in which maritime crime has evolved from oil siphoning and bunkering to increasingly well-coordinated and often violent attacks targeting commercial shipping vessels and their crew. Piracy and the conflict in the Niger Delta Much of the piracy in the Gulf of Guinea can be explained in terms of the security situation within the restive Niger Delta region. Despite possessing lucrative oil reserves which generate over 80% of the federal government's revenue, the Niger Delta continues to be plagued by extreme levels of poverty, a high unemployment rate and bureaucratic corruption. Furthermore, the environmental damage caused by the oil industry has adversely affected the region's once lucrative fishing and agricultural industries, thus limiting legitimate options for local youths to enter the economy. The aforementioned grievances, in addition to the federal government's alleged inaction in addressing these concerns, incited an armed revolt within the Niger Delta in the early 2000s. From 2003, armed groups in this region actively sought to control regional petroleum resources. Initial attempts to gain control involved a process known as bunkering, where an oil pipeline is tapped and the oil extracted onto a barge. However, as the Niger Delta insurgency peaked from 2006 to 2009, various criminal and militant groups emerged and regularly engaged in conflict for control of territory. In the resultant scramble for financial resources, the region began to experience an increase in attacks on ships carrying oil and other cargo, attacks on fishing boats, and kidnappings. As kidnappings and acts of sabotage became more frequent, oil companies began to increase security at their onshore points of operation. Insurgents and criminals quickly adapted to these actions and increasingly extended their activities to offshore facilities including oil platforms, rigs and shipping vessels. Their ventures, particularly in the absence of an effective response from regional and/or international maritime authorities, have been relatively successful and piracy continues to proliferate in the Gulf of Guinea. However, although previously carried out by organised militant groups – many of whom have since laid down their arms in exchange for amnesty from the government – most acts of piracy within the Gulf of Guinea are now perpetrated purely by criminal entities for financial purposes. The low risk but high yield nature of piracy operations within the region has provided armed gangs with further incentive to engage in maritime attacks. Daily pirate attacks It is difficult to assess the current rate of piracy within the Gulf of Guinea, particularly since a large percentage of incidents go unreported. Current statistics provided by the government suggest that at least 15 cases of piracy are reported in the Niger Delta alone on a monthly basis. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) meanwhile suggests that the frequency of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea is around 50 per year, although the UN-sponsored agency concedes that its statistics most likely equate for only 50% of actual piracy attacks. Finally, independent maritime security agencies operating within the region currently estimate that at least one act of piracy is reported within the Gulf of Guinea on a daily basis, and that current incident trends indicate that the number could increase to two per day. In addition to the increasing frequency in piracy attacks within the Gulf of Guinea, pirates are also expanding the scope of their operations. Since 2006, piracy has rapidly expanded beyond the Niger Delta and increasingly occurred within the territorial waters of neighbouring countries such as Benin, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Togo and Gabon. Maritime attacks within the aforementioned countries were generally opportunistic and limited to low-level robberies, while vessel hijackings remained limited to waters off the coast of Nigeria. Since late 2011, however, this trend has changed, with vessel seizures also reported off the coasts of Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Togo and Ivory Coast. It is likely that this pattern will continue in the short-term in the absence of coordinated multilateral anti-piracy initiatives. Red 24

EUA: Seis colombianos acusados de assassínio

JULY 19 (WASHINGTON) - Six Colombian nationals were indicted today by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia for the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent James Terry Watson. “Special Agent Watson was a brave public servant who dedicated his life to protecting the country he loved. He was a hero, in every sense of the word, who was taken from us far too suddenly and far too soon," said Attorney General Eric Holder. “With today's arrests, we take an important step towards ensuring that those allegedly responsible for his senseless murder are brought to justice. We also send an unmistakable message to all who commit acts of violence against America's law enforcement professionals: no matter who you are or where you live, we will do everything in our power to hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Gerardo Figueroa Sepulveda, 38; Omar Fabian Valdes Gualtero, 27; Edgar Javier Bello Murillo, 26; Hector Leonardo Lopez, 23; Julio Estiven Gracia Ramierez, 30; and Andrés Alvaro Oviedo-Garcia, 21, were each charged with two counts of second degree murder, one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Oviedo-Garcia was also charged with two counts of assault. Additionally, the grand jury indicted Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 30, also a Colombian national, for his alleged efforts to destroy evidence associated with the murder of Special Agent Watson. According to the indictment, Figueroa, Valdes, Bello, Lopez, Gracia and Oviedo-Garcia were part of a kidnapping and robbery conspiracy that utilized taxi cabs in Bogota, Colombia, to lure victims into a position where they could be attacked and robbed. Once an intended victim entered a taxi cab, the driver of the taxi cab would signal other conspirators to commence the robbery and kidnapping operation. The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2013, while he was working for the U.S. Mission in Colombia, Special Agent Watson entered a taxi cab operated by one of the defendants. Special Agent Watson was then allegedly attacked by two other defendants – one who stunned Special Agent Watson with a stun gun and another who stabbed Special Agent Watson with a knife, resulting in his death. The charges were announced by Attorney General Holder; DEA Administrator Michele L. Leonhart; Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride of the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director in Charge Valerie Parlave of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Director Gregory B. Starr of the Diplomatic Security Service for the U.S. Department of State. This case is being investigated by the FBI, DEA and Diplomatic Security Service, in close cooperation with Colombian authorities, and with assistance from INTERPOL and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Counsel Stacey Luck and Trial Attorney Christine Duey from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, Colombian National Police, Colombian Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DIJIN), DIJIN Special Investigative Unit, Bogota Metropolitan Police and Colombian Technical Investigation Team for their extraordinary efforts, support and professionalism in responding to this incident. Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. DEA

Neo-nazi norueguês detido na França

A NORWEGIAN neo-Nazi black metal rocker and convicted killer was arrested in France on Tuesday over fears he may have been preparing a "major terrorist act'', the interior ministry said. Kristian Vikernes, who is reportedly a sympathiser of Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik, was arrested by intelligence officers at dawn at his home in the central city of Salon-la-Tour, as was his French wife Marie Cachet, 25. According to the ministry, the 40-year-old who goes by the stage name "Varg'' is "close to the neo-Nazi movement'' and could have been preparing a "major terrorist act.'' Vikernes, who was once sentenced to 21 years in prison in Norway for stabbing to death one of his friends, had been under surveillance for several years. But anti-terrorism authorities in Paris opened a probe into the father-of-three at the beginning of the month after his wife purchased weapons - albeit legally as she has a permit. Officers seized several weapons at their home on Tuesday, including four 22 Caliber Long Rifles. Vikernes reportedly sympathised with Breivik, who is being held in isolation in a high security prison near Oslo for killing 77 people in twin attacks in 2011. http://www.news.com.au/world-news/neo-nazi-black-metal-rocker-kristian-vikernes-arrested-over-fears-he-was-planning-major-terrorist-act/

General egípcio fica como vice-primeiro-ministro

le chef d'état-major de l'armée égyptienne, le général Abdel Fattah al Sissi, a prêté serment mardi en tant que premier vice-Premier ministre du gouvernement de transition. Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour, un chrétien libéral, devient de son côté ministre du Commerce et de l'Industrie. Près de deux semaines après la destitution de M. Morsi par l'armée, l'Egypte a un nouveau gouvernement, qui comprend des personnalités d'horizons divers mais aucune affiliée à un parti islamiste. L'ensemble des ministres a prêté serment devant le président intérimaire Adly Mansour, lors d'une cérémonie retransmise à la télévision publique. Le Premier ministre Hazem Beblawi, désigné le 9 juillet, a mené une semaine de consultations avec les personnalités pressenties. La nomination de Nabil Fahmy, ancien ambassadeur à Washington, aux Affaires étrangères, ou encore celle d'Ahmad Galal, un économiste qui a travaillé pour la Banque mondiale, aux Finances, avaient déjà été annoncées. Comme prévu, le ministère de la Défense reste aux mains du général Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, homme-clé dans la déposition de Mohamed Morsi le 3 juillet. Le général Sissi devient en outre vice-Premier ministre. Le prix Nobel de la paix et figure de l'opposition, Mohamed ElBaradei, avait déjà prêté serment comme vice-président chargé des relations internationales dimanche. La prestation de serment du nouveau gouvernement représente une étape supplémentaire dans la transition politique édictée par la présidence intérimaire, qui doit mener à l'adoption d'une nouvelle Constitution puis à des législatives d'ici début 2014 et enfin à une nouvelle présidentielle. Hazem Beblawi, 76 ans, n'avait pas exclu la présence de Frères musulmans dans son cabinet, mais la confrérie, dont est issu M. Morsi, avait balayé l'offre, assurant ne pas "pactiser avec des putschistes". Mardi, la présidence intérimaire a exhorté toutes les forces politiques, y compris les Frères musulmans, à participer à ses "efforts" de "réconciliation nationale". Mardi 16 Juillet 2013 - 18:43 Atlasinfo