.
Europe
European Union
December 6, 2024 After 25 years of negotiations, the European Union and the Southern Common Market, known as Mercosur and comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, signed a free trade and cooperation agreement in Montevideo. In 2019, the European Commission reached a preliminary agreement with Mercosur countries. The deal reduced tariffs on manufactured goods in Mercosur countries while liberalizing agricultural trade in the European Union - a sector long protected by European policies. France and other EU countries demanded environmental guarantees from Brazil and expressed concerns over the potential losses to European farmers. Many doubted the prospects of an EU–Mercosur partnership. Resistance from European farmers, especially in France, Poland, and Ireland, played a major role. These groups feared fierce competition from more competitive Latin American agricultural producers.’Spain, Portugal, Germany, and some Nordic countries’, struggled to counter this opposition. The rise of protectionism, exemplified by Trump's reelection, pushed the European Union and Mercosur to act. EU leaders were concerned about the rapid expansion of Chinese trade and investment in Latin America. The new European Commission wanted to start its mandate by delivering ’quick results’. The agrement eliminates tariffs on over 90 percent of bilateral trade, ’saving European exporters EUR 4 billion annually’ while ’granting South American products preferential access to European markets, particularly for agricultural goods where Mercosur holds a strong comparative advantage’. The agreement ensures the protection of 357 European geographical indicators, boosting exports of specialty agricultural products like wines and cheeses. European companies will gain better access to Mercosur’s public procurement markets, high-value service sectors, and critical raw materials like lithium. ’The European Union will reduce tariffs on agricultural products’. After the agreement is translated into all EU member state languages, it will go to the European Council for ratification, where EU countries are represented by their trade ministers. A minimum of four states representing at least 35 percent of the EU population could block the agreement. France, Austria, and Poland have stated that they oppose the agreement. Italy could join them. The agreement must be ratified by the European Parliament. Provisions involving aspects of jurisdiction and sovereignty, such as dispute settlement mechanisms or investment protection, must be unanimously approved by national parliaments to enter into force. (Source: Center for Strategic and International Studies – U.S.)
by Steinberg, a visiting fellow with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the CSIS
Asia
China
Friday, 06 Dec 2024 3:41 PM MYT Hong Kong authorities have tightened health screening measures at the airport for all flights arriving from African transit hubs as they prepare for potential risks linked to an unidentified disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. According to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), the outbreak in Congo has resulted in at least 79 deaths and over 300 infections since late October. The SCMP noted that symptoms reported by Congolese health officials include fever, headache, runny nose, cough, breathing difficulties, and anaemia, primarily affecting individuals over the age of 15. The CHP said it had contacted the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and Congolese health authorities for more information about the outbreak, according to the SCMP. The CHP has immediately stepped up health screenings at the airport for passengers on all flights arriving in Hong Kong from the transit hubs. Travellers on these flights will undergo temperature checks, and those showing symptoms will be assessed by medical personnel and referred to hospitals for examination if necessary. The CHP advised travellers to seek immediate medical attention if they feel unwell after returning to Hong Kong. (Source: Malaymail- Malaysia)
Gaza
06.12.2024 At least 15 Palestinians were killed today when the Israeli army targeted homes in the northern and southern Gaza Strip. (Source: Anadolu Agency – Turkey)
December 6th, 2024 The Israeli military killed at least 39 Palestinians in strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight, medics said. (Source: Dawn - Pakistan)
Iran
December 6, 2024 Iran's Defence Ministry announced today a successful space launch that placed two satellites into low Earth orbit. The Simorgh carrier rocket successfully deployed the Saman-1 orbital transfer block, developed by the Iranian Space Agency, and the Fakhr-1 military satellite, built for the Islamic Republic's armed forces, into a 400-kilometre orbit, according to IRIB. The Simorgh launcher weighs approximately 80 tonnes. The launch vehicle, powered by liquid fuel in a two-stage configuration, reportedly carried a combined payload of 300 kilogrammes, which Iranian officials described as their heaviest successful orbital insertion. Earlier in September, Iran launched the Simorgh carrier rocket, following the successful deployment of the Chamran 1 research satellite. Iran had previously launched the Sorayya satellite using the same rocket in January. The UK, Germany and France condemned the launch and claimed that the space carrier utilises technology for developing long-range ballistic missile systems, Reuters reported on January 26. (Source: bne Intellinews - Germany)
Israel
2024-12-06 09:10 The Israeli military today had carried out airstrikes targeting Josiah and Al-Arida border crossings between Syria and Lebanon, allegedly used to transport weapons to Hezbollah. (Source: Shafaq News)
Syria
December 6, 2024 Yesterday, following intense fighting, anti-regime groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), captured the city center of Hama from regime control. Earlier this morning, they took control of Rastan and Talbiseh, districts located along the M5 highway, which connects Aleppo, Hama, and Homs to Damascus. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
North America
United States
December 6, 2024 17:05 JST Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 could bring stability to oil markets. Trump has yet to outline a strategy for resolving the complex issues at the root of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and may initially focus on temporary solutions. But even a ceasefire would help ease supply crunch in oil markets and support prices. In particular, his promise to quickly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza could prove to have the biggest impact on global oil markets. The expected resumption of approval of export licenses for new liquefied natural gas projects, which the Biden administration suspended in January of this year, is good news for global markets, especially for Asian buyers who are ramping up gas consumption. (Source: Nikkei - Japan)
by Hari, founder of Vanda Insight,s a Singapore-based global energy market information provider
December 06, 2024 The Naval Transfer Act of 2008 legally required the United States to ensure that Israel maintains a qualitative military edge over its adversaries. It mandates that any sale of arms to Middle Eastern countries must undergo a rigorous review to confirm that it does not compromise Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME). The law defines QME as the capability to “counter and defeat any credible conventional military threat” with minimal damage to Israel’s forces and resources. The QME is a legal commitment from the U.S. to ensure that Israel is not only victorious in battle but will be able to win decisively. This law is reaffirmed by congressional vote year after year, with Congress passing various recent provisions that mandate the Department of Defense to report on Israel’s QME status periodically. The original basis of the Israeli QME was to use Israel to combat Soviet expansion into the Middle East, and this policy has not changed over the last 70-plus years. The QME agreement between the United States and Israel has cost U.S. taxpayers $310 billion since Israel was founded. (Source: Antiwar - U.S.)
by Thayer, a researcher who founded WEDA in 2014 to combat mainstream media narratives. He is also an antiwar activist.
6/12/2024 Trump’s plan for Ukraine is taking shape, but no official plan has been made public at present. Putin has demanded that Kyiv agree to accept the loss of four Ukrainian oblasts to Russia – which Russia occupies only parts of currently – and renounce its ambitions to join Nato, among other conditions, before he will even consider a ceasefire. There are three plans put forward by Trump’s advisers, which are reportedly being discussed by the incoming administration: by retired Army Lt-Gen Kellogg, former intelligence chief Grenell and vice president-elect Vance. They broadly share similar themes, namely for the conflict to be frozen along current front lines and for Ukraine to drop its Nato ambitions.- a key demand by Russian President Putin. Freezing the conflict would mean allowing Russia to maintain control of almost 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory, given Russian advantages in manpower and technological capabilities - a prospect that Zelensky has repeatedly refused to accept. Trump’s advisers may force Putin to cooperate by threatening ’to boost military aid to Ukraine’ if he refuses, Reuters reported. (Source: MSN - U.S. / The i - United Kingdom)
(Friday), 6 Dec 2024 US president-elect Trump taps hawkish ex-Georgia Senator Perdue as ambassador to China. Perdue was member of the Senate from 2015 to 2021. Perdue has lived in Singapore and Hong Kong, and worked in Asia and China for much of his career. Trump today also tapped tech investor Sacks as his “crypto czar” to oversee artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency policy. (Source: Al Jazeera - Qatar)
.4 12 7 00:12
