"What in the World?" - Week of Jan 28-Feb 3, 2018

THIS opposition leader in Russia was detained Sunday for organizing protests aimed at the March 18^th vote that will probably see Vladimir Putin reelected as President of the Russian Federation. He tweeted, "I've been detained. This doesn't matter. Come to Tverskaya (Street). You are not going there for me, it's for you and your future."

Alexei Navalny

Dmitry Nizovtsev

Dmitry Medvedev

Sergei Kislyak

A rising trend in global oil prices has restored the prospects for US crude oil production especially the shale-drilling industry. The approximate price of one barrel of crude in late January was:

$30

$65

$90

$120

THIS NATO country’s legislators agreed last week to boost military spending 20 percent over current levels by 2023 in response to threats from Russia such as the deployment of nuclear capable missiles and other advanced weapons in the Baltic region, and cyber attacks.

Norway

Finland

Sweden

Denmark

Last week the United States invited China to participate in THIS program as a way to improve military to military relations.

Joint “freedom of navigation” patrols in the Persian Gulf

Multilateral air defense exercises in the Korean Peninsula

International naval exercises in Hawaii

Joint “anti-piracy” patrols off the coast of Somalia

Beijing said it would show great goodwill toward “breakaway province” of Taiwan but its recent military exercises in the area have been interpreted as threatening by its President Tsai Ing-Wen. For the People’s Republic of China THIS development would be a “red-line” not to be crossed by Taipei.

Seeking military sales agreements with the United States

Seeking formal independence

Seeking international recognition by other countries

Seeking control of disputed islands in the Western Pacific

China signaled a new approach to its signature commercial relationships’ expansion when President Xi Jinping announced it would begin trading via polar sea lanes opened through warming of the ice cap. The new “Polar Silk Road” would serve as an extension of THIS comprehensive development of infrastructure and trade ties across Asia to Europe known as:

Shanghai Cooperation Organization

TransEurAsia Partnership

One World Trade Cooperative

Belt and Road Initiative

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced on Saturday that THIS action has been taken with regard to Iran?

American and EU working groups have begun discussions to fix flaws in the “nuclear deal.”

The Trump Administration planned to freeze repatriation of Iranian bank assets.

The US Ambassador to the UN would open Security Council dialogue on nuclear deal violations.

The United States no longer considered the Russian Federation as part of the “P5+1” nuclear deal agreement.

Turkish President Erdogan pledged to “Step by step … clean our entire border” in reference to THIS ongoing activity:

Turkish military operations against Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq

Turkish military operations against Iranian-backed Syrian forces in Syria

Turkish military operations against rebel militias along the Armenian border

Turkish military operations against US-backed Kurdish militias in Syria

Over 200 prominent business people, former government ministers and members of the royal family have been detailed in the posh Ritz Carlton hotel in the capital of THIS Middle East nation as the government says it is cracking down on corruption.

Jordan

Bahrain

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

The world economy is expected to grow by 3.9 percent this year and next, up from 3.7 last year, and 3.2 percent in 2016, according to an IMF report cited by “The New York Times” which characterized the global economy as:

�Every major economy on earth is expanding, a synchronous wave of growth that is creating jobs, lifting fortunes and tempering fears of popular discontent.”

�The BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – are driving global growth while Southeast Asia still seeks to recover its previous pace.”

�While most G-20 nations are expanding their economies those in the European Union have stalled amid worries over Brexit-induced shocks.”

�A reassessment of World Trade Organization rules for commercial ties has encouraged growth among nations that were challenged by upside-down balance of trade ratios.”

"What in the World?" - Week of Jan 28-Feb 3, 2018

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