Foreign Service Updates

More on Uruguay Protest Ex-Gitmo Detainees In Uruguay Protest At US Embassy - inadequate deal in exchange asylum https://knpr.org/npr/2015-04/ex-gitmo-detainees-uruguay-protest-us-embassy Uruguay Protest USA 5 out of 6 ex-Guantanamo Bay inmates relocated to Uruguay have camped outside of US embassy After 15-years of abuse in military prison / seek compensation. USG says:  no obligation /detained under law of war http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Ex-Guantanamo-Inmates-Continue-Protest-at-Uruguays-US-Embassy-20150502-0016.html Biden Declares War on Iran VP Joe Biden: US will go to war to keep Iran from going nuclear "... said that President Barack Obama had authorized military preparations in the event of a decision to strike Iran." “No such policy existed before president Obama uttered it, that all instruments of American power to prevent — not contain — a nuclear armed Iran would be used ,” Biden said. “He made sure that our military had the capacity and the ability to execute the mission if required.” http://www.jta.org/2015/04/30/news-opinion/united-states/auto-draft-87 Iran - Re Seized Danish Ship - Maersk Tigris cargo ship, Maersk Tigris - seizure re commercial dispute / ship will be released after settlement of debts http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/04/30/408877/Iran-Maersk-carg-vessel-denmark-US Maersk Tigris - appeal court has ruled Maersk Line to pay $3.6 million http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-navy-starts-to-accompany-us-ships-passing-through-strait-of-hormuz-759666 USA - Strait of Hormuz US Navy ships started accompanying US-flagged commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Thu http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-navy-starts-to-accompany-us-ships-passing-through-strait-of-hormuz-759666 Philippines US poured $20-m into Philippines’ National Coast Watch Centre, Manila 24-hr maritime info ops ties together over dozen stations + sensors, & ships of Coast Guard comprehensive monitoring vessels near Philippine waters Philipinnes Objection filed w UN tribunal Hague / reclamation projects by China in disputed territories South China Sea Philippines filed challenge: under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea {PHL seek US support re reclamation} http://globalnation.inquirer.net/122188/us-pours-20m-into-ph-coast-watch-center/ Saudi Arabia intends to increase number of SA doctors receiving US training initiative to make SA attractive location for medical tourism [Sounds like there's money to be made in Saudi Arabia healtcare] http://www.arabnews.com/news/740341 Jean Chrétien - Russia Former PM of Canada visited Putin Moscow Thu. slap to the govt of PM Stephen Harper Def Min Jason Kenney no brief /mysask US Sec State John Kerry currently SriLanka Then off to:  Nairobi  Kenya   Sri Lanka Secretary of State John Kerry arrives.  Scheduled to lay foundation for the new US Embassy in Colombo  1st Sec State visit in decade former govt of Mahinda Rajapaksa was tilted towards China x3 UN resolutions against SL http://www.colombopage.com/archive_15A/May02_1430541070CH.php Africa Burundi x3 killed grenade attacks on police 600 arrested Pres election:  June 26 Social Media etc lockdown http://www.globalpost.com/article/6535439/2015/05/01/burundi-says-600-arrested-over-protests-three-killed-attacks Burundi landlocked, S-E Africa Twa, Hutu + Tutsi Germany colony ceded to Belgium post WWI civil war mid. 20thC - independence 1966 Christian population at 80–90%, with Roman Catholics representing largest group at 60–65% "Burundi population growth rate is 2.5 percent per year, more than double the average global pace, and a Burundian woman has on average 6.3 children, nearly triple the international fertility rate." "Subsistence agriculture accounts for 90% of agriculture." Lowest GDP per capita in the world. Densely populated. Hungriest country in world in terms of percentage /wikipedia 1972 mass killings of Hutus by Tutsi-dominated army 1993 mass killings of Tutsis by the Hutu majority *Looks like biggest issue may be ethnic Pierre Nkurunziza President of Burundi since 2005 attempt to stand 3rd consecutive term, a problem dissident crackdown http://www.globalpost.com/article/6535439/2015/05/01/burundi-says-600-arrested-over-protests-three-killed-attacks Burundi 2014 - Nkurunziza banned jogging, due to "fears it was being used as a cover for subversion." Nkurunziza's allies say his first term does not count as he was appointed by parliament & not directly by the ppl /wikipedia Libya / Qorvis (MLS Group) Libya embassy in WA cancels $1 million PR contract w  Qorvis (MLS Group) b/c also signed  Qatar’s Al-Jazeera Libya - this is the Western backed govt Media say Qatar accused of supporting  GNC/Libya Dawn / Tripoli Libya Embassy "used to have two PR companies in [Washington] DC, which is often very essential for embassies to do in DC”. http://www.libyaherald.com/2015/05/02/libyan-embassy-in-washington-cancels-us-1-million-pr-contract/ Qorvis WA PR firm 2014  Publicis Groupe {a French multinational} Saudi Arabia hired Qorvis to improve its image post 9-11 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qorvis market & consumer research, media training & grassroots lobbying service "Qorvis criticized by human rights groups for representing rogue govts such as Bahrain." [Wikipedia] Pakistan Senior diplomats accused of sending convicted prisoners from Bangkok to Pakistan refused to meet Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Pakistan - persons convicted of serious crimes brought back to Pak & freed. *Also fake Pak ID http://tribune.com.pk/story/879506/prisoner-extradition-inquiry-diplomats-refuse-to-cooperate-with-fia/ [ Had trouble understanding this article.  Pakistan's doing prisoner swaps & then freeing the exchangees? ] AUSTRALIA $US1.5 trillion ($1.9 trillion) Texas economy is virtually same size as Australia's & slightly larger population of 27 million ppl Texas = home to 52 Fortune 500 companies Austrade opens consulate general office in Houston Houston = Au. 7th diplomatic & trade post in US > embassy in WA > consulate in: *New York *Chicago *San Francisco *LA *Hawaii http://www.afr.com/news/economy/austrade-opens-consulate-general-office-in-houston-despite-oil-plunge-20150503-1mycty [ So, Texas is huge and the US is even bigger.  lol ] AUSTRALIA USG grant upgrade x Southern Cross cable network fiber optic link Oz NZ Hawaii LA Oz Hawaii Seattle http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2015/04/30/university-of-hawaii-to-strengthen-pacific.html Afghanistan - Qatar delegation from Afghanistan is headed to Qatar to hold 2 days talks with Taliban reps Since w/drawal US & NATO forces, Afghan security forces casualties have spiked. Prior dialogue attempt collapsed. "reconciliation" talks / not peace negotiations *nobody repping govt or parties / individual capacity attendance only http://www.menafn.com/1094201245/Afghanistan-Taliban-to-hold-two-days-of-talks North Korea is holding x4 South Korea nationals x2 arrested March said in interviews w CNN that they spied for South Korea's intel agency http://www.globalpost.com/article/6536760/2015/05/03/two-men-arrested-north-korea-say-they-spied-south-cnn ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ COMMENT:  THOUGHT THIS STUFF WAS INTERESTING AT THE TIME ... NOT NECESSARILY INTERESTING TO ANYONE ELSE.  LOL. IF THE TEXAS ECONOMY AND POPULATION IS VIRTUALLY THE SIZE OF AUSTRALIA'S, HOW TINY IS AUSTRALIA COMPARED TO THE US?