Argus Geopolitical Intel

NEWSBYTE: Liviu Dragnea has lost his appeal against conviction and has been sent to Rahova prison on the outskirts of Bucharest to serve a 42 month sentence for corruption after Romania´s Supreme Court upheld his earlier conviction and sentence. The 56 year old, head of Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), and widely accepted as one of Romania´s most influential figures, was found guilty last year of "using his influence" as a senior government official to create fake jobs in a child protection agency for two members of his PSD party.

After months of negotiations, Pakistan has secured a further $6bn. from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a bid to abate an economic meltdown. The "in principle" amount has been secured after a series of "bailouts" for the country and is still subject to final approval from the IMF´s management board. It is thought the funding would be drawn down over a three year period. A spokesman for the IMF said Pakistan is facing a "challenging economic environment, with lacklustre growth, elevated inflation, high indebtedness, and a weak external position". They went on say that the funding programme would support the authorities strategy for stronger growth by "improving the business environment, strengthening institutions, increasing transparency, and protecting social spending". IMF bailout funding is generally provided under strict conditions, and analysts warn that any fresh cash injection from the IMF could well harm Prime Minister Imran K...

Private hire to logistics group Uber is asking stockholders to stump up $45 per share, valuing the company at some $82bn. ahead of what analysts are predicting will be one of the biggest stock flotations in 2019 despite the fact that it has failed to make a profit to date and recently warned it may never do so. Uber had originally suggested a price range of between $44-$50 for its listing price, valuing the company at up to $120bn. However, it is considered that its lower IPO price was to avoid the fate of arch rival Lyft whose valuation dropped by over 30% after its recent listing.  The corporation´s revenue last year surged 42% to $11.3bn, but its adjusted loss, following tax breaks still hit $1.8bn and its reported losses for Q1719 were reported at $1bn leaving investors gambling on Uber ´s growth in its diversified activities which include Uber Eats its food delivery service and its driver-less car arm. All this just days after its drivers in both the UK and US went on strik...

NEWSBYTE: Donald Trump has said China "broke the deal...they can't do that...so they'll be paying" at the same time pledging to double trade tariffs ramping up hostilities ahead of trade negotiations between the two sides which are due to be held in the US with the Harvard educated and highly GeoPolitically aware Vice Premier Liu He. Beijing has already said if the US raises tariffs it would retaliate with "necessary countermeasures" which doesn't bode well bearing in mind that US debt to China is conservatively estimated at a massive $1.13 Trillion. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to urge the UK Government to rethink the possibility of any collaboration with Chinese tech giant Huawei´s involvement in its 5G rollout, in his upcoming visit to the UK. In the aftermath of "leak-gate" which saw UK Defence Minister Gavin Williamson removed from office, the UK party line is now that no final decision has been made. Pompeo is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Theresa May and make a speech on foreign policy ahead of US President Donal Trump´s state visit next month. The US has already warned that there is "no safe level" of involvement with the Chinese company.

NEWSBYTE: Despite previous assurances by UK Prime Minister, Theresa May that a Brexit deal would be hammered out by both the Tories and Labour before the upcoming European elections, her de facto deputy David Lidington has confirmed that "regrettably" the UK will now have to take part as it is "not going to finish the process" before the 23 May, the date the UK will be legally obligated to participate in the Euro wide poll.

GEO´_Insights™ Who was Jamal Khasshogi? To receive the full Report direct to your inbox please Click Here to Register Free

NEWSBYTE: US national security advisor, John Bolton, has announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group to its US Central Command region to send a "clear and unmistakable message" to the Iranian regime, warning that any attacks on either US assets or their allies in the region would be "met with unrelenting force"

NEWSBYTE: Moving on from Kim´s demands to remove U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from all further negotiations between North Korea and the US its Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui has now warned of “undesired consequences” if the US fails to present a new position in denuclearisation talks by the end of the year. Trump and Pompeo have brushed aside the deadline, calling for Kim to take action on his pledge to denuclearise after years of pursuing nuclear and rocket programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

NEWSBYTE: The number of companies that fell into financial difficulties in the UK [England & Wales] rose in Q1/09 with 4,187 company insolvencies up from 3,938 reported for the final quarter of 2018 according to the Insolvency Service, with Analysts citing uncertainty as businesses struggled in the run-up to the original March Brexit deadline.