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IMF GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: Global economy on firmer ground - Analysis By GEO´ Newsteam - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 280721 at 08:08 (via GEO/Hype) IMF upgrades UK economic forecast Boost for Britain as IMF forecasts joint strongest growth in G7 The UK Economy has received a much needed shot in the arm as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgrades its forecast for Britain's economic growth in 2021, after what has been a largely successful vaccine rollout leading to a stronger-than-expected bounce back. In its latest World Economic Outlook (Published Tuesday, 27 July 2021) the IMF has published its latest forecasts of growth rates around the globe. The report now expects the UK economy to expand by 7% in 2021, a significant upgrade on April's forecast of 5.3% and puts the UK on target to have the strongest growth in the G7.  Click Here  for our Full Analysis direct to your mailbox or smart device. Image Credit: Lorenzo Cafaro  

ENERGY SECURITY: Nord Stream 2 gets Green light  By the Atlantic Council / @ ACEurasia   Posted By: GEO´ PR Channel  - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 260721 at 10:18 Fast Thinking by Atlantic Council Related Experts: John E. Herbst , Daniel Fried , Richard L. Morningstar How will the United States and Germany balance business needs with security? And what price will Kyiv be forced to pay? We drilled down with our experts for answers.   It’s no longer just a pipe dream. Berlin and Washington have ended years of political wrangling by striking a deal over the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is slated to deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany. Critics have long argued that the project will increase Russia’s geopolitical influence across Europe while leaving Ukraine, a strategic Western partner, in the lurch. How will the United States and Germany balance business needs with security? And what price will Kyiv be forced to pay...

LIVE EVENT UPDATE: CTX 2021 14-16 September 2021 ExCel London via GEO´ PR Channel - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 230721 at 11:23 The organisers of CTX 2021 are pleased to announce that registration for the 2021 Event is now open. Join them for this unmissable free-to-attend counter-terror exhibition and conference. Why attend CTX?  As the UK's leading high-level security and EPRR event, CTX attracts a truly diverse audience across the security and counter-terror spectrum. Co-located with Forensics Europe Expo and DSEI, the event offers great networking opportunities to share new ideas and advanced solutions across the industry. CLICK TO REGISTER CTX 2021 SEMINAR PROGRAMME AGENDA Supporting the Exhibition the Free Conference will focus on understanding, preventing and mitigating the threats facing the UK by our specialist speakers.  Image Credit: Maria Rantanen  

ENERGY SECURITY: US  brokers deal with Germany to block Putin's stranglehold on Energy to the West - Analysis By Iain Fraser - Geopolitical Journalist, Editor at Large, Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed om 220721 at 09:59 The US has confirmed that it has struck a deal with Germany that will prevent Putin using the Nord Steam 2 gas pipeline for political purchase. Under the terms of the agreement Berlin has pledged to respond to any attempt by Russia to use energy as a weapon against Ukraine and any other Central and Eastern European countries mitigating fears of the perilous strategic dangers posed by the $11 billion pipeline which is 98% complete and will carry gas from the Russian Arctic region to Germany. In a joint statement issued by Washington and Berlin the two countries outlined the details of agreement and affirming their mantra that they were "united in their determination to hold Russia to account for its aggression and malign activities by imposi...

CYBER BREACH: 80+ US Municipalities left vulnerable in Massive Data Breach By Cyber Research Team via GEO PR Channel - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 210721 at  Over 80 US Municipalities’ Sensitive Information, Including Resident’s Personal Data, Left Vulnerable in Massive Data Breach A team of Ethical Hackers at WIZCASE led by Ata Hakçıl has found a major breach exposing a number of US cities, all of them using the same web service provider aimed at municipalities. This breach compromised citizens’ physical addresses, phone numbers, IDs, tax documents, and more. Due to the large number and various types of unique documents, it is difficult to estimate the number of people exposed in this breach. There was no need for a password or login credentials to access this information, and the data was not encrypted. What’s Happening? Over a 100 US cities appeared to be using the same product, mapsonline.net, provided by an American company named PeopleGIS. The dat...

VIRTUAL EVENT: LATEST COP26 NEWS - How can the UK be a global leader in climate adaptation? INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNMENT VIRTUAL EVENT: Friday 30 July 2021, 12:30 - 13:30 Click Here to Register Climate change is already devastating lives and livelihoods every year. With heatwaves, floods, wildfires and other extreme weather events becoming more common in the UK and around the world, all countries need to adapt and build resilience. So as the UK prepares to host COP26 , the UK Presidency has placed climate adaptation at the heart of its agenda. COP26 is a huge opportunity for the UK. How can the UK government show leadership on climate adaptation, both internationally and domestically? How can countries provide support for people most vulnerable to the effects of climate change? What role can early warning systems play and how can this help inform approaches by policy makers and donors? And how can the UK both learn from other countries facing climate risks and share the lessons of its ow...

Secretary-General Saddened by Flooding Deaths, Destruction across Central Europe Posted by: GEO´ PRChannel Team - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com The Secretary-General is saddened by the loss of life and destruction of property due to the heavy rains and flooding across Central Europe, most notably in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.  He extends his condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims and to the Governments and people of the affected countries. The United Nations stands ready to contribute to ongoing rescue and assistance efforts if necessary. *NB The following statement was issued on 190721 the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres Image Credit: UN

IRAN: Tehran is ready to Proceed with Prisoner Swap TODAY! Posted By: Iain Fraser - Editor at Large www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Iran has upped the rhetoric in the latest spat over what Tehran says was a "done deal" with the US, one Iranian official Saeed Khatibzadeh tweeted   That stalemate has also prompted a reaction by Iranian Deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi who said Iran is preparing for a transfer of power to the incoming administration of Ebrahim Raisi in early August, and therefore months-long talks in Vienna to restore the country’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers must wait.  US State Department spokesman Ned Price said later on Saturday that the comments were “an outrageous effort to deflect blame from the current impasse”“We stand ready to return to Vienna to complete work on a mutual return to the JCPOA once Iran has made the necessary decisions,” Price said, as reported by the Reuters news agency. There was no immediate comment from the UK government. ...

CLIMATE CRISIS/COP26: COP26 UK - Climate change is the greatest risk facing us all. The Latest News about COP 26 on GEO´ By: GEO´ Newsteam - Gibraltar & Iain Fraser - Geopolitical Journalist www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com The UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021. The climate talks will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree coordinated action to tackle climate change. As COP26 Presidency, the UK is committed to working with all countries and joining forces with civil society, companies and people on the frontline of climate change to inspire action ahead of COP26. Current Climate Status Around the world storms, floods and wildfires are intensifying. Air pollution sadly affects the health of tens of millions of people and unpredictable weather causes untold damage to homes and livelihoods too.  But while the impacts of climate change ...

Biden welcomes Merkel to Washington for last time as German premiere - Analysis By GEO´ Newsteam - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 160721 at 07:34 At a carefully choreographed press conference US President Joe Biden has welcomed German Chancellor to the Whitehouse for what will be her last visit as German premiere. "On behalf of the United States, thank you, Angela, for your career of strong, principled leadership. And thank you for speaking out for what is right and for never failing to defend human dignity." The US President took time to acknowledge the historic nature of Mrs Merkel´s chancellorship. "First woman chancellor in German history. The first chancellor from the former East Germany. And now, the second largest — longest-serving chancellor since Helmut Kohl. Here’s an exemplary life of groundbreaking service to Germany and, I might add — and I mean it from the bottom of my heart — to the world." the President said.   He went on to ...

British Public at risk from "State Actors" MI5 Director General - Analysis By Iain Fraser - Geopolitical Journalist www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 150721 at 10:44 The Director General of MI5, The Security Service, Ken McCallum gave his annual threat update yesterday (140721) broadcast from the Services headquarters at Thames House, London.  Mr McCallum gave an overview threat assessment and highlighted the risk posed to the general public by so called "State Actors" and the continuing scourge of Terrorism. He also outlined the service´s determination to learn, adapt and strengthen the UK's Defences against hidden threats.  He opened his address by saying "Our nation has been through an utterly extraordinary year. The pandemic has brought massive shifts in how we’re living and working – and accelerated many wider global trends. The Integrated Review published by government in March described an increasingly contested world, and the importance ...

The EU and Climate Security: Toward Ecological Diplomacy - Carnegie Europe on GEO´  By Olivia Lazard & Richard Youngs  - Carnegie Europe via GEO´ PR Channel - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com To fulfill its ambition of becoming an effective geopolitical power, the EU should place ecological security and diplomacy at the heart of its foreign and security policy. This approach should entail practical and innovative strategies that pursue systemic regeneration at home and abroad.   The EU stands at a critical juncture in its commitment to energy transition and action against climate change. The European Green Deal brings together multiple strands of policy to propel European states toward a low-carbon economy. However, as the EU deepens and accelerates its internal energy transition, climate action must become a more pivotal issue for the union’s external action. Europe’s energy transition will have far-reaching effects, particularly for the bloc’s relationship wi...

ENERGY SECURITY: Biden faces further battle over Putin’s pipeline By Diane Francis - UkraineAlert   Atlantic Council Posted By: GEO´ PR Channel Team - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 130721 at 07:59 US President Joe Biden’s efforts to strike a deal with Germany over Vladimir Putin’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline are coming under further critical scrutiny and encountering additional domestic opposition as recent developments underline the Kremlin’s continued readiness to use energy supplies as a geopolitical weapon. Talks between the United States and Germany are ongoing over possible ways to avert negative consequences from the completion of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said these discussions aim to “ensure that Russia cannot use energy as a coercive tool directed at Ukraine or anyone else.” However, opponents argue that coercion is the main objective of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. They also point out that none of th...

Russia’s National Security Strategy: A Manifesto for a New Era  By Dmitri Trenin - Carnegie Moscow Centre Posted By: GEO´ PRChannel Team - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com  Google Indexed on 120721 at 10:49 Russia’s new, forty-four-page National Security Strategy signed by President Vladimir Putin on July 2 is a remarkable document. It is much more than an update of the previous paper, adopted in 2015. Back then, relations with the West had already sharply deteriorated as a result of the Ukraine crisis, but were still considered salvageable; much of the liberal phraseology inherited from the 1990s was still in use; and the world still looked more or less unified. The current version of arguably the most important Kremlin strategy statement—covering not only national security issues, but a whole range of others, from the economy to the environment, and values to defense—is a manifesto for a different era: one defined by the increasingly intense confrontation with the Unit...

REGIME: UN condemns ‘abhorrent’ assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moïse Posted By GEO´ PRChannel Team - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 080721 at 08:06 Perpetrators behind the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse must be brought to justice, the United Nations said on Wednesday.  UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the incident in the strongest terms, according to a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.  An ‘abhorrent act’  “The Secretary-General calls on all Haitians to preserve the constitutional order, remain united in the face of this abhorrent act and reject all violence”, it said.  President Moïse, 53, was shot dead in an overnight attack in his private residence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.  His wife, Martine, was also injured and is receiving treatment, according to media reports.  The entrepreneur and politician was elected in November 2016 and began serving the fol...

BIG TECH: Is a ‘truly global’ Minimum Tax on the Horizon? By Kunal Sawhney Posted By: GEO´PRChannel Team - Gibraltar LATEST GEOPOLITICAL NEWS www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 080721 at 06:36 This is a fantastic piece by Kalkine CEO Kunal Sawhney and worthy of our audience and quite rightly identified by our AI macro-research protocols for inclusion in the GEO´PR Channel Roundup. (Ed.) The global minimum tax accord reached by the seven wealthiest nations doesn’t automatically translate into the Digital Services Tax (DST) going away. The Group of Seven (G7) cannot alone shape up global tax, but the recent deal can guide how the Group of Twenty (G20) countries reach a consensus on the thorny issue of taxing multinationals. The global minimum levy is broader than the DST, which is presently levied by a handful of countries on tech giants such as Google and Facebook. It has been a bone of contention between the US and the countries levying it. In the run-up to the G7 Summit thi...

BELARUS: Government must fully respect the aspirations of their people Posted BY GEO´ PRChannel Team - Gibraltar GEOPOLITICAL NEWS www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 060721 at 11:44 Belarus has witnessed an unprecedented human rights crisis over the past year, the independent expert appointed to monitor the country said on Monday, calling on authorities to immediately end their policy of repression and fully respect the legitimate aspirations of their people. In her annual report to the Human Rights Council, Anaïs Marin said she had received reports of massive police violence used against protesters - since last August’s disputed presidential election brought millions onto the streets to contest the result - cases of enforced disappearance, allegations of torture and ill-treatment and the continuous intimidation and harassment of civil society actors. Broad spectrum of abuses “The Belarusian authorities have launched a full-scale assault against civil society, curtailing a b...

UK: MANUFACTURING: Nissan unveils substantial electric vehicle expansion plans in UK By Iain Fraser - Geopolitical Journalist, Editor at Large GEOPOLITICAL NEWS/NEWSBYTE www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 060721 at 10:57 Japanese car manufacturer Nissan has unveiled plans for a major expansion of electric vehicle production at its car plant in Sunderland which will create 1,650 new jobs to accommodate its new-generation all-electric model as part of a planned £1bn investment that will also support thousands of jobs in the supply chain. And Nissan's partner, Envision AESC, will build an electric battery plant. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called the plans a "pivotal moment". Of the £1bn investment, Nissan said it would invest up to £423m to produce a new-generation all-electric vehicle in the UK, building on the success of its existing electric car, the Leaf. Production of the new model will create 909 new jobs and more than 4,500 in its UK supply chain. ...

Russia’s Ambitious Military-Geostrategic Posture in the Mediterranean - Carnegie Europe on GEO´ By Can Kasapoglu & Sinan Ulgen - Carnegie Europe Posted By: GEO´ PRChannel Team - Gibraltar www.GEOPoliticalMatters.com Google Indexed on 010721 at 12:33 Russia’s steady development of military capabilities on the ground, in the air, and at sea has enhanced its overall military posture in the region. This experience, and lack of resistance from NATO, is likely to enhance Russia’s military posture and ambitions outside the Mediterranean.  The Mediterranean is a significant component of Moscow’s military strategy: the basin provides an access point to southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. In the eyes of the Russian elite, the Mediterranean is also an arena of great power competition with the United States and NATO. Through a smart buildup of naval and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) assets, as well as through clients like the Syrian Arab Army, the Kremlin strives to cou...