Report: Hezbollah-Linked Company Exporting Millions to U.S. Despite Sanctions

Hezbollah fighters hold their party flags / AP

 

Hezbollah financiers circumvent sanctions to export Congolese lumber to U.S., Europe

A new report says that an African lumber company owned by major financiers of the Hezbollah terror group has circumvented sanctions and managed to export millions of dollars worth of timber to U.S. companies.

The investigation by Global Witness, a D.C.-based group that aims to uncover global corruption, focused on an African-based company called Congo Futur, which was targeted by sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department because the Tajideen family, which gives millions of dollars to Hezbollah, owns it.

An African Military Power

BERLIN/LUANDA (Own report) – Parallel to the escalating crises in Greece and Ukraine and the participation or involvement in various wars in the Arab world, the German government is intensifying its efforts to enhance its political and military influence on the African continent. German companies are seeking lucrative business opportunities in booming Angola at the “Angola/Germany Economic Forum” ending today in the country’s capital Luanda. Despite its persistent efforts, so far, German trade relations with Angola have not achieved a real breakthrough, whereas Berlin has already made progress in its military cooperation with Luanda. In late 2014, both countries signed an agreement on a “partnership” in military policy followed by a joint military exercise in March 2015. Angola is considered useful as an ally for implementing Germany’s geo-strategic interests in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been massively upgrading its military apparatus and thereby become a challenge to South Africa’s claim to continental hegemony.

Oil-Rich Nations Are Selling Off Their Petrodollar Assets at Record Pace

In the heady days of the commodity boom, oil-rich nations accumulated billions of dollars in reserves they invested in U.S. debt and other securities. They also occasionally bought trophy assets, such as Manhattan skyscrapers, luxury homes in London or Paris Saint-Germain Football Club.

Now that oil prices have dropped by half to $50 a barrel, Saudi Arabia and other commodity-rich nations are fast drawing down those “petrodollar” reserves. Some nations, such as Angola, are burning through their savings at a record pace, removing a source of liquidity from global markets.

Russia discusses cooperation with African Union

The high-ranking Russian diplomat participated in the 24th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments of the African Union

MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Russia’s plenipotentiary presidential representative on the Middle East and African countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail bogdanov discussed in Addis Ababa development of cooperation between Russia and the African Union, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Chinese naval base for Walvis Bay

STRATEGY … Walvis Bay is set to be part of China’s overseas military bases.

 

DISCUSSIONS are under way at the ‘highest levels’ regarding plans by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy to build a base at Walvis Bay in the next 10 years.

According to reports in the Chinese media, Walvis Bay will be one of 18 naval bases that will be established in various regions: Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Mynanmar in the northern Indian Ocean; Djibouti, Yemen, Oman, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique in the western Indian Ocean; and Seychelles and Madagascar in the central South Indian Ocean.

“These three strategic lines will further enhance China’s effectiveness in taking responsibility for maintaining the safety of international maritime routes thereby maintaining regional and world stability,” the media reports said.

Chinese company completes massive Angolan railway

China Railway Construction, one of China’s largest construction companies, finished building a massive railway line in Angola on Wednesday and plans to put into operation this year.

The 1,344-km Benguela railway is the second-longest railroad built by Chinese overseas, shorter only than the 1,860-km Tanzania-Zambia Railway built in the 1970s.

It will be the longest and fastest track in the southwestern African country of Angola, said Liu Feng, head of China Railway Construction’s Angola railway project.