Week 137 (17-23/01/2022)
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih tested positive for COVID-19. | Picture: The President’s Office - Republic of Maldives
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Iran will reopen its representative office to Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (17/01). The office was closed six years ago after a diplomatic rift between the two countries. Furthermore, the Iranian embassy is also planned to be reopened in the kingdom.
The corruption trial of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be dropped after he negotiated a plea deal (18/01). If he pleaded guilty, his charges could be reduced to community service instead of jail term. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving leader, was accused of “receiving gifts in exchange of favors; negotiating to improve the circulation of an Israeli newspaper in exchange for positive coverage; and promoting legislation financially favorable to the owner of an Israeli telecom giant in exchange for positive coverage on its news site”.
In Buea, Cameroon, council workers were encouraged by the government to attend Africa Cup of Nations football games (18/01). This decision was taken after only a few fans attended previous matches in other cities. The clashes between separatist fighters and the army are believed to be the cause of the games’ low attendance.
Nmandi Kanu, a separatist figure, will face trials for terrorism in Nigeria (18/01). Kanu, leader of separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), was arrested in 2015 for terrorism, treason, and managing an unlawful society and publication of defamatory material. As reported, the Nigerian government had asked the court to lead his case under terrorism case.
ASIA
China, Russia, and Iran will hold their third joint naval drill on Friday (21/01). The “2022 Marine Security Belt” will take place in the north of the Indian Ocean and is aimed to strengthen security and its foundations in the region. In addition, the exercise is also expected to expand multilateral cooperation between the three countries to jointly support world peace, maritime security, and create a maritime community with a common future.
Reported in CNBC (21/01), Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar by no means is to lend legitimacy to the Myanmar military junta, which overthrew the elected government nearly a year ago. The visit, according to the minister delegate attached to the premier’s office, was mainly aimed at coordinating a ceasefire, delivering humanitarian assistance to the Myanmar people, and paving the way for ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar to have access to all parties concerned.
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih tested (22/01) positive for COVID-19 after undergoing a PCR test earlier. He was set to travel on a poll campaign for an upcoming by-election. The president, who is fully vaccinated, said he was in home isolation.
Reported in Aljazeera (22/01), at least seven people were killed and nine others wounded in a bomb blast on a minibus in the city of Herat, Afghanistan. Sabit Harwi, a spokesman for the Taliban, said the blast, according to initial reports, might be caused by a sticky bomb attached to the fuel tank of the passenger vehicle. Meanwhile, there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA
The Marshall Islands’ international airport terminal is in “bad shape” and “dangerous for the public”, said President David Kabua (18/01). According to the Pryzm Consulting report, the main load carrying beams of the terminal are no longer inadequate and can collapse at any time, risking the general public and those who use the facility. In addition, there are termites living in various support poles. Kabua mentioned that there is a funding from Japan for a new airport terminal.
New Zealand sends water and other supplies to Tonga via navy ships (19/01). The water supply in Tonga has been contaminated by ash from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, whose eruption had caused an explosion force 500 times the Hiroshima nuclear bomb and a tsunami. Hundreds of homes on Tonga’s small islands have been destroyed, and three people have died. Meanwhile, other countries and institutions are also drafting plans to send aid, such as the United Nations (UN), China, Fiji, and Australia.
The Solomon Islands’ capital has returned to a lockdown after a positive COVID-19 case was confirmed in the community (20/01). Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare appealed to all people in Honiara to adhere to the protocol and work together to protect families and the country in anticipating the rapid spread of COVID-19 and deaths from the virus. The lockdown was imposed after a ferry passenger from Ontong Java to Honiara tested positive for COVID-19. During the lockdown, the police will step in if anyone needs help. So far, the number of COVID-19 cases in Solomon Island has risen to 32.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) will receive AUD 580 million loan and grant package to upgrade its ports from Australia. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met virtually with his PNG counterpart James Marape on Friday (21/01) to talk about the agreement. The port upgrade will increase trade and support the economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the port will be upgraded so that local PNG products can reach domestic and international markets, as well as to create jobs.
EUROPE
As Russia continues to deny the United States (US)’ claims that it will attack and invade Ukraine, the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada have been sending Kyiv weapons to protect itself (18/01). Canada has also sent a small unit of special forces to help Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia warned that it could take “unspecified military action” unless its demands—including banning Ukraine from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—are agreed by the West.
The presidents of Serbia and Turkey have agreed to broker talks over Bosnia and Herzegovina crisis (18/01). The crisis started after the leader of Bosnian Serb, Milorad Dodik, supported a motion to pull the region out of Bosnia’s armed forces, tax system, and judiciary. Dodik’s move has been criticized as “wrong, dangerous” and could destabilize the region.
The UK’s foreign secretary, Liz Truss, warned Russia of the heavy consequences if it invades Ukraine (20/01). “[…] an invasion will only lead to a terrible quagmire and loss of life, as we know from the Soviet-Afghan war and conflict in Chechnya,” she said. Truss also urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw from Ukraine before “he makes a massive strategic mistake”.
Four Belarus officials have been charged by the US federal prosecutors for diverting a RyanAir airplane mid-flight on May 23, 2021 (21/01). The plane was originally bound for Vilnius, Lithuania from Athens, Greece. The charges said that the director of Belaeronavigatsia Republican Unitary Air Navigation Services Enterprise, Leonid Churo, personally called in a fake bomb threat and diverted the plane to Minsk, leading to the arrest of Roman Protasevich, one of President Alexander Lukashenko’s critics.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
South American countries have struggled with Omicron surges this week. As of Monday (17/01), health facilities in Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil are having difficulties in dealing with the influx of COVID-19 patients due to a lack of health personnel. However, the symptoms tend to be mild, especially in patients who have been fully vaccinated.
Brazil deployed more than 1,000 armed police troops to the Jacarezinho neighborhood, Rio de Janeiro, on Wednesday (19/01). The area is known as a hotbed for drug dealers and violent gangs. The raid was carried out as a security preparation ahead of Brazil’s presidential election this year.
Three tourists from Canada were shot in Cancun, Mexico, on Friday (21/01). As a result, two tourists died and another one was injured. Authorities are still looking for the perpetrator who was a hotel guest at a local resort. The shooting was the second incident in less than six months after the first one last November.
Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to also take responsibility for Argentina’s debt crisis. Previously, Argentina was hit by the crisis after it was predicted that it would default on its $40 billion debt, of which $18 billion is due this year. Obrador stated on Friday (21/01) that IMF policies shouldn’t exacerbate Argentine poverty or undermine its current leftist government.
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
Authorities found four frozen bodies at the United States (US)-Canada border, including one infant. Canadian authorities said on Thursday (20/01) that the four people might have been abandoned by their smugglers. On the same day, the US authorities arrested a suspect in Florida who was related to the smuggling activities.
Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said on Friday (21/01) that the country may have passed the peak of the Omicron wave. Even so, Dr. Tham warned that hospitalization would still be high and would put health facilities under intense pressure. Dr. Tham is also cautiously optimistic that the Omicron wave is the last major COVIDd-19 surge that Canada will face.
The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday (21/01) to reduce tensions in the Ukraine crisis. Blinken said Russia had to make important decisions regarding troop deployments. Meanwhile, Lavrov stated that the US must also respond to Russia’s security wishlist to ensure regional stability.
The US Department of Homeland Security has announced that travelers entering the US from Canada and Mexico via ferry terminals and land borders must carry proof of full vaccination. This policy has been in effect since Saturday (22/01). However, the policy doesn’t apply to US Citizens, US Nationals, and US permanent residents.