Week 170 (05-11/09/2022)
Gates of Balmoral Castle are pictured, amid concerns over Britain Queen Elizabeth's health, in Balmoral, Scotland, Britain September 8, 2022. Picture: REUTERS
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
In Burkina Faso, more than 30 people died in a bomb attack (06/09). The bomb hit a convoy of vehicles in the northern part of the country where jihadist rebels are active. Burkina Faso has been struggling to tackle a jihadist insurgency which spread from Mali.
Kenya’s presidential election drama has concluded with no change of the winner (06/09). William Ruto, the president-elect, has secured more than 50% of votes. He will be the fifth president of the Eastern African country.
Alcoholic beverage beer will be allowed to be sold in Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022 event (06/09). However, beer sales will only be permitted three hours before kickoff and for one hour after the final whistle, not during the game. The sales will also be limited for ticketed fans.
The MotoGP event will come to the Saudi Arabia (06/09). The owner of MotoGP, Dorna Sports, has signed the memorandum with the authority for holding the event in the kingdom. The goal is to build a purpose-built FIM and FIA-accredited circuit, so Saudi Arabia is the second Gulf country to host MotoGP after Qatar.
ASIA
China refuses to cooperate with the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office after it issued a report criticizing Beijing’s policy toward Uyghurs and other ethnic groups in western Xinjiang (09/09). The report released last week threw up “groundless blame” of China’s policies and actions, claiming that some rights violations under China’s anti-terrorism efforts may constitute crimes against humanity. In a report, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights accused China of grave human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other primarily Muslim ethnic groups. The situation in Xinjiang was urged to receive “immediate attention” by the international community.
According to official media (09/09), North Korea has approved a legislation authorizing it to execute a pre-emptive nuclear strike and stating that its nuclear position is “irreversible”. The announcement came after a series of high-level summits with then-United States (US) President Donald Trump over sanctions relief fell short and amid stalled discussions on denuclearization and worries Pyongyang may soon resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.
According to a report on Saturday (09/09), Japan and the US are attempting to set up a meeting between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Joe Biden in New York on or around September 20 to address security challenges in East Asia. Concerns to be discussed include China’s increasing pressure on Taiwan, North Korea’s threats to conduct nuclear tests, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to sources in both countries quoted by Kyodo. The summit is expected to take place alongside the UN General Assembly gathering.
A day after declaring that the entire world must give Pakistan “huge” sums of aid, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the flood-devastated regions of Sindh and Baluchistan on Saturday (10/09). During his two-day visit to Pakistan, which had been devastated by months of torrential monsoon rains and flooding, Guterres toured the districts of Sukkur in southern Sindh province and Osta Mohammad in southwest Baluchistan province. There have been at least 1,396 fatalities, 12,728 injuries, and millions of homeless individuals. Infrastructure for roads and communications was also destroyed by the floods.
AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA
Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand are exempted from the Solomon Islands’ foreign naval ban because the three countries are working together under the Solomon Islands International Assistance Force (SIIAF) (05/09). Foreign military vessels responding to the Solomon Islands government’s request for assistance are also allowed to enter the country. Although the relations between the Solomon Islands and the United States (US) have recently been strained, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said that the ban was not targeting the US, but to review benefits and risks to the Pacific nation of any visits by any military vessels.
Tuvalu reaffirms support and commitment to Taiwan (06/09). During a welcoming ceremony in Taipei, Tuvaluan Prime Minister Kausea Natano said he was committed to Taiwan amid tensions with China. Tuvalu and Taiwan have had diplomatic relations for 40 years, albeit through ups and downs. Natano’s visit marked the first trip to Taiwan since his election in 2019. On the other hand, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati ended diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China. Thus, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen thanked Tuvalu for supporting its international participation.
Fiji no longer requires post-arrival testing (06/09). Changes to the COVID-19 protocol in Fiji took effect on September 5. Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said tourists did not need to show COVID-19 test results if they did not have COVID-19 symptoms. However, tourists who have COVID-19 symptoms are still required to do a COVID test. The isolation period has also been shortened from seven to five days. Removing the testing requirement and reducing the isolation period will promote economic recovery and ease travel barriers.
New Zealand will invest NZD 30 million over five years for the Pacific nations’ sexual and reproductive health services (07/09). New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the investment while visiting Papua New Guinea (PNG). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific’s sexual and reproductive health services are diverted. Therefore, a safe approach to health care is urgently needed, including in remote locations or vulnerable groups. The goal is to achieve social and economic resilience in the Pacific.
The Supreme Court of Vanuatu dismissed a constitutional challenge against the dissolution of parliament (09/09). Elections will now take place in the nation on October 13 despite the caretaker opposition’s indication that it may appeal. Given that Bob Loughman was the target of a motion of no confidence, the 27 opposition members of parliament (MPs) questioned the validity of this dissolution. The 27 MPs argued that the Council of Ministers was ineligible to advise the president to dissolve the legislature in those circumstances and that this violated article 66(1) of the constitution because Loughman would stand to gain from the dissolution. Moreover, it would prevent the applicants from moving and voting on the motion.
As Pacific countries awoke Friday (09/09) morning to the news of the Queen’s death, there was a mixture of grief, nostalgia, and pain at the legacy of colonialism in their countries, many of which have become republics in recent decades. Flags were flown at half-mast in the Solomon Islands, and many people posted condolence messages on Facebook and changed their profile pictures to images of the Queen. Residents in Vanuatu, which was run as a joint colonial post by the French and British after WWII until gaining independence 42 years ago, expressed sadness for her death, but said the monarchy’s relevance had dwindled over the years.
According to police, a boat carrying 11 people capsized off the coast of Kaikoura in New Zealand on Saturday (10/09), killing five people. Kaikoura Mayor Craig Mackle reportedly thought a whale turned the boat, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ). Police did not, however, identify the cause. An investigation into the incident’s precise circumstances will be conducted by several agencies.
Authorities report that at least three people have died after a strong earthquake struck a rural area of PNG early on Sunday (11/09). The magnitude 7.6 earthquake that shook the Pacific nation also caused infrastructure damage and other injuries. The three victims perished in a landslide near the gold-mining town of Wau, according to Charley Masange, the disaster director for the province of Morobe. Other people had suffered injuries from falling objects or debris, and some hospitals, residences, country roads, and highways had suffered damage.
EUROPE
The European Union (EU) are considering to impose a price cap on Russian gas. This plan will be proposed by the European Commission in near future, according to the President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen on Wednesday (07/09). This follows the announcement by the Group of Seven (G7) countries on Friday (02/09) that they planned to enact a similar price cap on Russian Oil. The EU measures are aimed at cutting Russian export’s revenue and to reduce its ability to fund its invasion of Ukraine, similar to the G7 proposed price cap. Some EU member states are wary that this proposed plan will put at risk the remaining Russian supply of gas that is still available. Russia itself has stated that they will stop supplying any country that participates in plan.
Liz Truss has become the 56th prime minister and the third female leader of the United Kingdom (UK) (06/09). She met Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral and was asked to form a new government. Truss was also expected to announce plans to tackle the energy price crises.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused Western nations of provoking Russia (07/09). Turkey has been trying to mediate Ukraine and Russia to no avail. But “provoking” Russia—as the West does—will also not bring the “needed result”.
Queen Elizabeth II has passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday afternoon (08/09) at her Scottish estate Balmoral. The Queen was the UK’s long-serving monarch, reigning for seven decades. Foreign leaders including France’s President Emmanuel Macron have paid tribute to the Queen. Macron described Elizabeth II as a “kind-hearted Queen” and “friend of France”. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the Queen was one of his “favorite people in the world”.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, her oldest son has become King Charles III. In his first speech as the UK’s monarch (09/09), Charles pledged to continue his mother’s “lifelong service to the nation”. Charles also elevated his heir William and his daughter-in-law Catherine to become the new Prince and Princess of Wales.
The government of Greece, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has faced an ongoing inquiry into the accusation of spying scandal. Dubbed the Greece Watergate, the Greece government was accused of using spyware called Predator to spy on journalist and politician including journalist Thanasis Koukakis and the head of Greece’s centre-left Pasok Movement of Change Nikos Androulakis. On Thursday (08/09), a European Parliament inquiry committee has been tasked with investigating the use of surveillance spyware in the EU and will call Kouakis to testify. The Greece’s EU Ambassadors has vehemently denied the accusation and said that the EYP (Greece National Intelligence Agency) had never bought or used Predator Software. Koukakis also has taken his case to the European Court of Human Rights. Meanwhile Greece Paliament has formed its own investigative committee to shed further light on the affair.
Ukraine has announced its armed forces’ success on the northern front in its ongoing war with Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed good news after the Ukrainian armed forces push the Russian back in the Kharkiv region. President Zelensky stated that Ukrainian forces have retaken over 3,000 sq km (1,158 sq miles). This counter-offensive by Ukraine was made in the middle of another ongoing battle in the Kherson region. Some analyst said that Ukraine made the attack in the middle of Russian effort to divert more resources to the ongoing battle in the southern region near the city of Kherson. The speed of Ukrainian counter offensive means that if confirmed, will be the most significant changes in the frontline since April.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
In Dominican Republic, two tragedies involving a boy and a girl in separate events occurred in a Center for Comprehensive Early Childhood Care (Caipi) and a shelter of the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI) (04/09). The first and most regrettable after a child’s death was reported inside the CAIPI facilities in San Francisco de Macoris. On the other hand, the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI), reported that, a girl “fell” from the roof of one of its foster homes located in the National District.
Paraguayan football fans (08/09) supporting Olimpia chanted Wednesday evening “extradition for Horacio” in reference to former President Horacio Cartés’ designation by the US State Department as “significantly corrupt.” According to Paraguay’s Anti-Money-Laundering Secretariat (Seprelad), Cartés has donated in excess of USD 45 million to Libertad. Cartes is sheltering behind his parliamentary immunity as a lifetime Senator in order not to appear before the Bicameral Investigative Committee (CBI) in Congress.
According to official government data, deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest increased by more than 80% in August compared to the same month the previous year (10/09). According to the national space research organization Inpe, which gathers the data, 7,135 square kilometers (2,754 square miles) of the Amazon were cleared from January to August, up 19% over the same period last year. Environmentalists attribute this rapid fall to far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.
Venezuela’s administration defended the incarceration of American nationals, dismissing a previous statement from the Department of State highlighting the two-year arrest of a Marine veteran (11/09). Late on Saturday, the Nicolás Maduro administration issued a statement reiterating its commitment to upholding the law as well as reaffirming the “spaces and channels” that had been established with the US “in quest of understanding on matters” pertaining to their bilateral relationship. According to Maduro, “It is unfortunate that the authorities of the United States insist on their claim to grant an undesirable immunity or letter of marque to its nationals, in full disrespect for the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples.” In Venezuela, there are at least 10 men in custody, including three veterans and five oil executives.
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
The Biden Administration has announced on Wednesday (07/09) that US technology companies that receive federal funding will be barred from building “advanced technology facilities” in China for 10 years. The guideline is part of a USD 50 billion plan aimed at building up the domestic semiconductor industry. This plan was part of Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act that was passed in August aimed at improving and advancing US leadership in research, development, and manufacturing of semiconductors. The Chinese Embassy in Washington had opposed the semiconductor bill, calling it reminiscent of a “Cold War mentality”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced a further USD 2.8 billion in military aid during a meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday (09/09). During this unannounced visit, Blinken has praised Ukraine’s successful counter-offensive in the north and underlines the US’ unwavering support to Ukrainians. Blinken now heading to Europe to shore up support for Ukraine among European countries. With Europe is now facing energy crisis due to Russia withholding gas supply, Blinken will try to rally European countries to stay committed to the cause.
The governor of New York has declared a state of emergency over polio on Friday (09/09). Although there has been only one confirmed case so far, this is the first time the virus has emerged in nearly a decade. Polio was largely eradicated from the US after the start of polio vaccination in 1955. In 1977, the US was declared polio free. But according to New York state officials, vaccination rates are too low in some parts of the state and. Friday’s emergency declaration is aimed at increasing immunisation rates from current state_wide average of 79% to 90%.
The US New York’s district attorney has returned USD 19million worth of stolen art to Italy. The art pieces include a marble head of the Goddess Athena dated 200 BC worth an estimated USD 3 million. The stolen artefacts were sold on to museums and private dealers by convicted looters, Giacomo Medici and Giovanni Franco Becchina. Law enforcement agent and investigators has worked for years to track down both convicted looters and locate the item that will be repatriated