Week 173 (26/09 -03/10/2022)
The United States of America (29/09) has announced $810 million to extend US initiatives to improve the lives of Pacific islanders, including over $130 million in additional investment to support climate resilience and establish a sustainable blue economy in the Pacific Islands. Courtesy: AP
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Narcotics become a huge problem in Nigeria and cocaine is one of the…………... In order to eradicate narcotics problem, Nigeria anti-drugs agency destroyed a huge confiscation of cocaine packages from an impound . (27/9). 1.8 tonnes of cocaine, the biggest cocaine confiscation in Nigeria, was completed in Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria from a structured drugs dealer. The dealer was believed to be a part of international drugs dealer.
In Sierra Leone, a country prone to coup-d-etat, education seemed to have an impact. The First Lady of Sierra Leone, Fatima Bio, stated in a speech that her husband Julius Maada Bio is different in comparison to other Sierra Leone leaders (27/9). She said that her husband’s PhD title in managing coups, , could avoid him from being overthrown.
Protest regarding the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran is worsening (28/9). At least 76 people have died in the protest to support Ms. Amini, the one who was hit by Iranian religious police after headscarf issue until she died. The Iranian security forces is accused of using inappropriate forces to suppress the growing protest movement in the country.
Yusuf al-Qaradawi, one of the most influential sunni moslem clerics, has died at the age of 96 in Qatar (28/9). He found the International Union of Muslim Scholars and one of the patrons of the Muslim Brotherhood. He also appeared regularly in the Aljazeera television network for religious programs. He is known by the Western World as a moderate islamic scholar.
ASIA
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced on Friday (30/09) that it had made an offer to send the warrior-class Uighur compatriots who are currently training at the Harmonious People's Rock Mine to Ukraine to join "the global brotherhood of ethnically unclean martys" in their fight against the Russian forces that have invaded Ukraine.
Amidst escalating tensions with China, Russia, and North Korea, the defense chiefs of Japan, Australia, and the United States have committed to strengthen trilateral cooperation and further coordinate their security plans (02/10). The ministry said in a statement that the ministers had singled out five ballistic missiles that had landed for the first time inside Japan's declared exclusive economic zone during Chinese training. The EEZ of Japan extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from the coasts of many remote islands in Okinawa Prefecture, including Yonaguni Island, which is only 110 kilometers from Taiwan. According to the ministry, the three reaffirmed the significance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and agreed to encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues in light of the escalating tensions over self-governed Taiwan.
Monday (03/10), health officials in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, revealed the country's first case of monkeypox, according to the state-run Vietnamnet daily. No patient information was provided. The Health Department has distributed recommendations for the prevention and control of monkeypox to all city medical facilities. The city's health sector will increase its efforts to prevent the spread of the disease from other nations and has already developed response plans. According to the city's Health Department, symptoms of monkeypox include acute rash, fever, lymph node enlargement, headache, muscle discomfort, back pain, and asthenia (profound weakness).
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Don Pradmudwinai stated (03/10) that the Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand next month is a perfect chance for world leaders to address issues emanating from the Russia-Ukraine crisis. He noted that the three international meetings scheduled for November in Southeast Asia provide a crucial chance for governments to resolve these issues. At the Asean Summit in Phnom Penh, the G20 Summit in Bali, and the Apec Economic Leaders Meeting in Bangkok, world leaders will convene. Other members of the trade bloc, including the United States, have imposed severe economic penalties on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. The May Apec conference in Thailand concluded without the normal joint statement, as five members walked out in protest of the Russian incursion.
AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA
The United States of America (29/09) has announced $810 million to extend US initiatives to improve the lives of Pacific islanders, including over $130 million in additional investment to support climate resilience and establish a sustainable blue economy in the Pacific Islands. In making the announcement, President Joe Biden stated that it will also prepare for climate impacts on public health and food security. The new "Pacific Partnership Strategy" released by the White House identifies "pressure and economic coercion by the People's Republic of China, which threatens to undermine the peace, prosperity, and security of the region and, by extension, the United States" as a key factor influencing American policy in the region. Biden is also pleased to announce that the Cook Island and Niue as a sovereign state.
Australia Media outlets reported on Monday (03/10) that Canberra will rescue scores of Australian women and children of Islamic State fighters from refugee camps in Syria, following a secret mission by the nation's security intelligence agency. Reports that 16 women and 42 children of deceased or imprisoned Islamic State combatants who had been kept in camps for three and a half years would be returned were not immediately confirmed by the authorities.
New Zealand (02/10) Contributions to the government's proposed social unemployment insurance scheme will likely be subject to a 15% GST, earning the government hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, which National refers to as a "tax on a tax." According to documents obtained under the Official Information Act, officials advised against enabling earners to deduct the GST they pay on their levies. Officials proposed a revision to the statute to prohibit any deductions from being claimed. The present proposal for the scheme includes the application of GST to social unemployment insurance levies, which will levy 1.39 percent of employees' pay packets and an equivalent 1.39 percent levy on employers - similar to ACC.
According to a press release from the Guam Offices of Homeland Security and Civil Defense (01/10), mariners, residents, and visitors who enjoy Guam's waters are reminded to heed the latest weather advisories. The National Weather Service Guam Forecast Office has issued a maritime weather statement for Guam and Rota as NWS officials continue to monitor a line of showers capable of generating winds of 30 to 33 knots off the islands' eastern and southern waters. Lightning is possible, according to the Guam Homeland Security news release, and mariners should immediately seek safe harbor until the storms pass.
EUROPE
Russia President Vladimir Putin has announced Russian annexation of Ukraine four region, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk following last week referendum, while Putin signed an accord to annex the currently occupied region on Saturday (02/10). Russia currently does not control fully the territory. With these regions now considered Russian territory, Putin warned Western nations that Russia will do everything in its capability to defend it, including using nuclear weapons. International community has condemned the annexation and said the move constitutes a breach of international law.
Russian forces has withdrawn from the strategic city of Lyman, one day after Putin announced annexation of Ukraine regions. Lyman was used as a logistical hub by the Russian Army. Its capture will enable Ukraine forces to advance further into the Luhansk and Donetsk region, possibly towards the town of Kreminna and Severodonetsk. The setback in the battlefield push Chechen Leader and Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov to push for the use of low-yield nuclear weapon to avoid similar defeats.
European Union member countries have agreed on Friday (30/09) to impose windfall tax on energy companies. The decision was announced by Czech Republic who hold the EU presidency. With the energy crisis happening in Europe, energy companies are racking massive profit. The windfall will tax these gains and use it to reduce economic costs for consumers. The EU also agrees to cuts peak-hour power consumption as a further effort to bring down the energy prices. One proposed solution that’s missing from the agreement was gas price cap on imported gas that was proposed by some member among them France, Spain and Italy.
Major leaks have been reported along gas route that connects Russia with Germany. Earlier this week, Denmark and Sweden both reported that they have found a leaks in both Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipeline. The European Union has accused Russia of conducting sabotage of the pipeline in an effort to exacerbate European energy crisis. The U.S. has suggested that Russia could be behind the leaks in the pipeline. Russia has denied the suggestion and said they plan to bring the issue for “urgent discussion” at the UN Security Council.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Residents on both sides of the Colombia-Venezuela border turned out en masse to welcome the reopening of the Simon Bolivar International Bridge (28/09). The day marked the end of a seven-year border closure to cars and freight, and the resumption of air travel between Colombia and Venezuela. The decision to reopen the border is broadly popular among residents on both sides of the frontier. The Colombian government says a resumption in trade between the two countries could amount to up to $600m this year.
Peru's government proposes "a new approach" for mining companies to end social gaps and avoid conflicts (30/09). Peru is the world's No. 2 copper producer and mining is vital for the country's economy. It has faced several conflicts and protests from local communities in its mining areas. Indigenous communities have blockaded roads and mining areas several times this year. Peru has planned investments of $53 billion in mining projects, many of them frozen or delayed due to protests.
Over 1,700 people have died trying to stop mining, oil drilling or logging on their lands (30/09). Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Honduras have recorded the highest numbers of deaths. Researchers say the figures underestimate the true scale of violence against environmental activists around the world. In 2021, some 200 people were killed at a rate of 4 per week in Brazil. 85% of the killings in Brazil have occurred in Amazon region.
Nicaragua has accused the Netherlands of 'repeated meddling', after it barred the US envoy from entering the Latin American country (01/10). It also asked European Union ambassador Bettina Muscheidt to leave the country. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega lashed out at the European nation after learning it would not fund a long-promised hospital.
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
Hackers has leaked thousands of documents from Mexico Defence Ministry. President López Obrador has confirmed that Guacamaya, group of Central American hackers, stole thousands of emails from the IT system of the Ministry of National Defence. The messages and attached documents were leaked to media outlets Latinus by the group. A Latinus Journalist has said that the leaked data include communications from 2016 to September 2022. Some has described the hack as the “most serious violation” of Mexico cyber security.
As of Saturday (01/10), Canada has lifted its COVID-19 travel restrictions and mask mandated. This move follows other countries that has lifted similar restrictions on COVID-19 travel. Federal ministers including Health Minister, Jean-Yves Duclos argued that the latest wave of the disease has largely passed but warned that restrictions could be imposed again if its needed.
The United States Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has announced on Wednesday (28/09) a successful result on Monkeypox vaccine. The CDC announce that the new data shows that at-risk people who received a single dose of monkeypox vaccine appeared to significantly less likely to get sick. Currently, the US has 25, 000 cases of Monkeypox, the highest in the world so far. Monkeypox cases has been reported from various countries since early May 2022 and since July 2022, The WHO has declared monkeypox a global health emergency.
The United States House of Representative has passed a spending bill on Friday (30/09) to keep the government running and avoid government shut down within 11 hours until deadline. President Joe Biden has signed the bill on Saturday (01/10) that will continue funding federal agencies until mid-December. The House passed the measure by a vote of 230-201, with ten Republicans joining all Democrats. The bill includes $2.5 billion to aid communities affected by natural disasters and also includes $12 billion in aid for Ukraine.