Week 174 (04-10/10/2022)

The inaugural summit of the European Political Community (EPC) officially open on Thursday (06/10). The EPC involves 27 European Union member countries, EU partners in the Balkan and also neighbours such as United Kingdom and Turkey. Picture: Reuters

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

People are withdrawing cash amidst the economic crisis in Lebanon (4/10). This phenomenon occurred after a weeklong closure of Lebanese financial institutions due to a long economic crisis. The Lebanese authority has put a limit on the cash sum that can be withdrawn. As reported, the Lebanese Pound has lost 90% of its value against the US Dollar since the crisis started.

In Iran, protest regarding Mahsa Amini is still happening and keep growing (6/10). The rally has now become a nationwide movement. People are protesting about the repressing rules conducted by the Iranian government of Ayatollah regimes.

Another leader has been named as the leader of Burkina Faso (6/10). Capt. Ibrahim Traore secured his position as the president of the country as he has overthrown Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. Previously, Mr. Damiba also became the country's leader from the coup he initiated in January this year.

In a dramatic action, a Soviet-produced plane just fell in Mali (4/10). Malian Armed Forces bought the Albatros-type plane from Soviet-era-Czechoslovakia and maintained it in the reserve. Since 2020, the Malian government secured secondhand types of equipment from Russia or the Soviet era, compare to Malian traditional ally, France.

ASIA

On Thursday (06/10), a former policeman opened fire with a gun and a knife at a daycare center in northeastern Thailand, killing 37 people, including 22 children. He then shot dead his wife and child at their home before turning the gun on himself, according to the police. They said that majority of the kids at the daycare center in Uthai Sawan, a town 500 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, were stabbed to death. The attacker was recognized by police as a former police officer who had been fired from his position last year due to drug charges and was currently in court on a drug charge.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea informed reporters (08/10) that North Korea has launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the waters off the eastern coast of the peninsula from the Munchon area of Kangwon Province. According to Japan's State Minister of Defense Toshiro Ino, the missiles were fired between 1:47 and 1:53 a.m. local time on Sunday. According to Ino, both missiles landed outside of Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. Although the defense ministry is still examining the specifics and trying to determine what kind of missiles were launched, including the potential that they were submarine-launched ballistic missiles, Ino pointed out that there have been no reports of any damage to ships at sea.

In Hong Kong, five teenagers were given three years in prison for calling for the overthrow of the Beijing government (09/10). The national security law is being applied in court for the first time against minors in Hong Kong. In 2020, Beijing enacted a comprehensive law that facilitated the prosecution of demonstrators. Since then, a large portion of the political opposition has been jailed for opposing the Chinese government.

Three prisoners, including a senior Abu Sayyaf member, were killed by Philippines police on Sunday (09/10) after they attempted to flee the police headquarters in the capital region by stabbing a jail officer and momentarily holding a jailed former opposition senator. One of the three prisoners stabbed a policeman who was bringing breakfast to the prisoners late at night. Two of the captives, including Abu Sayyaf chief Idang Susukan, were shot and murdered after failing to comply, according to authorities, after a police officer stationed at a guard tower fired warning bullets.

AUSTRALIA AND PACIFIC

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia is scheduled to visit the Solomon Island (06/10) for the first time following productive discussions with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare this week in Canberra. Following their discussions on Thursday, Mr. Albanese and Mr. Sogavare stated that they had built upon previous discussions in July at the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva regarding climate change remedies and hopes for a successful region.

According to Prime Minister James Marape (06/10), the Department of International Trade and Investment will serve as a "one-stop shop" for all major international investments in Papua New Guinea. This includes huge investments in the country's mining and petroleum industries. This is a direct intervention by Prime Minister Marape to eliminate the bureaucratic red tape and corruption that has prevented so many international investments from occurring in Papua New Guinea over the past 47 years. International Trade and Investment Minister Hon. Richard Maru attended all meetings in Japan and afterwards traveled to Singapore and Manila, Philippines, in an effort to attract international investment to PNG.

Vanuatu, Due to flaws in the vessel (08/10), the Electoral Office will not employ Takuare to transfer ballot boxes to remote districts as usual. Commander Maritime Collin Ioan Kalwatman stated that there is a problem with the Hydrogen Sulfide, which emits poisonous gas, making it dangerous for the officers to join the boat. He told the Daily Post that a Technical Fly away team from Cairns, Australia, is scheduled to be in Vanuatu this month to work on the matter at hand.

New Zealand Finance Minister Grant Robertson will depart for the United States (10/10) to participate in high-level discussions with senior officials from the Biden administration and Finance Ministers from around the globe. The Finance Minister will attend the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. In addition, he will meet with the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, and key US government officials.

EUROPE

Kerch Bridge that connects Crimea with mainland Russia has been attacked on Saturday (08/10). Russian authorities said that a lorry was blown up, damaging both the paved highway and the train tracks of the bridge. Seven rail cars loaded with fuel got caught in the explosion. While Ukraine neither confirm nor deny responsibility, many assume that they were behind the attack. This is a second time that an attack target infrastructure inside Crimea with the first-time attack was on Saky Airbase in September. The bridge considered by many as the lynchpin for Russia logistics in the southern front, bringing up supplies from Russia through Crimea into the frontline using the bridge. The damage from the attack will disrupt the flow of supplies and compound the logistical problems that Russia army currently suffers in Ukraine.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to joint winners on Saturday (8/10). The winners are Human rights group Memorial, human rights campaigner Ales Bialitski and Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine respectively. Memorial human rights group was famous for documenting and study the human rights violations under Soviet Union time while Ales Bialitski is the founder of Viasna Human Rights Centre. Meanwhile CCL has engaged in activities documenting Russian war crimes against Ukraine during the invasion. Nobel Committee Chair said that the awardees demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy.

Liz Truss has backtracked on her government’s “mini-budget” after negative reactions from both the market and her party. United Kingdom Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng has reversed the decision to cut the top rate tax from 45p to 40p, an integral component of the mini budget. He also will explain how the government plan to funds the tax cut, having previously said that the public must wait until 23 November. While both the market and the party has respond positively to the latest developments, the U-turn on the “mini-budget” and the furore surrounding it hurts Liz Truss credibility both politically and fiscally.

The inaugural summit of the European Political Community (EPC) officially open on Thursday (06/10). The EPC involves 27 European Union member countries, EU partners in the Balkan and also neighbours such as United Kingdom and Turkey. The summit was first proposed by France President Emmanuel Macron and supported by German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz to create a policy coordination between its members as a response to the fallout from Russian invasion of Ukraine. The aim is to boost security and prosperity across the region.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Colombia's government and the left-wing National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group have announced that they will re-establish peace talks (04/10). Negotiations will restart after the first week of November. Officials say Norway, Venezuela and Cuba would be "guarantor states" in the talks. Colombian high commissioner for peace Ivan Danilo Rueda has resumed peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN). The ELN is the nation's largest remaining armed group. It is known for staging kidnappings for ransom and attacks on oil infrastructure.

Argentina's Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to try to stop fans entering Gimnasia La Plata's stadium (07/10). Security minister Sergio Berni confirms one death, a 57-year-old man died of cardiac arrest. The game was called off after nine minutes when trouble outside the ground began.

The fire broke out on Easter Island on Monday and affected nearly 60 hectares (148 acres). An unknown number of the stone-carved statues have been affected by the blaze. The island's Mayor Pedro Edmunds said: "The damage caused by the fire can't be undone".

Haiti has asked for foreign military support to curb its gang violence crisis (09/10). A group of powerful gangs have blocked the country's main fuel terminal since September. The US is also considering a request for a humanitarian corridor to restore fuel distribution within Haiti, according to the state department spokesperson. Civil unrest escalated since he announced an end to government fuel subsidies. Food aid warehouses have been targeted, with an estimated $5m (£4.6m) worth of aid lost.

In Venezuela, Deadly landslides sweep away homes (10/10). Rescue efforts continue in Las Tejerias, as torrential rain has caused deadly landslides. At least 22 people have been reported dead, and a further 52 are missing. The El Pato river burst its banks, and the resulting floodwaters swept away several houses.

THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

Top United States officials have met with the Taliban in-person on Saturday (08/10). United States sent CIA’s deputy director, David Cohen and State Department’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom West to Doha for the talks with the Taliban delegation that includes their head of intelligence, Abdul Haq Wasiq. The topic of counterterrorism and also human rights condition especially women and girl’s rights in Afghanistan were the main focus of the discussion. This is the first time that US and the Taliban met with in-person since US kill Al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul in July. Since then, US had accused the Taliban for harbouring Al-Qaeda member.

New York Mayor has declared a state of emergency over the flux of migrant coming from the Southern states. Republican states like Texas, Arizona and Florida have been sending more than 17,000 migrants since April. This is part of a row between Democrats and Republican about the border crisis. Republican officials have said that the measure was aimed to increase pressure on United States President Joe Biden’s administration to do more to address the migrant crossing in the southern US border.

Gunmen has killed at least 17 including the Mayor Conrado Mendoza Almeda in the small city of San Miguel Totolapan in Western Mexico. While the killing on local officials is not unprecedented, in 2018 at least three dozen mayors, former mayors and mayoral candidates were killed, this was still a shocking attack. Mexico Defence ministry said they will deploy army and navy units to the area to find the gunmen. The attack has been blamed on criminal gang Los Tequileros.

Canada Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau announced on Friday (07/10) that his government will step up efforts to prevent top members of the Iran government including the controversial Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from entering Canada. PM Trudeau said that the move would be permanent. PM Trudeau also said that the government will allocate $76 million to boost Canada government capabilities to seize and freeze assets under the current Iranian sanction’s regime. The move was still fall short of declaring IRGC as a terrorist organisation under the Canada Criminal Code although PM Trudeau does not rule out that the government might do so in the future.