Week 180 (15-21/11/2022)
A North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (Source: Reuters)
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
In Rwanda, a woman referee is expected to get a chance as the official referee for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar (18/11). Salima Mukansanga, a professional referee from Rwanda is hopeful to become one of the referees in the men’s competition of the FIFA World Cup 2022. If the door is opened for her, it will be a historical event in 92 years of men’s competition of the FIFA World Cup.
A telecommunication problem occurred in Botswana (18/11). The soaring prices of rechargeable batteries made people steal lithium from Botswana cell phone towers. Mascom Wireless, the biggest telecommunication operator in Botswana said that the event affects communication quality in the country.
In Gaza, Palestine, at least 21 people died in a fire incident at a refugee camp (18/11). Jabalia refugee camp, Gaza, was burned by a fire from a kitchen gas leak. As the fire broke out, the dense camp was easily burned down, children were among the dead victims.
Two boys were shot down in a protest in Iran by the security authority (17/11). The boys followed an anti-government protest in Izeh, Iran. Then a gunshot was heard, as per the official statement, the shot was a terrorist attack, yet from the families of the victims, it came from the security forces that were there in the protest scene.
ASIA
According to Japanese officials, a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile that landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone on Friday (18/11) may have reached the US mainland. The missile, which fell around 200 kilometers (124 miles) west of Oshima-Oshima Island in the northern Hokkaido prefecture, was launched by North Korea, which was denounced by the US, Japan, and South Korea. There were no reports of any ships or aircraft being damaged.
According to Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, the Chinese government is establishing unauthorized "police stations" in US cities in order to potentially conduct influence operations (18/11). A human rights group in Europe called Safeguard Defenders revealed the existence of several Chinese police "service stations" in major cities all over the world, including New York, in a report they released in September. According to the article, Beijing's efforts to persuade some Chinese nationals or their relatives living overseas to return to China and face criminal prosecution are being continued by the stations. Additionally, it connected them to the actions of China's United Front Work Department, a Communist party organization in charge of exporting its propaganda and sway abroad.
Malaysia has a hung parliament, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) neck and neck in the race to form a government in the country's 222-seat parliament. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said early on Sunday (20/11) that his PH coalition has the numbers to form a government. He did not reveal which parties are supporting him, saying only that he will notify the palace accordingly. PN chairman and former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, on the other hand, said the coalition is ready to work with other parties to form a government, but ruled out joining hands with the PH. The ruling Barisan Nasional, trailing in the polls, issued a statement saying it accepted the people's decision. This election was touted as the most hotly contested in the country's history.
Kamala Harris will visit President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. for a meeting on Monday in Manila after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Thailand (21/11). They are intended to enhance commercial relations and Washington's oldest treaty alliance in Asia, according to a senior US administration official who was not identified in an online briefing prior to the visit as is customary. Harris will travel to the South China Sea-adjacent province of Palawan on Tuesday to meet with local fishermen, villagers, officials, and the coast guard. She will become the highest-ranking US official to visit the frontier island at the center of the protracted territory disputes between China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan once she arrives there.
AUSTRALIA AND PACIFIC
The pro-independence Caledonian Union has rejected the criticism of the New Caledonia Committee of Elders, which denounced the party leader's recent speech at the congress. Daniel Goa cautioned that if France elected unilaterally to withdraw from the decolonization process and the Noumea Accord, the peace in New Caledonia would be irreversibly damaged. The Committee of Elders, which was established in 2017 at the insistence of the former French prime minister Edouard Philippe, stated that a solution can only be reached through pressure-free negotiations.
This week there have been 24,068 new cases of Covid-19, according to the Ministry of Health of New Zealand. Additionally, forty deaths have been reported today, including one child under the age of ten. Seven deaths were reported from the Auckland region, four from the Waikato region, one from the Bay of Plenty, two from the Lakes, three from Hawke's Bay, one from Taranaki, two from MidCentral, three from Whanganui, four from the Wellington region, two from Nelson Marlborough, nine from Canterbury, and two from the Southern region.
Following an increase in Covid cases in Australia, Carnival Cruises has restored mask requirements onboard its ships. According to a statement, masks were reinstated "out of an excess of caution." They will be necessary in public indoor places, outdoors when in large groups where physical separation cannot be maintained, and for the duration of embarkation and debarkation.
Sitiveni Rabuka stated in Lautoka on Saturday that the People's Alliance (PA) and National Federation Party (NFP) government will create review teams to investigate the choices and policies of FijiFirst during the past 16 years (21/11). This involves appointing a Constitutional Review Commission to examine the 2013 Constitution. He delivered these remarks at the Namoli Village manifesto launch for the PA.
EUROPE
Two people were killed in an explosion in Eastern Poland. The North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) has stated that the cause of the explosion was from Ukraine anti-air missile, not from Russia as first suggested. The NATO alliance insists though that Russia is ultimately to blame for the attack as Russia started the war that triggered Ukraine defences.
United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has paid an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Saturday (19/11) for talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. The visit includes ($59.4 million) air defence package for Ukraine, including anti-aircraft guns and technology to counter Iranian-supplied drones, This also comes after Ukraine missile mistakenly hit village in Poland, killing two people.
France and Germany has agreed on Friday (18/11) to a deal that aim to provide next-generation jet for European by 2040 along with an integrated drone fleets. This comes after disagreement between the two companies involved, Airbus and Dassault Aviation. The deal called Future Combat Air System (FCAS) was launched in 2017 between Germany and France and since has included Spain.
Czech Republic and Austria has introduced border controls with Slovakia in an effort to stem the flow of migrants coming from Middle East and North Africa. The row has been going on for over a month and were in violation of the Schengen Agreement that guarantees open border between the European Union member states.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Ecuador's Shuar Arutam indigenous people say they will not allow mining on their territory (19/11). The move threatens a large copper mining operation in the Andean country. A court ruled their rights to prior consultation were violated, annulling an environmental license. The government and indigenous leaders are working on a draft community consultation law.
Confirmed cholera cases in Haiti have jumped to more than 700, health officials say (18/11). Cholera-related deaths have increased to 161, the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) says. The United Nations has appealed for $150m (£127m) to help contain the spread of the disease.
Bolivia's census, postponed until 2024, caused by violent strikes in some areas (18/11). The left-wing government of President Luis Arce decided to push the census back after concerns about indigenous languages and the challenge of incorporating Bolivia's Indigenous languages. Lawmakers have proposed alternatives to the decree, which they hope will be taken up by congress. Civic Committee leaders call on other cities in Bolivia to support their demands. Strike organizers have been holding "supply days" periodically, allowing movement through the blockades to enable locals to stock up on food, gasoline and other basic goods.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva makes his first appearance on the international stage (17/11). Huge numbers gathered to see him speak, making him one of the superstars of COP27. Brazil is deeply divided over Lula's return to power and his job won't be easy. He pledged to ensure developing nations get the money they are owed to deal with the effects of climate change and protect indigenous people.
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
China President Xi Jinping has accused Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for leaking sensitive conversation between the two during the G20 Summit to the media. China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning has accused Canada of acting in condescending manner and Canada was to blame for the downturn in relations. PM Trudeau has responded by saying that Canada believes in “free and open and frank dialogue and that is what we will continue to have.”
United States state of Texas has sent armoured personnel to the U.S.-Mexico Border in an escalation of enforcement. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s border mission will now include sending armoured vehicles to the border in an ongoing effort to stem illegal immigration. Governor Abbot has cited both the US Constitution and Texas Constitution to justify his action.
Mexico Tourism Minister has pushed for the United States to change the way it designates travel warning. This follows the United States State Department warning to its citizen not to travel to six Mexican states and advise their travel needs to seven others. On Wednesday (16/11) Federal Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco, Mexico’s ambassador to the United States, Esteban Moctezuma, and state tourism ministers met virtually with State Department officials to discuss the issue. Mexico Tourism Minister wants the U.S. to differentiate isolated cases of violence and not generalize it to the whole state as it will affect Mexico tourism industry.
International organization CITES has warned Mexico to do more in protecting endangered species if they don’t want to face wildlife export ban. The world’s leading species protection bodies are willing to take its strongest measure if Mexico fails to offer plan to protect and endangered porpoise said a lawyer from the international convention on Wednesday (16/11). Illegal fishing has brought the vaquita porpoise, a species native to Mexico Gulf of California area to the brink of extinction.