Week 127 (08-14/11/2021)

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Hundreds of protesters took the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, to voice their disapproval and anger over a recent Constitutional Court ruling. | Picture: Jack Taylor/AFP

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of separatist movement Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in Nigeria has been postponed to January 19 and 20 next year (10/11). The move was taken after Kanu’s lead lawyer walked out in protest against the refusal to let other members of the legal defense team enter the courtroom. Kanu has been charged with seven indictments including terrorism, treason, and perpetuating falsehoods against President Muhammadu Buhari. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber is urged by international human rights organizations to cancel his planned concert in Saudi Arabia “as a symbol of solidarity with the ongoing suffering of the Saudi people” (10/11). The singer is set to sing at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on December 5. The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) said that the Grand Prix was authorized and financed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been accused of killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The group also criticized the government’s foul treatments of dissidents, women’s rights activists, and LGBTQ people. Bieber’s management has yet to comment on the cancel request.

The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) has signed an agreement with Bank Indonesia (BI) on cross-border payments (11/11). The deal was signed during Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week. It covers digital innovation in financial and payment services as well as a framework to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing.

Mobile app startups are thriving in Tanzania after the country realized the benefits of fintech for its unbanked population, and how the technology can attract domestic and foreign investors (11/11). Many Tanzanian commercial banks are now prioritizing mobile and internet banking over conventional approaches. Mobile apps are also regarded as a booster to increase the accessibility of financial services, particularly in rural areas.  

ASIA

Reported in France24 (08/11), floods have caused at least nine people dead and two others missing in Sri Lanka and parts of Southern India. The deluge occurred after rains poured for more than a week across the regions. In response authorities in India had established more than 150 relief camps to distribute food and aid to those forced out of their homes.

A man from Fukuoka, Kiyoshi Miyake (69), was arrested (08/11) on suspicion of attempting to start a fire on a shinkansen bullet train in southwestern Japan. The man, which was arrested on the scene, said that he was inspired by a recent arson attack on a train in Tokyo. According to the police, Miyake spread a liquid, set fire to a piece of paper using a lighter, and threw it on the floor. The smoke from the burn was seen inside the No. 3 car with around 30 people aboard. The train made an emergency stop after the emergency buzzer was sounded.

Starting on November 15, travelers to Cambodia will not have (14/11) to undergo quarantine process. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said that people who have two doses of vaccine and a negative COVID test 72 hours prior to travel will be allowed to travel all over the country. As of now, Cambodia has vaccinated nearly 90% of its more than 16 million people, one of Asia's highest inoculation rates.

Hundreds of protesters took the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, to voice (14/11) their disapproval and anger over a recent Constitutional Court ruling that said calls for reforms amounted to an attempt to overthrow the country’s monarchy. Many protesters argued that reform does not equal overthrow. Meanwhile, on their way the group also marched to the German embassy to send a signal to Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also called King Rama X, who frequently travels to Germany on lavish trips.

AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA

New Zealand will welcome the first one-way quarantine-free arrivals from Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, and Vanuatu in coming weeks (09/11). General Manager of Operations at Auckland airport, Anna Cassels-Brown, said that the passenger volumes will be limited. Family members or friends of the passengers are also not allowed to wait in the terminal. They are encouraged to welcome their loved ones at their respective homes instead.

Fiji has reopened its international borders to fully vaccinated diplomats, Fijian residents, permit holders, and those approved by the COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce (11/11). Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama added that starting December 1, fully vaccinated tourists from travel partners such as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) will be allowed to enter Fiji. To support the arrivals of people from travel partner countries, the Fijian government has started to transition Border Quarantine Protocols to Border Risk Reduction Protocol.

The continuous lockdowns in Australia has caused jobs to fall sharply in October, which then led to an increase in the unemployment rate (11/11). Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed the unemployment rate rose from 4.6% to 5.2%—well above the 4.8% forecast. The data was concluded from a survey that was taken from September 26 to October 9. The Chief Australia Economist for BIS Oxford Economics, Sarah Hunter, said that there would be some frictional unemployment in the next couple of months. But she is optimistic that the fallout will be transitory because vacancies are still running at record highs.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) received medical assistance from New Zealand to tackle the COVID-19 Delta variant surge (13/11). A medical and logistics support team has left New Zealand and is ready to address the medical crisis in PNG. The medical team consists of two doctors and three nurses from private company Respond Global, two Fire and Emergency New Zealand logisticians, and a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This team is stationed in Bougainville. Meanwhile, the logistics team consists of two New Zealand Defense Force logisticians and an Environmental Health Officer, and is stationed in Port Moresby. Besides New Zealand, Australia and Britain have also sent their medical teams to PNG to help with the COVID-19 crisis.

EUROPE

As hundreds of African and Middle Eastern migrants and refugees headed towards the Polish border near Kuznica village, the European Commission accused Belarus of committing a “gangster-style” approach to migrant crisis (09/11). Previously, Belarus has been accused by Poland of attempting to create a major conflict by allowing and encouraging migrants to cross into Central Europe in retaliation of the European Union (EU)’s sanctions on the government of President Alexander Lukashenko. Poland has blocked the migrants from entering the country, as well as deploying additional soldiers, border guards, and police to the country’s border with Belarus. Minsk denied all allegations. In his call to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko said he was concerned with Poland’s “harsh actions…towards peaceful people”. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to the situation by suggesting the EU to provide Belarus with funds to stop migrants crossing into the bloc.

Four people in Croatia, including former Government Minister Gabrijela Žalac, have been arrested on suspicion of misusing the EU’s funds (10/11). The country’s Central Finance and Contracting Agency (SAFU) has also been arrested. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was surprised about Žalac’s detainment, but stressed that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)—the body that investigates the case—was just doing their job.

As tensions in Central and Eastern Europe increased, the United Kingdom (UK) deployed 10 military personnel to Poland to assist the country in strengthening its border with Belarus, where hundreds of Middle Eastern and African migrants have been stuck in near freezing-temperatures (12/11). Poland has accused Russia of encouraging Belarus to send migrants to the Central European country and the EU. It is not clear why the UK is helping Poland, but the two countries have become close as they have disputes with the EU. In addition to the migrant crisis, there has been another tension in the east, with the United States (US) sharing intelligence with European allies about Russia’s military activities along its border with Ukraine. There has been fear of a second invasion, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia “does not pose a threat to anyone”.

Austria’s Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced a nationwide lockdown for people who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (14/11). The lockdown will start on Monday (15/11) and initially last 10 days. Under the new rule, those who are unvaccinated can only leave their homes for working or shopping for essentials. The move was taken as Europe has once again become the center of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mark Rutte ordered lockdown measures targeting restaurants, shops, and sporting events. The measures will be in place for at least three weeks.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

The United States (US) and Canada warned their citizens on Wednesday (10/11) to evacuate Haiti immediately and safely. The Haitian Government is unable to control civil unrest and gang-related kidnappings, causing dangerous civil unrest, especially for foreign citizens. However, the embassies from both countries will remain open to assist essential personnel for the time being.

The deforestation of the Amazon forest in October set a new monthly record. Deforestation was recorded (12/11) at 877 square kilometers, or more than the size of the city of Rio de Janeiro. This deforestation is an unfortunate condition considering that the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has just stated ambitious sustainable development targets at the COP26 forum.

Forty-two women from Argentina and Paraguay have filed a complaint (12/11) against Opus Dei, the Catholic movement that was related to the Vatican. Women from both countries have worked without pay and humane conditions in several countries, including Bolivia, Uruguay, Italy, and Kazakhstan. In responding to the complaint, Opus Dei stated that they are communicating with representatives of women’s groups to understand their condition.

The US government is reportedly lobbying Mexico (12/11) to impose tougher restrictions on immigrants, especially from Venezuela. The restrictions are expected to reduce the number of immigrants fleeing the brutal Maduro administration. Following this lobbying, Mexico is reportedly considering tougher restrictions on immigrants coming from the south.

THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

The White House announced on Monday (08/11) that the United States (US) and Canada will have constructive discussions on Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 pipeline that crosses the State of Michigan to Canada. The pipeline has become a potential dispute because it has dangerous environmental impact potential that can affect the life in Great Lakes. Meanwhile, Canada wants the pipeline to remain open to ensure its energy supply remains secure.

The US and China announced a joint declaration for climate change cooperation on Wednesday (10/11). This declaration is a progressive move because both countries are the largest carbon emitters in the world. This declaration is also a form of commitment from the US to return to global climate change cooperation since its withdrawal from Paris Agreement. However, experts are doubtful that this declaration will achieve its target by 2030 without massive reductions of fossil fuels.

A US appeals court rejected an appeal from the Biden Administration regarding vaccination mandate on Friday (12/11). In September, the Administration mandated all companies with more than a hundred employees to be fully vaccinated. The decision was later appealed by several states. The appeals court held the vaccination mandate because the Administration was considered not to have considered different conditions in workplaces that might hinder their vaccination.

Health officials in Canada are monitoring a pair of new mutations for the COVID-19 Delta variant (12/11). The new strains, AY.25 and AY.27, have been detected in Canada following continued communal transmission. In the near future, health officials will see the impact of both strains on the vaccines used in Canada.