BRITAIN JOINS OTHER NATIONS IN DECLARING CHINA’S ACTIONS TOWARDS UYGHURS GENOCIDE
By Donnelly McCleland The House of Commons has declared for the first time that genocide is taking place against Uyghurs and others in northwest China. More than a million people are estimated to have been detained at camps in the region of Xinjiang. The motion approved by MPs does not compel the UK to take…
SOMALI PRESIDENT SIGNS CONTROVERSIAL MEASURE EXTENDING TERM BY TWO YEARS
By Donnelly McCleland Somalia has accused some of its foreign backers of undermining its sovereignty after the embattled government was threatened with sanctions over a decision to extend its mandate by two years. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed [commonly known as Farmajo] on Wednesday [14 April] signed into law a “special resolution” extending his time…
TENSIONS BETWEEN U.S. AND CHINA CONTINUE TO RISE OVER TAIWAN
By Alex Pollock The State Department has announced that it will make it easier for US officials to meet Taiwanese representatives, defying pressure from China at a time of high tensions, and as the US Congress considers sweeping legislation to counter Beijing’s influence. The United States still considers Beijing to be China’s legitimate government, consistent…
JORDAN’S PRINCE HAMZAH ACCUSED OF ‘DESTABILISATION PLOT’
By Donnelly McCleland Jordan has banned reporting about an alleged plot to destabilise the country, said to involve controversial ex-Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein. The prosecutor general said the ban extended to social media networks. Over the weekend, the government accused Prince Hamzah, 41, of conspiring against the kingdom. Details have now emerged of an…
US MILITARY JOINS FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENT INSURGENCY IN NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE
By Donnelly McCleland The US military has reportedly joined the growing fight against jihadist insurgents in northern Mozambique. A dozen US Army Green Beret special forces began training Mozambican marines this week [17 March] in a two-month programme, the New York Times reported. The move indicates a greater commitment by the new Biden administration to…
RUSSIA’S PEACE-MAKING AND DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTIONS
By Alex Pollock Russia has become involved in wars in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and the CAR in different capacities. Russia has many of the instruments needed to make headway in complex peace negotiations, including good intelligence and analytical capabilities and effective diplomatic service. But so far, Russia has had mixed success. Many Russian mechanisms of…
POPE FRANCIS ENCOURAGES IRAQ’S EMBATTLED CHRISTIANS IN HISTORIC VISIT
By Alex Pollock Pope Francis opened the first-ever papal visit to Iraq on Friday [5 March] with a plea for the country to protect its centuries-old diversity, urging Muslims to embrace their Christian neighbours as a precious resource and asking the embattled Christian community – “though small like a mustard seed” – to persevere. (Associated…
WILL TIGRAY BE ETHIOPIA’S TIPPING POINT?
By Donnelly McCleland Forces fighting Ethiopia’s military in the Tigray region laid out eight conditions on Friday [19 February] for beginning peace talks, including the appointment of an international mediator and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered airstrikes and a ground offensive against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) – the…
G5 SUMMIT CONSIDERS OPTIONS FOR COMBATTING DEEPENING CRISES IN SAHEL REGION
By Donnelly McCleland French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday [16 February] ruled out an immediate reduction of French troops battling Islamist militants in West Africa’s Sahel region, saying a rushed exit would be a mistake. Mr Macron and a group of five African allies — Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger — were taking…
CONTROVERSIAL FRENCH BILL AIMED AT RADICAL ISLAM COULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE CHURCH
By Alex Pollock French lawmakers debated a bill on Monday [1 February] they hope will uproot radical Islam in the country, beliefs that authorities maintain are creeping into public services, associations, some schools and online with the goal of undermining national values. The bill is broad and controversial, with around 1,700 proposed amendments, and it…