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Description: Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, James Marape, has confirmed that his Cabinet approved the newest security agreement with Australia and the Parliament is expected to ratify it in the upcoming days. The security agreement was concluded in the past couple of days during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to the country where he leads a foreign policy campaign of limiting Chinese influence in the Pacific. The security agreement stipulated a joint defense clause and a possibility for soldiers from Papua New Guinea to serve in the Australian military, effectively addressing the country’s recruitment problems. The deal was criticized by China’s embassy in the c
Description: After intense ground and aerial skirmishes, Myanmar’s military has claimed that it successfully captured the strategically important town of Kyaukme, after being under the control of the rebel forces alliance for over a year. The town represents a key transport and trade route which connects Shan State to China previously being controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). TNLA is part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance which also includes the National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army. The Alliance is frailly connected to the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), the pro – democratic resistance force, also an adversary of Myanmar’s milita
Description: US President Donald Trump stated that Hamas had three to four days to respond to the US 20 – point peace proposal for the Gaza Strip and the cessation of armed fighting and humanitarian devastation in the enclave. The major points of the peace plan included the exchange of prisoners, the phased-out withdrawal from the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military forces, Hamas’ disarmament and the establishment of an internationally led peacekeeping force which would manage security and the flow of humanitarian aid. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly expressed approval regarding the proposal, even though Israel is yet to formally accept it as a potential resolution
Description: Malagasy citizens took to the streets for a fifth consecutive day of protests against the country’s President Andry Rajoelina and the general living conditions in the country which have been flagrantly unbearable. Protests erupted last week, with citizen movements forming in the capital Antananarivo and spread across smaller cities such as Toliara on 01 Oct. President Rajoelina previously dissolved the government and in a public address to the nation, he apologized to his citizens and once again promised change. His public speech failed to assuage the Malagasies as the protests turned even more violent with police forces increasing in numbers to subvert civil un
Description: The Republican and the Democratic party in the US after failing to agree next year’s government budget caused the closure of the US government, prompting many federal departments to furlough or retain their employees. The closure of the government is not unfamiliar in US politics as it has happened on several other occasion as well as in Trump’s first term, where the 35 – day partial government shutdown happened. The Congress, where the Republican party holds the majority in both chambers, was deadlocked after the Democrats disputed the government budget bill which sought to cut funds from the publicly supported Medicaid and Medicare programs. Trump in return ha
Description: Morocco’s Gen Z protests have entered their fourth day as the young population in the country protested against corruption, dire living conditions and the decadent healthcare system. The protests spread across several cities in the country such as Ait, Amira, Inezgane, Agadi and Tiznit as well as Oujda in the eastern parts of the country. The protests were focused on demonstrating public disapproval with the government’s decision to dedicate most of its infrastructure budget towards the development of the football stadiums for the World Cup in 2030, while ignoring elementary socio – economic issues such as the devastating state of the country’s healthcare system
Description: The UN Security Council has adopted the initiative filed by the US and Panama to reinforce the existing Kenyan security forces in Haiti that combat gang violence to approximately 5 and a half thousand security troops. The Council voted in favor of adopting the resolution with Russia, China and Pakistan abstaining from the vote and addressing criticism towards the US and the mission itself. Chinese UN Ambassador Fu Cong stated that the so – called Gang Suppression Force lacked concise jurisdictional limitation and could be exploited for extrajudicial activities while the funding of the mission remained a constant problem. Russian UN Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia,
Description: The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of the MONUSCO (UN Organization and Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Bintou Keita, briefed the UN Security Council on the latest developments in the humanitarian and security crisis in the country. She stated that despite relentless peace efforts made by the US, Qatar and several African nations, peace remains and elusive prospect for the country which has been ravaged by violence, disease and displacement. Keita stated that various militant organizations in the country continue to endanger any potential peace agreement by instigating violence, grabbing territory and e
Description: The Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) enters a key period of decision-making process to name the successor of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who after losing both Upper and Lower house votes, submitted his resignation last month. Two prominent candidates among the party’s ranks have emerged in the conservative Sanae Takaichi and Shinjiro Koizumi who has strengthened his appeal to the party’s majority ministers of parliament in the past couple of weeks. Projections currently position both candidates to be in a closely contested leadership race within the LDP which would subsequently decide who would inherit Ishiba as the country’s new Prime Minister. Takaic
Description: Government representatives from the DRC and Rwanda have issued a joint statement claiming their commitment towards pushing forward the peace initiative instigated by the US and Qatar in the upcoming period. After meetings earlier this month, sticking points for establishing a joint peace monitoring and implementation mechanism prevailed over the negotiations. Rwanda’s connection to armed groups and militants within the DRC such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the M23 rebel alliance group were the biggest challenges for establishing the groundwork for the peace agreement signed earlier this year in Jun. Rwanda stated that the DRC